The pack stared at the fragment. It floated above the ground. Small. Glowing with faint grey light. Silent.
“What is it exactly?” Richards asked. He kept his distance. Every wolf did. Fear was natural. This thing was part of what I wanted to erase.
“A piece of the First Dark. Consciousness without form. Awareness without experience. It has never existed before. Never felt anything. Never knew anything except silence.” I watched it drift slowly. Lost. Confused. “We have to teach it. Show it why existence matters. Why life is worth protecting.”
“How do you teach something like that?” Elena asked. She held Little Aria close. Protective. “How do you explain joy to something that never felt emotion? How do you prove beauty to something that never saw light?”
“We show it to everything. Start
