Wafting into Kai's strenuous ears were delicate chirrups of crickets and starlings. The rumpled grass and arid leaves crunched beneath his boots, yet the simple noise made him jump out of his skin. His heart was relentlessly hammering against his ribs, and he could barely find the strength to breath correctly. His skin stung and itched from countless abrasions and grazes on his body, not to mention the excruciating pain of the bite. Sharpened barbs from the barbaric canine's maw peeled his skin open; it agonized him, made him shriek with anguish, flooded his mind with throbbing discomfort… it would only be a matter of time before he would pass out cold.

"Argh… these stupid branches!" he hissed angrily, whacking them away. Heaving a deep sigh, he ran a trembling hand through his spiked hair. Kai winced as he tried pulling it out, but his fingers were deeply tangled within the dry strands. Wrenching it out, he felt several hairs detach from his skull, but he was too tired or terrified to care.

He carefully climbed stone steps, yet he slipped on the slick moss. His jaw smashed into the marble, and a fresh surge of cold shock sent a wave of agony to throttle his nerves. Holding in a choked cry of pain, he cautiously reached for… whatever he could hold on to. His fingers lightly touched the smooth lumber of a coiled tree stump, and he used it to support himself. The cool sensation of the wood slightly calmed him down, and, leaning on it, he put his weight on his legs.

"What in the name of…" Kai trailed off. He shoved the branches out of his view and saw Ember with the wolves. They were hunched and ready to bound away, but Kai called at them.

"Wait—hey!" he yowled, but he shrunk away when the pulsing pain in his chest returned. He squeezed his eyes shut as the soreness subsided, but he nearly tripped again with what he witnessed next.

Kai saw their glowing forms a second time, but they weren't wolves anymore—they were people. Real people. He saw that boy; the same one he had seen earlier. He shone a glimmering gold, keenly staring at him with piercing, orb-like eyes. He clawed at the ground and shook his head, swaying his ruffled hair out of the way.

Absent-minded, Kai blinked again, this time noticing the graceful gleam of a sapphiric scent trail. An elongated stream swirled beneath his nose, and it twitched, welcoming the distantly familiar odor. Skin tingling with anticipation, he stared at the woman. Her features stood out sharp and focused, cheekbones high and lips pursed. Her warm eyes were slanted, and her hair curled around her torso like a dancing river.

Again. This was a dream. It had to be. Kai couldn't believe it. Wouldn't believe it. His vision blurred every now and then; he struggled to direct his attention on them.

"You're all… this can't be real. You're supposed to be… wolves?" he said, but his statement sounded more like a question. He faltered as disbelief and confusion struck him again and again. Then Ember caught his eye.

Or… it wasn't Ember. It was a girl. She looked about nine years old, but Kai was amazed at how mature she appeared. Blazing ashes engulfed her completely, but he could still make out the shape of her human form…

"No, it's a dream! Wake up, Kai, this isn't happening!" he snapped. "You're just seeing things!" Shutting his eyes, he whipped his head around, trying to rid the image of the young ginger staring at him.

A bark suddenly pulled him out of his stupor. A wave of relief and terror settled its way into Kai's body as he saw them. As their normal selves. As wolves and a dragon. He fumbled over his next words.

"E-Ember, hang on!" His voice was hoarse, each breath ragged. His pleads were hopeless, but he didn't want to let her go. "Don't leave—?"

His nerves suddenly shrieked in excruciating pain and soreness, and a precipitous surge of ice sunk into his body. He was sweltering and freezing at once, and his head throbbed uneasily. Unable to utter another word, he tumbled to the ground and allowed the looming urge of slumber to drown him. His eyelids grew heavy, and his limbs lost feeling. The last arrange of noises he heard were the alarmed chirps of his dragon and the cry of a distraught wolf…

. . .

The ray of sunlight, weak though it was through his eyelids, stirred him awake. He groaned with the excessive work of moving any part of his body. The aching was too much to handle, but he sluggishly pushed himself upright.

"Ugh… what's happening…?" he slurred, blinking to regain focus on the environment. Memories gradually dipped into his mind as he grew familiar with the forestry, but something seemed off…

"W-WOAH!" he yelped, nearly falling off the soft pelt. The cerulean wolf yapped in surprise and jerked around; ears pricked anxiously. It tried to catch him, but Kai had already hit the grass with a loud thud.

"Wait, wait, wait, stop!" he cried, failing to scamper to his feet. He pushed his arms out to block any attacks, only to find that his injured arm held no traces of stained blood, nor a bite mark.

"Huh? What the—" He was interrupted by the sound of threatening growls, and he raised his head to see the black-pelted wolf who had bitten him earlier. Anger and distress rang through his mind.

"You!" Kai scowled. "You bit me! S-stay away from me!" His hands traveled to his side, but the space was empty. Eyes flying wide open, he said, "No… no, no, no, where is it?!" He could've sworn the wolf snickered at him as it watched, clearly entertained.

Without waiting any longer, it strode forward and pulled Kai by his hood. Regardless of his thrashing efforts, its strength greatly outmatched his. It dragged him across to the other wolf and set him on its back, ensuring he was secure before moving on.

Ember scurried to Kai's side, licking his face to calm him down. She curled into a resting position on his chest, and he couldn't help but chuckle at seeing her again, safe in his hold. The vivid image of the ginger-haired girl seeped into his head, but he ignored at as best he could. After all, it was just a confusing dream.

Right?

Either way, there was no doubt he would try to defend himself from the apparent threat. If only he had his crossbow with him…. He must have left it somewhere behind when he had pelted after Ember, but even now… he wouldn't risk it. He wasn't willing to get bitten again, so he decided to lay low. Kai trusted Ember, too. She was so calm around them; perhaps he was the one who had posed as a danger to them, now that he thought about it.

"So, where are we going?" he slipped in. It was, admittedly, rather ridiculous to start a conversation with a wolf, but something told him—convinced him—they understood. "I-I've got somewhere to be, you know?" He ended his quip with a nervous laugh, but the wolf's rumbling instantly shut him up.

It bared its fangs and snarled at him without turning his way, and, despite hearing deep growls than words, he automatically knew it meant, 'Shut up, or you'll regret it very soon.'

He busied himself with Ember instead, analyzing her spines and scales with awe. She had definitely grown, but Kai was amazed at the difference. Perhaps spending several hours away from each other gave him the chance to notice how much she had really increased in size. He had been distracted by being so intent to leave the grounds and explore the forest, and here he was, the opportunity offered to him on a silver platter.

Maybe it hadn't been such a great idea if it meant getting devoured by the end of the day.

However, Kai doubted it. His gut told him he was safe, whereas the logical part of his brain begged him to get out of there. And everyone should know by now that he was the gut-following type of person.

There was an abrupt incline in their ride, and Kai had to grab onto the cerulean wolf's fur to prevent yet another fall. He'd received enough injuries, thank you very much.

Coming to a halt, the black-pelted wolf stood in front of a moss-topped wall, entirely tangled in twisting vines and winding twigs. Smooth, towering boulders rose about thirty feet, bordering them, casting prolonged shadows across the twinkling glade. Oak trees stretched into the sky, their slim shapes disappearing into the bright glare of sun. The beauty of the luxurious forest dell was breathtaking, and Kai was given a sense of rebirth, reliving all the splendor he was missing in his current life. It left him speechless.

What he hadn't noticed, however, was the responsive glance the wolf had sent him, carefully examining his reaction to its home. It couldn't tell what it was just yet, but it sensed the boy was… different. Different how, it was unsure, but he wasn't like the rest. Like the others who had come here.

Kai looked up and smiled when Ember extended her wings and flipped through the air, chirping in great delight. The gentle azure wolf stared at him yet again, and it was certainly something the male alpha noted. Ever since she had seen him on the field, he observed her lack of… proactivity. Though it had been a short while since she had pinned the boy, it left her timid and pondering at all times. She wouldn't tell him anything, either, which often left him frustrated and on edge.

Kai laughed and said, "You like it here, don't you, Ember?" She roared excitedly in response. She arched in the radiant sky, her scales glowing like polished rubies. She dove straight for him and landed on his shoulders, clicking her beak contentedly. Muttering under his breath, he added, "Show off."

They all turned their attention to the alpha when it snapped a bark their way. It lowered its eyelids and bowed its head, waiting patiently to gather all the focus required to channel a connection with its natural environment. Pausing for several moments, luminescent golden swirls appeared out of thin air, enveloping the branches and gently pulling them apart. It revealed a long, dim tunnel that stretched beyond their line of vision, and Kai yelled in shock.

"What's happening? What're you doing?" he asked, his voice captured in complete wonder and curiosity. "Is this the kind of wild magic Ed told us about?" The alpha merely stepped aside and waited for him to pass, whereas the cerulean wolf gently pushed him from behind. Ember nipped at his sleeve and tried pulling him through. Kai, as much as he wanted to seek answers, followed along, and shoved past the shrubs.

Through the darkness, he could hear the muffled footsteps running with him. He also caught on to Ember dashing from vine after vine, swiftly grappling onto them with her claws.

They eventually made it out of there, meeting the broad daylight once more. It would have been nice, if only Kai hadn't tripped for the seventeenth time that day. He grumbled angrily and wiped the leaves and twigs from his clothes. Ember hurried over to him and helped him up, glad that he was fine.

"This is karma, I swear," he declared irritably, and his Fire Dragon perked up in amusement. "Hey, don't you give me that look! I don't have wings, y'know!" They bickered amongst themselves, and the leading wolf rolled its eyes. Not bothering to waste its time getting their attention, it bounded away and dove beneath the undergrowth, sloping into a narrow tunnel.

Kai had finally noticed, and he eyed the magnificence of what surrounded him. He was presented with tall stone figurines nicely decorated with moss, gentle waterfalls cascading into small ponds on each side, flourishing through the plants and saplings. The trees' leaves hung like loose drapes, gently dancing from the mellow wind, including the variety of lively autumn colors that brought out the richness in the wonderful scenery.

"Okay, now I seriously feel like living here," Kai commented, unable to comprehend it all. The azure wolf approached his side and lightly bumped his hand with its snout. It gestured to the undergrowth and leaped in the field of groves.

Following suite, he crouched down and crawled to the other side. Anything and everything got stuck in his already unkempt hair, and he shoved through as best he could. When he finally stood up next to the azure wolf, he saw the other one standing mightily atop the edge of a crag. A raging waterfall poured over a heap of jagged rocks, and a part of desperately Kai hoped it wouldn't tumble over the side by accident.

Ember flew ahead with the azure wolf, and a sudden sensation of fatigue passed over him. Still, he kept going, marching up a vast slope leading to the cliff's edge. "So far away…" he huffed, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. "I feel like sleeping for weeks…"

When he finally made it to the top, he discovered the entrance of a massive tunnel, dark and gloomy, as they all seemed. Droplets fell from the stalactites, each one echoing eerily. Gulping anxiously, he walked inside. As he ventured deeper within, however, his nervousness subsided as he saw odd markings etched onto the cold walls.

"These kinda look like hieroglyphs… never seen anything like it before," Kai mused. He traced his fingers over the light indent in the cave walls. They gave off a faint glow at his touch, and he instantly pulled away.

"Okay… that was weird," he added, taking note of keeping his hands to himself. A loud chirp caught his attention, and he saw a blazing fire lit from Ember's tail.

"Ember, there you are!" he exclaimed. She took off into the deepest depths of the cave, Kai following close behind. He heard a warm howl reverberating off the cavern, and he felt goosebumps travel all over his skin. A part of him, unbeknownst to himself, immediately felt as though he needed to respond to the call.

He found a boulder large enough to hide behind and took cover, sneaking a glance to the black-pelted wolf. It stared back, ears perked and attentive. Slowly, Kai turned his head to see a full pack of grey wolves marching towards it, and he dove to hide, trying to hold his breath as best he could.

They all circled their leader, who turned round to face two humans. Kai's heart dropped. It was the boy he had seen on the field, in his hallucinations, and now he was here. Here! In this cavern!

It crouched on all fours, bowing down to both human figures. The first was the boy he had seen earlier, bending down on one knee with his fists pounded together. The second was in a similar position, yet it was a woman, older but just as tough-looking. Her long, black hair fell around her wide shoulders, hanging above her cloak and stitched fabrics.

Kai watched with indubitable interest; a stream of gold light coursed through its body. It leaped into the air, completely transforming into… into what looked like a soul. The embodiment of a wolf's spirit.

It spiraled into the air and entered the boy's physical body, entering its vessel. The shadows retreated from the mounting light, brightening Kai's awestruck face. It was unlike anything he had ever seen in his life. Unlike anything anyone would every see in a lifetime. The experience was surreal… divine, even.

Suddenly, the boy's eyes flew open, viridescent irises shining with profound energy. Kai reared back with a yelp, feeling as though his heart leapt into his throat. Ember landed in front of his feet and looked at him strangely. He was about to usher her away, until he heard a deep, stern voice from behind.

"Alright, you can come out now. I know you're there."

Kai didn't move a muscle. He was a deer caught in headlights.

Welp… he thought with a silent groan. I'm officially screwed!