The turquoise fox ears trembled gently in the morning mist. Su Yu crouched in the ferns, and the crystal dewdrops clung to his snow - white fur. His pupils were a clear amber color, and the black tuft at the tip of his tail swayed slightly with his breathing. His nose twitched as he caught the scent in the air. It had been three days since he started tracking that strange stench of decay.
As the youngest forest ranger of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, Su Yu's duty was to protect the barrier of the Misty Forest. But since the strange red moon half a month ago, there had been continuous reports of spirit beasts disappearing in the depths of the forest, and even the gentlest spirit deer had become restless and irritable. At this moment, following the scent, he came to the ancient altar in the center of the forest. There was a faint smell of blood mixed in the floating mist.
"Who's there?"
A low voice, cold and metallic, made Su Yu suddenly look up. There stood a tall grey wolf on the altar steps. Its fur was a deep ink - black color, with only a ring of silver - white around its eyes, like frost and snow under the moon. Its ears were pricked up warily, and its sharp canine teeth glinted in the morning mist. There was still blood oozing from the wound on its back, indicating that it had just been in a fierce battle.
Su Yu tensed up instinctively. There had always been a rift between the Fox Clan and the Wolf Clan since ancient times, especially the wild aura on this wolf in front of him, which was unique to the wilderness tribe. But he soon noticed that the grey wolf's front paw was protecting a curled - up cub. It was a spirit rabbit that had lost its luster, with a weak breath, obviously affected by the stench of decay.
"I'm Su Yu, the forest ranger of Qingqiu." He softened his tone. There was no hostility in his amber pupils. "Were you injured by the shadow beasts?"
The grey wolf's eyes softened slightly. His name was Mo Yuan, a warrior of the Wilderness Wolf Clan. Three days ago, his younger brother had been captured by the shadow beasts. He had tracked them all the way here, only to find that there were cracks in the barrier of the Misty Forest. "There are more and more of these monsters," Mo Yuan's voice was tired. "If the barrier breaks completely, not only the forest but also the wilderness will be in trouble."
Su Yu was silent. He knew that the elders of the Fox Clan had always been reluctant to contact the outside world, but the current situation didn't allow them to stay out of it. He stretched out his paw and gently touched the spirit rabbit's body. A pale - green halo spread from his palm, and the spirit rabbit's weak breathing gradually became steady. "I can repair the barrier, but I need something."
"What?"
"The Moon Soul Stone of the Grey Wolf Clan." Su Yu looked up, and his amber pupils reflected Mo Yuan's eyes. "It is said that the Moon Soul Stone contains the power of the wilderness and can echo with the Spirit Fox Jade of Qingqiu to strengthen the barrier. But I know that the Moon Soul Stone is your sacred object."
Mo Yuan's body stiffened. The Moon Soul Stone was indeed the most precious treasure of the Grey Wolf Clan, guarded by the clan leader from generation to generation. But looking at the spirit rabbit in his arms that was gradually regaining its vitality, and thinking of his tribesmen who had been killed by the shadow beasts, he gritted his teeth. "I'll take you to get it. But you must promise that there won't be such a disaster again after the barrier is repaired."
Su Yu nodded, and his snow - white tail gently swept across the ground. "I swear in the name of the Qingqiu Fox Clan."
The morning mist gradually dissipated, and the sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, shining on a white fox and a grey wolf. Their figures gradually faded away in the forest, and an adventure across races was about to begin.