Ardis felt like vomiting.
Astra held her, gently patting her back. The cubs were frightened and clung to Sylas, who tried to comfort them.
Finally, Ardis and the cubs recovered. The resting place was moved a little farther ahead.
The journey had just started, and they were already attacked. It showed how dangerous the road truly was.
That evening, Ardis couldn't eat anything.
At night, Aeron slowly patted her, trying to help her sleep. But she would only rest for a while before waking in fright, curling tightly against him.
The next day, the journey continued.
The leaders finally decided that those unclaimed by family could either be assigned beastmen or offer labor in exchange for being carried. Leaving them behind would only create cracks in their unity.
Ardis lay listlessly in the pouch. Aeron worried—she still wasn't eating.
After a few days, Ardis slowly came to terms with the cruelty of the beast world.
The journey remained peaceful, but everyone stayed alert. They followed the river for some time, then entered the forest again.
Time felt strange—each day was long, yet when Ardis looked back, more than a week had already passed.
Soon, she returned to her cheerful self.
One month passed.
The journey seemed smooth, but that very smoothness made everyone relax too much.
A mistake.
The chiefs tightened the guards, but still, some were careless.
Then the incident happened.
They stopped briefly to rest. Aeron took Ardis to a private spot.
After she finished, she washed herself with water.
Suddenly, screams rang out.
Aeron grabbed Ardis, but it was too late. Four feral beastmen attacked at once.
Half-transformed, Aeron fought fiercely, but their numbers were overwhelming.
Finally, he made a decision.
Using their distraction, he threw Ardis away and whispered urgently, "Run."
Ardis slithered toward Astra.
She saw her, but Astra was already surrounded.
Astra met her eyes and pointed sharply. "Run!"
Before Ardis could move, a beastman grabbed her.
He was attacked and released her, but misfortune followed.
A wolf leaped forward, clamping his jaws around her and running.
Pain and dizziness flooded Ardis as the world blurred past.
She remembered her grandfather's words.
She relaxed her body, going limp—like she had fainted.
The wolf did not slow down.
Ardis's body hung limp in his jaws as he ran, dodging through the trees. Her vision blurred, pain flooding her senses, but she forced herself to relax every muscle.
She let her tongue fall from her mouth.
Her eyes rolled back.
But the beastman was not fooled so easily.
He skidded to a stop and threw her onto the ground.
He circled her once, then kicked her with his foot.
No response.
He crouched, sniffing her closely, his ears twitching. Then he grabbed her tail and yanked it hard.
Pain shot through her, but she did not move.
Finally, he transformed halfway, keeping his claws ready. He lifted her head, watching her eyes.
Still nothing.
Only then did his guard lower—just a fraction.
That was all Ardis needed.
Her eyes snapped open.
She struck.
She opened her eyes and lunged, sinking her fangs just below his eyes.
Venom flooded into him.
He screamed and dropped her.
She wrapped her body around his neck, tightening with all her strength.
He slammed into trees, clawed at her, tried to tear her away—but his movements slowed.
The beastman's struggles slowed.
His grip loosened.
His head lolled to the side.
Foam spilled from his mouth.
His body went slack.
Ardis waited.
She did not loosen.
Seconds passed.
Then—
The wolf's eyes snapped open.
He lunged for her, fingers clawing at her coils, trying to rip her away.
Ardis hissed and tightened, her muscles burning.
She felt his heartbeat—still there.
He was pretending.
With the last of her strength, she bit into his neck again, deeper this time, flooding him with venom.
His body convulsed.
The light in his eyes finally faded.
Only then did she release him.
But she could not stay.
She rolled in a nearby puddle, coating herself with mud and leaves, then slithered into a narrow mouse hole.
She went deep.
Very deep.
Inside, she trembled in the dark.
Hunger soon followed fear.
She heard faint squeaking.
Three rats.
She killed them quickly.
Then stared.
Her stomach churned. Her eyes burned.
'I have to live.'
She forced herself to eat.
Each bite made her want to vomit, but she swallowed silently, pressing her mouth closed.
Then she stayed still.
She waited.
On the other side—
After killing the last feral, Aeron ran toward Astra.
She was sitting on the ground, bloody and crying. Varos stepped forward.
"Astra is alive… but Ardis was taken," he said heavily.
Aeron's knees nearly gave out.
"We need to go to the priestess," Varos said urgently.
Aeron rushed toward his tribe's area.
The moment Sissira saw his expression, her face changed.
Something was wrong.
Before he could even speak, she already knew.
"My granddaughter," she whispered.
Without wasting time, Sissira cut her finger and let her blood drip into a bowl of water. She crushed herbs into it, her movements fast but steady.
"Drink," she ordered.
Aeron obeyed instantly.
The moment the water touched his lips, a sharp pull tore through his chest.
A direction.
A connection.
"She's alive," Sissira said firmly. "Go."
Aeron ran.
Varos followed.
They fought through scattered ferals until the pull grew stronger.
Finally, they found a corpse.
A beastman.
Dead.
Aeron froze.
His heart pounded as he knelt.
"…She did this," he whispered.
Relief flooded him.
"She's nearby," he said.
Then he noticed it—
A small rat hole, half-hidden in the dirt.
In the dark, Ardis heard him.
She remembered her training.
She moved slowly.
Carefully.
Aeron reached in.
She smelled him.
Touched him.
And then—
She rushed out and curled into his arms.
She cried without sound.
Aeron held her, trembling.
"You're safe," he whispered.
Varos also let out a sigh of relief.
"Let's return. It is too dangerous." Varos said patting on Aeron's shoulder.
Aeron nodded.
Varos and Aeron, who was holding Ardis, sped up towards the main group.