The first night of our journey bled into dawn, and the forest around us changed with every step we took. The tall, familiar oaks of our territory gave way to ancient, gnarled trees whose twisted branches interlocked overhead like the fingers of ghosts guarding a long-buried secret. The air grew cooler, carrying the sharp scent of pine, damp earth, and something older—something that tasted of silver and starlight when I breathed it in.
We moved in silence, only the soft crunch of boots on moss and the distant call of a night bird breaking the stillness. Kael walked at my right hand, his senses sharp, his wolf constantly scanning the shadows. Mara stayed close to my left, her hand resting on the small dagger at her hip, her eyes wide but unafraid. The warriors behind us moved with the disci
