Chapter 16: Waiting Beneath the Moonlight

The night was as dark as ink, moonlight spilling over the wild grasslands, illuminating the black wolf asleep beside Kael. The wolf curled at his feet, its chest rising and falling steadily, ears twitching faintly as if still lost in a dream.

By the fire, Allen leaned against a dead tree, bow in hand, eyes sharp and wary as he scanned the distant shadows. On the other side, the woman sat quietly, methodically wiping the blade of her knife. The firelight flickered across her face, revealing a calm demeanor tinged with an unshakable trace of worry.

Kael lowered his gaze to the pack of wolves, his heart a tangle of emotions. This was the third wolf he had rescued from the corruption of darkness. Each time he restored their minds, he felt his own strength being gnawed away by the darkness, as if a crack was slowly widening deep within his soul.

“Kael,” the woman’s voice gently broke the night, soft yet laced with doubt, “you can’t keep doing this.”

Kael did not look up, his hand brushing lightly over the black wolf’s forehead. “I know what worries you, but if even I refuse to save them, the wolf tribe might truly be doomed.”

The woman fell silent for a moment before setting her knife down with a sigh. “You’re too stubborn. The pack is important, yes, but you must take care of yourself as well.”

Allen interjected with a teasing tone, “Did you hear that? If you keep this up, one day you’ll collapse, and no one will be there to save you.”

Kael offered a faint smile. “Perhaps. But at least before I fall, I’ll have saved more of our kin. That’s enough.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a faint rustling came from the grass in the distance. Allen immediately drew his bow taut, eyes fixed on the darkness. “Who’s there?”

The grass swayed, revealing a frail figure slowly emerging. A ragged boy, about thirteen or fourteen years old, clutching a battered water jug, his face streaked with mud, clearly worn down by a harsh escape.

Kael rose and approached the boy, but Allen quickly held him back. “Wait, be careful. It might be a trap.”

“He’s just a child,” Kael shook his head and stepped closer, stopping a few meters away. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

The boy looked up at Kael with wary, fearful eyes but said nothing, retreating a step.

The woman stepped forward softly. “Don’t be afraid. We won’t harm you.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the boy finally spoke. “I’m from a village…”

Kael’s eyes flickered. “Which village?”

The boy lowered his head, voice barely audible. “Moonshadow Village.”

Kael and Allen exchanged a glance, their hearts sinking. Moonshadow Village was the place they had passed through before, one of the villages rumored to have been attacked by black wolves.

---

“How many people are left in the village?” Kael asked gravely.

The boy bit his lip. “Most have fled... but my parents… they were killed by the wolves.”

Hearing this, Kael’s fists clenched slightly, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes. He knelt slowly, gently patting the boy’s shoulder. “I’m sorry we couldn’t save your village in time.”

The boy kept his head down, gripping his water jug so tightly his knuckles turned white, tears brimming in his eyes.

“But if you’re willing, I can escort you to a safe place,” Kael said softly.

After a long silence, the boy nodded firmly.

At dawn, the four set out together toward a nearby refuge town. Kael led the way, the boy close behind, with Allen and the woman covering the rear vigilantly.

The boy spoke little along the journey, quietly following, occasionally glancing down at his worn shoes.

“What’s your name?” the woman tried to strike up conversation.

The boy answered in a low voice, “Yar.”

She smiled gently. “Yar, it’s good to meet you. You’re brave to have escaped the village alone.”

Yar gave no reply, continuing to walk with his head bowed.

Allen shrugged and whispered to the woman, “Don’t waste your breath. This child’s heart is already filled with fear and hatred.”

Kael heard Allen’s words but said nothing. He understood Yar’s feelings, knew the pain of losing loved ones all too well, for he had suffered the same bitter loss.

They paused by a small stream to rest. Yar crouched by the water, washing the mud from his face, revealing a delicate yet somewhat gaunt visage.

Kael joined him, gazing at their reflections in the water. “You hate the wolves, don’t you?”

Yar’s hand trembled slightly, anger flashing in his eyes. “Of course I do! If they hadn’t attacked the village, my parents wouldn’t be dead…”

Kael sighed softly. “I understand how you feel, but the pack isn’t as merciless as you think.”

---

Yar suddenly looked up. “Then why did they attack us?”

Kael was silent for a moment before replying slowly, “They did not choose to. Darkness is corrupting the wolves, turning them bloodthirsty.”

Yar frowned, clearly skeptical.

Allen came over and sat beside them, smiling. “What Kael says is true. We’ve saved many wolves recently. If the darkness could be completely driven out, they might return to peace.”

Yar clenched his fists tightly, voice low. “But my parents are gone.”

Kael knelt, meeting his gaze. “That’s precisely why you must live. Use your own eyes to see it someday—the darkness will fade, and you can find a new home.”

Yar looked up at Kael, a faint glimmer appearing in his eyes.

As dusk fell, they finally reached the refuge town. Guards stopped them at the gate.

After Kael explained their purpose, the guards allowed them entry and took Yar inside.

Before Yar disappeared into the town, Kael gently patted his shoulder. “Live on—that’s what your parents would want.”

Yar met his gaze, nodding firmly, then turned and vanished into the fading light of sunset.

Kael watched his retreating figure quietly. The woman beside him spoke softly, “You did well.”

Kael answered in a low voice, “If I can’t even save him, how can I save the entire wolf tribe?”

Beneath the sinking sun, the three resumed their journey, venturing deeper into the encroaching darkness.