THE LAST HUMAN IN WOLF TERRITORY

The forest had taught Lyra one lesson long before she learned how to read the weather or track a deer. Silence had kept her alive. She walked with ease from one tall pine to another, her boots barely breaking the surface of the mossy ground beneath them. She had a woven basket around her hip that was already filled with medicinal herbs and wild berries. The morning sun struggled to reach the forest floor, leaving long shadows dancing between old trees. She stopped and listened after every few steps. Birds singing, a distant stream and the sound of leaves blowing in the wind. All sounded as it should. Then she went on. She knelt near a group of silver-leaf plants and carefully cut the stems with the little knife that hung on her belt. Elias was fond of saying that careless hands spoil nature's gifts. He would always tell her to only take what she needed. "The forest protects those who respect it." Lyra smiled to herself. "If you could see me now, you would finally admit I'm getting better." A squirrel darted across a fallen log, making her chuckle. Before standing, she put the herbs into her basket. The basket was quite full. Elias would be pleased. The thought warmed her heart. Elias wasn't her grandfather by blood, but he was the only family she'd ever known. He had raised her since she was a baby, teaching her how to hunt and how to heal wounds. But one thing he said over and over again. “Never leave the forest.” "Avoid being seen by wolves." She asked him 'why' many times. His response always remained the same. "Because if they find you..." He would pause his talking. He always seemed to be in a bad mood, as if he had something on his mind that he couldn't get rid of. "...they will never stop hunting." She had initially believed that he was referring to ordinary wolves. Until she was 12 years old. That was the first time she saw glowing golden eyes watching from beyond the trees. Not an animal. Something far worse. She never forgot them. A cold breeze swept through the woods. Lyra frowned. The birds were no longer singing. Then her smile disappeared. The silence felt...wrong. Slowly she reached for the hunting bow hanging across her back. Softly, she said, "Elias? No answer. Her heartbeat quickened. He should have met her by the stream before noon. He never missed it. A twig snapped somewhere ahead. She spun toward the sound, an arrow already nocked. Nothing, only trees. “Who is there?” she asked. The forest was silent. After several tense moments, she lowered the bow slightly. "You're imagining things," she whispered. Then there was another sound. Not a twig but footsteps. Heavy and too controlled to be an animal. Lyra backed away. One step, then another The wind shifted. An unfamiliar scent filled the air. Smoke, steel and blood. Her eyes widened. “Humans?” No... Elias told her that they were alone. Always alone. Suddenly a whistle rang out in the air. Instinct took over. She threw herself behind a tree as something struck the bark where she'd been standing. Lyra stared at the shaft buried deep in the trunk. Someone had tried to kill her. "Run." It wasn't her voice. It was Elias's. She heard it in her mind as clearly as if he was standing beside her. She didn't hesitate. Her legs carried her through the woods much faster than she could have imagined. Branches clawed at her arms. Roots threatened to trap her. Then there were screams following her. "There!" "She's heading east!" "Don't lose her!" Her heart raced, and her mind went blank. People. There were people in the forest. How? Why? Another arrow whizzed past her shoulder. Too close. She ducked behind a thick forest tree before changing direction without slowing. Elias had taught her that predators would expect prey to run in a straight line. She never did. The noise faded for a moment. Then came something worse. A horn echoed through the forest. Low but deep. It sounded like a signal. Moments later, howling voices came from all directions. Lyra froze. No. Not wolves. Please... Not them. The howls grew closer. Many voices. Too many to count. Her breathing grew irregular. She pushed herself forward. The cabin wasn't far anymore. If Elias was there… Everything would be alright. It had to be. The familiar clearing finally appeared between the trees. She felt relief wash over her. "Elias!" She ran to the little wooden house. Then she suddenly stopped, almost falling. The roof was on fire. Flames climbed into the sky while thick black smoke poured upward. "No..." Her basket fell from her hands. Medicinal herbs scattered across the ground unnoticed. "No..." She stumbled forward. The vegetable garden had been trampled. The fence was demolished. The grass was stained with blood. "Elias!" She rushed inside. The cabin was demolished. Furniture lay shattered. The books were burned in the fireplace. All the drawers were empty. She found him beside the table. "Elias!" She dropped to her knees. His clothes were soaked in blood. He was stabbed across the chest with a sword. His breathing was shallow. Tears filled her eyes. "I'm here." She pressed her shaking hands on the wound. "You'll be alright." He smiled weakly. "You've...grown into...a terrible liar." "Please don't talk." "You have...to listen." His voice cracked with pain. "There isn't much...time." "No!" "You must." His weathered hand searched for hers until their fingers met. "They found us..." "I'll hide us again." "You can't." His gaze turned to the door. "They'll return." Lyra frantically shook her head. “I'm not going to leave you.” "You have no choice." He struggled to breathe. Then he pulled down from his coat and brought out an old leather pouch with an old blue cord tied around it. He placed it in her hands. "Protect this." "What is it?" "Everything you need." She stared at him in confusion. "I don't understand." "You will." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "When you reach...the Moon Temple..." "What?" "Listen carefully." His cloudy eyes locked onto hers. "You are not...ordinary." "I know." He gave a faint laugh. "No." His face became serious. "You are...the last..." Footsteps echoed outside. Several pairs, coming towards the cabin. Elias's eyes widened. "They're here." The front door burst open with a loud bang and crashed inward. Five figures emerged from the smoke, all dressed in black cloaks. They all had masks on their faces, which were silver. The tallest of them carried a blood-stained sword. His cold eyes fell on Lyra. "There she is." Lyra instinctively moved in front of Elias. The masked man tilted his head. “So the rumors were true.” Elias grabbed her wrist with surprising strength. His last words were barely audible. "Run, Lyra..." "...because you are the last human alive." Lyra's world shattered. But before she could even process what he had said The masked warrior raised his sword and stepped toward her.