Footprints in the Snow

The chill of the north did not fade, even as the sun slowly rose behind the mountain peaks. The stony road before us led straight into the far reaches of the unknown, piercing through a land that had been left untouched for generations.

Our horses moved slowly, careful of the frozen earth. Every step crunched against brittle twigs, adding a haunting rhythm to the silence that pressed on us.

Every so often, I glanced at Lucan, who rode slightly ahead of me. His shoulders were tense, his eyes scanning our surroundings like a predator expecting an attack from every shadow.

"Do you smell something?" I asked quietly.

He only turned to me for a moment. "Only the wind. But I will not lower my guard."

The tone of his voice sent a shiver down my spine.

**

After an hour through the mist, we reached a narrow road between steep cliffs. The northern wind bit into my bones, so cold that every breath turned into a white wisp.

I pulled my cloak tighter around me, fighting off the chill.

"Is there really a settlement out here like on the map?" I asked, my voice uncertain.

Lucan looked to the north, far beyond what I could see. "Once, this was the center of a Luna clan. Before… the betrayal."

I swallowed hard. The word betrayal weighed heavy in the air.

"That clan was destroyed, frozen by the blood of its own leader. You'll see it for yourself soon enough," he added, his tone flat.

We kept moving until we reached the edge of a dense pine forest. The sunlight barely filtered through the branches, casting a silver glow on the snowy ground.

My horse faltered when a strange sound rose from the trees. It was not the sound of an animal. It was… weeping.

I strained to hear. "Lucan, do you hear that?"

He raised his hand to silence me. His entire face went rigid, his ears shifting slightly — the instincts of a wolf responding faster than any human could.

"Something is near," he growled softly.

Soon, out of the trees stepped a hooded figure in gray. Its movements were unnatural, swaying like it was about to collapse under its own weight.

I held my breath, my fingers gripping the hilt of my mother's dagger at my waist.

Lucan dismounted slowly. "Don't move," he warned me.

The figure kept coming closer. I could see its pale face, empty eyes. But on its skin, strange marks burned faintly red, like cracks of the moon's power.

"Is it… human?" I whispered.

Lucan let out a low growl. "Not anymore."

The figure stopped in the middle of the road, staring at us with a lifeless expression. Then it opened its mouth, and the sound that came out was like ice shattering.

"Luna heir…"

I shivered. "Is it speaking to me?"

Lucan stood protectively in front of me, though I knew no shield could block magic this deep. "Be careful. It's a messenger."

A messenger? From who?

I took half a step forward, pushing back my fear. "What do you want from me?"

The creature raised its hand, and a dark red glow formed in its palm. That light pulsed, then drifted toward me through the cold air.

My heart thundered, but something told me not to resist.

The light struck my chest, sinking into my skin, sending chills through my bones. Suddenly, visions tore through me—

Ruins.

Cracked stones.

Snow stained red with blood.

And in the center, a woman with long hair, collapsed, surrounded by black shadows like tangled roots.

I gasped, dragging in a shaky breath as the vision ended.

"Who was that?" I asked, my voice faint.

Lucan looked grim. "Perhaps… the last Luna who tried to stand here."

The hooded figure began to tremble, as if unable to hold the energy flowing through it. The cracks in its skin split wider until its entire body shattered like glass, blowing away on the wind.

I froze, clutching my chest where the glow had entered.

"Why did it show me that?"

Lucan stepped closer, meeting my gaze. "Because you are the heir. And they're all waiting for you to finish what they could not."

His words struck me like a hammer.

I never asked for this.

But deep inside, a small spark of resolve began to grow.

If they had placed their hope on me,

then I had to survive — and fight.

This journey was only just beginning, and I could feel the path ahead would be darker than anything I'd ever known.

But I was not alone.

I turned to Lucan, still standing firmly by my side, eyes locked on the road north.

Maybe… even if he had not said it yet, he believed in me.

And for the first time, I felt like I could believe in myself, too.

We paused for a moment at the edge of a frozen river. Its flow was barely visible beneath the cracked ice, reflecting the dull winter light like a dead mirror.

Lucan dismounted, scanning the bank for tracks. His eyes sharpened, catching a faint trace on the breeze.

"Someone passed through here recently," he said tensely.

I stepped down as well, carefully planting my boots on the icy ground. "Human?"

He shook his head. "Not human. But not a true wolf either."

I felt a chill creep up my spine. "What does that mean?"

Lucan hesitated, then turned to me with a troubled look. "Sometimes, the creatures of the north… change. Luna blood left in this land twists things."

I swallowed hard, trying to bury the fear.

"I have to see it for myself," I whispered.

Lucan studied me for a long moment. "If you feel unready—"

"I can't turn back," I cut him off. "I didn't come this far to run away."

A strange look crossed his face — half-pride, half-worry — and he nodded.

We crossed the river over a narrow wooden bridge, its old planks creaking under our weight. Beyond it, the pine forest grew even thicker, strangling what little sunlight remained.

My throat felt tight, breath short, as though the entire forest wanted to swallow me whole.

"Are you afraid?" Lucan's voice startled me.

I turned to him quickly. "Afraid… yes, of course. But I'm more afraid of not trying."

He only nodded, then led his horse onward.

Deeper in the woods, we heard other sounds. Not weeping, not howling — whispers.

Thousands of voices seemed to echo through the branches, speaking in a language I could not understand.

My fingers clutched the dagger at my waist, and I felt a faint vibration of magic in my palms.

"Don't let your breath falter," Lucan warned. "Do not give them a path into your mind."

I nodded, fighting to stay focused.

Then we saw it — a half-crumbled stone archway, wrapped in black, frostbitten vines like scorched roots.

Above its keystone, the symbol of the moon was carved, cracked straight down the center.

"This… this was once Luna land?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Lucan's gaze was dark, haunted. "Yes. They ruled here, once. Until they were betrayed."

My chest tightened. Imagining a whole clan wiped away by treachery made my own pain seem small.

We stepped into what remained of the settlement. Ghostly shadows of wooden homes peeked through the snow, silent and half-buried like forgotten graves.

In the center of the village square stood a stone monument, cracked and weatherworn yet still standing. I approached it slowly.

The carving showed a woman with long hair, standing beside a white wolf. Her eyes had been sculpted with an expression of kindness, and on her chest lay the symbol of a perfect moon.

"Who was she?" I asked, my breath shallow.

Lucan stood beside me. "The last Luna who tried to protect this place. Her true name is lost, but the north called her the Snow Queen."

Snow Queen. The words stung my heart.

"And she failed to save them?" I whispered.

Lucan lowered his head. "She fought until her own blood froze into this land."

A cold shiver spread through me, unsure if it was from the wind or the horror of it all.

I reached out and touched the stone carving, feeling a strange warmth seep into my fingertips. It made my eyes sting with tears.

I knew that here, hundreds of spirits were waiting for someone to finish their story.

"They're waiting for me," I whispered.

Lucan turned to me, his eyes sharp. "You don't have to carry all of their burdens, Elara."

"But who else will?" my voice cracked.

He stepped closer, gentler now. "At least let me walk with you. You do not have to stand alone."

I swallowed hard, fighting the tears.

"I don't know how to lead them," I confessed.

Lucan's voice was steady. "You will learn. And I will guard you."

For the first time, I believed him.

Maybe I wasn't ready.

Maybe I was still broken.

But with Lucan at my side, somehow the shadows of the past did not feel as terrifying.

I turned back toward the ruined village, whispering a prayer in my heart for the souls who might still be trapped here.

I swear, I promised silently, I won't let your memories be wasted.

And deep in my chest, the Luna blood pulsed — not just calling me, but strengthening me.