The morning fog clung to the mountain peaks, thick and suffocating, making every step treacherous. My muscles were still sore from the last skirmish with the scouts, yet there was no room for hesitation. Sera had made it clear:
yesterday’s victory was merely a measure of my progress, not an indication of my readiness.
Today would test more than strength, it would test strategy, foresight, and control.
The trial began with no warning. Sera’s hand, raised once in the silent signal, was all it took for the other wolves of the training pack to disperse into the trees. They moved silently, like shadows stretching over the jagged landscape, and I realized instantly that this was no ordinary drill.
“You will face the terrain, the pack, and yourself,” Sera’s voice rang sharp and clear across t
