Kael’s POV
Her actual path brought her away from the forest, down the mountain toward human settlements. Even with the masking agent interfering, I can still detect traces of her natural scent—a floral and earthy aroma that is surprisingly appealing.
What strikes me as odd is the complete absence of paw prints along her route. The ground is soft enough in places that any shifter traveling in wolf form would have left clear tracks, yet I see only the faint impressions of boots and what looks like a walking stick. Why would a shifter choose to travel such a distance in her human form? It would be faster as a wolf. More efficient and less taxing.
I find the girl in the early morning hours, sleeping on a thick branch about fifteen feet off the ground. She is curled up with her back against
