The Green Stalker.

  How?! How does it even catch up with us so fast?! We ran, we climbed, we fought our way here—how is it already behind us?!

  No time to think. No time to panic.

  We have to move.

  Brother Wolf acts first. Quick as lightning, he lunges at one of the remaining Gloom Bats, clamping his jaws around its wing. With a sharp twist of his head, he flings it toward the Green Stalker.

  Splat!

  The bat screeches as it smacks into the monster, flailing weakly before sliding off its tough purple hide.

  But Brother Wolf doesn’t stop. He had already leaped at another.

  Bigger Sister Wolf, seeing what he is doing, quickly follows suit. She pounces, snatches a Gloom Bat mid-air, and hurls it at the creature.

  One by one, they take down the bats, using them as distractions to slow the Green Stalker down.

  It isn’t much.

  But it is something.

  Meanwhile, I run toward Mama Wolf and Big Sister Wolf. They are still fighting a small group of Gloom Bats, but with Mama Wolf there, the battle is already wrapping up.

  I have to help.

  I have to do something.

  One of the Gloom Bats swoops low, trying to escape—so I pounce.

  Chomp!

  I bite down on its neck, my teeth sinking into its leathery skin. It struggles, but I cling on, growling as I hold it in place.

  Not much.

  But at least… at least I can help.

  At least I can support Mama Wolf.

  With one final crunch, I let go of the Gloom Bat’s neck. It twitches for a moment… then stills.

  I look up—Mama Wolf and Big Sister Wolf are already done with their fight.

  Brother Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf have joined us too, both panting from their effort.

  For a moment, I let myself hope. Maybe, maybe we are safe now.

  Then I glance back at the Green Stalker.

  It's still there. Still lurking.

  But… it isn’t chasing us?

  It's busy. Snapping at the Gloom Bats that have been hurled at it, swatting them away with its massive vines.

  It won’t last long.

  Mama Wolf must realize that too because she turns to us, her voice firm.

  "We have to move. Now."

  None of us argue.

  She then turns to Big Sister Wolf, giving her a sharp look. "And no more straying off."

  Big Sister Wolf’s ears droop, but she nods quickly.

  With that, Mama Wolf takes the lead, and we follow—moving as fast as our tired legs can carry us.

  Running. Fighting. Resting just enough to keep going.

  How long have we been doing this?

  How much longer will we keep doing this?

  I don’t know.

  But I do know one thing.

  We just have to reach the 3rd Zone.

  Once we get there, everything will be fine.

  No more terrifying monsters lurking behind us. No more fighting just to survive.

  Everything will go back to normal.

  It has to.

  We run and and run and then we stumble into a new area and come to a stop.

  I blink. Oh wow.

  This place is different. The last areas are all dark, or dark and narrow, or dark and scary—but this place? It is glowing.

  Not like, actual glowing, but more like… moonlight? Yeah! It is like there is a big, glowing moon somewhere up there, shining down in soft patches all over the ground. Some of the light even touches a lake.

  Wait.. a lake?!

  I gasp, my tail wagging. Water! That means drinking! That means maybe even playing! That means—

  Wait.

  I slam my paws onto the ground, stopping myself from running ahead. We are still being chased! No time to get distracted, Arissa!

  I shake my head, trying to stay focused. (It is really hard. This place is so pretty!)

  Mama Wolf is already scanning the area, her ears twitching as she listens. Is it safe? Can we rest?

  I really, really hope so. My legs are sore, my paws ache, and my heart has been pounding ever since we started running.

  As I am busy whining (because ugh, my paws hurt, my legs hurt, my everything hurts), Mama Wolf suddenly breaks the silence.

  “We reached at a Lunerian Checkpoint. We should rest here while we’ve lost the Green Stalker.”

  I blink.

  Lunerian Check… what now?

  I tilt my head, ears flopping a little. That sounds important, but also complicated.

  Mama must notice my confusion because she continues, “Lunerian Checkpoints are areas within this zone that people regard as safe havens. Because of the light here, most monsters won’t dare to come near.”

  Ohhh! So that’s why it feels so nice here!

  Wait—

  Most?

  I perk up immediately, my tail standing straight. “Wait, wait, wait—most?!”

  Mama nods. “Yes, most. Some monsters can evolve and adapt to this environment. Some even thrive in it, which could turn the area unsafe.”

  I gulp.

  Okay, okay, so mostly safe but not completely safe.

  Good to know.

  …Still scary, though.

  But then Mama says, “The water here is also safe. You may drink it.”

  And just like that, all my fear disappears.

  Water!!

  I wag my tail and practically skip forward, stopping just at the edge of the lake. It is so shiny, reflecting the moonlight in a way that makes it look almost magical.

  I lower my head and take a few big, refreshing gulps—

  BRAIN FREEZE!!

  I yip in surprise, my whole body shuddering as the icy-cold water shoots straight to my brain.

  Okay. Okay. Maybe I should drink a little slower.

  This really takes me back when I used to get frappes with Nur!

  As I drink (slowly this time, because ouch, brain freezes are the worst), I notice everyone else drinking too—including Mama.

  And then a thought pops into my head.

  Mama sure is smart, isn’t she?

  She knows so many things! Like where to go, what to do, what’s safe, what’s dangerous… and even weird fancy words like Lunerian Checkpoint.

  Where does she even learn all of that?

  Hmmm…

  …Well, no use thinking about it.

  With a satisfied sigh, I lick the last few drops from my lips and trot over to Mama Wolf, who has also just finished drinking. Without thinking, I snuggle up to her side, feeling the warmth of her fur against mine.

  Mama Wolf doesn’t say anything—she just huffs softly and shifts a little, letting me get comfortable.

  One by one, the others do the same. Bigger Sister Wolf settles in nearby, Brother Wolf plops down with a yawn, and Big Sister Wolf curls up on Mama’s other side.

  Yeah… this is nice.

  Warm. Safe.

  Even if it isn’t completely safe, even if we still have a long way to go…

  Right now, I just want to rest.

  As I rest and eventually drift off to sleep, I feel that weird, floaty sensation again—like I’m being pulled somewhere.

  And just like that… I’m back in that place.

  The white place.

  The one Mama Wolf calls Lucid Reflection.

  Everything looks the same as usual. The mound with a crack leaking that strange gas, the teeny tiny plant beside it, and the small blue puddle sitting nearby.

  And then… there’s me.

  Not Wolf-Me.

  Human-Me.

  The me from my past life.

  Ah… oh no.

  I look down.

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  …AHHHH?!

  I’M NAKED! AGAIN!

  My arms snap up as I instinctively try to cover myself, even though—wait—there’s no one else here.

  But still! What if someone suddenly shows up?!

  Ohh, this is embarrassing! Why does this keep happening every time I come here?! Why can’t Dream-Tessa at least get some dream clothes?!

  I squat down, wrapping my arms around my knees, and groan in frustration.

  "Hrghhh... This again..."

  Well, whatever.

  Welp. No use freaking out over the naked thing.

  Moving on.

  I reach out and touch the gas-leaking mound, just like before.

  And, yep, there it goes.

  The white place suddenly turns black, and then images and text pop up all over like some kind of weird holographic pop-up book.

  It shows me—in my puppy body—doing all sorts of cool stuff I definitely don’t remember doing.

  Huh.

  I poke at the floating images with my other hand, and—oh! It plays out like a tutorial video!

  Whoa.

  Okay, if I have to describe it, it looks kinda like one of those ***Tube tutorials, except, you know, magic.

  There are different sections, each explaining something about my wolfy abilities:

  Bite – Where I, uh, bite things. Duh.

  Claw – Where I claw at things. Again, duh.

  Pounce – Ooh, this one’s how I jump at the bat thing earlier!

  Sound Manipulation – This one is cool. Apparently, I can turn my puppy sounds into other sounds. This is how our pack communicates and forms a language! I can also create a really loud scream if I want to, though not as loud as Mama Wolf or Papa Wolf.

  And then… there’s one last ability.

  The one that makes me go, “WHOA. COOL.”

  Instinctual Flow – It shows puppy-me dodging attacks effortlessly and then swoosh-swoosh attacking nonstop like some kind of battle prodigy!

  Wait, what?

  I read the description.

  Something about not thinking and just… flowing with instinct?

  ...But I always don’t think.

  Like, always.

  Could it be that I’ve already been using this ability all this time?!

  But that can’t be right!

  I haven’t done all the cool stuff shown in the tutorial!

  Well... whatever.

  I’ll figure it out later, I guess.

  I step away from the weird gas-leaking mound, and just like before, the blackness fades, and the whole place turns back to white.

  Yep. Still weird.

  Well, I’m done here.

  Time to wake up, I guess.

  …Wait.

  How do you do it again?

  Oh! Close your eyes, right?

  Alright, easy! I squeeze my eyes shut real tight and wait.

  ...

  …Waiting…

  …Still waiting…

  …Uhhh.

  I peek one eye open. Still here.

  Huh?!

  I scrunch my face and try again, shutting my eyes so hard my forehead gets all wrinkly. Any second now…

  …

  Any second now…?

  I crack one eye open again. White.

  I open both eyes. Still white.

  “Ehhhh?!” I whine to no one in particular, waving my hands around. “Why isn’t it working?!”

  I start hopping in place, like maybe if I jump high enough, I’ll wake up. Nope.

  I try spinning in circles. Also nope.

  I try sitting down and flopping over. Nope again.

  This is so unfair! It worked last time!

  Wait.

  What if—oh no.

  What if I’m stuck here forever?!

  Oh no. Oh no no no.

  I start panicking, pacing back and forth, my heart pounding. What if I never wake up?! What if I have to stay here in this weird white place forever with the gas thingy and the tiny plant and the blue puddle?!

  I mean, sure, it’s not scary, but it’s so boring!

  “Mamaaaaa! Help! I’m stuck! I don’t wanna be here forever!” I cry out, even though I know she’s not here.

  I flop onto my back, arms and legs spread out. This is it. This is how I live now. A poor, poor puppy soul trapped in the whiteness of doom.

  I sigh dramatically.

  “…Wait.”

  A tiny thought pokes my brain.

  Mama tells me about this place before, right? The Lucid Reflection thingy? And if I remember right…

  Ohhh.

  I sit up.

  Ohhhhhh.

  I’m not supposed to force it.

  I’m supposed to calm down.

  Oh.

  I let out a deep breath and close my eyes gently this time, relaxing my shoulders.

  …

  …

  …

  And just like that, I drift away.

  When I open my eyes again, I’m back in the cave, snuggled up against Mama Wolf.

  The soft glow of the moonlight spills over the ground, the gentle shimmer of the lake making everything feel kinda… peaceful. Normal, I guess?

  I blink, still fuzzy from sleep. My body feels warm, pressed up against Mama’s soft fur. I hear the quiet sound of breathing—slow, steady.

  I peek around.

  Brother Wolf is still curled up, his tail twitching slightly. Sleeping.

  Big Sister Wolf, too. Sleeping, besides Mama.

  Mama Wolf…

  Wait.

  Mama Wolf is sleeping too?!

  I gasp quietly, eyes going wide. I didn’t even notice!

  Mama never sleeps first.

  She always waits for us to sleep first, right? And then she wakes up before us. And she always keeps watch. Always.

  But here she is, her breaths slow and deep, chest rising and falling as she rests.

  Mama must be really, really tired.

  I don’t know why, but my heart feels a little heavy.

  Mama never shows when she’s tired. She’s always strong. Always protecting us.

  But she needs rest too, huh?

  I shift a little, making sure not to wake her.

  Then my eyes drift to Bigger Sister Wolf.

  She’s sitting up, ears perked, golden eyes watching the cave entrance.

  She’s keeping watch.

  I don’t know why, but that makes me feel… safe.

  I let out a soft exhale and press my face back into Mama’s fur.

  Everything’s fine.

  For now.

  I slowly wiggle out from Mama Wolf’s warm fluff, trying not to wake her up. But as soon as I stand—

  “Wah—!”

  My paw catches on a rock, and I almost faceplant right then and there.

  I wobble, paws flailing, but—somehow—I manage to steady myself.

  Phew. That was close.

  Bigger Sister Wolf turns her head toward me, her ears twitching. Her golden eyes watch me for a second before she speaks.

  “Wake up already?” she asks, her voice calm but firm.

  I shake myself a little, then trot up next to her.

  “Mhm! I guess?” I say, sitting down beside her.

  She looks at me for a moment, then asks, “You got enough rest?”

  I tilt my head.

  Huh. Good question. I mean, I feel okay? Not as tired as before, I think?

  I tap my chin with my paw.

  “…I think so?”

  Bigger Sister Wolf gives a small nod. "That's good. A pup like you needs their sleep."

  She stretches slightly, her tail flicking behind her as she keeps her gaze on the surroundings.

  Then, after a moment, she glances at me again. "I saw what you did earlier."

  I blink. "Huh? What did I do?"

  She lets out a small huff, something between amusement and approval. "Fighting the bats like a badass."

  My ears perk up. "Wha—?! I was badass?!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf nods again. "Yeah. You jumped in and bit that bat’s face off. Not bad, pup."

  I puff out my chest, feeling way too proud of myself. "Heheh~! That’s right! I totally did that!"

  …Wait.

  "Ohhhh, wait, wait, wait—does that mean I’m, like, officially a real wolf now?!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf gives a slight smirk. "Not yet, pup. But you’re getting there."

  "Awwww—!"

  I tilt my head. "Anyway, did you get enough sleep? Or, uh… did you sleep at all?"

  Bigger Sister Wolf flicks her ear and nods. "Yeah, I got some. I just switched with Mama to keep watch."

  "Ohhh…" That makes sense.

  Then something clicks in my brain. "Wait—Mama Wolf was awake this whole time?!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf hums in agreement. "She was keeping watch until now. She needs some rest too."

  I look over at Mama Wolf, still curled up with Big Sister Wolf snuggled against her. My ears droop a little. "Mama Wolf works so hard…"

  Bigger Sister Wolf sighs. "That’s just how she is. She’ll push herself to keep us safe."

  I frown a little. That’s… kinda a lot. But it’s also… really cool?

  Mama Wolf is so strong.

  Before I can say anything else, my stomach suddenly lets out a loud, embarrassing grrrrrgle.

  Bigger Sister Wolf’s ears twitch, and she looks at me. "Was that you?"

  I immediately shake my head. "Nope! No way! Not me!"

  Then—grrrrrgle.

  I freeze.

  Bigger Sister Wolf raises an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."

  I nervously laugh. "Okay, maybe that was me…"

  Now that I think about it, when was the last time we ate? Before we even stepped into this zone? Oh no. No wonder my tummy’s throwing a tantrum.

  Bigger Sister Wolf sighs and grabs her leather bag. She digs through it and pulls out… a Gloom Bat.

  I blink. "Wait, where did you get those?"

  She smirks. "Managed to stash one when the Green Stalker was busy."

  I gasp. "You’re a genius!"

  She chuckles. "Not really. Just practical."

  I stare at the Gloom Bats. Then my stomach growls again. Okay, okay, I get it! Time to eat!

  Just as I reach out, Bigger Sister Wolf suddenly pulls the Gloom Bats away.

  "Since when did I say you could eat?" she says with a teasing smirk.

  I freeze mid-motion, my ears perking up in alarm. "H-Huh? But—I'm hungry! You can’t just dangle food in front of a starving pup!"

  She tilts her head, pretending to think. "Hmm… maybe I should eat them all myself?"

  "Nooo!" I practically throw myself at her, grabbing onto her paw dramatically. "Please, have mercy! I'm just a poor, weak, helpless pup! I’ll die if I don’t eat!"

  She chuckles, clearly enjoying my suffering. "Oh? But weren’t you a badass earlier? Fighting all those bats?"

  I pout. "B-badasses still need food!"

  Finally, she rolls her eyes and tosses a Gloom Bat toward me. "Fine, fine. Eat up, you little drama pup."

  "Yaaay!" I catch it and immediately start munching, my tail wagging happily. Victory!

  Just as I sink my teeth into the Gloom Bat, I hear a familiar sound—gwwuurrgle…

  I freeze, ears twitching. Slowly, I turn my head toward Bigger Sister Wolf, who is now looking away, pretending she didn’t just make that noise.

  "Pffft—" I try to hold it in, but a wheezy little puppy snort slips out. Then I burst into laughter—well, as much as a wolf pup can laugh without using magic. It’s more like a series of excited yips and high-pitched whines.

  Bigger Sister Wolf glares at me, ears flicking. "What’s so funny?"

  I wag my tail and nudge the half-eaten Gloom Bat toward her. "Here! You should eat too!"

  She snorts and pushes it back. "Nah, you eat. You need it more than I do."

  I tilt my head. "But you’re hungry too!"

  She sighs and ruffles my head with her paw. "I can handle it. You’re still growing, so eat up."

  I hesitate for a moment but then shrug and happily go back to eating. If Bigger Sister Wolf says it’s okay, then it’s okay! Still, as I chew, I can’t help but think...

  She always acts tough, but she’s just as hungry as I am. I’ll have to find something tasty for her later!

  I gulp down the last bite and wag my tail. "Fine! But I’m gonna give you food later, okay? You better eat it!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf raises an eyebrow. "Oh? And what if I don’t?"

  I puff out my little chest, trying to look serious. "Then I’ll—I’ll…" I pause, thinking really hard. "I’ll howl really loud and embarrass you in front of everyone!"

  She stares at me for a second before letting out a short huff, something between a scoff and a laugh. "You’re way too bold for a pup."

  I wag my tail even harder. "That means you promise, right?"

  Bigger Sister Wolf rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Sure."

  Hehehe! That means I win! Now I just gotta find something really, really tasty later. I don’t know what yet, but I’ll figure it out!

  As I sit there, feeling all proud of myself for winning against Bigger Sister Wolf (which totally counts as a victory!), I hear a soft yawn behind me. I turn my head and see Big Sister Wolf stretching her legs, her tail flicking sleepily.

  "Mmm… Did I miss anything?" she mumbles, blinking at us.

  "Nope! Just me being amazing!" I say, standing tall and wagging my tail.

  Bigger Sister Wolf lets out a small huff. "More like stuffing your face."

  I gasp dramatically. "That too!"

  Big Sister Wolf tilts her head and sniffs the air. "Wait… is that food? You guys ate without us?"

  Before I can answer, Brother Wolf stirs next, his ears twitching as he groggily lifts his head. He blinks at us, then lets out a big yawn, his sharp teeth showing. "Huh? Food?"

  Uh-oh

  Big Sister Wolf's ears perk up as she sniffs the air again, her eyes narrowing at me and Bigger Sister Wolf. "You totally ate without us."

  "Uhh… maybe?" I try to play innocent, but my tail betrays me by wagging.

  Brother Wolf stretches and shakes his fur before stepping closer. "That’s not fair. We’ve all been starving since before we even entered this zone."

  Big Sister Wolf lets out a dramatic sigh. "Guess I’ll just starve then."

  Wait—hold on. Something’s off.

  Her voice is too casual. Her tail flicks just a little too smugly. Her ears are up instead of droopy.

  …She’s messing with me.

  "Wait a minute!" I squint at her. "You have food, don’t you?"

  Big Sister Wolf just smirks.

  I gasp. "You totally have food!"

  Brother Wolf's ears perk up. "What? Where?"

  With a victorious grin, Big Sister Wolf flicks open her leather bag with her snout and—oh my gosh.

  Two. Whole. Gloom Bats.

  Perfectly stashed.

  Brother Wolf and I stare at them, then at her, then back at the food.

  "WHEN?!" I cry dramatically.

  "Unlike you two, I think ahead," she says, tail wagging as she pulls one out and starts eating.

  I drop to the ground, defeated. "Betrayed… by my own family…!"

  Brother Wolf just grumbles. "You better share that."

  Big Sister Wolf chuckles. "Maybe."

  Bigger Sister Wolf snorts. "Now you know how it feels."

  Big Sister Wolf rips off a piece of her Gloom Bat and tosses it toward Bigger Sister Wolf, who catches it mid-air with ease. "Here, you deserve some."

  Bigger Sister Wolf gives her a grateful nod before munching on it, her tail wagging just a little.

  Brother Wolf, on the other paw, is staring at the second Gloom Bat in Big Sister Wolf’s bag like it's the most important thing in the world. "Okay, so what about that one?"

  Big Sister Wolf smirks, casually nudging the bag closed with her paw. "Oh, this? Hmm, I dunno... Maybe I'll save it for Mama."

  Brother Wolf's ears shoot up. "Wait, what?!"

  "Well, she’s been awake the longest and keeping us safe. She hasn’t eaten either, so I think she deserves it."

  Brother Wolf huffs. "Yeah, but—"

  Big Sister Wolf tilts her head at him, grinning. "Why? You want it?"

  Brother Wolf shifts uncomfortably, looking between the Gloom Bat and Big Sister Wolf. "…No."

  I snicker at him. "Liar."

  Brother Wolf glares at me. "Shut up, Pup."

  Big Sister Wolf laughs, swishing her tail as she tucks the Gloom Bat safely back into her bag. "Well, too bad. It's Mama’s now."

  Brother Wolf grumbles something under his breath before lying down in defeat. "This is so unfair."

  Bigger Sister Wolf just chuckles as she finishes her food. "Welcome to life, little bro."

  "Don't worry about it, give it to your brother."

  Mama Wolf's voice cuts through the conversation so suddenly that we all freeze. None of us even notice she’s awake!

  "M-Mama?!" I yelp, nearly tripping over my own paws. "When did you—how long were you—?"

  Big Sister Wolf blinks in surprise. "Wait, are you sure?"

  Mama Wolf stretches, letting out a small yawn before shaking out her fur. "I’ve had my rest. You pups need it more than I do."

  Brother Wolf perks up instantly, ears twitching. "So I can have it?"

  Big Sister Wolf rolls her eyes but pulls the Gloom Bat back out and tosses it to him. "Yeah, yeah, go ahead."

  Brother Wolf snatches it mid-air and immediately starts devouring it, tail wagging like crazy.

  Mama Wolf watches him fondly, then turns to the rest of us. "We’ll rest a little longer, but we need to move soon. The Green Stalker still searching for us."

  I shiver at the reminder but nod quickly. "Right! Right! Gotta keep moving! No getting eaten today!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf sighs. "Let’s just hope we don’t run into something worse."

  I gulp. "W-worse? There’s worse?!"

  Big Sister Wolf just smirks. "Who knows?"

  I do NOT like that answer.

  Brother Wolf finishes his meal, Mama Wolf gives us all a look, and we know what it means—it’s time to get ready.

  One by one, we step toward the lake, lapping up the cool, clear water. It tastes fresh, different from the damp, weird-tasting puddles we found before. Even though it’s supposed to be safe, I keep sneaking nervous glances around, half-expecting some creepy monster to jump out of the water. But nothing happens.

  Once we’re done drinking, Mama Wolf stretches again, shaking her fur, then gives us a small nod. "Alright, let’s move."

  Bigger Sister Wolf steps ahead first, her posture strong and alert. Big Sister Wolf follows right behind, keeping pace. Brother Wolf moves next to me, nudging my side as if to say, keep up. I do my best not to trip over my own paws as we all fall into step, leaving the Lunerian Checkpoint behind.

  The glowing moonlight fades as we move forward, back into the darker, more dangerous parts of the zone. I take one last look back at the peaceful lake, wishing we could stay just a little longer. But we can’t.

  We have to keep moving. We have to survive.

  And once we reach the 3rd Zone… everything will be okay. Right?

  End of Chapter 16