Six years later.

Lyra sat under the shadow of a coniferous tree. At six years old, she was smaller than most children her age. Her long, soft, shadow-black hair framed her round face, and her light blue eyes followed her brothers as they played catch nearby. Their hair shimmered from silver to white, and even at their young age, muscle already defined their frames.

Skye was the one Fang, their father, had the highest hopes for—already showing signs of his wolf. He took after their father the most. Blaze was the clever one, bearing a closer resemblance to their mother, Nia. Timber was the largest and strongest of the three, always playing rough—even with the adult wolves.

Lyra, however, had none of her brothers' gifts. No strength, no quick thinking, no sign of her wolf awakening. Fang never looked at her with love or affection, and Nia ignored her completely, walking past as though she didn't exist.

As she watched her brothers play, a yearning grew in her chest. She wanted to join. It looked fun—free, warm. She stood up and walked toward them, tilting her head up to look at their much taller forms.

"Can I play with you?" she asked in her soft, angelic voice.Skye stopped, and so did the others. They looked down at her."Do you think we want to play with a black like you?" Skye sneered."Y-yes..." Lyra whispered, unsure.

Timber stepped forward, towering over her. "Go away. You ruin everything."Blaze nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I don't even know why Dad lets you stay in the pack."Lyra looked down, stung. 

Timber pushed her to the ground. Tears welled in her eyes. From nearby, a wolf stirred. Tala—a large warrior with long white fur and battle-scarred ears—lifted his head from a nap. His sharp eyes locked onto the small figure sitting in the snow.

He stood, growling as he approached. "Get out of here."

"B-but... why?" Lyra whispered.

Instead of answering, Tala grabbed her by the neck and threw her. She flew several meters, landing hard. The wind knocked out of her, she stared up at him, wide-eyed and trembling."You don't belong in the light with that cursed fur," he snarled.

Then he turned to her brothers, his tone instantly shifting. "Come, boys. Let me show you how to open a prey's belly silently."

As they followed him, the pack turned to watch. Their eyes filled with hatred and disgust for Lyra. Her tears spilled over.

She ran—into the safety of the trees' shadows, pressing against a thick trunk. Her neck ached where Tala's teeth had dug in, and her empty stomach growled. Her brothers weren't thin like her. Didn't they have to steal food too?

A small blue bird landed nearby, chirping. Lyra looked up, mesmerized. She crept closer, but the bird flew away, vanishing into the green canopy. She stared after it, eyes full of longing. If only I were a bird... I could fly away too.

She sat in the snow, wearing barely anything. A howl pierced the air—the hunting patrol had returned. She walked to the edge of the clearing and saw Fang.

Her father stood on a rock, muzzle stained red with blood. He let out a deep, echoing howl. The pack raised their heads, answering. Warriors shifted from their caves, some still in human form.The clearing was enclosed by dense conifers and thorn bushes, with a wide entrance for wolves and humans alike. Lyra stood quietly, unnoticed.

The elders emerged from their den. Anika, nearly blind, was helped out. Leia remained in her cave. Nia sat below the meeting stone.

Fang's deep voice boomed across the clearing. "While hunting, the patrol and I found something."

Chatter erupted immediately. With a flick of his tail, silence returned."We found traces of another pack near the sun-stones."

Angry howls exploded. "It must be the Earth Pack! Their border's only meters away!" Hawk shouted. He shifted into human form—tall, muscled, with grey hair and cosmic blue eyes, a deep scar over one eye.

Lyra shrank back. She had met Hawk once before—it hadn't ended well."Thieves!" Storm growled. "Stealing our food!"

Fang remained calm. "Calm down," he said. "Anger won't help us. Still, I agree with Storm. I will double patrols along the Earth Pack's border."

The pack nodded in agreement. Even Lyra's brothers, sitting near the meeting stone, nodded eagerly. They jumped up and started play-fighting, pretending Timber was the Earth Pack and the other two hunted him.

The adults laughed at their play, then looked back to Fang. He gave a final flick of his ears, ending the meeting.Nia started assigning patrols. Fang pressed against her before leaping down.The pack scattered. Three wolves ran toward the entrance—toward Lyra.

She pressed against the tree trunk, thorns cutting into her skin. Wind from the rushing wolves nearly knocked her down. She waited until they passed, then peeked back into the clearing. The pack had begun to eat.

Her eyes landed on Anika, who sat outside with her meal. Lyra knew stealing from the old blind wolf was risky, but also easiest.

As she approached, Anika turned her head. "Hello, young one," Anika said gently, her voice warm and calm. Lyra froze. She couldn't remember anyone speaking to her like that. "Why haven't you taken any food?" Anika asked.

"I-I... there isn't any left," Lyra lied, not daring to look at the half-eaten deer beside them."Well, let's share mine then. Come, eat."

Inside Anika's mind, her wolf, Athena, growled in protest, but Anika ignored her.Lyra sat beside her and hesitantly took a small piece.

"Thanks to the Light Pack for this meal," Anika whispered, eyes turned skyward. "Light Pack? Aren't there only five packs?" Lyra asked curiously.

Anika chuckled. "Yes, young one. There are five living packs. But the Light Pack is where all wolves go when they die."

A scoff came from the elder den. "Yeah, right. The Light Pack is just a fairytale for pups," said Ares.

Anika turned sharply. "Shh! Don't speak like that." Her voice was stern, yet still gentle.Lyra tilted her head. The idea of a peaceful pack where the dead went—it warmed her heart. "Can you tell me more?"

Of course, young one. But first, can you pass me a piece of meat?" Lyra quickly handed her one, looking up eagerly.

"In the Light Pack, there are no battles, no hunts. Only peace. The wolves there watch over us, and sometimes, they send us signs."

Lyra listened with wide eyes, the cold snow beneath her forgotten as Anika's voice wove a warm thread through her heart.

"They send signs?" Lyra asked in a whisper, barely audible over the wind rustling through the coniferous trees.

Anika nodded slowly, chewing her meat. "Yes, young one. Sometimes in dreams. Other times, you'll find a feather, a gust of wind when all is still, or a ray of sunlight in a dark place. These are the signs of the Light Pack—reminders that we're never truly alone, not even when the shadows close in."

Lyra hugged her knees, her stomach a little fuller and her heart a little lighter. "Do... do you think someone from the Light Pack is watching me?"

Anika turned her face slightly, her nearly-blind eyes seeming to peer through Lyra's skin and into her soul. "Yes," she said with certainty. "Someone is watching over you. I can feel it."

For the first time in many moons, Lyra smiled. It was small, fragile, and faded quickly, but it was real.

From the elders' den, Ares scoffed again, but Anika ignored him this time. She reached out, her thin hand finding Lyra's shoulder with surprising accuracy. "You are not nothing, little one. Remember that. Even the smallest spark can hold a powerful fire."

The moment was shattered by a sudden, deep howl. Lyra flinched, recognizing Fang's voice. patrols were forming again.

Anika patted Lyra's shoulder gently before withdrawing her hand. 

Lyra stood, brushing snow off her bare legs, and gave one last glance at Anika. "Thank you," she said softly, voice trembling with something close to hope.

As she slipped back into the trees, the shadows embraced her once more—but this time, they didn't feel so cold.

High above, where the branches opened to the sky, a single ray of sunlight pierced the clouds, casting a gentle glow on the snow where she had sat.

And though no one saw it, the wind danced just a little more playfully.