Beneath the Pines
The wind whispered through the trees as Heiko and River crossed the boundary into Almira territory, the scent of pine and wild mint rising with each step. River sat silently on Heiko’s back in wolf form, her arms wrapped gently around his furred neck, heart still racing from the events of the past days.
But suddenly, Heiko slowed.
His pace dropped to a trot… then to a stop. Without warning, he turned sharply off the beaten path and padded through a thick patch of woodland, veering away from the road.
“Heiko?” River called softly through their bond, but got no answer.
He moved swiftly into a clearing, where the sunlight broke through the dense canopy, casting warm gold on the moss-covered floor. Then, with a low huff, Heiko shifted back into his human form—tall, bare-
