The dawn broke over the packlands, bleeding soft shades of amber and gold across the sky.
Isla stood at the edge of the sparring grounds her arms crossed, the early morning chill clinging to her skin. The younger warriors gathered before her , their eyes bright with determination, though some flickered with hesitation. She saw herself in them , the fear , the stubbornness, the unyielding hunger to prove something.
"Again" she called, watching as they formed lines. Blades in hand, their stances braced against the frost -laced earth.
Kael leaned against a nearby post, a small, approving smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It hadn't gone unnoticed how he often appeared where Isla was. The bond between them had shifted. No longer just battle companions but something unnamed, something
