ht came colder

eaves, and the wind turned sharp,

dn't lig

ome something quieter. A companion. A reminder. Not of weakness, but of will. She moved t

t

hing call

e hush between footsteps. In the ache behind her ribs. It was in the wind. In the bones of the trees. In the w

ollow

o a place no map remembered and no prey dared. The air

bent away from the center, as if some great force had pressed outward from a single, ancient breath. The

. Or f

ere she f

hers and smoke-gray fur. His beard was coarse as bark, and his eyes were cataract-pale, mil

ame,"

She hadn't

asked, her voice shar

idn't smile. "They always do. The

us, her wolf just beneath t

are

ed once on the stone. "You can call me M

come for

head, bird-like. "Then why d

breath

Not broken. Just... seeking. Nights when sleep eluded her, it paced

you want

his cloak and drew out a small wooden bowl. Its contents were strange, a

to make

You don't know what

The Elder looked at her like a storm might, not afraid, bu

fist. "Then help me. If you

helped them. I s

." Her voice dropped to

nce

e air. The kind that wait

h

ays comes

alread

creaking like old bark. "No. Y

e trees like mist unraveling.

ts center: a stump carved with runes older than the Bloodfang name.

it

ted. "What

u stop being a wronged girl and become someth

ready f

one who ca

ike a thrown blade. He

rose, spiraling. Sweet, acrid, ancient

eat

ob

mory. The world blurred. Tilted. Her wo

uck her lik

The sharp betr

od on h

al

made o

eam, distant

acked and bl

ped, jerk

was

d. "One of many. But it wait

visions. I w

k, like obsidian drenched in oil. It glistened unnaturally. "Blood answ

ared at

do I

t time, something flickered in hi

art of you

ok the

did not

immediate, but distant. Like it belonged to someone

ound s

ly. And something ancient stirred beneath

. Unshaped

knew he

slightly. Not with jo

s be

sed, not with scar tissue, but with symbol: a pale

ked dow

ere vengeance waited like

him bleed

away, already van

id without

ake him b

the circle long

er called her Li

red somet

the be