The Hawk Clan learned before the sun fully climbed the horizon.
When the golden pressure rolled through the mountains, every feathered beast—young or old—froze mid-motion. Warriors dropped to one knee. Elders opened their eyes in shock. Wind spiraled upward, sharp and reverent, carrying a single truth.
A Hawk Clan egg had been born.
And not an ordinary one.
In the clan's highest watchtower, the Elders gathered in silence as the sky-mark array ignited on its own. Golden wind-runes spun violently, stabilizing only after several tense breaths.
An elder finally spoke, voice hoarse.
"…This aura is pure."
Another clenched his staff. "And overwhelming. There is no corruption. No mutation."
"A blessing," the eldest Hawk Elder said slowly. "One that has not appeared in generations."
Relief rippled through the chamber—brief, fragile.
Then the elder's gaze darkened.
"But blessings draw teeth."
Deep within the mountain cave, the world felt very different.
Lin Yue lay half-reclined against thick furs, color slowly returning to his face as exhaustion dragged at his limbs. The golden life-energy around him had faded to a faint, steady warmth—stable, but depleted.
Mo Shan knelt beside him, movements careful, hands practiced. He adjusted the heat stones, checked Lin Yue's pulse, then passed him a cup of bitter restorative brew.
"Slowly," Mo Shan murmured. "Your body rebuilt itself from the inside out. Don't rush."
Lin Yue obeyed, fingers trembling slightly as he drank. His gaze kept drifting—not to Mo Shan—but to the egg.
It rested nearby, cushioned in layered feathers and stone-warmed sand, its shell glowing softly with gold-veined patterns that pulsed in time with Lin Yue's breathing.
"It hasn't cooled," Lin Yue whispered.
Mo Shan followed his gaze and nodded. "It won't. Not while you're near." His voice softened. "You did well, Lin Yue. Better than anyone expected."
Lin Yue swallowed, eyes stinging. "I was scared."
"You were supposed to be," Mo Shan said simply. "That means you understood the weight of it."
From the cave entrance, heat shifted.
Feng Lihan stepped inside.
His wings were partially unfurled, feathers sharp and gleaming, carrying the unmistakable pressure of an alpha who had already decided something irreversible. The moment he entered, the egg's golden veins brightened in response.
Mo Shan rose immediately. "The clan knows."
Feng Lihan nodded once. "And so do others."
He moved to Lin Yue's side, crouching so their eyes met. His gaze swept over Lin Yue with fierce attention—checking, assessing, memorizing.
"Does it hurt?" he asked quietly.
Lin Yue shook his head. "Just tired."
Feng Lihan exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing only a fraction. He pressed his forehead briefly to Lin Yue's, grounding himself before standing again.
"They've confirmed it's a blessing," Feng Lihan said to Mo Shan. "That won't stop what comes next."
Mo Shan's jaw tightened. "Which clans felt it?"
"All of them," Feng Lihan replied calmly. "Sky Serpents. Iron Claws. Even the Deep Earth Wolves." His eyes hardened. "Some will come to congratulate. Others to test."
"And some," Mo Shan said grimly, "to steal."
Feng Lihan didn't deny it.
He turned toward the egg, one wing lifting instinctively, casting a shadow of protection over it and Lin Yue both.
"This mountain becomes a fortress," he said. "Double the patrols. Activate the high-altitude arrays. No one enters without my permission."
Mo Shan inclined his head. "And Lin Yue?"
Feng Lihan didn't hesitate. "He doesn't leave this chamber. Not without me."
Lin Yue looked up at him, a faint smile touching his lips despite the fear stirring beneath it. "Sounds like war."
Feng Lihan met his gaze, eyes steady, unflinching.
"It is."
Outside, the wind sharpened, circling the mountain like a blade being drawn.
The Hawk Clan had been blessed.
Now, the Beast World would decide how much blood it was willing to spill to claim that blessing.
And Feng Lihan, wings spread wide against the rising sky, was already prepared to answer.