We’ve set up camp at a checkpoint for now. My broods are out there, off slaying monsters and doing what they do best. As for me? I’m stuck here, keeping watch over Tessa, who’s still out cold. Honestly, it’s kind of annoying. I’ve made a cozy little nest for her with my silk, though—don’t get me wrong, I’m good at this. But being stuck here in the middle of the third zone isn’t exactly what I had in mind.

  The third zone’s a mess of glowing crystals and mushrooms that make the air feel like it’s vibrating. You’d think that’d make everything brighter, but nope, it just gives everything an eerie glow. Makes me feel like I’m constantly waiting for something to jump out at me, but that’s how it goes down here. This labyrinth’s full of surprises.

  I glance at Tessa’s sleeping form again. Ugh. She’s completely unconscious, and I’m stuck waiting. It’s frustrating, sure. But what really bothers me is that I’m falling behind. The others are getting stronger, more experienced, and what am I doing? Sitting here, twiddling my antennae, staring at an unconscious puppy. Well, not just any puppy— It's Tessa.

  I can’t help but smirk. You’d think I’d be worried, but she’s not some random pup. I know her. It’s been... a long time since we were reincarnated. Well not that long—I think but it feels like it. I was starting to wonder if we’d ever even cross paths again. I mean, yeah, I can feel her presence—her essence or whatever it is. I’m waiting for her to wake up, so I can see her again, in person.

  She's probably been through so much, or maybe it’s because I haven't felt this kind of connection in a while. Not to mention, she might need me when she wakes up, and I’m not going to leave her hanging.

  As much as I don’t show it, I’ve always had her back, when she was just a clumsy little human. But now... now she’s different.

  I glance over at her again, hoping she’ll wake up soon. She’s got a lot to explain, and I’ve got plenty of questions and we've got a catch up to do.

  Whatever. She’s gonna be fine. She’s Tessa. She always comes back. Just gotta wait for her to catch up.

  And when she does... we’ll see what happens.

  As I was lamenting over Tessa, my brood finally returned from monster hunting. Goldy was the first to greet me, her usual cheerful energy practically glowing in the dim light of the labyrinth. She's practically bouncing up and down. "Hey, Nur! We're back! Did you miss me?"

  I gave her a deadpan look. "Oh, Goldy. You're the highlight of my day, really."

  Victor followed right behind, his usual formal air intact. "Ah, dearest sister. A most exquisite day of the chase, I must declare. The creatures present here are woefully inadequate to withstand our prowess." He gave a polite bow, before his sharp, bristle twitched, sensing the atmosphere. "But what troubles you, my dear sister?"

  The others trailed in, murmuring amongst themselves, their expressions a mix of satisfaction and curiosity. But then, of course, Vex had to show up, his sharp, ever-present smugness already on full display.

  "Well, well, look who's behind," he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "Here you are, sitting with the puppy, as usual, while the rest of us are out there actually making progress. I swear, you're slipping, lil' sis."

  I rolled my eyes, already feeling the familiar irritation bubbling up inside me. "Oh, great. Vex the Genius has spoken. Tell me, how exactly do you know what I'm doing?" I shot back.. "Maybe I don’t need to be constantly running around to be useful. Ever think about that?"

  Vex snorted, clearly unbothered by my retort. "Please, Nur. You and your sentimental attachment to that thing. It's pathetic. It's holding you back. You’re gonna fall behind at this rate, and what good is that gonna do us? What good is she gonna do when she wakes up?"

  I glared at him. "Shut it, Vex. You don’t know anything about Tessa or what I’m doing."

  "Oh, I know," he smirked. "I know that you’re wasting time when we could be making actual progress. You’re just too caught up in your own little world." He flicked his antennae dismissively. "You want to stay behind? Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when we’re all way ahead."

  I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to snap at him. "You always say that. Like I'm some helpless little caterpillar who needs a lecture every time." I narrowed my eyes. "I will catch up when I’m ready. And when I do, maybe you’ll finally stop running that mouth of yours."

  "Ah, the feisty side emerges," Vex taunted, flicking his tail. "But hey, if you want to be left in the dust, be my guest."

  Goldy stepped in before things could escalate, her usual optimism cutting through the tension. "Okay, okay, enough with the drama, you two. We're here, we're alive, and we’re a team. You can argue all you want later, but right now we need to figure out what’s next." She turned to me, her voice softening. "Nur, we know you're worried, but we’ve got to focus. The puppy gonna be okay, and when she wakes up, you’ll be right there with her."

  Victor nodded, giving me a reassuring smile. "Verily. Although thy attention may have wandered, we must not forget our loftier ambition. Our might resides in harmony, and I am confident that Tessa shall comprehend thy unwavering commitment."

  Vex just rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Do what you want, Nur. But don’t expect me to wait up."

  I sighed, looking at the group. They were all here, with me. In a way, it made the frustration feel a little less heavy. But that didn’t mean I was about to let Vex win this round. "Fine, Vex. Keep running your mouth, but know this—when the time comes, I’ll be the one standing beside Tessa, and you’ll be the one playing catch-up."

  He didn't answer. Instead, he turned away with his usual shrug, pretending like he didn’t care. But I could tell he cared. He always did, even if he liked to pretend otherwise.

  As I shift my attention to Tessa, I see movement. Her little body shifts slightly, her fur rustling as if she's beginning to stir. My heart skips a beat, and I lean closer, holding my breath, watching her closely. Her eyes flutter open, slowly, blinking as if adjusting to the light.

  “T-Tessa?” I whisper, voice barely a breath.

  She doesn’t respond immediately, but I see her gaze flicker towards me, recognition slowly making its way into her dazed eyes. Then, as if finding her bearings, she gives a soft groan, still struggling to wake up completely.

  I sigh, feeling a rush of relief. She’s alive, and that’s all that matters right now. I reach out carefully, touching her gently, not wanting to overwhelm her.

  “Nur…” she murmurs, her voice faint, hoarse.

  I nod, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Yeah, it’s me. You’re safe now.”

  She blinks again, confusion lingering in her gaze, before it finally clears. She’s awake, and it feels like the weight I’ve been carrying around lifts just a little.

  As Tessa wakes up and opens her eyes, she recoils, letting out a loud, surprised, "Eeeek! Gross! caterpillars!" She cowers back, clearly startled and overwhelmed.

  I roll my eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "Come on now, that's rude."

  Tessa freezes for a moment, blinking at me, her expression slowly shifting from shock to confusion. "Wait? Is that really you... Nur?" She stares at me for a beat, like she’s trying to make sense of the situation, her voice still shaky.

  I can’t help but snort. “Well, I’m not exactly the most glamorous thing to look at right now, but yeah, it’s me.” I give her a look that’s half-amused, half-annoyed. “Guess this is what happens when you died and got a new body after... you know, everything.”

  Tessa blinks again, her eyes slowly widening as if the reality of the situation is finally sinking in. The confusion on her face slowly melts into something softer. “Nur, I... I didn't expect this.” She shakes her head, still processing.

  I can't help but smile a little at the sight of her—my best friend, no matter how much she's changed. “Yeah, well, neither did I. But hey, at least we're in this mess together, right?”

  And then it suddenly clicks in my mind—wait, can Tessa actually hear me through telepathy? I stare at her, trying to gauge her reaction, but then I can’t help myself. "Tessa," I ask, "you can actually hear me?"

  She blinks, clearly bewildered, and then nods. "Yeah... but it's... strange. I didn’t see your mouth moving, and the sound didn’t come from you—it was just... in my head."

  I can’t help but grin, feeling a bit smug. "Heh, that's because I have psychic powers as a caterpillar. Pretty cool, right?"

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Tessa looks at me, still a little unsure, her expression mixed between confusion and awe. "Yeah... I guess," she replies, her voice trailing off as if she’s not entirely convinced.

  She’s probably thinking I’m just some oversized caterpillar. The thought makes me chuckle, but then I snap back to reality and ask her, “Anyway, what about you, Tessa? How do you even talk? I heard you make wolf sounds, but it turned into... something else?”

  Tessa straightens up, clearly a bit proud of herself. “Oh, that? I’m using magic,” she says with a bit of a smirk. “I can turn the sounds I make into another form, like a language. In this case, it’s the one we spoke in our past life. You know, the one you’re hearing right now.”

  I glance behind me at my broodmates, who are standing there with their heads tilted in confusion, looking completely lost. They’ve obviously got no clue what Tessa’s saying. “I guess that’s pretty evident,” I mutter, deadpan.

  I give her a teasing smile, "Magic, huh? That’s pretty cool. Looks like little Arissa knows how to use magic now." I find a bit of amusement in seeing Tessa, who used to be so clumsy, pulling off something like this. Maybe being reincarnated into a wolf pup gave her more than just a new form.

  Tessa, looking a bit sheepish, scratches her head. "I guess so. It's not much, but it works for now."

  I roll my eyes, "Yeah, well, it's more than what I can do. I’m still stuck being an oversized caterpillar, after all."

  Tessa shifts slightly, her ears twitching. "Alright, enough about this," she says, clearly wanting to change the subject. "So... being reincarnated. How did it go for you? I mean, what did you even remember?"

  I pause for a moment, considering her question. It's strange, talking about it. "I remembered everything," I say, the words coming out without much thought. "The rockslide, the accident... then hatching, fighting, walking, sleeping... and then more walking and fighting, and then sleeping again." I shrug, feeling a bit of frustration mix in with the nostalgia. "It wasn’t exactly the smoothest transition, but I guess that's how it goes."

  Tessa nods slowly, her eyes distant as if reflecting on her own memories. "It’s strange, isn’t it? I remember it too. The moment we got caught in that rockslide... it was... really scary." She pauses, her voice softening as the memory seems to weigh on her.

  I look at her, understanding the heaviness in her tone. "Yeah," I murmur, "it was. But hey, we’re here now, right? Still standing, still kicking." I can't help but offer a dry grin, though deep down I’m glad to have her back.

  I can’t help but notice how Tessa seems... off. Her shoulders are slumped, her eyes distant, and there's an air of something heavy hanging around her despite our reunion. After all we've been through, this should be a moment of joy, but instead, there's an undeniable sadness in her.

  I glance at her, unable to ignore it any longer. "Hey, Tessa," I say, voice softer than usual. "You alright? You look... well, not as happy as I thought you'd be. I mean, we’re back together, right?" My tone is snarky, but there's a genuine concern behind it.

  Tessa takes a deep breath, her voice shaky as she begins to speak. "Yes, I'm happy we met again," she says, her tone quieter, almost defeated. "But at what cost? You know, just like you, I remembered how I got reincarnated." She pauses for a moment, her gaze drifting to the ground as if trying to gather the strength to continue.

  She finally looks up at me, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I was born into a wolf pack," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "A family. It felt so... real. But everything... everything fell apart so quickly. There was this monster, a Green Stalker. It started hunting us down, picking us off one by one, tearing apart our pack, and... and we couldn’t stop it. They sacrificed themselves for me."

  Her words crack, and I see her shoulders shake as tears spill down her face. She chokes out a sob, trying to compose herself but failing miserably. "I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t save them. And now... now I’m here, with you. I... I didn’t even know how I even made it out alive."

  I can’t bring myself to say anything at first. My mind is just spinning, trying to process the weight of her words. She's been through so much. The Tessa I knew back then would’ve never talked about things like this, but I guess she’s not the same anymore. None of us are.

  I glance at Tessa, feeling a lump form in my throat as her words sink in. "I... I'm sorry that happened to you, Tessa," I say softly, unable to find anything else to say. "I wonder what we've done wrong to deserve a life like this."

  Tessa shakes her head quickly, wiping away her tears, her expression firm but gentle. "No, don't be sorry," she replies, her voice a little steadier now. "Besides, we got another chance to live. We didn’t die for nothing, right? We’re here now. We’ve got another shot at this, even if it’s... hard."

  I can see the resilience in her eyes, but there's still that sadness, the weight of everything she's lost. The fact that she's trying to be strong for both of us only makes my heart ache even more.

  I give Tessa a soft, reassuring smile as I shuffle closer to her. "It's alright, I'm here now," I say, my voice firm but gentle. "You don't have to be alone anymore."

  Then, I awkwardly stretch out my stubby caterpillar legs and place them on her back, the best form of comfort I can manage in this form. The gesture feels small and clumsy, but I hope she can feel the sincerity behind it. I’m not going to let her go through this alone. Not again.

  Goldy scuttles closer, her golden body shimmering under the glow of the labyrinth’s crystals. With her usual bright energy, she tilts her head and grins.

  "Sooo, how's it going, Nur?" she asks, her tone playful but laced with genuine curiosity.

  I glance at Tessa, who's still sniffling but a little calmer now. Then I look back at Goldy and let out a sigh.

  "Well, I just found out my best friend died, reincarnated, and lived through a personal horror story before collapsing in front of us," I say dryly. "So, you know… just another normal day."

  Goldy nods, her red tip spines pulsing faintly. “That’s just how it is here in the labyrinth,” she says with a shrug. “It’s eat or be eaten, kill or be killed. Simple as that.”

  I want to object, to tell her that life shouldn’t just be about endless fighting and survival. But then it hits me—she was born here. All of them were. The moment they hatched, they had to fight, to eat, to grow stronger, or they’d die. That’s all they’ve ever known.

  The idea of a world where no one’s constantly trying to rip each other apart? Where you can just… exist, without fear? That’s a foreign concept to them.

  Unlike us.

  Unlike me and Tessa.

  We remember what peace was. What it was like to live without needing to kill to see the next day.

  Goldy steps closer, her golden body glinting under the soft glow of the labyrinth’s crystals. She tilts her head at Tessa, then cheerfully announces, “I am Goldy, leader of our brood! And you are the one Nur has been fussing over, yes?”

  Tessa blinks, ears twitching. “Wait, I can hear her?” she says, looking at me.

  I sigh. “Yeah, she’s talking through telepathy. You’ll understand her, but she won’t understand a word you’re saying.”

  Goldy puffs up. “Of course I can communicate! Psychic links are a natural thing for us. But your way of speaking?” She wiggles her stubby legs in a dismissive gesture. “That’s weird.”

  Tessa stares. “Uh… okay? Well, nice to meet you, Goldy.”

  Goldy tilts her head. “She said something. What did she say?”

  I rub my head with one of my stubby legs. “She said nice to meet you.”

  Goldy beams. “Good! You are Nur’s friend, which makes you our friend too! And I like making friends.”

  Tessa gives me a look, clearly still overwhelmed by all of this. Yeah, welcome to my life, Tessa.

  Goldy, still beaming, gestures to the rest of the brood. “Now that we’re all friends, let me introduce everyone!”

  She points a stubby leg at Victor, who bows his bristly body slightly. “This is Victor. He’s polite and talks fancy.”

  Victor nods. “A pleasure, young wolf. I am Victor, the brood’s scout and observer. If you ever find yourself in peril, worry not—I shall detect it first.”

  Tessa tilts her head. “Uh… thanks?” She glances at me, and I just give her a look that says yeah, he’s always like this.

  Then Goldy jerks her head toward the one sulking at the back. “And that’s Vex.”

  Vex huffs. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now you know me, pup.” He flicks his bristles. “Don’t expect me to babysit you just ‘cause you’re Nur’s long-lost pet.”

  Tessa bristles at that. “Excuse me?”

  I sigh. “Ignore him. He just likes being a pain.”

  Vex smirks. “It’s a talent.”

  Goldy then waves toward the rest of the brood—seven caterpillars of various sizes and colors, all watching curiously. “And these are our other siblings! They don’t have names yet because Nur names all of us.”

  Tessa blinks. “Wait, you named all of them?”

  I shrug. “Yeah, apparently that’s my thing.”

  One of the unnamed siblings waves a stubby leg. “It is true. She gives names. It is a special thing.”

  Tessa looks around at the group of massive caterpillars surrounding her, then sighs. “Wow… this is a lot.”

  Yeah, Tessa. Welcome to the family.

  Tessa lowers her head. "Thank you... really. But..." Her ears flatten as she stares at the ground. "I lost my family. I don’t even know if I deserve another one."

  I blink. "What? What the hell are you talking about?"

  She lets out a shaky breath. "They died because of me, Nur. They sacrificed themselves so I could escape. If I wasn’t born, if I wasn’t weak, maybe—"

  "Stop that." My voice comes out sharper than I expected. "None of this is fair, Tessa. None of it. If it were fair, we wouldn’t be here. If it were fair, we wouldn’t have died back then."

  Tessa looks up at me, eyes wide.

  I exhale. "There used to be three more of us." I gesture vaguely at my brood. "Three more siblings, but they died. Just like that. And who knows how many more of us are gonna die? That’s just how it is in this labyrinth. It doesn’t care about fairness. It doesn’t care about who deserves what."

  I look her in the eye. "But you’re alive, Tessa. And that has to mean something."

  Tessa takes a long sigh, her shoulders trembling slightly as she stares at the ground. The weight of everything presses down on her, a storm of emotions flickering across her face—grief, doubt, anger. For a moment, it looks like she might break under it all. But then, her ears twitch, and she takes a deep breath before continuing.

  "If that's the case, then I gotta make sure I won’t let their sacrifice be in vain. If I just sit here feeling sorry for myself, then what was the point of everything they did for me?"

  She clenches her paws, her claws pressing against the soft silk of the bed I made for her. "They fought so I could live. So I will live. I’ll fight, I’ll survive, and I’ll get stronger. That’s what they would have wanted."

  Her voice shakes slightly, but there’s no hesitation in her words anymore. I can tell—she’s forcing herself to move forward, even with the weight of loss dragging behind her.

  And honestly? I respect that.

  Goldy hums in approval. "Now that’s more like it!" she chirps, waving her stubby front legs. "If you’re gonna be part of our family, you better keep up!"

  Tessa blinks, then tilts her head. "Part of the family?"

  Victor nods. "Indeed, Lady Tessa. Our brood does not extend its embrace lightly, not even to those of our own kin. Yet, through Nur’s grace, you have found yourself among our ranks.

  I roll my eyes. "Don’t make it sound weird, Victor."

  Goldy giggles, while Vex just scoffs from the side. "Tch. Sentimental crap. But hey, if you don’t wanna be alone, guess you’re stuck with us now, pup."

  Tessa looks around at everyone—Goldy’s excited grin, Victor’s polite amusement, Vex’s usual snark, and the other broodmates watching curiously.

  Slowly, a small, genuine smile spreads on her face.

  "I… I guess I really do have another family now, huh?" she murmurs.

  She seems to take comfort in the thought. It’s not the same, and it never will be—but that’s okay.

  Then, suddenly, her expression hardens, and she hops up onto all fours with new determination. "Alright then! No more sulking! Time to—!"

  And promptly trips over her own paws.

  She faceplants straight into the ground.

  A beat of silence.

  I stare at the heap of wolf pup lying there, tail twitching slightly.

  Yep. That’s the Tessa I know.

  End of Chapter 20