Shifting Realities and a Shadow's Watch

My breath caught in my throat as two massive shapes emerged from the darkness. Wolves. Not the kind you'd see in a nature documentary—these were enormous, easily the size of small horses. Their eyes glowed in the moonlight, one pair burning with fury, the other watchful and calculating.

The aggressive wolf, darker and slightly larger, snarled and lunged forward. I stumbled backward, tripping over my own feet and landing hard on the cold stone. The impact knocked the wind from my lungs, but terror kept me conscious.

"Stay back!" I shouted, voice trembling.

The wolves circled each other, teeth bared. The protective one—coat so black it seemed to absorb the moonlight—positioned itself between me and the aggressor. They crashed together in a blur of fangs and claws, their growls echoing off the courtyard walls.

My mind raced as I watched them fight. These weren't normal animals. The pieces clicked into place as I remembered the legends I'd just read.