Rio and Filip walked side by side, their hands tightly clasped.
It was a little embarrassing for both of them, but Rio's balance still wasn't fully reliable, and the thought of stumbling on the long, steep staircase was not a risk either of them wanted to take. A fall here could mean more than bruises.
So they walked hand in hand.
Still, it wasn't the stairs that occupied their thoughts.
It was the bones.
Rio glanced at Filip before speaking, his voice low and hesitant.
"Do you think… the silver wolf took all of them?"
Filip's ears flicked upright as he listened to the forest beyond the temple. After a moment, he slowly shook his head.
"No. Not just one," he said quietly. "I think there's a whole pack nearby."
Rio froze mid-step.
"Then… should we really go into the forest?" he asked, fear creeping into his voice. "We still have enough water for one more day."
Filip stopped on the stairs and turned to face him.
"If we wait until the last possible moment," he said calmly, "we risk drying out completely. We have to find water today."
He hesitated, then added softly,
"If you don't want to go, you and Oathkeeper can stay in the pyramid."
Rio shook his head hard, his ears flapping wildly.
"No. I'm not letting you go alone again. And definitely not into the forest."
Filip let out a quiet laugh at his friend's reaction, took Rio's hand again, and continued downward.
"Alright. Together, then."
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Filip released Rio's hand and suggested they check for tracks near the statue.
They drew their weapons and moved slowly forward, senses stretched tight. Their ears caught every distant sound, their noses searched for anything unfamiliar.
At first, nothing.
Then they saw the tracks.
Large paw prints pressed deep into the soil, several different sizes, leading to where the bones had been—and then straight into the forest.
Filip swore under his breath.
"Damn it. I hate being right."
Rio gave a short laugh, but it faded quickly. One wolf had been frightening enough. A pack was something else entirely. He didn't say it aloud, but the thought sat heavy in his chest.
The silence between them said enough.
Finally, Filip spoke.
"Let's explore the forest on the other side of the temple first."
Rio nodded.
"I really hope we don't run into them."
The forest closed around them almost immediately.
Branches scraped against their clothes. Bushes tugged at their tails, and their large ears kept catching on twigs and leaves, as if the forest itself was trying to hold them back. Every step required focus.
Time stretched.
Then Rio stopped suddenly.
"Filip… do you hear that?"
Water.
Faint, but unmistakable.
They followed the sound carefully, wary of what might be waiting near it. Water meant life—but it could also mean predators.
What they saw made them pause in surprise.
A deer-like creature stood at the stream, drinking calmly. Its legs were slender, its eyes dark and alert, and faintly shimmering antlers rose from its head. The moment it noticed them, it startled and vanished into the trees.
Rio slowly let out a breath.
"It wasn't dangerous."
"Not right now," Filip replied. "But that doesn't mean the water's safe."
They decided to follow the stream upstream. The sun stood high above them, the day still young, and they didn't trust stagnant water.
They hadn't gone far when a distant howl echoed through the forest.
Rio shivered.
"That sound…"
"It's far away," Filip said quickly. "And we're moving away from it."
He picked up the pace along the stream.
Rio tried to keep up—but as he stepped over a thick root, his foot slipped. He fell hard.
"Rio!"
Filip turned instantly and pulled him up. Thin lines of blood marked Rio's arms and legs.
"I'm okay," Rio muttered.
Then they heard it.
Not wind.
Not water.
A branch snapping.
Both of them went still.
Their grips tightened. Rio nocked an arrow. Filip stepped forward, placing himself between Rio and the sound.
Leaves crunched. More branches broke.
The noise was getting closer.
Filip's thoughts raced. Running was risky—Rio might fall again. Hiding was pointless. If it was the wolves, they already had their scent.
Damn it. Damn it.
We'll have to fight.
And then—
No wolf leapt from the bushes.
Instead, a small white rabbit bounded out, froze for a heartbeat as it stared at them, and then vanished into the undergrowth.
Silence returned.
Rio blinked.
"…A rabbit."
Filip exhaled slowly and lowered his sword.
"We're still alive," he said dryly.
Neither of them laughed.
They both knew the truth.
They needed food.
And next time, it might not be a rabbit.