The other dogs circled curiously, their paws shuffling on the stone, but none pressed too hard.
They seemed to sense her gentleness, approaching one by one for their turn. Lilah laughed more freely now, reaching out and patting them carefully, her cane forgotten at her side.
"They feel so different from Oscar," she murmured. "Oscar is… majestic. These ones are… playful."
"Exactly," Kael said, watching the scene with softened eyes. "Oscar guards the soul of our pack. But these dogs… they guard the land and bring back food. They're hunters."
"And now…" Lilah paused as one dog licked her wrist. "Now they're my friends too."
Kael's chest tightened at her words. Her laughter rang through the garden like sunlight scattering through leaves. For a moment, he almost forgot the weight of leadership, the endless responsibilities.
He bent down slightly, his lips near her ear. "You're amazing, Lilah. They never take to strangers so quickly."
