The trek north toward the Abyss of Ruin was grueling, the Blighted Lands’ ashen winds biting at Grendolf’s silver fur. Starclaw thrummed in his paw, its azure glow enhanced by the spirit’s magic, casting light on the path ahead. Sylvara scouted forward, her crimson Bloodfang a flicker in the gloom, while Lioness, her golden fur dimmed by shame, guarded the rear with Sunfang. Grendolf’s familia—Lirien, Torren, and Myra—followed close, their presence a reminder of what he fought for. The Order of the Blight and their shadowy leader, the Shroud, loomed in his thoughts, but a new threat stirred, one that would reshape Felaria’s fate.

As they crossed a barren ridge, a low growl echoed, distinct from the Mutated Ones’ shrieks. Grendolf’s enhanced senses sharpened, his ears twitching. The air carried a musky scent, unfamiliar yet primal. Sylvara froze, her tail stiff. “That’s not a Mutated One,” she hissed.

From the shadows emerged a pack of Canids—upright, furred warriors descended from ancient dogs, their eyes gleaming with predatory cunning. Their leader, a massive black-furred brute with a scarred muzzle, wielded a jagged bone axe that pulsed with a sickly green light. His ears, pointed and notched, flicked as he bared his fangs. “Cat Warriors,” he snarled, “you trespass on Canid territory.”

Grendolf stepped forward, Starclaw flaring. “We seek the Abyss of Ruin. We have no quarrel with you.”

The Canid leader laughed, a guttural bark. “I am Kravos, Alpha of the Ironfang Clan. Your blades, your lands—they belong to us now. The Shroud promised us power if we crush you.”

Grendolf’s heart sank. A vision flashed—Canid warriors storming Felaria’s villages, blades clashing, blood soaking the earth. The Order of the Blight had forged an alliance with the Canids, pitting cat against dog in a war to weaken both. “The Shroud uses you,” Grendolf growled. “The Toxinheart will corrupt you, too.”

Kravos’s eyes narrowed. “We’ll take our chances. Your kind has hoarded the Blades of Prowl too long.” He raised his axe, and the pack charged, their weapons—bone clubs, crude spears—gleaming with unnatural light.

Grendolf’s spirit-enhanced reflexes surged. He dodged a spear, Starclaw slicing through a Canid’s arm, its howl echoing. Sylvara darted through the pack, Bloodfang a crimson blur, felling two foes in a heartbeat. Lioness roared, Sunfang blazing as she cleaved a club in half, her redemption fueled by fury. Torren shielded Lirien and Myra, his forge-hammer swinging with precision despite his age.

The skirmish was brutal but swift, the Canids retreating into the shadows, leaving three of their number dead. Kravos glared, his axe dripping blood. “This is just the beginning, Grendolf the Great. The Ironfang Clan will burn Felaria to ash.” He vanished, his pack’s howls fading into the distance.

Grendolf panted, Starclaw’s glow steady. “The Canids… allied with the Order. This is war.”

Sylvara cleaned Bloodfang, her eyes hard. “They’ve been hiding in the borderlands, growing strong. The Shroud’s playing a bigger game than we thought.”

Lioness’s ears pinned back, guilt etched in her face. “The Shroud must have promised them blades. My betrayal… it gave them time to organize.”

Lirien’s voice was steady, though her fur bristled. “The Starwardens faced Canids long ago. They’re fierce but honor-bound. If we can break the Shroud’s hold, we might sway them.”

Torren nodded, inspecting a Canid spear. “Their weapons are infused with Toxinheart shards. The Shroud’s arming them to rival our blades.”

Myra clutched Grendolf’s paw, her voice small but firm. “You’ll stop them, right?”

Grendolf knelt, his glowing eyes softening. “We will, Myra. For Felaria.” He rose, turning to the group. “The Abyss is close. We end the Shroud, we end this war before it consumes us.”

The ridge overlooked a vast, blackened crater—the Abyss of Ruin. Its depths pulsed with a toxic green glow, the Toxinheart’s presence undeniable. The Canids’ howls echoed faintly, a warning of battles to come. Grendolf’s spirit-enhanced magic surged, Starclaw a beacon against the gathering storm. The war between cats and dogs had begun, and with the Order of the Blight pulling the strings, Grendolf knew the fight for Felaria’s soul would test every ounce of his strength.