Boundaries and Bonds

Kael shifted back into his human form with a fluidity that left Nova breathless. The transformation was no less startling the second time, but what struck her most was the quiet control he seemed to wield over his wolf. He didn't stumble or falter—he simply became.

He pulled on his pants quickly, his hair still damp from the water, and glanced over at Nova. Her wide-eyed stare made him sigh.

"You can stop looking at me like that," he said, brushing dirt off his hands. "It's not as dramatic as it seems."

Nova blinked, startled by his nonchalance. "Not dramatic? You just fought a bear and—and turned into that!"

Kael gave her a faint smirk. "Would you rather I hadn't?"

Her cheeks flushed. "No, I just... I wasn't expecting it."

"Get used to it," he said, his tone softening. "You'll need to learn to do the same."

Nova stiffened at the thought. She couldn't imagine herself transforming into something like Kael's wolf. The memory changing—the chaos, the pain—was still raw, too vivid to ignore.

Kael's expression softened further as he caught the worry in her eyes. "You'll get there," he said. "But you can't let fear stop you from trying. That's when you lose control."

Nova swallowed hard, nodding despite the lump in her throat. She glanced toward the pool, its surface still rippling from the earlier commotion, and tried to shift the conversation.

"Do bears... come here often?"

Kael chuckled, shaking his head. "Not usually. That one probably caught your scent earlier and got curious."

"My scent?" Nova's voice rose slightly, panic creeping in.

Kael nodded, crouching to inspect the edge of the clearing. "Your presence is unnatural, which makes you stand out. Animals can tell when something's different. Your wolf is still... untamed. They sense weakness."

Nova hugged herself, suddenly feeling exposed. "So what do I do? Hide forever?"

"No," Kael said, standing and brushing his hands off. "You learn to mask it, to channel it. That's why I keep telling you to meditate—to find your wolf, connect with it. It's not just a beast. It's you, Nova. And the more you run from it, the harder it'll be to control."

Nova bit her lip, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She turned her gaze to the pool again, its stillness calming her frayed nerves. "I don't know if I can do that," she admitted quietly.

"You can," Kael said firmly. "But it's going to take time."

He moved past her, picking up the satchel from where he had left it. "We can't stay here much longer," he said. "This place isn't safe anymore."

"Because of the bear?" she asked, following him as he started toward the edge of the clearing.

Kael shook his head. "Because of us. Too much noise, too much movement. If I were tracking someone, this would be the first place I'd check."

Nova's stomach twisted at the mention of being tracked. "Are we being hunted?"

Kael didn't answer immediately, which made the silence all the more ominous. "You never know who's out there," he said finally. "Or what."

They walked in silence for a while, the shadows growing longer as the sun dipped lower. Nova's thoughts swirled with everything Kael had said, but one question nagged at her.

"Why are you helping me?" she asked suddenly, her voice cutting through the quiet.

Kael stopped, glancing back at her. For a moment, he seemed to weigh his answer, studying her carefully. "I don't know," he said, his voice quieter. "But there's... something. A connection, maybe. Like I was meant to cross paths with you."

Nova frowned, about to press him further, but he turned and continued walking, the conversation clearly over.