Alder was more than a post where trade and information flowed. It was also a strategic point within the Sea of Grass. Anyone in the village could observe what happened in the surrounding area, which would make any attempt to approach, at least during the day, as useless as wearing bright armour. Where Braunah saw an opportunity to take influence away from Calamity, they couldn't be more sceptical and consider it as entering the lion's lair.

"We don't have precise information to deliberate whether you are right or wrong. All we know is that he is hunting down the Eroder, and we don't plan to waste the situation," Braunah said.

Their relationship had changed since they "agreed" to participate. The wolf remained calm, but she was much blunter than before with her answers. They assumed that it was difficult not to be the only one to give the orders, but even within the pack, Braunah had others, like Flicka, who advised and helped her. They doubted that they had not collaborated with various groups in the past and that it was due, once again, to what they represented.

"We want you to be a distraction," Braunah explained. "If you come and introduce yourself at your entrance, you will not hesitate to go for you. We will take care of attacking your leader as soon as it appears."

For someone as Calamity, maintaining leadership in so many areas and leaving them meant delegating to someone. They ignored whether he would have kept the one Alder had in the past or was new from Ariel's forces, but it would not be complicated to find out because of the magic it would give off. After all, only the one with the most significant force could safeguard it.

"Will we be the distraction?" Blanche said, as dissatisfied as he was with that "idea."

"They would wait for us, not for you," Flicka said.

"We've been together for two days. Anyone can know we share our way and that we will be planning something," said Finnian, biting his lip. "We must be the surprise, not the distraction. And it is not negotiable."

If they were to risk almost as much as the wolves, they too would make the decisions, whether they liked it or not. Nor would they allow Blanche to expose itself to unnecessary danger. Ark's wounds may have healed, and he was close to evolving, recovering its normal appearance, but her partner preferred to be cautious in a situation they had not sought.

"We will fight if it is necessary, but I think now we need to be more subtle," Blanche said.

That is why they would be left behind, with a small number of well-hidden wolves. Their goal? Make sure no reinforcements arrived or caught them in such a way that they could not escape. They marked the area around Arden on their map, calculating the space needed for the pack to communicate without making noise.

"There is probably magic within the town that prevents communication," Braunah said.

"That's why you should use your howling only as a last resort," said Finnian.

"Something like that would alert anyone," Ead added.

Which would start a relentless battle. Finding the leader and recovering the area was the priority, as the rest of their tasks would be less complicated. However, if they failed to locate it…

"We won't," Braunah said. "We will be able to capture this area."

"But if we need it, we have to retreat," Finnian said. "Or would you rather see your pack fall if everything goes wrong?"

"You're a puppy," Braunah said, shaking his head. "One with power, but don't turn me into a brainless elthean."

"We've both shown what we're capable of," Finnian said.

"Although you still don't allow yourself to be persuaded," Braunah said. "The Signer will have an escort, but you refuse to fight by our side."

"He made it clear that he will not share his power with you," Aer intervened, as tired as he was with that situation.

"He can't do it the way you expect," Leith said.

"But that won't stop us from fighting together," Rune added.

"I'll go with them."

He would recognize Nero's voice without any problems, and although the young wolf had barely made a move since his warning, he was never too far away. All the doubts he must have could have been dispelled, as Nero did not hesitate to cross the circle of wolves who were listening to them and reaching to them.

Braunah looked at his son, then observed Flicka, both wolves wordless. Nero shook his head and added:

"I am one of the smallest in the pack. My size will allow me to move without the same problems as the rest and accompany them," said Nero.

"I was referring to a squad, three wolves that could match their power to balance the scales," Braunah said.

"Only for that?" Nero said, and because the wolves raised their ears, it must have been one of those rare occasions where someone would upset their leader.

"Trust is earned. If we want to succeed, we must stop treating ourselves as if we were enemies," Leith said. "Moreover, he is not wrong. It's as stealthy as it is fast."

"It fits with the way we move," Aer said.

"If he wants to participate, we don't see why we should refuse," Finnian said.

Perhaps Nero's crimson look would not be fixed on any of them but remained on his mother, the one who decided. His warning was quite convincing, asking him to take the appropriate measures so that his group would not suffer the consequences. They could not give them what they wanted, but they could accept something like that to have a more civilized treatment.

"You better not make mistakes," Braunah said.

"We don't leave our own behind. If he comes with us, he will do it with everything good and bad," Finnian said.

They would not treat him as expendable nor as a tool. It was not their style, and it was undoubtedly the perfect occasion to give him in the muzzle with a change of attitude. However, perhaps because of a mixture of frustration and being on the other team, there was something that Braunah did not intend to give up: To use the night mantle for their assault.

"If we are going to be the main force, we will do it when we are stronger."

"We didn't expect it to be any different," Aer said, getting the big wolf to snort.

Had they tried her patience too much? They did not want to find out, although they assumed they would soon know.

"Have you stopped to consider why I am a tracker?" Nero said.

"Because you rather work alone?" said Rune, as fast as the rest had thought.

Because being the leader's son, certain things were expected of him. His pack had leaders based on his bloodline but on those who could protect them and guarantee their survival. Nero's expectations went beyond normal, mainly because their size or appearance was as different from those of other wolves as their capabilities.

"We've lost other elthean in the last few weeks and..."

"She doesn't want the same thing to happen to you," Finnian said.

They fought because they had to. It was their world that was on the verge of collapse. Finnian understood that they would not want to leave the work to another when they could make a difference. However, they were at other levels, which was difficult to assimilate.

"We're in this together. We take care of each other," Aer intervened.

"It will be no different with you," Leith assured him.

"I know, as strange as it may sound," Nero said.

A feeling that was not unknown to him. He would have to ask him in the future if everything was planned from the beginning because his instinct told him that neither Braunah nor Flicka had any intention of exposing Nero to them in that way. Perhaps his talk was enough for them to connect, and the wolf wanted to see for himself what his destiny was. After all, they could be making decisions, but aspects of life escaped their control, no matter what age they were.

"Will you be okay?" Finnian said.

"I can defend myself, don't worry," said Blanche, widening her smile by hugging Ark. "I am more concerned about what may happen."

"You can feel it too, don't you?" Finnian said.

It was too much coincidence that they were just going to pass through Arden for it to be a conquered territory without the presence of their master. They had talked about it, and although they agreed that they could not figure out how big that trap would be, wasting such a possibility for fear of what Calamity had prepared would give it more influence than it already had.

"This way, we will see how it behaves. The only thing I know is that he conquers everything in his way, along with his attempts to hunt down the Eroder," Blanche said.

"It is… quirky," admitted Finnian, "wild and civilized at the same time. Or what we could appreciate at our last meeting."

Not to forget that dangerous would be a great way to define that elthean. However, they did not know their fighting' methods, what minions had, and other data. Their time in the Galya gave them rumours, but nothing concrete. Some said that it appeared in each territory with its trailer, and its mere presence made everyone surrender and join in its cause. Others said it was more than four meters, but they saw him and could not be further from reality. What was true, and what was a fantasy? Perhaps it was their own elthean who spread rumours to confuse more and more, and if so, they were accomplishing it.

"Whatever it is, we'll find out tonight," Aer said.

"You know what it means, don't you?" Ead said.

"We will have to rest now that we have the chance!" Leith exclaimed, stretching her body and unfolding her wings.

Because their night could be long or short, depending on how events unfolded, and that uncertainty was what squeezed his chest.

"As for that…." Nero muttered, still with some reluctance to share information with them. "There is something we can do to infiltrate us without problems."

"A plan?"

"More like an idea", replied the wolf, "one I haven't been able to put into practice with anyone else."

What better time to try it than in that preemptive attack?