The forest still held the scent of rain, heavy and damp, as Charlisa followed Kael through the mist-veiled clearing. She noticed the way he walked that morning—too quiet, too sharp. His golden eyes burned brighter than usual, restless with a wild energy that made her chest tighten.
He stopped suddenly beneath the arch of ancient trees. Light broke through the canopy in scattered shafts, striking his dark hair with a sheen that made him look almost untethered from this world. Turning to her, Kael asked, voice low and solemn, "Do you trust me?"
Her lips parted, her pulse quickened. "With everything I am."
For a heartbeat, his expression softened, then it was swallowed by a smile edged with wildness. His body rippled, and before her eyes he shifted.
Charlisa had seen him transform before, but never like this. His form stretched and bent, muscles swelling, bones reshaping with fluid violence. Black fur spilled over his skin, carrying the glint of storm clouds at dusk. A tail unfurled, long and heavy. His frame grew massive, towering even in its crouched poise.
And then she realized what she was looking at.
A Nytheris.
The name surfaced from the stories whispered by the elders—an ancient beast that was neither wolf nor panther, but the perfect balance of both. A hunter of shadows, a guardian of storms. It was said that only once in many generations could one be born who carried its blood, a sign of favor from the goddess herself. The Nytheris was power cloaked in elegance, feared and revered alike in the tribe's lore.
Charlisa's breath caught. To see such a creature alive, not bound to legend but standing before her with Kael's eyes glowing in its face—it was overwhelming.
The Nytheris lowered its body, immense shoulders bowing, golden eyes holding hers with quiet invitation. A low, thrumming growl reverberated through the clearing.
"You… want me to ride you?" Her voice trembled, her fingers already reaching to brush against the fur at his neck.
The growl deepened, vibrating into her bones. Yes.
Heart pounding, she swung herself onto his back. His muscles flexed beneath her legs, like coils of thunder waiting to be released. Then, without warning, Kael sprang forward.
The world blurred. Trees whipped past, earth pounded beneath paws larger than any she had imagined. The forest surrendered before him, streams cleared in single leaps, roots and stones merely shadows underfoot. The wind struck her face in sharp, cold ribbons, and Charlisa's laughter spilled free, wild and unrestrained.
This was not riding a beast. This was flying with the storm itself.
When Kael finally slowed, they stood atop a ridge that overlooked the valley. The rain-damp leaves glittered in the light, and mist clung to the distant trees like a veil. Charlisa slid down, legs unsteady, and pressed her forehead against the warmth of his fur.
"You're not just a man or a protector," she whispered, her fingers sinking into the thick pelt. "You are legend itself."
The Nytheris' golden eyes met hers, and though the power in them was undeniable, so too was the gentleness that belonged only to her. He nudged her shoulder, a rumble deep in his chest—wildness tempered by devotion.
"My Kael," she breathed. "My storm. My Nytheris."
And in that moment, with the ancient forest silent around them, Charlisa knew she had become part of a story that would outlive them both.