Everything is dark again.

  I mean, I knew it was gonna be dark once we left the checkpoint, but I kinda hoped… I don’t know, that maybe the darkness wouldn’t feel so dark after resting in that nice moonlight. But nope! It’s still dark, spooky, and full of creepy noises that make my fur stand on end.

  I stick close to the pack, making sure Big Sister Wolf doesn’t wander off again. Mama Wolf told her not to, but what if she forgets? What if something distracts her and she just poof—gone again? Nope! Not happening! I’m keeping an eye on her!

  She’s walking just ahead of me, ears flicking at every little sound, tail swishing like she’s on high alert. I don’t blame her—I mean, we did just deal with that Green Stalker thing and all those bats. But still! If she suddenly bolts off, I’m biting her tail and dragging her back!

  Bigger Sister Wolf is leading the way, moving with that big strong "I’m in charge" energy. Brother Wolf is right next to me, all serious-faced, like always. And Mama Wolf… well, she’s just there. Walking all calm and smart, like she knows exactly where to go.

  Meanwhile, I’m over here jumping at every shadow and whispering to myself: “Please no monsters, please no monsters, please no monsters…”

  We walk and walk, and the deeper we go, the creepier it gets. The walls feel closer, the air gets thicker, and I swear I hear things scurrying just out of sight. Every time I think I see movement, I whip my head around, ready to scream, but—oh, false alarm. Just a weird-looking rock.

  Or… was it?

  I gulp and shuffle even closer to the pack. Nope, not thinking about it.

  Gotta focus. Gotta keep walking.

  And most importantly—gotta make sure Big Sister Wolf doesn’t get lost again!

  We walk and walk, and surprisingly—no Green Stalker! No monsters ambushing us!

  That’s good! …Right?

  Well, yes and no.

  Good because that means the Green Stalker isn’t breathing down our necks. Not good because… well, we need food. Especially Mama Wolf. She doesn’t look so great right now. Her steps are steady, but slower, and her ears droop just a tiny bit. I don’t like it. Not one bit.

  Bigger Sister Wolf is leading the way now, which helps. It means Mama doesn’t have to push herself too much. But still, we need to find food. Soon.

  Brother Wolf is on high alert, sniffing around. Big Sister Wolf is keeping pace, glancing back at Mama every now and then. I can tell she’s worried too.

  I look up at Mama. She’s strong, she’s smart, she’s our leader! But right now… she just looks tired.

  We need to find something to eat. Before it’s too late.

  As I keep worrying about food, the path ahead starts to change.

  For a long while now, we’ve been walking through this never-ending corridor, a narrow path that just keeps going up and up. But now… the walls are spreading apart. The space is getting bigger. Not too big—not as massive as the place where we fought the Gloom Bats—but still, it feels different.

  And then, I feel it.

  Something wrong.

  I don’t know what, but my fur bristles, and my paws feel all tingly. It’s like the air itself is whispering something bad.

  I glance at Mama Wolf. She feels it too.

  She stops walking.

  So we all stop.

  Silence.

  Something is here. Something is watching us.

  Then—there it is.

  Something walking toward us.

  At first, I almost think it's a human—it’s standing on two legs, moving slow, its arms covering its face. But no, no, no, something’s wrong. The way it moves—it’s sluggish, creepy, like it's not supposed to be walking like that.

  And then—

  It looks at us.

  Eeeek!

  I yelp and hide behind Bigger Sister Wolf, my fur standing on end.

  Its face—its horrible face—has glowing red eyes, slits on its cheeks, and sharp, jagged teeth like it could chew through bone in seconds! Its arms are too long, ending in curved, razor-like claws. And its body—it's both muscular and lean, but at the same time too skinny, like it's stretched in a way that just shouldn’t be possible.

  My heart is pounding.

  What is this thing?!

  It stares at us for a moment. Just stands there, unmoving.

  Then—its mouth stretches.

  Oh no.

  The slits on its cheeks start opening—not like wounds, but like more mouths—too many mouths. Rows of jagged teeth peek out from the openings, and a horrible, wet, squelching sound fills the air.

  I freeze.

  That’s scary!

  I whimper and press myself closer to Bigger Sister Wolf, my ears flattening. What is that?! Why does it have so many mouths?!

  Everyone quickly shifts into a fighting stance, their eyes fixed on the creature. The ghoul starts to scream, a low, horrifying, bone-chilling screech that makes my fur stand on end. My heart is racing—I’m terrified.

  Mama Wolf’s voice cuts through the panic, calm but urgent.

  “It’s a ghoul. Be careful,” she warns, her voice sluggish as she speaks, probably to conserve her strength.

  She looks at the creature with narrowed eyes, assessing. “They walk alone, but they’re fast—agile. They have sharp claws, and their maws... they can break bones in seconds.”

  I swallow hard, trying to keep my breath steady, but I can barely focus. The ghoul’s teeth keep showing—too many teeth. I can’t stop thinking about them.

  “We can’t let it get close,” Mama Wolf continues, looking at all of us, her stance never wavering. She sounds serious, but I can hear the strain in her voice. It’s so scary.

  Bigger Sister Wolf crouches low, preparing to jump if needed. Brother Wolf’s ears are back, his teeth showing. We’re all ready, but I still can’t stop shaking.

  In a blink— before I can even process what’s happening—the ghoul pounces.

  It moves so fast. Too fast.

  Bigger Sister Wolf jumps back just in time, barely avoiding its full force, but—oh no—its claws graze her side.

  A thin, red line appears across her fur. She lands on all fours, growling, her ears flat against her head.

  "Tch—it's fast," she mutters.

  I feel my stomach twist. That could’ve been worse. That could’ve been so much worse.

  The ghoul lands on the ground, its body low, tensed like it’s ready to strike again. Its horrible, too-wide grin is still there, and those cheek-slits—they’re moving, like they’re breathing.

  Mama Wolf growls. "Stay sharp! Don't let it touch you!"

  My paws feel frozen. My heart won't stop pounding.

  It’s too fast. It got Bigger Sister Wolf so easily. How are we supposed to fight that?

  No—no time to be distracted!

  I shake my head, snapping back to reality. This isn’t the time to get excited—I need to focus.

  The battle is still going.

  And—ugh!—this ghoul thingy is handling itself way too well!

  We’re five against one—or, well, three.

  I’m just standing here, while Mama Wolf is watching from the side, conserving her energy, waiting for the right moment to step in.

  Which means—Brother Wolf, Big Sister Wolf, and Bigger Sister Wolf are the only ones actually fighting.

  And I’m just…

  Ugh.

  I feel useless.

  Again.

  I hesitate.

  I want to step in—I do! But everyone’s moving too fast.

  The Ghoul’s movements—they’re so fluid, dodging and parrying strikes like it's dancing!

  How am I supposed to keep up with that?!

  But—it doesn’t last long.

  Bigger Sister Wolf—she got it!

  She lunges forward, sinking her teeth into its hand.

  Yes! She got a hold of it!

  And then—WOOOSH!

  She throws it!

  But—oh no—wait!

  As she hurls it away, the Ghoul twists mid-air, reaching out

  SCCRRAATCHH!

  It rakes its claws down her side.

  Blood splatters.

  Bigger Sister Wolf yelps.

  Oh no—oh no oh no oh no!

  WHAM!

  Brother Wolf leaps in!

  His teeth sink deep into the Ghoul’s torso, and then—whoosh whoosh whoosh—he thrashes it around like a ragdoll!

  Then—THROW!

  The Ghoul flies into the air!

  And before it can land—

  WOOF!

  A shockwave erupts from Brother Wolf’s bark, slamming into the Ghoul mid-air!

  OH MY GOSH THAT WAS SO COOL!

  I’ve never seen him do that before! When did he learn that?!

  Wait...

  EEEEEEK!

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  I was too busy being amazed that I didn’t even notice—

  THE GHOUL IS FLYING RIGHT AT ME!

  PANIC! PANIC! PANIC!

  But—wait!

  This is my chance!

  I just learned about Sound Manipulation! I can do the thing!

  OKAY THINK FAST, TESSA!

  I take a deep breath—

  AND—

  WOOF!

  And...

  EEEEEK! IT’S RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!

  I tried to do the cool WOOF thingy like Brother Wolf, but—it barely did anything! The Ghoul just got pushed back a little! Why?!

  I scramble backward, my paws slipping on the ground.

  And then—it stands up.

  I have to fight now?!

  DON’T PANIC, DON’T PANIC, DON’T PANIC—

  Wait, what was that thing called again? Insumption Glow? Insufficient Grow?

  Aah! Instinctual Flow!

  Yes! That thing! Don’t think! Just let my natural instinct take over!

  I CAN DO THIS!

  Everyone is panicking! I can hear them rushing toward me! But no! I have to focus!

  I squeeze my eyes shut.

  Don’t think.

  Just feel.

  And then—it hits.

  Like a switch flipped in my head, everything just... flows.

  The Ghoul slashes!

  But I dodge.

  I don’t even know how! But I felt it coming before it even moved!

  Then—I lunge!

  CHOMP!

  I sink my teeth into its neck!

  It tries to swipe at me—I can feel it coming! Before it can strike, I let go and jump away!

  I did it?! I ACTUALLY DID IT?!

  No, focus! It's not over yet!

  I lunge again, letting my instincts guide me.

  Swipe—Dodge! Bite—Dodge!

  I strike again, this time at its arm—slash! Then at its back—bite! I keep moving, dodging, attacking, like I already know what it's going to do before it does!

  Before I even realize it, the Ghoul is bleeding.

  A lot.

  Its movements slow down, its attacks losing their speed.

  It’s getting weaker.

  And then—WOOOSH!

  Before I can even react, Mama Wolf moves.

  Fast.

  Like, really fast.

  She dashes past me in a blur, her fangs gleaming as she lunges straight for the Ghoul.

  The thing barely has time to react—SNAP!

  Mama’s jaws clamp around its neck, crushing it instantly. CRACK!

  The Ghoul lets out a sickening, gurgled screech, its body twitching for a moment—then silence.

  It's over.

  Brother Wolf rushes over, his ears pinned back. “Are you okay?”

  I blink, still trying to process everything. Did I just do that?

  “Ohhh yeah, I’m fine! That was so cool, did you see me? I was like—dodge! Bite! Swoosh! And then—” I start hopping around, trying to reenact my moves, but oops—

  THUMP.

  I trip over my own paws and land flat on my face. Ow.

  Brother Wolf sighs, nudging me with his nose. “You’re unbelievable.”

  Big Sister Wolf and Bigger Sister Wolf walk up, both panting a little from the fight.

  "Hey, that was pretty impressive, pup," Big Sister Wolf says with a grin, ruffling my head with her paw. "Didn’t think you had it in you!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf chuckles. "Yeah, you actually managed to not trip for once."

  "H-Hey!" I pout, puffing out my cheeks. "I wasn’t that clumsy!"

  They both give me a look.

  …Okay, fine, maybe I was, but not during the fight!

  "Still, you did good," Bigger Sister Wolf continues, her expression softening. "You listened to your instincts. That’s important."

  Hearing that makes my tail wag. Ehehe, they’re right! I did good!

  Mama Wolf steps forward, her golden eyes looking down at me with warmth. Then, with a small, proud huff, she says,

  "That's my pup."

  My ears perk up, and my tail wags even harder. Mama praised me! Ehehe!

  But then, she shifts her gaze to Bigger Sister Wolf. Her expression becomes serious as she moves closer, inspecting the wound from earlier. "Let me see," she says.

  Mama Wolf’s snout glows faintly as she casts a healing spell on Bigger Sister Wolf, her wounds slowly closing. Bigger Sister Wolf sighs in relief, resting her head on her paws.

  Meanwhile, I wave my little paws. "You're all giving me too much credit! What about Brother here? He did that super cool move! He tossed the ghoul in the air, and then—WOOF! Shockwave!"

  Big Sister Wolf chuckles. "Yeah, and it ended up landing right on you."

  Bigger Sister Wolf, still lying down, flicks her ear in Brother Wolf’s direction. "Seriously, that could’ve gone really bad."

  Brother Wolf looks away, ears flattened, and grumbles. "I didn't mean for it to land on her... It just happened."

  Mama Wolf, still focused on healing, sighs. "Next time, make sure it doesn't just happen."

  I trot over to Brother Wolf and nudge him with my snout. "Don't worry, Brother! I still think what you did earlier was super cool! That toss and the WOOF attack? So awesome! How did you do it? Can you teach me someday?"

  Brother Wolf blinks at me, then lets out a small huff. "You think it was cool?"

  I nod enthusiastically. "Yeah! Super cool!"

  He seems to relax a little, his tail wagging slightly. "Well… I guess I can teach you. But you better take it seriously!"

  "Of course! I always take things seriously!" I declare proudly.

  Big Sister Wolf snorts. "Sure you do."

  Big Sister Wolf then grabs the ghoul’s corpse by the leg and drags it over to Mama Wolf. "Mama, you should eat this."

  Mama Wolf’s ears flick, and she shakes her head. "No. The pack eats first."

  Bigger Sister Wolf, still lying down, groans. "Mama, seriously. You need food more than anyone. Just eat it."

  "Yeah, Mama! You’re looking really tired," I add, tail wagging slightly but still worried. "We can’t have you passing out or anything!"

  Mama Wolf stays quiet for a moment, then sighs. "Fine." She leans down and takes the first bite, but she doesn’t eat much before stepping back. "The rest is for you."

  I tilt my head. "Ehhh? That’s barely anything! Mama, you gotta eat more than that!"

  Mama Wolf huffs. "I’ve had enough. Eat."

  Everyone exchanges glances, but we don’t argue anymore. Even if Mama won’t eat much, at least she ate something. That’s… good enough for now, I guess.

  Then everyone starts eating, I just… sit there. Yep. Totally fine. Not eating. Not because the ghoul looks eerily human or anything—nope, not at all! I just, uh… I’m just not hungry! Yeah! That’s it!

  I look away, trying my best not to watch them rip into it. The sounds alone are bad enough—crunch, tear, squelch. Ew. I feel my fur stand on end.

  Big Sister Wolf glances at me mid-bite. "You’re not eating, Pup?"

  "Uhhh… I’ll pass this time!" I wag my tail a little, hoping that distracts them. "I, uh, totally ate a lot earlier, so I’m still full! Yep!"

  Brother Wolf pauses his chewing, staring at me. Then Bigger Sister Wolf raises a brow, looking suspicious.

  "You sure?" Bigger Sister Wolf asks, mouth half-full. "You were worried about food earlier."

  I nod quickly. "Super sure! Don’t worry about me!"

  Mama Wolf gives me a knowing look but doesn’t say anything. I just sit there, smiling (internally screaming), as they finish their meal.

  Everything seems to be in order. Well, kinda. Bigger Sister Wolf still has some injuries, even though Mama healed her. But, y’know… Mama Wolf isn’t exactly in the best shape right now, so yeah. Makes sense.

  Bigger Sister Wolf stretches a little, wincing slightly. "Tch. Still stings a bit, but I’ll live."

  Mama Wolf sighs. "You’ll recover soon enough. Just don’t push yourself too much."

  Bigger Sister Wolf nods but doesn’t really say anything else. I can tell she’s trying to act tough, but I saw her flinch earlier—she’s totally still hurting. But, well, what can we do? Mama Wolf already did her best with healing.

  I glance at Mama Wolf. She’s… not looking great. She’s standing strong, but I can tell she’s tired. Really tired. We need to find food for her soon.

  Well, time to move on.

  We start moving again, and with Mama Wolf having eaten some of the Ghoul, she should be fine. I think. At least… I hope so. She’s still not looking great, and Bigger Sister Wolf’s injuries haven’t fully healed either.

  But hey, we’re all still here! That’s a good thing, right?

  Just as I start to relax—

  Something shifts ahead of us.

  A dark shape, still as a statue.

  A creeping, suffocating feeling crawls up my back.

  And then—

  Oh no. No no no no no.

  The Green Stalker stands in our path.

  Since when does it appear?! Was it there all this time? Watching? Waiting?

  Its barely-a-face—just a mess of twisted vines and ferns—tilts slightly, as if observing us. Its long limbs twitch unnaturally, and that horrible feeling of being hunted settles deep in my gut.

  Mama Wolf, Bigger Sister Wolf, Brother Wolf—everyone’s fur bristles instantly.

  This is bad.

  We’re not in the best condition right now. Mama Wolf is still weak, Bigger Sister Wolf is injured, and I—well, I’m me. This thing gave us so much trouble before, and now it’s blocking our way.

  I glance at Mama Wolf, hoping she’ll say something, anything, but she just stares ahead, watching the Green Stalker without moving.

  What do we do?

  The Green Stalker takes a slow step forward.

  I gulp.

  My paws shift nervously. My heart pounds.

  And then—

  It moves.

  So fast. So sudden.

  And before I can even react—

  Bigger Sister Wolf lunges forward, her jaws snapping down on one of the Green Stalker’s vine-covered arms.

  Brother Wolf follows right after, biting down on the other arm. Both of them growl, pulling with all their strength, trying to tear its limbs apart.

  For a second, I think—Yes! They got it!

  But then—

  The Green Stalker thrashes violently.

  It flails hard, yanking both of them off the ground.

  And then—

  SLAM!

  It whips them through the air like they’re nothing, sending them both crashing into the cave wall.

  “EEEEK!” I yelp, my paws scrambling forward.

  I rush toward Bigger Sister Wolf.

  She’s on the ground, her breathing ragged. No, no, no— This is bad.

  Some of her wounds from earlier reopened. Not all of them, but some. Fresh blood stains her fur.

  Brother Wolf groans, shaking off the impact, but Bigger Sister Wolf—she’s taking longer to move.

  I nudge her with my snout. "S-Sister?" My tail tucks close. "Are you okay?"

  She grits her teeth and tries to stand. “I’m—fine…” But I can tell she’s not. Her legs tremble slightly, and she’s putting more weight on one side.

  Mama Wolf growls low, stepping forward, but the Green Stalker doesn’t give us a moment to breathe—

  It moves again.

  Fast. Too fast.

  Straight at us.

  The Green Stalker flashes in front of me.

  Its viney, branchy arm shifts—morphing into a spiky wooden spear.

  It lashes out, aiming straight for us.

  No— No, no, no!

  Is this it? Am I gonna die?

  I freeze. My paws feel stuck to the ground.

  But—

  CHOMP!

  Before the Green Stalker’s attack could reach us, Big Sister Wolf lunges in, sinking her fangs into the spiky wood!

  She grits her teeth, holds on tight. Her whole body strains as the Green Stalker thrashes, trying to shake her off.

  "MOVE!" she barks at us, voice urgent. "GO! NOW!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf forces herself up. She’s still injured, still bleeding.

  I stumble, but I run.

  We move—

  But— Big Sister Wolf doesn’t.

  She tries to let go, to back away—

  But the spiky vine she’s biting begins to change.

  The vines start spreading.

  Thick, slithering tendrils coil around her muzzle.

  Around her legs.

  Around her whole body.

  She thrashes, snarling, growling, trying to pull free—

  But before we can do anything—

  The Green Stalker wraps around her completely.

  Mama Wolf, who's been rushing toward us, arrives.

  She lunges at the Green Stalker, teeth flashing, claws tearing—ripping into its vines, its branches, its core.

  "LET HER GO!" she roars.

  She bites. She rips. She thrashes.

  But the Green Stalker doesn’t let go.

  It tightens.

  And then—

  CRACK.

  The sound cuts through everything.

  Sharp. Loud. Final.

  I freeze.

  My mind—it won’t process.

  What was that? What was that sound? That wasn’t—that wasn’t—

  It doesn’t make sense.

  Big Sister Wolf is still in there, right?

  She’s still fighting, right?

  She has to be—

  But—Bigger Sister Wolf beside me stops moving.

  She doesn’t charge in. She doesn’t say a word.

  I turn to look at her—

  And her eyes.

  Wide. Horrified.

  I look back—

  And—

  The Green Stalker loosens its grip.

  And Big Sister Wolf’s body falls.

  Limp. Motionless.

  No.

  No, no, no.

  No, no, NO.

  This isn’t real.

  It can’t be real.

  I try to move. My legs won’t work.

  I try to breathe. I can’t.

  Big Sister Wolf—she was just there.

  She was just talking.

  She was just teasing Brother Wolf.

  She—she—

  She’s gone?

  Mama Wolf doesn’t stop.

  She tears into the Green Stalker, ripping, clawing, biting. But it doesn’t fall. It doesn’t even flinch.

  Brother Wolf snarls, his fur bristling, eyes burning with rage. He charges—fangs bared, claws flashing.

  Bigger Sister Wolf—she doesn’t hesitate. She follows right after him.

  But—the Green Stalker moves.

  Faster. Stronger.

  Its vines whip out. It slams Brother Wolf aside, sending him skidding across the cave floor.

  Bigger Sister Wolf tries to dodge, but a thick vine lashes across her back, cutting deep. She stumbles, gasping.

  No. No, this can’t keep going.

  We’re losing.

  It already took Big Sister Wolf.

  If we keep fighting like this, more of us are going to—

  No.

  No.

  I won’t let that happen.

  I have to do something.

  I have to fight.

  I force myself to breathe—deep, steady.

  And then—

  I stop thinking.

  I let go.

  I let it take over.

  Instinctual Flow.

  I move.

  Faster than I ever have before.

  The world blurs around me. My paws barely touch the ground.

  The Green Stalker lashes out—a vine whipping straight toward me.

  I duck.

  I dodge.

  I leap.

  Then—I bite.

  My fangs sink deep into the stalker’s vine-covered body. The taste—bitter, earthy, wrong. But I don’t let go.

  I twist. I thrash.

  It screeches.

  I think I’m hurting it.

  But—

  Mama Wolf calls out.

  Her voice—sharp, commanding.

  “Enough! Fall back!”

  I pause.

  Wait—why? We’re fighting, we have to—

  Then I see it.

  Everyone’s already stepped back.

  Brother Wolf panting, blood dripping from his side.

  Bigger Sister Wolf—hurt, exhausted, barely standing.

  Even Mama Wolf—she’s not okay. She’s limping, her breathing uneven.

  I—I didn’t even notice.

  I was so caught up in attacking that I didn’t realize—

  We can’t win this.

  If we keep fighting, all of us will die.

  Mama Wolf realized it first.

  She let her emotions take over for a moment. She attacked recklessly.

  But now?

  She’s made her decision.

  We have to run.

  I try to pull away. I really do.

  But my body—it doesn’t move fast enough.

  The moment I lose focus, the Instinctual Flow slips away like water through my paws. My movements feel sluggish.

  And then—

  The Green Stalker lashes out.

  Its spiky vine-arm morphs, stabbing toward me.

  I see it. I see it.

  But I can’t move.

  No—NO!

  Then—

  A blur.

  A THUD.

  And then—pain that isn’t mine.

  Bigger Sister Wolf shoves me aside.

  I hit the ground, hard, rolling over myself. My head spins—dizzy, disoriented.

  When I look up—

  Bigger Sister Wolf is in my place.

  The Green Stalker’s vine-arm is lodged deep in her side.

  Blood.

  There’s so much blood.

  Mama Wolf lowers her stance, about to charge again—but then—

  "GO!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf’s voice rings through the cave, firm and commanding.

  We freeze.

  She stands there, legs trembling but unyielding, her fur slick with blood. The Green Stalker’s vines still pierce her side, but she doesn’t falter.

  "We’re not leaving you!" Mama Wolf growls, but Bigger Sister Wolf bares her teeth.

  "You have to!" she snaps, panting hard. "This is as far as I go."

  I shake my head violently. No. No, no, no!

  "You can still fight! You can still run! We—"

  She cuts me off.

  "She’s waiting for me."

  I stop breathing.

  "My sister... your Sister... she’s waiting."

  Big Sister Wolf.

  She means Big Sister Wolf.

  I feel something crack inside me.

  "Papa too."

  Bigger Sister Wolf’s legs shake harder. But she smiles, just a little.

  "I can’t leave them alone. Not here. Not after everything."

  No.

  No, that’s not fair.

  I feel my chest squeeze painfully.

  I promised.

  I promised I’d give her food later.

  "You—" My voice wobbles. "You better eat it later! I—I promised, so you—!"

  Bigger Sister Wolf looks at me.

  And smiles.

  Soft. Apologetic. Regretful.

  "Sorry."

  Her legs buckle.

  The vines constrict tighter.

  She whimpers—but she doesn’t scream.

  She lowers her head.

  And then—

  "GO!"

  She faces the Green Stalker.

  Her chest puffs.

  Her eyes blaze.

  AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

  The howl erupts, shaking the entire cavern.

  A shockwave explodes outward, hurling dust and debris through the air.

  I can’t see anything.

  Just—noise. Wind. Howling.

  I feel a force slam into me—Mama Wolf dragging me away.

  I kick. I struggle. I thrash.

  But Bigger Sister Wolf’s howl drowns me out.

  As we run, Mama Wolf holds me by the scruff, her grip firm but trembling.

  I can feel it.

  The way her body shakes.

  The way her breath shudders.

  And then—warm droplets.

  Mama Wolf is crying.

  I never thought I’d feel something like this.

  Brother Wolf follows close behind, his steps heavy, ears flattened. His tail—low. His usual growls—silent.

  I can’t see Bigger Sister Wolf anymore.

  But I can hear it.

  The tearing of flesh. The snapping of bones.

  I squeeze my eyes shut.

  No.

  No.

  This isn’t fair.

  This isn’t fair.

  This isn’t fair.

  The echo of her last howl rings in my ears, growing fainter and fainter as we run further and further away.

  Until it’s gone.

  End of Chapter 17