Chapter 22:
The fire crackled behind me, casting its warm glow across the clearing. I stepped back, motioning for the pack to form smaller groups, each centered around an elder or experienced wolf who would lead them in the ceremonial bonding exercises. It was a physical and symbolic tradition—a test of coordination, trust, and teamwork.
As the groups formed, I noticed Lyle and Merris hovering near Dante, their eyes alight with admiration. Before I could intervene, Geth approached them, his face a mask of disapproval.
“You two are with me,” Geth said sharply, gesturing for the younger wolves to follow him.
Lyle hesitated, glancing at Dante, who gave him a faint nod.
“Go,” Dante said quietly.
“Learn from him.”
The tension between Geth and Dante was palpable, but to his credit, Dante remained calm, his posture neutral. It was a small gesture, but it spoke volumes about his effort to integrate into the pack.
I turned my attention back to the ritual. Groups moved through the clearing, working together to complete tasks that required coordination and trust. Some built small structures from stones and branches, while others engaged in sparring drills designed to test their ability to fight as a unit. The air buzzed with quiet focus, but the undercurrent of unease remained.
One group struggled more than the others. Their leader, an elder named Miriam, was clearly frustrated as the younger wolves fumbled through the sparring drills. Their movements were disjointed, their trust in one another lacking.
“Stop,” Miriam barked, her voice cutting through the clearing.
“You’re moving like a pack of rogues, not a unit. Again.”
Find your adventure at gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․çоm (uso de “ç” y “о” cirílica)
Her harsh tone only seemed to exacerbate their struggles. Wolves glanced nervously at one another, their movements growing even more erratic.
Without thinking, I stepped forward.
“Enough,” I said, my voice firm but calm.
“This isn’t about perfection. It’s about trust. Each of you has strengths—use them to support one another.”
Miriam’s eyes narrowed, but she stepped aside, allowing me to take over. I turned to the group, my gaze softening.
“Lyle, you’re fast. Use that to your advantage. Merris, you’re observant—call out your partner’s openings. Geth…” I hesitated for the briefest moment.
“You’re experienced. Guide them.”
Geth bristled slightly but gave a curt nod, falling into place with the younger wolves. Under my guidance, their movements began to flow more naturally, the disjointed edges smoothing out. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress. When the exercise ended, I turned back to the rest of the pack, who had gathered to watch.
“This is what it means to be a pack,” I said, addressing them directly.
“To see one another’s strengths and weaknesses, and to use them to build something stronger. That is what will keep us safe. That is what will help us endure.”
The fire crackled in the silence that followed, the weight of my words settling over the clearing. Slowly, one by one, wolves began to nod. The younger ones first, then the older ones. Even Miriam gave me a begrudging look of approval.
The ritual concluded with the lighting of a smaller flame from the central bonfire, a symbolic act to carry the warmth of unity into the days ahead. Wolves began to disperse, their conversations quieter but less strained. As I turned to leave, Dante approached me, his expression unreadable.
“You handled that well,” he said.
“I didn’t have a choice,” I replied.
“This ritual is supposed to strengthen the pack, not highlight its fractures.”
“And yet, it did both,” he said, his tone thoughtful.
“Sometimes seeing the cracks is the first step to fixing them.”
