Inklings

The air was crisp and cool as they walked side by side, their fingers entwined, the tension from their earlier conversation lingering but softened. The forest embraced them, and for a moment, the world seemed peaceful.

Kael broke the silence, his voice calm but probing. "Speaking of the past…" He glanced at her, his expression thoughtful. "Do you know anything about yours? Where you came from?"

Nova hesitated, her steps faltering slightly. "Not much," she admitted. "My parents—well, my adoptive parents—were always vague whenever I asked. They said I just appeared one day, left on their doorstep like something out of a bad movie."

Kael's brow furrowed. "No note? No clue about who left you?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. They always worried that whoever left me must have been in some kind of trouble, like they were running from something or hiding me for a reason. I eventually dropped it."

Kael was quiet for a moment, then said, "Your transformation—it's not like anything I've ever seen. The flames, the markings…it was unbelievable."

Nova frowned, her thoughts swirling. "I don't know why it happens. Athena hasn't mentioned anything."

Kael stopped abruptly, turning to face her. "Athena?"

She blinked at him, confused by his sudden change in tone. "Yeah, my wolf. Athena."

Kael raised an eyebrow, his expression thoughtful. "You gave her that name?"

Nova hesitated. "Not exactly. It's just… what she told me to call her."

Kael's gaze lingered on her, and she could almost see the wheels turning in his mind. "That's… unusual," he said finally. "Most wolves don't share their names so freely. It's almost like…"

He trailed off, shaking his head as though dismissing the thought.

"Like what?" Nova pressed, curiosity piqued.

Kael hesitated, his jaw tightening. "Nothing. It's probably nothing."

Nova narrowed her eyes at him but let it drop, turning her gaze back to the path ahead. "Athena hasn't told me much about herself, anyway. She's more… intinuative, I guess. A lot of what she says feels like riddles."

Kael gave a small, humorless laugh. "Wolves can be like that. They're elusive, and there's always something deeper going on beneath the surface."

Nova studied him, her golden eyes narrowing. "You've never mentioned your wolf."

Kael stiffened slightly but didn't stop walking. "No, I haven't."

"Why not?" she asked, slowing down.

His jaw tightened further. "Because he's not like yours. Our relationship is… complicated."

"Complicated how?" she pressed.

Kael stopped walking, turning to face her fully. "He's… quieter," he admitted after a moment. "I don't hear him often, and when I do, it's usually not to offer advice or comfort. He tends to just ridicule me."

Nova frowned, sensing there was more to the story. "What's his name?"

Kael hesitated again, his expression guarded. "Fenrir."

Nova's brow furrowed, the name tugging at something deep in her memory. "That sounds familiar."

Kael smirked faintly, though there was no humor in it. "It should. It's a name that carries weight in our world, even if most only know it as a myth."

Nova tilted her head, trying to piece together what he wasn't saying. "So… what does it mean?"

Kael's gaze darkened, and for a moment, he seemed lost in thought. "Fenrir is a god in Norse mythology," he said finally. "He helps set the world aflame and brings the collapse of humanity."

Nova stared at him wide-eyed, her curiosity burning, but his expression made it clear he didn't want to say more. She filed the name away, a seed of unease planting itself in her mind.

Kael exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "We'll talk more about it later. For now, we need to focus on getting somewhere safe."

Nova nodded, though her thoughts continued to race. She wasn't sure what to make of his words—they left more questions than answers. 

As they walked, the silence between them grew heavier, the weight of their conversation pressing on her chest.

"Kael," she ventured after a while, her voice softer now. "Do you… ever wonder if there's more to all of this? To us?"

Kael didn't answer immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the path ahead, his steps steady but measured. "Every day," he admitted finally. "But wondering doesn't change the reality we live in. Whatever else is out there—whatever answers we think we'll find—comes with its own dangers."

"Maybe," Nova said, her brow furrowing. "But isn't it worth knowing? If there's something… bigger connecting us, doesn't that mean it matters?"

Kael slowed his pace, glancing at her. "You're not afraid of what you'll find?"

Nova hesitated, her fingers tightening around the edges of her cloak. "I think I'm more afraid of not knowing."

Kael's lips quirked in a faint smile, though his eyes held a shadow of sadness. "You remind me of someone I used to know."

"Who?" Nova asked, tilting her head.

He shook his head, his expression closing off. "Someone who believed answers could fix everything. But answers don't come without a price, Nova. Remember that."

Nova frowned but didn't press further. The unease in her chest refused to fade, and the name Fenrir echoed in her mind like a haunting refrain. She could feel Athena stirring faintly, a quiet presence in the back of her thoughts, but her wolf said nothing. It was as though Athena, too, was waiting for something.

As the forest began to thin, Kael stopped abruptly, his gaze scanning the area. "We'll camp here for the night," he said, his tone all business now.

Nova glanced around, taking in the area. It was quiet, with a small stream nearby and enough tree cover to keep them hidden. She nodded absentmindedly, her thoughts continued to spiral, questions buzzing like static in her mind.

When they finally settled in, Nova glanced at Kael. His features were illuminated in the flickering light, sharp and unreadable, but there was something about his demeaner that made her chest ache.

"Kael," she said softly, drawing his attention.

"Yeah?" he replied, his voice quieter now, less guarded.

"Thank you," she said, her words simple but genuine. "For… everything."

Kael's gaze softened, and for a moment, the weight he carried seemed to lift. "You don't have to thank me, Nova." He reached out, taking her hand, pulling her into his lap, and rest his head on her chest.

She smiled, blushing faintly, her heart steadying. "Maybe not. But I mean it."

Kael smiled faintly, and as he looked up at her, something unspoken passed between them—a fragile understanding.

The night deepened, the forest alive with the soft sounds of nocturnal life. Nova lay down next to Kael, her eyes fixed on the stars above, her thoughts drifting. Somewhere out there, the truth awaited her—about Kael, about herself, and about the strange, ancient forces that seemed to have intertwined their fates.

She didn't know what the answers would bring, but one thing was certain: she wouldn't face them alone.