Ashleigh closed her eyes, and Caleb wrapped her in his warmth and scent. She breathed him in, letting his presence flow over her like the refreshing waters of a hot shower.
Caleb didn’t say anything. He just held her. Keeping his eyes out for any threat to them.
After taking a moment to calm down, Ashleigh slowly pulled away.
“We need to kill it,” she said.
Caleb nodded.
“But we need to know if there are any more first,” he said.
“They don’t all become like that…” a small voice called from the tree behind them.
Ashleigh and Caleb were startled, turning to see a ten-year-old girl hunched down on a thick branch, hugging the tree.
“How did you sneak up on us?” Caleb asked.
The girl tipped her head to the side quizzically.
“My scent is that of this forest. My steps make the sounds of the trees. My voice is the wind,” she whispered.
Caleb furrowed his brow.
“Are you… one of the Moonguard wolves?” he asked.
The girl turned to look at him directly.
