– Shadows Stir
The night air in the forest was crisp, alive with the chirp of crickets and the whisper of branches. Peru, the newly christened Shadow Wolf, lay curled at Anand's feet, his crimson eyes dimmed with something close to contentment.
Anand, however, remained unmoved. He looked between Kael and Liora, his tone even but sharp.
"Tomorrow's the final match," he said. "You should be preparing, not sneaking beasts into the academy."
Kael leaned back against a tree, arms folded casually. "Relax, Anand. Finals or not, a little air won't kill me. Besides, Peru's not a beast—he's a friend now."
"Don't be careless," Anand muttered. His eyes lingered on Peru for a heartbeat longer than usual, but before Kael could tease him, the night shattered.
A thunderous blast ripped through the clearing, the earth trembling beneath their feet. Shadows surged out of the trees—goblins, twisted and snarling, their jagged weapons glinting in the moonlight. But unlike the usual raids, their eyes weren't on the students. They were all aimed squarely at Peru.
The lead goblin hissed in a voice far too heavy for its frail body.
"Traitor. Servant You do not belong with them!"
Peru snarled, hackles rising, his body wreathed in black mist. He stepped protectively in front of Kael and Liora.
Kael drew his blade. "Guess they're not here for sightseeing."
Before Anand could even summon his shadows, another roar split the air—low, guttural, and ancient. From deeper within the forest, a second Shadow Wolf emerged, larger and darker than Peru, its eyes glowing with raw power.
Kael tensed. "Another one?"
Without warning, the great wolf slammed its paw against the ground. Black mist coiled around them, swallowing the goblins' shrieks, the trees, the moonlight—everything.
And then… silence.
When the mist cleared, the three students and Peru stood in a vast, moonlit glade surrounded by dozens—no, hundreds—of Shadow Wolves. Their crimson eyes gleamed in unison, the forest vibrating with their growls.
Kael lowered his blade slowly. "Well… this isn't terrifying at all."
Liora, surprisingly calm, whispered, "This must be their den."
Anand's eyes narrowed. "So Peru wasn't alone after all."
The massive wolf that had brought them here stepped forward, towering over them. Its voice thundered inside their minds, each word heavy and deliberate.
"Why does our comrade walk with humans?"
Peru growled back, a sound that echoed more like speech than beast's noise.
The large wolf's gaze fell on Kael, Liora, and finally Anand.
"Do you think you can tame shadows? Our kind has been hunted, betrayed, and bound by your kind for centuries."
The massive wolf loomed closer, its crimson gaze like burning coals. The growls of the gathered pack swelled into a deafening chorus, shaking the glade. Kael's grip tightened on his sword. Liora stood firm, her hand brushing Peru's fur, while Anand's shadows quivered at his side, ready to strike.
The great wolf's voice thundered again, resonating inside their skulls.
"Humans walk with one of ours… They dare call him friend?"
Peru barked back, his growl carrying defiance. But before the pack could surge forward, the air split with a deeper, darker presence.
From the far side of the glade, a wolf unlike the rest emerged. Taller, broader, his body was cloaked in shadows so thick they bled into the air itself. His crimson eyes burned brighter than fire, and when he stepped forward, the entire pack fell silent.
Anand whispered, almost to himself, "That one… he's the leader."
The colossal wolf's voice was quieter than the first, but heavier, like mountains shifting.
"Enough."
The forest hushed. Even the crickets stopped singing.
The leader's gaze fell upon Peru, who lowered his head instinctively, yet not in fear — in acknowledgment.
"Garix," the leader rumbled, the name vibrating through the glade like thunder. "You have strayed far from the den. Why do you walk with humans?"
Kael blinked. "Garix…? That's his real name?"
Liora's lips parted, but no sound came. Peru — no, Garix — let out a low, steady growl, glancing back at his human companions before facing the towering wolf. His body language was clear, even if his voice could not reach them as words.
The leader's gaze shifted to the students.
"Do you know what you hold?" His tone sharpened. "He is not like the others. His spirit is… untainted. And yet you drag him into your wars, your trials, your fragile academy."
Anand stepped forward despite the crushing aura. "We didn't drag him. He chose to follow. He chose to trust."
Kael added, his tone firm but warm, "And we chose to stand with him."
The leader stared at them in silence for a long moment. The pack growled, restless, their eyes burning with mistrust. Then the leader raised his massive head, and with a single growl, silenced them all again.
"Garix has walked a different path. He has tasted your hearts… and found no corruption."
The leader's voice grew solemn, almost ceremonial.
"Perhaps… it is time our kind learned. Not all humans are chains. Not all bonds are slavery. If Garix has chosen, then so too must we honor his choice."
Liora's eyes softened, a small, relieved smile tugging at her lips. "You mean… you'll let him stay with us?"
The leader lowered his head slightly — not quite a bow, but an acknowledgment.
"He is Garix, child of shadows. He walks with you now. If he is betrayed… the forest itself will rise."
Kael let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Guess that's… better than nothing."
The leader's gaze turned once more to Anand, lingering.
"You are different. The shadows cling to you as kin… yet you reject them."
Anand's jaw tightened. "…I don't need shadows to define me."
The leader gave a low rumble, half amusement, half warning.
"We shall see."
With that, he raised his head and howled. The pack answered, a tidal wave of sound that shook the trees. Then, as suddenly as they had appeared, the Shadow Wolves melted back into the mist, leaving only Garix, Kael, Liora, and Anand in the silent glade.
Kael chuckled nervously. "Well. That wasn't terrifying at all."
Liora knelt, hugging Peru — no, Garix — tightly. "Garix," she whispered. "That's a good name. Strong."
Anand exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. "…Garix, huh? Fits better than 'Moonfluff.'"
Kael look at anand coldly
For the first time that night, Garix let out a quiet, contented huff, curling closer to them. The bond was real, and now, even the shadows themselves had acknowledged it.