The bond flowed with agreement. We had faced the shadow's reach and pushed it back. The children's abilities had proven vital. Yet the threat remained beneath the waves, gathering strength for another attempt.
The following weeks brought steady progress across Frostfang. Lila trained daily until her shield could cover an entire patrol. Thorne mapped coastal patterns with the scouts and predicted disturbances with increasing accuracy. Elara worked in the healing halls and learned to extend her touch through larger groups.
The pack responded with growing loyalty, seeing the heirs as protectors rather than curiosities.
One clear morning I took the family to the orchard for a quiet day away from training. The trees had grown taller since planting.
Lila climbed the lower branches with ease. Thorne examined the soil and suggested better spacing for new saplings. Elara sat beneath a tree and hummed to the roots, her small hands pressed to the earth.
