The forest vibrated.
Not from footsteps.
Not from magic.
But from the weight of power gathering.
Owain stiffened beside Kanah, his arm wrapping protectively around her waist.
"They're close."
Gerrin nodded, eyes glowing faintly as he attuned to the incoming resonance.
"Very close."
Helion perched lazily on a branch, tail flicking—but Kanah saw the tension in his jaw.
"About to get loud," he muttered.
Yllas exhaled, frost-fire curling from his mouth.
"Dragons never arrive quietly."
The guardian beast lifted its head, nostrils flaring.
Ilai crouched behind Kanah.
"Um, is it too late to go back to running?"
Kanah smiled faintly.
"We're already in it."
And then—
The sky cracked open.
Not literally—
but the clouds split under the force of dragon wings.
THE DRAGON ENTOURAGE
Four dragons descended through the break in the treetops, their scales burning with molten color.
Kanah's breath caught.
She had never seen so many dragons at once.
Their bodies were massive, wings stretching wide enough to darken the clearing. Talons carved through the air as they landed, vanes snapping like banners of living flame.
When they shifted into humanoid form, the heat didn't fade.
Dragons never dimmed.
At their front stood a male towering nearly as tall as the guardian beast, his eyes bright ember-gold.
Lord Vaeryn, Dragon Highborn.
His gaze swept the clearing, then locked onto Yllas.
"You called us."
Yllas bowed his head respectfully.
"The threat warrants your presence."
Vaeryn turned his gaze to Kanah next—sharp, assessing, ancient.
"And you are the human."
Kanah swallowed.
"Yes."
He inhaled deeply, nostrils flaring.
"Your scent… carries Devourer, wolf, and something else.
Something binding."
Owain snarled instantly.
"Enough. You look at her with respect or not at all."
Vaeryn smiled, unbothered.
"Ah. The Wolf King."
Owain bristled but did not break the stare.
Yllas stepped between them before dominance instincts could escalate.
"Lord Vaeryn, now is not the time."
Vaeryn hummed.
"Very well. But she is interesting."
Owain's growl deepened.
Kanah gently placed a hand on his arm.
"Owain… it's okay."
He reluctantly eased—just slightly.
THE WEREWOLVES ARRIVE
A howl cut through the clearing—low, commanding, ancient.
Then another.
And another.
Shapes moved between the trees—swift, massive, silver-furred and black-fanged.
Owain straightened.
"My pack."
Half a dozen wolves emerged, each bearing scars and alpha-level power in their posture.
They shifted.
The lead wolf—a broad-shouldered male with ice-gray eyes—stepped forward.
"OWAIN."
"RHAEGOR," Owain growled back, gripping his forearm in a warrior's clasp.
Rhaegor's gaze flicked to Kanah.
"So this is the mate who anchored a Devourer heir."
Kanah froze.
He bowed his head.
"Welcome to the pack lands, Luna."
Owain growled quietly.
"She's not Luna yet."
Kanah blinked.
"Owain—"
"Later," he muttered.
THE ELVES ARRIVE
The wind changed.
Silver light drifted between the trees like falling stardust—though there was nothing divine in it.
No gods.
No prophecy.
Just Elfway magic—natural resonance woven through centuries of knowing the forest.
High Mage Lythar stepped into the clearing, robes shimmering with living light.
Gerrin straightened, reverent and tense.
"High Mage."
Lythar smiled slightly.
"Gerrin. I felt your call."
His gaze softened when it landed on Kanah.
"You have walked a path no human has.
And survived."
Kanah bowed slightly.
"I had help."
The Elf leader nodded once.
"That much is clear."
THE LEOPARD CLANS ARRIVE
A soft ripple of movement.
Bare feet on bark.
A dozen figures appeared in the branches overhead—silent, golden-eyed, poised as if weightless.
The Leopard Eldress crouched on a tree limb, braid swinging lightly as she grinned down at Kanah.
"So this is the little human who stole five powerful hearts."
Helion groaned.
"Oh spirits, not you."
She winked at him.
"Missed you too, cub."
Helion's ears went red.
Kanah stifled a smile.
The Eldress dropped from the tree, landing silently in front of Kanah.
"You smell like humanity and hunger and heart.
A dangerous combination."
Owain stepped forward.
"She's ours."
The Eldress smiled with sharp delight.
"The whole forest heard her scream earlier.
Powerful mate you have, little wolf."
Kanah choked.
Owain growled.
Helion cackled.
Yllas sighed.
Gerrin looked away politely.
Ilai whisper-screamed into her palms.
The Eldress was… impossible.
TENSION IN THE CLEARING
With every tribe represented, the clearing became a circle of power.
The dragon lord.
The wolf alpha.
The elf high mage.
The leopard elders.
Owain.
Kanah.
Her mates.
Her guardian.
Ten kinds of instincts locked together at once.
Nothing exploded yet—but it was close.
Vaeryn crossed his arms.
"So. Why summon us?"
Rhaegor cracked his neck.
"What threat rises?"
Lythar's eyes glowed.
"Is it the Devourers?"
The Eldress crouched, smiling.
"Or is it something worse?"
Kanah stepped forward before anyone could answer.
Everyone turned to her.
The air tightened.
She felt Owain at her back—warm, protective, grounding.
She swallowed.
"My father.
My brother.
The Devourers are awakening."
Silence.
Not disbelief.
Recognition.
Fear.
Kanah continued:
"They want me.
They want to rebuild their species.
And they will tear Beastworld apart trying to do it."
Vaeryn narrowed his eyes.
"And you stand between them and their plan."
Kanah nodded.
"Yes."
Rhaegor stepped forward.
"Then the tribes stand with you."
Kanah stiffened.
"With… me?"
Lythar spoke next.
"You are the first human to survive Devourer inheritance."
The Leopard Eldress grinned.
"And you're mated to the Wolf King."
Owain growled proudly.
"Damn right."
Yllas added quietly:
"And she is one of us. All of us."
Gerrin stepped forward.
"She is the resonance we choose."
Helion shrugged.
"And she's cute."
"HELION!" everyone barked.
The guardian beast thumped its tail once, solemnly, sealing its allegiance.
Kanah's throat tightened.
She whispered:
"Thank you."
The dragon lord spoke:
"We do not thank.
We act."
Rhaegor lifted his chin.
"We fight."
Lythar nodded.
"We protect."
The Eldress smirked.
"And we hunt."
Owain squeezed Kanah's hand.
"We stand with you, Kana."
Kanah inhaled deeply.
For the first time—
she didn't feel like prey.
Or a lost human.
Or an unstable, half-awakened thing.
She felt—
anchored.
Supported.
Powerful.
A leader.
Kanah lifted her chin.
"Then let's end the Devourers."
The forest wind shifted in agreement.
And the war truly began.