The forest was alive with the rustling of leaves and the thuds of paws hitting earth. Sköll darted through the trees with his unwavering speed despite the dense undergrowth. Velren rode atop the white wolf's back, gripping his hands tightly to tufts of fur as branches whipped past them. Fenrir led the way with his steady and composed pace, weaving through the foliage with ease.
"Hold on tight, kid!" Sköll called back with a grin in his voice.
"Unless you wanna be tree fertilizer."
"I'm holding on!"
Velren shot back, with the wind tugging at his dark hair. His heart pounded with exhilaration. There was something addictive about the speed and the sheer freedom of racing through the forest like this.
"You seem pretty excited for something that's supposed to be just 'watching,'" Fenrir's deep voice rumbled from ahead.
"Hey, can you blame me? It's not like I get to do this every day," Velren replied.
"Besides, you two make it sound like it's all work and no fun."
Sköll chuckled.
"Fun or not, don't get ahead of yourself. Last thing we need is you tripping over your curiosity."
"Noted," Velren said, though his grin didn't fade.
***
They continued weaving through the trees until the forest began to thin. Fenrir slowed, raising a paw—a silent signal. Sköll followed suit, coming to a stop. Velren carefully slid off, crouching beside them. His eyes widened as he took in the scene beyond the foliage.
A wide dirt path cut through the forest, and along it moved a majestic carriage, its polished wood was gleaming under the sunlight filtering through the canopy. Golden filigree decorated the edges, glinting with every turn of the wheels. Yet what truly caught Velren's attention were the numerous horses flanking it—sleek, well-bred creatures in impeccable formation—and the heavily armored knights surrounding the entire convoy. Their silver armor shone like stars, with shields that were embedded with an unfamiliar crest.
"That... doesn't look like a merchant's carriage," Sköll muttered, flicking his ears.
"It's not," Fenrir replied, the black wolf narrowed his eyes.
"Most likely royalty. Or at least someone with noble blood. No common caravan moves with that kind of guard."
Velren's gaze lingered on the ornate carriage. Someone important's inside... Was it a king? A dignitary? Someone tied to the kingdoms that gramps always talked about?
Sköll gave a huff.
"Should we just head back? With that much security, they probably won't need us hovering around."
"What?" Velren turned to him.
"But we just got here! You dragged me through half the forest—don't tell me we're leaving already!"
Fenrir sighed at the two.
"Convoys like that can attract trouble. Bandits, magical beasts... or worse. High-profile targets always do. It's safer to follow at a distance. Make sure nothing's tailing them."
"So we're not leaving, just... being subtle?" Velren asked with a hopeful note in his voice.
"Stay out of sight and don't do anything reckless," Fenrir warned, glancing pointedly at Velren.
"Yes, sir!" Velren grinned, already creeping back into the cover of the trees.
Sköll rolled his eyes.
"This is gonna be a long day..."
***
The three matched the convoy's pace, all the while keeping their distance from the side. Not long after, breaking the silence, Velren asked:
"So... are they from Elyndra?"
Fenrir nodded.
"Yes. I noticed it from the emblem on their armor."
Velren blinked. Really? He squinted at the distant knights. From this far, the details were a blur to him.
'He can see the intricate design from here? Just how sharp is his vision?'
"How often do carriages like that pass through?" Velren continued, as his curiosity was getting the better of him.
"Seldom," Sköll answered this time, never leaving his gaze on the convoy.
"Noble convoys don't make trips through these woods unless it's something important. Probably a diplomatic mission or negotiations with another kingdom."
"I see..." Velren murmured, drifting his gaze back to the road.
'Another kingdom... huh?'
He thought aloud, wandering his mind. He had never left the forest before. Outside of the three—Gramps, Sköll, and Fenrir—he had never really interacted with other people, nor had he ventured into any towns or cities. Every time the old man decided to visit the kingdom, Velren never bothered to ask to join him, nor did Gramps offer to take him along. As for Sköll and Fenrir, their duty was to watch over the forest, so they were out of the question.
Not that Velren minded. Sure, it would be nice to see a living civilization, meet new people, and experience life beyond the trees. But the truth was... he was fine living here. His days were filled with training, studying, and the quiet comfort of the forest. He didn't feel like he was missing out on anything important.
Then again, it made him wonder. What kind of life did he have in his previous one? For him to be this content in... solitude... was he a loner back then? A gloomy person who kept to himself? Surely not, right? Not that it would've been a bad thing... but it was just odd to think about. The past was a blank slate, yet sometimes, small questions like that gnawed at him.
His ponderings were abruptly shattered by the sharp neighing of the convoy's horses. The sudden noise pierced the calm atmosphere, causing tension to rippled through the air.
"What happened?" Velren's head snapped toward the disturbance.
"Sköll!" Fenrir's voice rang out.
Sköll's ears perked up. He shot a glance at Velren.
"Hop on! Quick!"
Velren didn't hesitate. He scrambled onto the white wolf's back, gripping his fur just as Sköll launched forward.
"Hang on tight!" The white wolf barked.
"What the hell is happening?" Velren shouted over the wind rushing past them.
"It's an ambush!"