Ethan woke before sunrise even though he barely slept. The storage house was quiet except for the slow steady breathing of the young wolf curled beside him. The creature’s small glow dimmed during the night but the soft pulse of light under its fur showed it was alive and recovering. Ethan brushed a hand over its neck. It stirred then pressed its head into his palm as if greeting him. That tiny gesture lifted his mood more than he expected. In his world he always said that animals spoke in actions not words. This creature understood that too.

Outside the building he heard cautious footsteps. Villagers whispered to each other as they gathered near the door. They wanted to see if the beast had attacked him or destroyed the room. Ethan stood and stretched his stiff shoulders. He opened the door slowly. The morning light spilled in along with a group of villagers holding spears and farm tools. Their eyes widened when they saw him still alive and unhurt.

He stepped aside so they could see the creature. It stayed on the straw with its ears low but its body calm. No signs of aggression no damage to the room no blood. The villagers murmured with confusion. The hunter from the day before pushed through the crowd and glared at Ethan. He demanded to see the beast for himself. When he saw it resting quietly he frowned like the sight offended him.

The village elder arrived soon after. He studied Ethan then the creature then the intact room. He placed a hand on the doorframe and shook his head slowly as if everything he believed about glowing wolves was now uncertain. He gestured for Ethan to follow him. Ethan lifted the creature carefully. Its body was warm and heavier now that it had regained some strength. The villagers made space for him as he walked. Their fear remained but now there was something else mixed into it curiosity.

They led him back to the main hall. The elder sat with the council again. This time the hunter stood beside them ready to argue. The elder held up a hand before the hunter could speak. He pointed at Ethan then at the creature then at the sunrise outside. He spoke slowly and with a tone that suggested a new decision. Ethan listened closely even if he did not know the words. He recognized the pattern from how the elder spoke the day before. The village would not kill the creature. Not yet. They wanted Ethan to continue caring for it but under their watch.

The hunter slammed his hand on the table but the elder ignored him. He signaled for two guards to escort the hunter out. The hunter shouted something at Ethan as he left, something sharp and angry. Ethan could guess the meaning. If the creature ever harmed anyone the hunter would be the first to demand blood.

Ethan thanked the council with a small respectful bow. He lifted the creature from the blanket and followed the guards to a small wooden structure near the edge of the village. It looked like it once housed tools and feed but now it would become a temporary shelter. Ethan set the creature down and began gathering straw to make a soft bed. The guards watched him with confusion. They had never seen anyone treat a beast like a patient.

As the sun rose higher Ethan took time to examine the creature properly. Its wound was healing but slowly. The glow around its fur made it easy to check for infection. He cleaned the bandage again and replaced the cloth with strips of fabric he tore from a spare blanket the guards had brought. The creature whined but stayed calm. It even licked his wrist once. That surprised him. The creature acted like a young wolf puppy yet carried an otherworldly shine that marked it as something rare.

While Ethan worked a small group of curious villagers gathered outside the shelter. They kept their distance but watched in silence. Some carried baskets of herbs or water as peace offerings. One child stepped forward and held out a few pieces of dried fruit. Ethan smiled and accepted the gift. The creature sniffed the fruit but rested its head on Ethan’s thigh rather than eat. It was still tired but no longer shaking with fear.

Later in the morning the elder returned alone. He sat nearby and observed Ethan’s gentle hands as he cleaned the creature’s wound again. After some quiet time the elder pointed to Ethan then tapped his own chest then pointed at the creature. He said a word that sounded like keeper. Ethan repeated the sound. The elder nodded. Then he pointed again and spoke a longer phrase. Ethan did not know the words but understood the intent. The elder was offering him a role. A temporary title. Something like beast keeper of the village.

Ethan accepted with another small bow. The elder seemed satisfied. He placed a carved wooden token on the table beside the creature. The token had a symbol of a crescent shape wrapped by leaves. The elder tapped the token then gestured to Ethan as if saying this protects him from being mistaken for an enemy. It would mark him as someone with village permission to approach beasts.

The rest of the day passed with Ethan caring for the creature and slowly gaining trust from a few brave villagers. He asked them for clean water with simple gestures and they brought it. He asked for cloth and they delivered that too. Even if most still feared the glowing wolf they recognized that Ethan was not reckless. He used care techniques they had never seen. Some villagers whispered that he might be blessed by the forest spirits.

By late afternoon the creature could stand on unsteady legs. Ethan helped it walk gentle circles around the shelter to keep its muscles active. The villagers gasped when they saw the creature stand without rage. The elder watched from a distance with thoughtful eyes.

When night fell again Ethan stayed in the shelter with the creature. This time it rested its head on his lap right away. He stroked between its ears and talked softly about home again. He told it about the zoo where he worked about the small animals he cared for and the routines that filled his days. He explained how he used to calm nervous wolves with slow breathing and patient hands. The creature listened in silence humming in soft tones.

Ethan stared at the ceiling of the shelter. The smell of the forest drifted inside the cracks of the wood. This world was unfamiliar and unpredictable but the creature beside him was a reminder of who he was. Whatever happened next he could handle it as long as he remembered that simple truth. He was a keeper. He protected those who needed it even when others did not understand.