The first thing I felt was cold.
Not the sharp kind that bites—but the deep, ancient cold that seeps into your bones and settles there, like it has always belonged. I lay still for a moment, afraid that if I moved too quickly the world might shatter again.
The Mist was gone.
In its place stretched something far worse.
The sky above me was fractured—like shattered glass frozen mid-fall. Pale moonlight leaked through the cracks, illuminating a land of stone arches, twisted roots, and glowing symbols carved into the ground itself. The air hummed softly, vibrating against my skin.
The Veiled Path.
Aeshryn stood a few steps away, their silver eyes fixed on me.
"You're awake," they said calmly.
I pushed myself up on my elbows, heart racing. My body ached, but nothing felt broken. My tail lay limp against the stone, patterns glowing faintly as if uncertain whether this place was safe.
"Where am I?" I demanded.
"Between," Aeshryn replied. "Not Mist. Not forest. Not territory claimed by any clan."
My breath caught. "You said no one walks this path and comes back."
They tilted their head. "That is what the elders say."
"That's not an answer."
"No," they agreed. "It's a warning."
I sat up fully now, one hand instinctively resting on my stomach. The moment I did, the symbols etched into the ground beneath me pulsed softly in response.
Aeshryn noticed.
"Your child is recognized here," they murmured. "Interesting."
My claws slid out reflexively. "Don't talk about them like they're an artifact."
Aeshryn raised both hands, placating. "I mean no harm. But you should know—the Veiled Path reacts to lineage, not rank."
That made my stomach twist.
Before I could press further, a sharp pain flared behind my eyes—images crashing into my mind without warning.
Kshatri.
Running.
Blood streaked across his arm where thorns had torn through his skin. His breath came fast and ragged as he burst through the forest edge toward the village.
"Luna!" he shouted.
He didn't slow until he reached the outer barrier.
Zaya was the first to see him.
"Kshatri?" she gasped, leaping to her feet. "Where's Luna?"
The look on his face told her everything before he could speak.
"She fell," he said hoarsely. "The Mist shifted. I couldn't reach her in time."
Zaya's ears flattened. "No."
"I went for help," he continued quickly, gripping her shoulders as if grounding himself. "I came back as fast as I could. But when we returned—"
His voice broke.
"She was gone."
The elders gathered quickly, murmurs rippling through the crowd like disturbed water. The Elder Medium stepped forward, her eyes already glowing faintly as she reached into the unseen.
"The Guardian," she whispered. "It has been angered."
"And Luna?" Zaya demanded. "Where is she?"
The Elder's expression darkened.
"I cannot see her."
Silence fell.
Kshatri's hands clenched into fists. "What do you mean—you cannot see her?"
The old woman met his gaze. "I mean she has stepped somewhere beyond the reach of the Moonclaw sight."
Zaya's breath hitched. "The Veiled Path…"
The Elder nodded slowly. "A place sealed for a reason."
Kshatri turned sharply. "Then open it."
The Elder shook her head. "It does not open for those who seek. Only for those it chooses."
Kshatri didn't hesitate.
"Then it chose wrong."
I gasped as the vision released me, clutching my chest. Tears burned hot behind my eyes.
"Kshatri…" My voice echoed uselessly through the strange landscape.
Aeshryn watched me carefully. "You saw him."
"Yes," I snapped. "And I need to go back."
"That may no longer be possible."
I stood unsteadily, anger surging. "You said this path reacts to intent. My intent is clear."
"And yet," Aeshryn said softly, "you stepped onto it willingly."
I froze.
They weren't wrong.
"I didn't have a choice," I said.
"You did," they countered. "You chose uncertainty over destruction. That is why you are here."
The ground shifted subtly beneath my feet, symbols glowing brighter as if responding to the truth of their words.
"This place will test you," Aeshryn continued. "Not as a mate. Not as a warrior. But as what you truly are."
"And what is that?" I whispered.
Their gaze dropped—briefly, respectfully—to my stomach.
"A bridge."
The sky cracked further above us, moonlight pouring down in luminous streams. Far in the distance, shapes moved—tall, silent figures watching from stone arches.
My skin prickled.
"We're not alone," I said.
"No," Aeshryn agreed. "And they are very interested in you."
Fear curled tight in my chest, but beneath it—something else stirred.
Resolve.
"I'm not leaving my family," I said firmly. "Not my mate. Not my child."
Aeshryn's lips curved into something like a smile.
"Good," they said. "Then you may survive this place."
A deep horn sounded across the Veiled Path—low, resonant, ancient.
Aeshryn turned sharply. "They're coming."
"Who?"
"The Keepers of the Path."
The ground trembled as massive silhouettes emerged from the arches, eyes glowing with cold, assessing light.
Aeshryn stepped back. "From here on, Luna Moonclaw—you walk alone."
"What?" Panic surged. "You said—"
"I brought you here," they said quietly. "I cannot walk it for you."
The symbols beneath my feet flared blindingly bright.
The world tilted.
And then—
The ground vanished.
I fell.