The air outside the cavern was damp and cool, carrying the faint scent of pine and rain-soaked earth. Logan's body ached in ways that reminded him of his first days back from the field, though this pain was different bone-deep, a mix of exhaustion, residual wolf energy, and the echo of something older that still lingered in his veins.
Mara helped Juno walk alongside him, her grip firm, guiding the girl through the twisted undergrowth. The forest was quiet, almost suspiciously so. No birdcalls, no rustling of small creatures only the crunch of wet leaves underfoot and Logan's ragged breathing.
"You okay?" Mara asked softly, glancing at him.
Logan nodded, though the truth was more complicated. The wolf had receded, but its presence still lingered a low hum beneath his skin, a pulse in his bones that refused to fade. He flexed his hands, willing them to feel normal again. Mostly human, mostly himself, but a fragment of the beast remained, coiled and alert, like a predator waiting for the hunt.
Juno shuffled forward, eyes wide, taking in the forest cautiously. "I remember... flashes," she whispered. "The spire, the lights, the wolves... it wasn't just a dream."
Mara squeezed her shoulder. "It wasn't a dream, Juno. You're safe now, but the Hollow isn't done with us. We need to get somewhere we can plan our next move."
Logan scanned the surrounding trees, shadows stretching like long fingers under the moonlight. He could sense the subtle shift in the air, the forest itself seeming to watch, waiting. Every instinct screamed that the Hollow's reach extended further than they realized.
They moved carefully, sticking to the shadows, keeping their steps quiet. Logan's senses, still heightened from the wolf's perspective, picked up faint whispers barely audible, the wind carrying voices that weren't human. He shook his head, trying to clear the echoes from his mind, but Mara noticed and shot him a concerned glance.
"The Hollow's trying to get to you," she murmured. "Even here, it's trying to call its power back."
He swallowed hard. "Then we can't linger. We need a safe place to regroup and figure out our next step."
Hours passed as they navigated the forest, each step careful, deliberate. Logan kept close to the shadows, scanning constantly, muscles tense, ready for an attack that never came. The tension was exhausting, but it kept him sharp.
Eventually, they reached a clearing where remnants of an old cabin stood, half-collapsed, overgrown with moss and vines. Mara knelt to inspect the structure. "It's not much, but it's sheltered. We can barricade it enough to get some rest."
Inside, the air was damp, musty, and filled with the scent of decayed wood. Logan kicked aside debris, making room for Juno to sit. Mara produced a small pack of supplies she had brought along: blankets, rations, and a few tools. She handed one blanket to Logan. "You need to rest. Even a little."
Logan sank onto the makeshift bedding, muscles aching, mind racing. The wolf still lingered, a faint thrum beneath the skin, and he flexed his fingers, trying to feel normal again. Mostly, he felt hollow a man in a wolf's shadow, carrying the weight of what had just happened.
Juno sat close to Mara, whispering questions, her voice trembling. "Why me? Why did it take me? What did it want?"
Mara sighed. "The Hollow feeds on things it considers powerful, connected to bloodlines, to energy it can exploit. You were a key, Juno. Not just to the Hollow, but to whatever ancient force resides here."
Logan frowned. "Then it knows more than we thought. There's a bigger game at play. Something older than all of us."
Mara nodded gravely. "And we're only scratching the surface. The Hollow doesn't make mistakes. Every disappearance, every path it lures someone down, it's all part of a pattern."
Logan's gaze fell to the floor, shadows dancing over the cracks in the wood. "Pattern or trap, it doesn't matter. We're in it now. I need to know how deep this goes."
Outside, the wind rustled through the trees, carrying with it the faint, eerie echo of howls in the distance. Logan's wolf senses tingled, faintly aware of movement he couldn't yet see. Mara noticed his unease and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll deal with them when they come. Right now, rest."
Reluctantly, he lay down, muscles still tight, heartbeat echoing in his ears. Sleep didn't come easily. He dreamed of the spire, of glowing symbols, of shadows moving and shifting, the echo of the Hollow's voice whispering his name. Every time he reached for Juno, she slipped through his grasp, a phantom he could not save.
When morning came, it was gray and misty. Logan sat by the broken window, surveying the forest. The Hollow had retreated, but the forest felt different heavier, more watchful. Juno stirred beside Mara, rubbing her eyes, still fragile and uncertain.
Logan stood, stretching. "We need a plan. The Hollow isn't done, and the Bloodhowl will be coming. We can't wait for them to find us again."
Mara nodded. "I've been thinking about that. There's a place north of here, hidden along an old riverbed. It's been untouched for decades. We can regroup, make our next move."
Logan's jaw tightened. "Then that's where we go. And we do it before they realize we escaped."
They packed their meager supplies and prepared to leave the clearing. Every step was cautious, every shadow suspect. Logan felt the faint thrum of the wolf beneath his skin, aware that their journey into the heart of the Hollow had only just begun. Somewhere ahead lay answers and dangers they had yet to comprehend.
As they moved, Logan caught sight of a faint shimmer in the mist: a silhouette that paused just beyond the trees. He froze, senses screaming. Mara and Juno were behind him, waiting.
The figure did not move closer. And then, without a sound, it vanished.
Logan swallowed. "The Hollow is watching. We can't let it catch us unprepared."
Mara nodded. "We won't. Not again."
With the forest stretching endlessly around them, they moved forward. Each step carried the weight of what they had survived and the uncertainty of what awaited. The Hollow had been unlocked, but its echoes would follow them, always, and Logan knew that the real test had only just begun.