Chapter 20 – *The Calm and the Dawn*
The camp had fallen still. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Most of the fires had burned down to glowing coals, their light soft and red against the darkness. From where I sat, the last heat of the day shimmered faintly off the stones, wrapping the night in a haze that smelled of ash and wildflowers.
Sleep wouldn't come. Victory still thrummed beneath my skin like a second heartbeat. My muscles ached, but my mind refused to rest.
I rose quietly and walked past the sleeping tents, careful not to disturb anyone. Luka had finally dozed off against a tree, arms folded, his blade across his lap. Ren lay close to the fire, perfectly still, his breathing so slow it was almost meditative.
For a moment, I just watched them — my pride, my choices, my proof that I could stand against this world and claim a place in it.
The moon was high when I reached the outer edge of the camp. The grasses swayed in slow rhythm, silver under the light. Somewhere far off, a night bird called — a sound half-song, half-warning.
"You don't sleep much," came a voice behind me.
I didn't turn. "Neither do you."
Nox stepped beside me, silent as a shadow. The silver in his eyes caught the moonlight, bright and unreadable.
"You handled yourself well today," he said after a moment.
"I know," I replied, half-smiling.
"You also made three new enemies."
"I tend to collect those."
He exhaled, a quiet laugh under his breath. "You keep saying things like that, and the elders will think you enjoy being at war."
"Maybe I do," I said, watching the horizon. "At least war is honest. You always know where you stand."
He was quiet for a while. The air between us wasn't tense, just *full* — of words unsaid, of glances that lingered a moment too long.
Finally, he said, "You could have waited. Let me defend you."
"I didn't need defending."
"That's not the point."
"Then what is?"
He looked at me, really looked, and for a heartbeat I saw something in his expression — pride, frustration, admiration — tangled into something almost fragile.
"I've led this pride for years," he said softly. "No one's ever made them listen the way you did today. I don't know if that makes me proud or uneasy."
"Maybe both," I offered.
He smiled, faint but real. "Maybe both."
For a long moment, we stood in silence, listening to the rustle of grass and the slow crackle of dying fires.
I tilted my head toward him. "You don't have to worry, Nox. I'm not here to take your place."
He shook his head. "That's not what I'm worried about."
The quiet stretched again, softer this time.
Then he said, "You should rest. Tomorrow, the others will come looking for answers."
"They always do."
He gave me one last look, then turned and disappeared into the dark.
I stood there long after he was gone.
The wind picked up, cooler now, carrying the scent of something foreign — faint, metallic, distant. Not danger yet, but the *hint* of it.
When dawn came, it did so quietly. The first light spilled across the plains, pale gold and soft, painting the camp in warmth that felt almost too fragile for this world.
Ren was already awake, kneeling near the fire. Luka stirred soon after. Their movements were easy, unguarded — the rare peace that comes before a storm.
Then the scout arrived. Breathless. Dust streaked across his fur.
"Feral tracks," he said, voice raw. "Close. Too close."
And just like that, the calm broke.
I straightened, the taste of morning turning sharp on my tongue.
So much for peace.
--- I really hope yall are enjoying this story as much as I am🥰🥰🥰