The forest was alive with whispers. Trees stretched endlessly, their skeletal branches scraping against one another in the wind, forming a cacophony of groans and creaks. Kael Draven adjusted the straps on his worn leather satchel, his breathing shallow. This wasn't the first time he had ventured into the forbidden woods, but tonight felt different—heavier.
"Kael, you know this is madness, right?" Ember's voice crackled in his head, sharp and impatient. The small fox-like beast perched on his shoulder, its fiery tails flickering dimly.
"Madness?" Kael whispered back. "Maybe. But we both know I can't ignore it." He glanced up at the dark sky peeking through the canopy. The moon hung low, its silvery light barely illuminating the forest floor.
The beast had come two nights ago—a shadowed blur of fur and fangs. It tore through the village like a storm, leaving broken fences, wounded livestock, and terror in its wake. The elders had warned Kael to stay away, their whispers laced with fear. "It's an omen," they said. "No one can face an arcane beast and live."
Kael gritted his teeth. They're wrong.
A low growl rumbled ahead, vibrating through the ground and into Kael's chest. He froze, every muscle tensed. It's close.
"Turn back," Ember urged, her flaming tails dimming further. "Kael, please. Even you can't—"
"Shh." Kael held up a hand, silencing her. Slowly, he stepped forward, his boots crunching against the frost-coated leaves. The growling grew louder, a guttural sound that sent shivers racing down his spine.
And then, he saw it.
The beast stood in a clearing, its massive form bathed in moonlight. A wolf, but unlike any Kael had ever seen. Its fur shimmered like liquid shadow, swirling with dark energy that seemed alive. Its eyes burned an unnatural blue, glowing with an intensity that made Kael's heart skip.
Ember stiffened. "That's… no ordinary arcane beast."
Kael didn't need her to tell him that. The air around the creature was thick with power, a suffocating presence that made it hard to breathe. But something else caught his attention—something beneath the growls and glowing eyes.
Pain.
The wolf didn't attack. It didn't snarl or lunge. It simply stood there, its massive chest heaving as though the very act of breathing was agony.
Kael stepped forward, his palms raised. "Easy," he murmured, his voice soft but steady. "I'm not here to hurt you."
The wolf's head snapped toward him, its eyes narrowing. Its growl deepened, a sound that seemed to echo through Kael's skull.
"You dare approach me, human?" The voice wasn't spoken—it was a presence in his mind, deep and commanding. Kael flinched but didn't back away.
"I'm not your enemy," Kael said, his voice trembling. "I can feel it—you're in pain, aren't you?"
The wolf's eyes flickered, a momentary break in its furious glare. "Feel… it?"
Kael nodded, his breath hitching. His connection to beasts wasn't something he fully understood, but it had always been there—a quiet hum in the back of his mind, a thread tying him to creatures both wild and arcane.
"You're not doing this because you want to," Kael continued. "Something's wrong. Let me help you."
The wolf snarled, baring fangs the size of daggers. "Help me? Foolish boy, you know nothing of my torment!" It lunged forward, its paws striking the ground with a force that sent Kael staggering back.
"Kael!" Ember yelped, leaping from his shoulder to the ground. Her flames flared, casting a protective circle of light around them.
Kael raised his arm instinctively, his pulse hammering in his ears. I can't fight this thing! But even as fear threatened to consume him, something deep inside pushed him forward.
"Stop!" he shouted, his voice cracking. "You don't have to do this! I know you're hurting, but I can—"
Before he could finish, the wolf lunged again. This time, Kael felt it—the thread. A thin, golden line of energy connecting him to the beast. It pulsed, resonating with the wolf's pain, its anger, its fear.
Kael reached out, both physically and mentally, grasping the thread with everything he had. "I'm not your enemy!"
The wolf froze mid-lunge, its glowing eyes wide with shock. The thread between them flared, a burst of golden light that engulfed them both. Kael's vision blurred, his body trembling as the energy surged through him.
When the light faded, Kael collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. The wolf was gone. In its place stood a small cub, its fur still dark but its glowing eyes softened, almost curious.
Kael stared at it, his heart pounding. "What… just happened?"
Ember padded to his side, her tails flicking nervously. "You did it. You… tamed it."
The cub blinked at him, tilting its head. "You… freed me," it said, its voice now small and soft.
Kael swallowed hard, the weight of what had just happened settling over him. "I don't know how," he admitted, his voice barely a whisper.
But deep down, he knew this was only the beginning.