Chapter 79: Crossing Into Red Claw Territory

Selka stood perfectly still, her sharp silver eyes glancing back one last time at the border of her daughter’s Black Wolf Clan.

Turning her head, she stared intensely into the thick, unfamiliar treeline ahead. She raised her snout, parting her jaws slightly as she drew the heavy forest air deep into her lungs, cataloging every scent.

The territory of the Red Claw Pack...

The air was thick with the sharp, musk-heavy scent of adolescent wolves. It was a chaotic, aggressive smell.

So many young ones, Selka thought, her ears flattening slightly as she processed the data.

Draven wasn’t kidding. Their numbers are massive, and their territory is expanding rapidly because of all these restless youngsters.

Knowing her silver-grey scent would act like a literal war flag in these woods, Selka didn’t hesitate.

She dropped her massive frame directly into a patch of wet, rotting vegetation and damp mud.

She rolled aggressively, rubbing her back, her thick neck, and her flanks into the muck, thoroughly coating her beautiful fur in the foul smell of decayed forest floor to mask her true identity.

Once her scent was buried under layers of rot, she rose, shook herself out once, and stepped silently across the border into Red Claw territory.

For an hour, Selka moved like a phantom through the shadows. She kept her tail low and her paws lifting seamlessly over dry twigs.

But as she pressed deeper toward the edge of the jungle, the aggressive musk of the foreign pack grew exponentially stronger.

They are close, Selka noted, freezing instantly. She licked her nose, testing the morning breeze.

The wind is blowing from the east. If I keep moving forward, my masked scent will carry straight to them.

Deciding instantly, she veered sharply to the west, navigating the terrain so she was always walking against the wind, keeping her presence entirely hidden from their noses.

She kept this cautious pace until she reached Red Claw Pack’s final border leading out toward the vast, sunlit plains through the jungle ahead. But as she peeked through the brush, her jaw tightened.

Far ahead, scattered across the clearing, were dozens of young, heavily built Red Claw wolves. They were pacing back and forth, patrolling the border with restless energy.

Tsk... they are actively guarding the border from where I need to head for plains? Selka thought, her eyes narrowing as she crouched lower into the bushes.

How am I supposed to slip through an open clearing with this many eyes on watch?

She pressed her chest flat against the dirt, her mind racing as she monitored the sky.

The sun was rising higher, and the afternoon thermal currents were beginning to shift.

I need to create a distraction or find a blind spot immediately... before the wind direction betrays me and turns this entire border into a bloodbath.

.

.

.

Back in the camp, the heavy, melancholic routine continued. The hunters ran through the forest to feed the clan, the elders minded the pups, and Kael remained anchored inside the dim den, refusing to leave Nuan’s side.

Nuan lay completely still, her pale face serene but dangerously devoid of color.

Elders Nyra and Syra quietly stepped into the cave, carrying a fresh Whiteclaw herb paste.

Kael watched them with an intense, unblinking focus as they gently unwrapped her left arm and right ankle, applying the soothing mixture to the horrific wounds.

Usually, the sharp sting of the Whiteclaw herb would have made Nuan hiss, curse, or squeal in frustration. But now, her body didn’t even twitch. The absolute lack of reaction made Kael’s heart squeeze with a terrifying numbness.

Once the elders finished and slipped back out, Koda walked in, silently placing a large leaf filled with freshly roasted liver and lean meat before the Alpha.

Instead of touching his own portion, Kael immediately picked up Nuan’s steel knife. He carefully sliced the rich liver into microscopic, perfectly uniform cubes.

He sat cross-legged, parting her soft lips with the utmost tenderness, feeding her one tiny piece at a time, waiting for her throat to swallow before offering the next.

Only when her portion was entirely finished did he finally turn to his own food, forcing himself to eat to keep his strength up.

When he was done, Kael lay back down on the sand bed, curling his massive frame around her to keep her feverish body warm.

He stared at her peaceful profile, his eyes dark with a dangerous, quiet rage.

"If only my shoulder wasn’t injured..." Kael murmured into the quiet cave, his voice dropping into a deep, guttural growl. "We would have gone together on that hunt. I would have ripped that cougar woman alive with my bare teeth."

His jaw clenched, his breathing heavy. "I hate those cats. Always trying to hurt you. If I see another one... I’ll rip them all to pieces."

He glanced at her sleeping face and muttered. "...You’d scold me for saying that."

Meanwhile, deep within the dark, fractured void of Nuan’s subconscious, the blue pixels suddenly began to reassemble. The digital grid flickered, and the system’s interface slowly booted back up.

[ Taking Host’s command back... ]

[ Lifting Standby Mode... ]

[ Welp, Host... good news. ]

[ I am officially tagged as a total ’shame’ in the System’s Realm for my recent performance. ]

[ But honestly? It was totally worth it. I managed to get off from all the disciplinary charges for breaking protocol with way fewer consequences than I expected. They just gave me a slap on the wrist. ]

The screen flickered, text scrolling a bit slower as it monitored Nuan’s vital signs.

[ Wait... why am I even talking out loud to myself when you are literally unconscious? ]

[ Anyways, if your body can just gain a little more blood and stabilize, I can break another major protocol to help speed up your recovery. ]

[ You better collect a bunch of handsome, devoted mates after waking up to make up for all this stress, Host. Seriously. ]

With a soft, rhythmic chime, the system log saved the recording of Kael gently pressing a kiss to her cheek, completely closing the interface as it waited for the Red Root to arrive.