Back at the apartment, Liam was disappointed to find his jacket soaked by the rain. However, they had stopped at a clothing store along the way in order to buy spare socks and shirts. While slipping off his damp socks, he noticed Nora pulling the small vial of blue liquid from her belongings. He figured it contained some sort of pain relief potion.

Afterward, they headed downstairs, said goodbye to the store owner, and plodded toward the city gate. The rain had subsided but clouds rolled through the skies overhead. Wind carried the scent of moisture that comes after the rain. People sloshed through the dirt roads addled with muddy puddles. Even a peddler's cart wheeled past, wooden spokes caked with mud.

Upon reaching the gate, a hooded figure garbed in dark clothing approached them. The green mantle upon his shoulders caused Liam to realize the man’s identity. Considering the weather, his clothes did not stick out as much as they otherwise would have.

“Doran, right?” Liam asked.

“Indeed. I was informed you would likely be heading out to meet your friends and hoped to go with you,” the man quietly replied.

Sighing, Liam said, “You can follow us to the woods, but after that, I’ll leave the decision to my friends’ leader.”

“That will be more than enough for me.”

The man followed silently behind Liam and Nora. Not even his footsteps generated noise. Only the gentle flapping of his mantle in the breeze gave away his presence.

Whispering in Liam’s ear, Nora asked, “Is it really okay to bring him?”

“We’ll see…” Liam whispered in answer. Personally, he did not know why the man held such interest in the Direwolves, but finding others willing to protect the beasts would make Scath’s wish easier on him.

Once they reached a safe distance past the treeline, Scath emerged from Liam’s shadow, startling Doran. Nora grimaced, but she already knew it would happen.

Standing high and mighty above any of them, Scath lowered his gaze at the newcomer. Large paws padding the damp earth, he stepped toward the man and lowered his head until their eyes were level, only inches apart. A snort from the enormous beast blew back Doran’s hood, ruffling his hair and fully revealing his scarred face. The man’s eyes were filled with wonder as he gazed back, unflinching.

Scath nodded before raising his head. While turning toward the deeper parts of the forest, he wagged his tail and growled quietly at Liam. Somehow, Liam comprehended the meaning to an extent.

“Looks like he’s okay with it,” Liam muttered. Then, he asked, “What do you think about him meeting that lady, Scath?”

In response, the enormous Direwolf looked at the sky for a moment. Then, he returned his gaze to Liam and tilted his head and tried to move his shoulders, as if to shrug. Observing the action, Nora couldn’t help but chuckle at the awkwardness of the beast’s gesture, drawing a brief glance from Liam.

Facing Doran, Liam said, “For now, you can come with us hunting, but I don’t trust you enough to bring you to where the Direwolves are staying yet.”

“I understand,” Doran replied, “but you call them Direwolves?”

Liam rolled his eyes and answered, “That’s what they are called. Woolf is a name given to them by humans, I think.”

“Oh, I see…” Doran muttered while rubbing his chin.

From there, the three followed Scath without uttering a single word. The Thieves Guild leader obviously had things to think about while Nora simply looked uncomfortable about being in such close proximity to the Direwolf. However, Liam simply followed the beast nonchalantly with hands in his pockets as they weaved through the forest.

Once the fog wall came into view, they stopped. Doran looked around in confusion and said, “This place looks unfamiliar. I’ve been through these woods a thousand times and never seen this area…”

Nora nodded as she looked upward at the fog wall that reached even the tips of the tallest trees. “I haven’t been here as often, but I’m sure I would remember something like this…”

“You’ve never been here, either?” Doran asked her.

“No…”

Interrupting the two, Liam said, “Doran, stay here for now. Nora, follow me.”

Nodding in understanding, the Thieves Guild leader sat down with his back against the nearest tree trunk. From a pouch at his side, he pulled out a small book and began reading.

Leaving the man there, Liam and Nora followed Scath through the wall of fog. As soon as they reached the other side, Nora halted. She stared at the small pack of Direwolves and took a deep breath before catching up with Liam again. Then, she noticed the giant golden tree in the center of the clearing. It took her breath away in a completely different way than the wolves. Mouth agape, she gawked at the sheer size and beauty of the tree. Hardly able to look away from it, she skipped over to Liam, grabbed his sleeve, and asked, “Is that an Elder Tree?”

“Pretty sure I heard it called that. Why do you ask?” Liam replied.

Blinking, Nora stared at him and asked, “Do you not know anything about them?”

“Not really,” Liam said, sitting down on the log next to his firepit. “Feel free to enlighten me later.”

“They are the gods of the forest, Liam.”

“I feel like I’ve heard you say something about those before.”

Too preoccupied with the tree to notice the pack of Direwolves forming a semi-circle around the firepit, Nora said, “I kind of… um… left before learning much about it, but I’m sure some Beastkin tribes would do some crazy things if they found out about this.”

“Well, good thing they don’t know about her, then,” Liam said.

“Her?” Nora asked, tilting her head while furrowing her brows in confusion. Then, a tap on her shoulder startled her, causing the fur on her back to stand on end. In response to the sudden intrusion of her personal space, she hopped to the other side of Liam in a display that reminded him of the first time they met.

The one who tapped Nora’s shoulder smiled pleasantly and said, “He refers to me, young lady.”

Eyes darting back and forth between Liam and the unfamiliar woman, Nora asked, “Who is she?”

“I am Gardenia, young lady,” the woman answered, curtsying gracefully. “May I ask your name?”

“Nora…” she answered. Although she almost gave her full given name like usual, she settled on using the shortened version Liam had given her this time around.

Gardenia gazed curiously at Nora for a few moments before smiling gently and saying, “Just so you know, I am no god.”

“...You’re the Elder Tree?”

“I suppose that’s what I am now…” Gardenia muttered, gazing into the distance with a sorrowful look in her eye. Then, returning her attention to Nora, she said, “Your people have always been quick to worship powerful entities.”

“So, Gardenia,” Liam said, “I’ve got a visitor that wanted to meet the Direwolves. Scath seemed okay with him, but I thought I’d get your opinion as well.”

“Hmm? You wish to be careful in who you bring here?” Gardenia asked. “How kind.”

“Mhm… well, is it fine to bring him in?”

“Of course. I can always erase his memories of me if necessary,” Gardenia answered, smiling innocently. The fact she spoke of such a thing so nonchalantly sent shivers down Liam’s spine.

“Alright, I’ll bring him in, then…” Liam muttered, standing from his makeshift bench.

While Liam left to grab Doran, Nora suddenly realized she was left alone with a pack of giant wolves. Eyeing them warily, she sat on the log, the fur on her back standing on end out of instinct. All of them were powerful. A single glance made her realize even the smallest of them would be capable of chasing her down with ease.

“You seem rather uncomfortable around these children, Nora,” Gardenia said, taking a seat next to the beastkin woman.

“It’s a normal reaction for my tribe… Never been good with wolfkin or anything.”

“It was not like that in the past,” Gardenia nostalgically replied. “All of you got along rather splendidly.”

“Uh… how long ago was that?”

“Probably a long time.”

One of the younger-looking Direwolves with only gray fur approached Nora and sniffed her hand. In response, she whipped her hand away from its damp nose and scooted away from it. The wolf tilted its head in confusion, tongue hanging from its mouth.

“That one is named Percival, courtesy of Liam,” Gardenia mentioned.

“Liam named it?” Nora asked in surprise. “He doesn’t seem the type to do such a thing.”

“Perhaps,” Gardenia replied, “but sometimes there are many facets to a person you will never learn even if you spent an eternity with them.” She spoke as one who experienced such a thing in the past.

Unsure of what to say, Nora simply kept a wary gaze on the Direwolf sitting within arm’s reach. Moments later, Liam returned with Doran in tow. The green-eyed man gawked at the giant tree in silent awe. Then, when he noticed the Direwolves, his eyes lit up even more.

When Gardenia saw him, she stood, curtsied, and said, “Welcome to my abode.”

Immediately, Doran’s eyes were drawn to the woman. He briefly stumbled over his words as he awkwardly attempted a return greeting. “Go- good to meet you…” He muttered, attempting a bow yet failing miserably. Nora ended up staring at the man wondering if he was truly the same unbending leader of the Thieves Guild.

Smiling, Gardenia turned toward Liam and said, “I believe it will be fine to have him around.”

No kidding… didn’t peg him as the awkward type before… Liam thought.

“Also,” Gardenia spoke, “his hair and eyes are green. It means he is likely descended from another Elder Tree.”

“Eh?!” Nora exclaimed in surprise, suddenly forgetting about the Direwolves.

Is that supposed to be important or something? Liam wondered while taking his seat on the log next to Nora.

“Excuse me, yes, the main branch of my family is descended from Las Floras.”

Gardenia blinked. “I apologize, but I don’t know any of the other Elder Trees.”

“Ah, I see…” Doran muttered, regaining his composure. Well, he regained it temporarily until one of the Direwolves approached him. It was the same one that acted disinterested when Liam named Percival and Gaheris. At first, Doran gazed at the beast in surprise until it sat right in front of him. It looked at him with the same stern gaze as usual. However, Doran’s brows furrowed as he asked it, “You have the same patterns… aren’t you the one I met in the woods a few years ago?”

The Direwolf nodded, still sitting there stoic as ever. Doran’s lips cracked into a smile.

“It seems he knows one of them, Liam,” Gardenia said.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Liam muttered.

Looking at Liam, Doran asked, “Does this one have a name?”

“No,” Liam answered, “but I thought about naming him Lamorak.”

The Direwolf briefly looked back at Liam before returning its attention to Doran.

“Do you… want me to choose a name or something?” Doran asked it.

Again, the Direwolf nodded slightly.

Raising a brow, Doran asked, “What did that name Lamorak mean?”

“It’s just the name of a knight in a story from when I was young. Strong but temperamental character.”

“It sounds good to me…” Doran muttered. “Lamorak. It certainly sounds like a tough name.”

The Direwolf stood, shook its body, and wandered to the rear of the group. It lied down there with contentment visible in its silver eyes.

Watching the beast, Liam asked, “When did you meet it, Doran?”

“A few years ago. Not exactly a long story, but not an exciting one either. I honestly didn’t expect it to still be alive.”

“I’d be curious to hear about it over some drinks later,” Liam said.

“So… are we going to do hunting or whatever?” Nora asked.

Liam nodded.