Dawn struggles to break over the mountains.
The village of Croc-Lune is silent, too silent.
Everyone felt the dragon's presence during the night, and everyone watches Lunaya as if she were carrying a storm beneath her skin.
Kael gives her no respite.
"Come."
"Where?"
"Where no one can interrupt us."
He leads her to the bottom of a rocky gorge, far from the village.
An isolated place, where the wind howls between the walls.
Lunaya shivers.
"You want us to... practice here?"
"Yes."
He turns to her.
"Because if I slip up even a little, I could lose control."
She takes a step back.
"Charming."
Kael ignores the jab.
He walks to the center of the rocky hollow.
"Your Resonance is an emotional power," he says.
Each beastman feels it differently.
For some... it attracts.
For others... it subjugates.
And for the most dangerous... it provokes lust."
He clenched his teeth as he thought of Dravik.
"I must learn to resist you."
Lunaya stares at him, uncertain.
"And me... what do I do?"
"You breathe."
"That's it?"
"That's already very dangerous."
He approaches her slowly.
"Lunaya... your power acts without your permission.
It rises when you are afraid, when you doubt...
It explodes when you're overwhelmed."
"Like last night."
She nods, ashamed.
"I didn't try to control you, Kael."
"I know."
He looks at her with an intensity she has never seen in him before.
"And that's precisely the problem."
He places a hand on her chest, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his chest, but without touching her.
"Your Resonance responds to my instinct.
And mine... is brutal."
She swallows hard.
"So you want to... teach me not to trigger your instinct?"
"No."
He takes a deep breath.
"I want to teach you how to control it."
She remains frozen.
"Kael, I... I've never tamed anyone before."
"Then it's time to learn."
He withdraws his hand and gets into position.
His gaze hardens.
"I'm going to approach you.
If you panic, your Resonance will explode...
And I might lose my mind."
"So I have to stay calm."
"Exactly."
He smiled fiercely.
"Prove to me that you can keep me on a leash."
She raises her hands.
"Kael, I don't want to hurt you."
"And I want to see if I can stand you."
He steps forward.
One step.
Two steps.
Three.
His breathing becomes ragged.
His pupils dilate.
His fangs barely protrude from his lips.
"Kael?"
"Keep breathing, Lunaya."
She inhales.
Her heart beats faster.
A shiver runs down her spine.
A vibration.
Like an echo in her chest.
Kael growls, but doesn't stop.
One last step...
And he finds himself a breath away from her.
His chest almost touches hers.
His hands tremble.
"I... I can't..."
"Kael! Stop!"
Too late.
A wave of fear washes over Lunaya.
Her Resonance bursts forth like an invisible wave.
The air ripples.
The ground vibrates.
Kael collapses to his knees.
"Kael!"
She rushes toward him, panicked.
He gasps as if all his energy has been sucked out of him.
His hand clenches the earth.
His eyes become human again, filled with fear.
"Lunaya..."
He raises his head.
"You... broke me."
She freezes.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"
"No, listen to me..."
He struggles to stand up, his body still trembling.
"You didn't hurt me."
He places a hand on his heart.
"You bent me."
A heavy silence falls.
He slowly gets back up, approaches again, without aggression this time, only respect.
"You don't understand, Lunaya."
He places his hand on her chest.
"A Moonfang doesn't bow to anyone."
His gaze hardens, burning, almost devout.
"But you... you brought me to my knees."
She widens her eyes.
"Kael..."
His fingers brush her cheek, as if against his will.
"If you can do that to a wolf..."
He takes a step back, his voice hoarse.
"Then I can't imagine what the draconics feel."
She shivers.
"Kael... do you really think Dravik..."
"Dravik wants to possess you."
He stares at her with desperate intensity.
"I want to protect you.
But I'm not sure I can."
Silence.
An icy wind.
A confession.
Then
A roar echoes in the distance.
Not lupine.
Not draconic.
Something else.
Kael turned pale.
"No... not now."
"What is it?!"
He turned to her.
"The third clan.
The Felids."
He grabs her hand abruptly.
"Lunaya, we have to go home.
Now."