It was the time of twilight when Haruto woke up with a start, his body drenched in sweat and his breathing ragged. He couldn't calm himself; his mind was still stuck in the dream he had just had.

The fragments of the dream were still replaying in his mind like a haunted movie. He saw that white handkerchief with a strange emblem, a world engulfed in flames, a baby’s wails, and the urgent whispers of a woman holding him close.

He felt a soft touch on his face before his perspective changed, and the warmth he was feeling shifted to a different body temperature. Then he saw the face of the woman who had been speaking earlier. She was an enchanting beauty, with straight raven hair adorned with a beautiful silver tiara. She was still speaking to the other lady holding him, but he couldn't understand her words, as she was speaking a strange language he had never heard before. He only understood two names before the lady disappeared into the inferno.

“Alaric”

"Selene"

Haruto’s face contorted in anguish as he clutched his heart. Tears dripped from his eyes as he called out into the vanishing darkness, "Mom!"

--------

Tendo woke up at dawn, his eyes heavy with dark circles from lack of sleep. Despite his fatigue, his excitement was palpable. He laced up his shoes and took a refreshing run through the woods, the crisp morning air invigorating his senses. After the run he took a quick shower and headed downstairs to find Asahi busy in the kitchen, the savory aroma of breakfast filling the air.

"Up already? Come have breakfast, and then we'll hit the road," Asahi said with a smile.

Tendo dug into his breakfast, savoring the flavors. As Asahi packed their luggage into the car, Tendo's excitement gave way to confusion. "Hey, aren't we hiking? Why the car?"

Asahi patiently explained, "We'll drive to Ren's house, pick up Haruto, and then head to Ravenwood forest. From there, we'll continue on foot."

Tendo's face fell, his disappointment evident. "You never mentioned this yesterday. I thought we'd be hiking, camping, and cooking in the woods."

Asahi placed a reassuring hand on Tendo's shoulder. "I know, but there are three pack territories between ours and the Blue Moon pack. We can't just cross through their lands uninvited; we need to respect their boundaries. Although we're not enemies with the first two packs, our ties aren't strong enough to warrant a casual crossing. We'll drive through their territories and then, starting from Raven Fury pack territory, with which we have a friendly alliance and strong ties, we'll hike on foot. I've already informed their Alpha of our plans, and they agreed to our crossing. From Raven Fury, it's a two-days journey on foot to the Blue Moon pack, and you'll have all your adventure during those two days of hiking and camping in the woods."

Although the driving part somewhat dampened Tendo's mood, he reignited his spirit when he heard that they could have two days for camping in the woods. Besides, they were still going for one week of adventure, and that was more than enough.

After picking up Haruto from his home, they hit the road. 

"The Wolves" by Ben Howard blasted through the car speakers at full volume. Tendo stood up through the open roof, his hair ruffling in the wind and his eyes closed in pure bliss. The music and the rush of the wind melded together in perfect harmony, invigorating his senses. Haruto, who had been quiet and withdrawn that morning, couldn't help but smile at Tendo's infectious enthusiasm. As they sped along, the scenery outside became a blur of greens and browns. Haruto felt like he was starting a new journey in his life. He thought it was something senseless, but at the same time, it somehow made sense. Haruto's gaze drifted from Tendo to the passing landscape, his expression reflecting many mysteries and wonder for this new world or a new journey.

As the car sped down the winding road, Haruto's thoughts kept returning to the dream. Alaric and Selene—those names seemed to echo in his mind. He knew deep down that this dream was more than just a figment of his imagination. It felt real, almost as if it were a memory rather than a mere dream.

Noticing Haruto's distant expression, Tendo nudged him gently. "Hey, Hyung. You alright? You've been distracted lately."

Haruto blinked, snapping back to the present. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just feeling a bit tired. I couldn't sleep well last night."

Tendo nodded sympathetically. "I get it. I was too excited to sleep much either."

At that moment, Tendo remembered the handkerchief he had forgotten to mention to Asahi. The excitement of the trip had pushed it to the back of his mind, but now he realized its importance. He made a mental note to discuss it with Asahi as soon as they had some spare time during the trip.

As they made their way toward Ravenwood forest, the atmosphere in the car was electric with anticipation. Conversations flowed easily, interspersed with laughter and the occasional burst of song as the group enjoyed the journey.

When they finally arrived at the edge of Raven Fury pack territory in the evening, they were met by the Alpha himself, a tall, imposing figure named Kael. He greeted them warmly, his presence commanding respect.

"Welcome," Kael said, his voice deep and resonant. Asahi stepped forward, meeting Kael with a firm handshake and a respectful nod.

"It's good to see you again, Alpha Kael," Asahi said warmly.

"The pleasure is mine," Kael replied. "You honor us with your visit. Please, come and join us for dinner. It would be our privilege to host you."

Asahi shook his head politely. "Thank you for the generous offer, Alpha Kael, but we must decline this time. Our journey is on a tight schedule. We need to return soon for the upcoming Lycanthrope festival."

Kael nodded in understanding. "I see. The festival preparations must be demanding. Very well, but please know that you are always welcome here. If you need anything during your stay in the forest, do not hesitate to call upon us."

"Thank you, Alpha Kael. We appreciate your hospitality," Asahi replied with a grateful smile.

With a final nod from Kael, they set off on foot into the dense forest. The canopy above cast dappled shadows on the forest floor, and the air was thick with the rich earthy scent. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds, creating an atmosphere both serene and mysterious.

They continued their trek, the forest gradually becoming denser and more foreboding. As the sun began to set, casting an eerie glow through the trees, they decided to set up camp for the night. The group worked together efficiently, pitching tents and starting a fire.

As they sat around the crackling fire, the conversation turned to the legends and mysteries of these interconnected forests. The flames cast flickering shadows on their faces, adding to the atmosphere of intrigue.

"Tomorrow, after covering Ravenwood forest, we'll enter Tenebrous Forest," Asahi began, his voice low and serious. "That's a very mysterious place, filled with legends. Folks around here say that the deeper parts of the woods are home to strange creatures they call 'Night Terrors.' These creatures supposedly feed on people's souls. People avoid going too deep into Tenebrous, and those who do often never come back."

Tendo's eyes widened with concern. "Then why are we going into such a dangerous forest?"

Asahi leaned back, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. "The path we're taking skirts the edge of the deepest parts. After taking this route, we will enter Pine Cone Forest, the territory of the Blue Moon pack. Pine Cone is the most beautiful forest around here. It drizzles most of the time, and there's always a rich earthy smell of rain and pine cones. The forest is a habitat for a variety of medicinal plants and is filled with natural essences that are very good for our bodies, especially for you, Tendo. You can absorb a lot of natural essence while staying there; it will be good for your body."

Tendo's mind stopped working when he heard about rain and pine cones. His thoughts took him back to the fresh rain and pine cones scent on the handkerchief, and he didn't hear the rest of what Asahi was saying.

 Then he shook off that feeling and said lightly, "I don't like rain and wet earthy smells," though he wasn't sure if what he was saying was even true.

 Asahi noticed Tendo's distraction and raised an eyebrow. "I know you like to bask in sunshine, but I'm sure you will love this place."

 Tendo forced a smile, trying to push the thoughts of the handkerchief out of his mind. "Maybe. We'll see."

 The group fell into a comfortable silence, each person lost in their own thoughts as the fire crackled and popped. The forest around them seemed to grow quieter, as if holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come. The next morning, they broke camp early, eager to continue their journey. The forest around them was silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves. As they walked, the dense foliage of Ravenwood gradually gave way to the darker, more ominous surroundings of Tenebrous Forest.

The atmosphere changed palpably. The air grew thicker, the light dimmer. Every snap of a twig or rustle in the bushes set their nerves on edge. Despite the eerie atmosphere, they pressed on, following the path Asahi had carefully mapped out.

Halfway through the forest, they came across an ancient stone marker covered in moss and strange symbols. Haruto felt a shiver run down his spine as he examined it. The symbols looked eerily familiar, like something he might have seen in his fragmented dream.

 "What kinds of symbols are these?" Tendo asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

 Asahi shook his head, deep in thought. "I'm not sure, but it feels like symbols or language of ancient werewolves or some other creatures. I have never seen these symbols before."

At the bottom of all these symbols, they saw the same kind of emblem Tendo and Haruto had seen on the handkerchief. Tendo and Haruto made eye contact, both in tacit understanding that they should find out more about this strange emblem they had encountered recently.

The area of Tenebrous Forest was much larger than the Ravenwood forest, and they were also taking a longer route, skirting the edge of the forest. During their whole day journey in that forest, they engaged in various activities like hiking and fishing in a small ravine.

Asahi led them through a rigorous hiking trail, teaching them how to navigate the dense underbrush and identify safe paths. "Always look for natural landmarks," he explained, pointing to a uniquely shaped rock. "These symbols can guide you back if you get lost. This is the human way, relying on visual markers and mental maps. But we werewolves navigate through our keen sense of smell, tracking scent trails and pheromones and..."

He saw Tendo using a compass for directions and continued, "We can also detect Earth's magnetic field, so we don't have to use a compass like humans, Tendo."

"Yeah, I know, Dad. I'm just trying to experience human life. Besides, Haruto Hyung has not developed his link with his wolf yet, so it's good for him to learn these things," Tendo said.

Asahi nodded, saying, "You are right. Haruto, you will understand these things better when you have a link with your werewolf."

Haruto nodded, absorbing the information. Besides enjoying and learning during this adventure, Haruto thought that all of this was a good distraction from the dream and the emblem.

They continued their hike, with Asahi pointing out various edible plants and demonstrating how to find fresh water. Each lesson was a blend of human survival techniques and werewolf instincts, creating a comprehensive training experience.

As they paused by a clear, bubbling ravine for some fishing, Asahi showed them how to fashion simple fishing lines from the materials they had brought. Tendo, who had never fished before, struggled with it and, in the end, couldn't resist turning into his wolf form, diving into the water, and catching the fish with his sharp teeth.

Asahi and Haruto started laughing at the sight.

The sky started to darken, and they decided to start a bonfire. Asahi began to barbeque the fish, teaching Tendo and Haruto how to cook it properly. The aroma of grilled fish mingled with the fresh forest air, creating a comforting and homely atmosphere.

After having their dinner, they built camp near the ravine and got ready to sleep. The sound of the flowing water provided a soothing background as they settled into their tents.

Haruto lay awake for a while, listening to the gentle murmur of the ravine. The day's activities had worn him out, and he slowly started to drift into sleep.

In the dead of night, he jolted awake to the soft whispering, a gentle caress of words that sent shivers down his spine. The voice was his mother's, her melodic tone weaving a spell that transported him back to his dream. The same language, echoed in his mind, beckoning him to follow. His heart raced as he strained to listen.

Fully awake now, Haruto could still hear the voice, continuously calling him in whispers. He realized it wasn't a dream; the voice was real. He slowly got out of his sleeping bag and stepped outside the camp. The noise of the ravine was overwhelming, and the full moon shone brightly in the sky, reflecting in the clear, bubbling water. Yet, amidst all this noise, he could still hear the light whispers and could tell they were coming from the other side of the ravine. Haruto started to walk towards a small bridge that connected the two sides of the ravine. Haruto's heart raced as he felt an inexplicable pull, his feet moving towards the bridge as if driven by a force beyond his control. His mind screaming warnings, but his body seemed to move of its own accord, drawn to the whispers that grew louder with each step. Haruto started to walk towards a slender, rickety bridge that spanned the ravine, its wooden planks creaking ominously in the wind.

Inside the camp, Tendo woke up with a start. An uneasy feeling churned in his stomach, making sleep impossible. His sixth sense told him something was not right.

Nevalis, why do I feel like this? Is something wrong with this place, or is it just because of Tenebrous Forest?, Tendo asked his wolf.

"Maybe, but look around. Haruto is not in the camp," Nevalis responded.

Tendo frantically looked beside him and saw that Haruto's sleeping bag was empty. He got up and went outside, calling for Haruto. His gaze locked onto the bridge, and his blood ran cold as he saw Haruto's figure disappearing into the darkness, further into the forest's deadly embrace.

Alarm bells rang in Tendo's head. He shouted Haruto's name, but Haruto didn't hear his calls and continued to move forward. Tendo’s panic turned to sheer terror as he dashed  acrossed the bridge and started to run after Haruto, his heart pounding and his anxiety increasing with every second.