= Sera =
The trees thickened as I neared the edge of Gravemire territory. The air changed here—cooler, heavier. The scent of the Lawless Forest lingered beyond the invisible boundary like a warning.
Most wolves avoided this place. Too many rogues. Too many things that didn’t belong.
But tonight, I walked straight toward it.
When I reached the meeting point, I stopped beside the large fallen oak that marked the border.
Silence greeted me.
The forest beyond was darker than the territory behind me, its shadows deeper, its trees taller and more twisted. A faint wind rustled through the branches, carrying the scent of damp earth and wild things.
I waited.
One minute.
Two.
Then a branch snapped somewhere behind me.
I turned sharply.
A figure stepped out from the shadows of the Lawles
