Chapter 18 - Paths unseen

Chapter 18: Paths Unseen

The night was still thick with tension when Ymir returned to the village. She moved quickly but not recklessly, ensuring she wasn't followed. The encounter in the woods lingered in her mind—the wolves, their sheer size, their unnatural patience. They hadn't acted like mere beasts.

She adjusted her cloak as she approached the village's perimeter. The torches burned low, casting flickering shadows against the wooden fences. A lone guard stood watch near the entrance, his grip tightening on his spear when he noticed movement.

Ymir stepped forward just enough for the dim light to catch her face.

"It's me."

The guard exhaled sharply, lowering his weapon. "You're back." He glanced over her shoulder at the darkened forest. "Did you see them?"

"Yes."

His face darkened. "How close?"

"Close enough," Ymir said. "They have supplies, weapons, and numbers. They're not a small scouting party. If they move on this village, it won't be a raid—it'll be an occupation."

The guard swallowed hard but nodded. "The elders need to hear this."

Ymir didn't need to be told twice. She moved past him and toward the central gathering hall, Ember floating beside her.

"They'll panic," he mused.

"They should," Ymir replied. "They don't stand a chance if they try to fight."

Ember tilted his head. "And yet, I doubt they'll just roll over and let themselves be taken."

Ymir didn't answer. She knew it was true. Fear had a way of making people do foolish things.

Inside the hall, the elders were still gathered, though their earlier arguments had died down to grim contemplation. When Ymir entered, all eyes turned to her.

She didn't waste time.

"Marley's force is large," she began. "Too large for this village to handle. If they come, you won't stop them."

Murmurs spread through the room, some voices rising in protest, others sinking into quiet dread. The eldest among them, a man with sharp eyes and graying hair, leaned forward.

"You're certain?"

"Yes."

Silence.

Then, another voice—one of the younger men, his jaw tight. "Then what do you suggest? We just abandon our home?"

"If you stay, you'll lose more than your homes," Ymir said bluntly. "You'll lose your lives."

A woman at the table frowned. "Even if we run, where do we go? Marley controls the land beyond these forests."

Ymir hesitated. She knew the truth in her words. There was no easy escape.

The eldest man tapped his fingers against the wooden table, deep in thought. "Perhaps there is another way."

All eyes turned to him.

He glanced toward Ymir. "You scouted the soldiers—did you see any weaknesses?"

Ymir thought back to the camp. The supplies at the center, guarded but not overly so. The scattered placement of their men. The wariness at the presence of wolves.

"They're cautious," she said. "They don't know the land well. And they're afraid of something in the forest."

The elders exchanged glances.

"The wolves," one murmured.

Ymir nodded. "They're big. Bigger than any I've seen before. And they weren't acting like normal animals."

A man near the end of the table, his face lined with worry, spoke hesitantly. "You think they could be used against the soldiers?"

A heavy silence followed.

It was a risky idea. Animals, no matter how large or intelligent, were unpredictable. But the wolves hadn't attacked her. They had watched, waited.

The eldest elder finally spoke. "If there's a chance they can be turned against our enemy, we must consider it."

Ymir didn't argue.

She had seen what those wolves could do. If they became a threat to the soldiers, it might buy the village enough time to escape.

"We should move quickly," she said. "If Marley decides to advance, we won't have warning."

The elders nodded, though unease still lingered in their expressions.

As the meeting ended, Ymir stepped outside, Ember floating beside her.

"You're really going to try and befriend a pack of wolves?" he asked, amusement in his voice.

Ymir exhaled. "I don't know what I'm doing yet."

Ember smirked. "That makes two of us."

She ignored him, glancing toward the tree line. The village's torches flickered, casting long shadows against the trees.

Somewhere out there, the wolves were waiting.

And she had to find them.