It was almost morning.
The darkness that had covered the forest throughout the night was gradually giving way to the faint light of dawn. A thin mist lingered between the trees, and the air carried the coolness of the approaching morning.
Leo stood beside Rowan and Adrian, facing Kieran and Sasha. A few members of the Wolf Clan had gathered behind their Leader, watching the humans with a mixture of suspicion and relief. After everything that had happened, there wasn't much left to say. They had found what they had been searching for, and now it was time for everyone to go their separate ways.
Leo stepped forward and extended his hand toward Kieran.
Kieran's eyes settled on the offered hand. His expression made it clear that he wasn't particularly pleased with the situation, let alone the person standing in front of him. Nevertheless, after a brief hesitation, he reached out and shook Leo's hand.
"There are still two days until the full moon," Leo said. "The entrance will open again then. Make sure you're here when it does."
He began to withdraw his hand, but Kieran tightened his grip.
"And I hope you'll keep your promise."
Leo glanced down at their joined hands before raising his eyes to Kieran's face. The Wolf Clan's Leader held his gaze firmly, making it clear that he wasn't about to let the matter go without an answer.
Behind Kieran, Sasha watched the exchange with a puzzled expression. She had no idea what promise her brother was referring to, and judging by Rowan's reaction, he was equally confused.
Leo, however, seemed thoroughly amused.
He chuckled and used his free hand to pry Kieran's fingers loose.
"That depends on how well you behave."
Kieran's expression darkened.
Leo only smiled.
Whatever agreement they had reached, he clearly had no intention of making things easy for Kieran. The latter seemed to realize this as well, though he eventually released Leo's hand.
Before either Rowan or Sasha could question them, Kieran shifted his attention toward the camp behind him.
"What about that guy?"
Leo followed his gaze.
Ah. Goldy.
Adrian's expression changed almost immediately. His eyes widened slightly as the forgotten prisoner finally came back to mind.
*Shit. We forgot about him.*
"Don't say *we*," Leo remarked, catching the change in his expression. "I never forget."
Adrian turned toward him, looking as though he wanted to argue, but Leo had already shifted his attention back to Kieran.
"So, Sasha, what was the point of keeping him in the first place? You said he was a good hostage, but when we finally had the chance to use him, you said he wasn't worth it and made yourself the hostage instead."
Sasha's expression tightened.
She clearly wasn't pleased to have the matter brought up again, especially with Kieran standing right beside her. Still, she didn't immediately respond.
Before she could say anything, Rowan spoke.
"Kill him."
The blunt suggestion caught everyone's attention.
Leo turned his head slightly toward his father, who showed no hesitation whatsoever.
"Keeping him alive is dangerous," Rowan continued. "If he escapes and manages to contact the Empire, even I might not be able to save you from the King."
His tone left little room for argument. To Rowan, the matter was simple. A captured knight who knew too much was a potential threat, and leaving that threat unattended could have consequences far beyond what the Wolf Clan was prepared to handle.
"I know, I know." Leo waved away the concern. "He's a hostage, but not for the Empire. He's a hostage for his own family."
He glanced toward Kieran, who was still watching him with suspicion.
"The Valemonts look pretty wealthy. You could get a few things from them to help your clan survive. Food, medicine, weapons, whatever you need. Once you've gotten what you can out of them, you can get rid of him."
Kieran frowned.
"Why do you think his family will agree to that?"
"As I said, we humans care more about our fame and our names than you might think."
Leo shrugged, as though he were explaining something so obvious that it hardly deserved a discussion.
"Just send them a piece of his armour. If it works, great. If it doesn't, then get rid of him."
Sasha glanced at her brother, considering the suggestion. The clan had finally secured a place where they could settle without constantly worrying about being discovered, but that didn't mean their problems were over. They still needed supplies to rebuild their lives, and obtaining them without attracting unwanted attention would be difficult.
Goldy might be useful after all.
Whether his family would cooperate was another question.
Leo, meanwhile, seemed quite satisfied with his own proposal. He turned toward Rowan, wearing a faint, knowing smile.
"Isn't that right, Father?"
Rowan let out a weary sigh.
For a moment, he regarded his son as though he had several things he wanted to say but had already decided that none of them would make a difference. In the end, he simply turned away and began walking.
"Just get it over with."
Leo watched him leave before returning his attention to Kieran.
"Now, if you would kindly let go of my hand, I'll be on my way."
Kieran was still holding it.
He stared at Leo for several moments, apparently trying to decide whether the human was deliberately provoking him or was simply incapable of taking anything seriously. Knowing Leo, either possibility seemed equally likely.
Eventually, Kieran released his hand and stepped back.
Leo casually brushed his palm against his clothes, as though the handshake had been an unpleasant inconvenience, then turned to follow his father.
"Will you ever come back?"
The small voice stopped him.
Leo turned around.
Alya stood behind Sasha, peeking out from beside her. Her little hands clutched the edge of Sasha's clothes as she looked at him. There was no suspicion in her expression, only a quiet curiosity as she waited for his answer.
Leo's face softened into a familiar smile.
"Who knows? Maybe I'll come back someday."
"Really?"
"Of course." He placed a hand over his chest, wearing an expression of exaggerated sincerity. "I'm a very busy person, you know. But if I ever have some free time, I'll consider visiting."
Alya seemed satisfied with that answer, although she continued watching him as if she had another question she hadn't quite worked up the courage to ask.
Leo gave her one last smile.
Then he turned away.
"Come on, you two. We have a long way to go."
Chapter 39 — Part Two
Adrian fell into step beside Leo, while Rowan continued ahead without sparing the others another glance. Leo followed with his hands tucked into his pockets, looking entirely at ease for someone who had just left a clan of beastmen with a newly discovered home and a rather questionable plan involving a captured knight.
They walked for a while before Adrian finally broke the silence.
"Hey, Leo."
"What?"
"Are you seriously expecting them to send a piece of Goldy's armour to his family?"
Leo glanced at him.
"Why not?"
"And if they refuse?"
"Then Kieran can decide what to do with him."
Adrian stared at him, clearly unimpressed.
"You're leaving that decision to him?"
"Of course. He's the Leader, isn't he? Who am I to interfere with his important responsibilities?"
"You're the one who suggested using Goldy in the first place!"
"Exactly. I made the suggestion. I never said I'd do the work for him."
Adrian opened his mouth to respond, but the words seemed to get stuck somewhere along the way. He closed it again and let out a quiet breath, apparently deciding that arguing with Leo before breakfast wasn't worth the effort.
Leo glanced at him with a faint smile.
"Something you want to say?"
"No."
"Good. I was starting to worry you might have finally run out of things to complain about."
"I could complain about you all day."
"Really? I'm honoured."
Adrian shook his head.
Up ahead, Rowan had been listening to their conversation. He finally turned his attention toward Leo, his white hair catching the faint morning light filtering through the trees.
"You're far too comfortable leaving other people's problems in their hands."
Leo looked at him with an innocent smile.
"And you're far too comfortable telling other people to kill their problems."
Rowan's white brows drew together.
"Leo."
"What? I'm just saying."
Adrian quickly turned his face away, hiding the beginnings of a grin.
"Don't encourage him," Rowan warned without looking at him.
"I didn't say anything, Lord Rowan."
"You were thinking it."
"I'm afraid I can't help that."
Leo laughed under his breath and continued walking, apparently pleased with himself.
The forest was beginning to wake around them. Birds called from the branches overhead, and the morning breeze stirred the leaves, carrying away the last traces of the night's cold. Their path wound between the trees, taking them farther from the lake and the hidden refuge they had left behind.
For the first time in quite a while, Leo didn't have to worry about what was happening behind him.
The Wolf Clan had a place to live. Kieran had his people, and Sasha had her brother. With any luck, they would be able to rebuild their lives without constantly looking over their shoulders.
Of course, a safe place was only the beginning.
They still needed food, medicine, weapons, and countless other things. Their newfound refuge wouldn't solve those problems by itself, and Leo's suggestion concerning Goldy might not work as smoothly as he had made it sound.
Still, that was Kieran's problem now.
Leo had done his part.
Or at least, that was what he intended to tell himself.
Behind them, the Wolf Clan was already returning to its duties. Kieran had little time to waste, and neither did the others. Their new home offered them a chance at a different life, but making that life possible would take considerable effort.
Alya, however, remained distracted.
She had watched Leo disappear into the forest, and even after Sasha guided her back toward the camp, she occasionally glanced over her shoulder.
"Brother, do you think he'll really come back?"
Kieran, who had been considering the work ahead of them, turned toward her.
"That depends on what he's planning."
Sasha frowned as she joined them.
"You still don't trust him?"
"No."
Kieran's answer came without hesitation.
"But for now, we have a home. That's enough."
He turned his attention toward the lake. Beyond its quiet waters lay the place they had spent so long searching for, a refuge that might finally allow the Wolf Clan to live without the constant threat of discovery.
There was still a great deal to do before they could settle properly. The clan needed to organize its supplies, prepare the new settlement, and make sure everyone could survive there. Leo's suggestion about Goldy offered one possible solution, but Kieran wasn't foolish enough to rely entirely on it.
He would deal with that problem when the time came.
For now, he had a clan to lead.
"Come on," he told Sasha. "We have a lot to do before the others arrive."
The wolves began moving, and Sasha guided Alya back toward the camp.
Meanwhile, Leo, Rowan, and Adrian continued through the forest.
The morning light grew brighter as they walked, slipping between the branches and illuminating the path ahead. Adrian had returned to complaining about something, though Leo was only half listening. Rowan remained quiet, leading the way with the same steady pace he had maintained since they left.
Leo's thoughts wandered elsewhere.
Two days until the full moon.
Two days until the entrance opened again.
With the Wolf Clan settled for the moment, he could turn his attention to the other problems waiting for him. There was still plenty he didn't understand about this world, and he had no intention of letting those mysteries remain unanswered.
For once, things seemed to be moving in the right direction.
He only had to make sure they stayed that way.
Then—
"Help..."
Leo stopped walking.
The voice was faint, barely more than a whisper carried on the morning breeze. Yet he was certain he had heard it.
His smile faded.
For a moment, the forest around him seemed to disappear, replaced by a fleeting image that surfaced from the depths of his mind.
A vast, dreadful eye.
The memory of that dream—the one involving the god—flashed before him, so suddenly that he barely had time to recognize it before a sharp pain pierced his head.
Leo pressed a hand against his temple.
"..."
The pain lasted only a moment, but it was enough to leave him standing still, his expression tightening as he tried to make sense of what he had just heard and seen.
"Leo?"
Rowan had noticed that he had fallen behind. He stopped and turned toward him, his gaze immediately settling on Leo's face.
"What is it?"
Leo lowered his hand.
For a brief moment, he considered telling his father what had happened. But the voice was already gone, and the image in his mind had vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
He shook his head.
"Nothing. Let's go."
Rowan studied him for another moment, evidently unconvinced, but Leo had already started walking again.
Before turning forward completely, Leo cast a quick glance back toward the forest behind them.
There was nothing there.
No movement. No one calling for help.
Only the trees swaying gently in the morning breeze.
Leo turned away and continued after Rowan and Adrian, his expression returning to normal.
But the faint voice lingered in the back of his mind.
*Help...*