The more he went further into the forest, towards the heart of the ancient growth, the denser it grew. The pathways contorted and twisted this way and that as the trees towered above like silent guardians; their top branches overhead so interlocked that very little dappled sunlight managed to filter through. The Shadow Wolf moved ahead, his body sleek and fast, weaving across the mass of roots and rocks with an ease which Kai envied.
He felt the forest anew, an energy running across the earth; the trees seemed alive, their leaves whispering secrets in his ears that he almost heard but didn't quite understand. The presence of the wolf steadied him-silent company, comforting and urging him to find answers deeper in places he had never been brave enough to go.
They walked for hours without a word. Kai brooded over everything she had said, this woman who introduced herself to him as his mother's spirit. Guardian, healer, keeper of the balance. He felt proud, yet so laden with that legacy because he had absolutely no idea where to start such a huge journey.
They broke into a clearing, set about with great stones, each bearing strange, curving symbols in a language Kai did not know. He caught a shiver of familiarity, though, as if he had seen them in some dream. These were more than mere symbols, alive-the soft glow welling up from just under the surface. The wolf stopped at the edge of the clearing and bowed his head a little, as if in respect.
What is this place?" Kai asked in a low whisper out to the quiet.
The wolf looked up then; his silver eyes shone in the light of the stones. "This is a strong place, full of old memories," he said in his mind. "Here, the first guardians fastened their spirits to the forest, promising to guard it from those who would wish evil on it. Your mother came here when she took up her office, and now you must do the same.
Kai stopped, took a step forward, and in him there boiled warm, strong energy mixed with excitement. He reached out and laid his hand on one of the stones, and he felt under his fingers a beat, as if the stone was alive, full of ancient power.
Pictures came into his head, and he saw his mother, a quiet face, firm, yet standing right here. Her face was younger, he thought, than he had known it, her hair darker, her eyes full of a fire that startled him. He watched her touch the stones, as he did, her lips moving around words he could not hear.
As the image vanished, he felt an internal pull, an urge toward something much greater than himself. He closed his eyes in a search to reconnect with this feeling; all at once, he could feel the energy of the forest, coursing through him, alive and wild. It was a feeling he had never experienced-every leaf, every animal, every drop of water, and each grain of soil alive within him, part of one great, intricate web that connected all things.
Kai," he whispered firmly but softly, breaking his daydream. "You are starting to understand. The road ahead, though, is going to be hard. The connection needs strength, giving up things.
He finally opened his eyes and looked at the wolf. "I'm ready to do what is needed," he said in a quiet voice, though his heart went racing with the weight of his words. "Tell me what I need to do.
The wolf merely inclined his head to him and gave just a hint of approval in his eyes. "You have to learn to use the bond-to feel when it rises or falls. Begin with listening. Feel the rhythm of the forest and life around you. It will guide you."
Kai nodded and closed his eyes again. He allowed himself to hear the sounds of the clearing: leaves rustling, insects chattering, and a bird calling farther off combined into an intricate melody that reached right inside his soul. The bond stirred; a surge of warmth through his chest down to his fingers fastened him to the earth under his feet.
He stood there for long, growing in tune with the rhythm of the woods. His senses turned sharp, his awareness greater. The forest was not some trees and animals; it was a living thing-thriving, teeming with life. He could feel the energy run through him, and connected with it, a sense he had never experienced before.
It sat beside him wordless, watching-its eyes gleaming bright with an almost humbling insight, testament to aged wisdom, to patience. Kai knew he had much more before him than a protector; it was a teacher, a guide into the secrets of his background.
As the sun began to sink and long shadows traversed the expanse, Kai had the sudden feeling that a presence approached-a tremor in the air, a ripple on still water. He opened his eyes, conscious of a figure at the edge of the expanse, indistinctly outlined, cloaked in shadow.
The same kind of creature he had seen before, skin like gray stone, and eyes that shone like polished black jewels, and this time it did not vanish. This time it strode closer, its movement fluid, cautious, as if it trod on holy ground.
In an instant, it got up, interjecting itself between Kai and the wolf, its eyes glaring. Kai felt a trickling sensation down his spine, but he kept himself calm, knowing he was safe under its protection.
He leaned sideways, his head turned toward Kai, and in a deep, humming voice he said, "The forest has picked you, but let me warn you, little one, for with great power comes the lot who would misuse it and turn it to serve them.".
Kai watched the creature, having this fire burn in his heart. "I'll protect the forest. Nobody is to harm it.
His smile was slight, his eyes glinting dark in approval. "You speak bold, but it's not all you need to be strong. This affinity you possess with the woods is special, but with it comes a responsibility. Many will want to take it and use it for themselves."
A chill ran across him, with the weight of his decision hanging off him like a thick coat. He turned to find the wolf nodding steadily, its glance assuring and soothing.
"I understand," he said in a no-nonsense voice. "I will prepare."
It nodded, the gleam of satisfaction in its eyes. "Good. The forest shall indeed need guardians in the days to come-those who would stand against the shadows. Therewith he turned and passed into the mist, and left him alone with the wolf once more.
He came back to the village that night with a different determinism in his heart. The vision, the warning, the promise-all falling in place. What he had with the forest was more than tradition; it was a responsibility-a purpose he was supposed to get through with. Lying on his bed of hay, he looked up to the straw roof above him, feeling the closeness of the wolf as a comforting shadow at the edges of his mind. He shut his eyes, listening as the murmur of the woods fell asleep on its soft words of promising aid, shelter, and all the power that he would need to fight in days to come. He fell to sleep, knowing full well it was only the beginning.