Profound Devotion

Chapter 42

August 13th
Cassius

The land deep within the mountains was desolate and overgrown. My beast was much too large to make it through many of the paths that had once been upkept when we were nearby now that the tree branches and bushes along the trails were allowed to overtake them.

My fur was a magnet for leaves and dirt as I pummeled through to reach the first of three fallen villages. Tarya, the original hub for our training warriors and the smallest section of housing, was nothing more than old ash and newly sprouting greenery in the place of the centuries-old huts and newer dwellings that had been built to protect our men from the elements as they increased their combat skills.

I spent many years as a growing pup learning how to fight and protect the members of my pack after my inevitable succession as Alpha. It was also where I formed a close friendship with my Beta, Cyrus.

My paws kicked up dust from the debris as I sniffed the ground in search of a recognizable scent. So far, the air was eerily quiet, and there were no signs of life other than the sprouting plants that managed to break through the rubble.

Searching the area was proving useless, so I had to go further.

Every step ventured deeper into the mountains I became, more the of the animalistic freedom that was tugging at the controls of my beast started to take over. We were both practically begging to find someone, otherwise the travels would be all for nothing.

I would have left Mona for nothing.

I pushed my legs harder until my paws were barely grazing the ground as I dodged the low-lying branches and leapt over the fallen logs blocking the paths.

Our second village, Drael, was nearly in the same state. The central hall, once a lively center for the pups of our pack, had two crumbling walls that marked its position. Long, winding vines grew between each stone block, the grass overtaking the rest of what was visible.

Raian volunteered much of his time to helping run this place. He would hate to see it now.

Even the lively wildlife of the area, from native deer to the hawks that would patrol the skies, steered clear from the site.

'The fire demolished most of our lands.' I growled, reigning in my beast to allow myself to shift back. Each piece of debris that I picked up or kicked to the side revealed a new patch of grass that was struggling to grow or personal belongings that somehow managed to survive.

A brisk breeze ruffled the trees and cut through the clearing, kicking up another cloud of ash that darkened the once blue sky above.

A sound, one that would have gone detected had I not had enhanced hearing, drew my attention away from what was once a single-story home and now sat as nothing more than a crumbled foundation.

Without hesitation, I shifted back into my beast and lowered my ears, taking calculated steps toward the centuries-old trees that cascaded over the field where the snapping twig had resonated.

Someone was trailing the village line and, judging by the heaviness of their footfalls as they ran farther away, they knew they had been caught.

I huffed and ignored the sting in my side as a broken branch scraped through my fur. My sole focus was catching this person before they slipped through my fingers.

If it ended up a wolf, at least I would have someone to interrogate for more information.

My breathing sounded like a freight train as I pummeled through the path, pushing my legs even harder. The dirt under my paws shifted with each stride, a cloud of dust kicking up behind me.