ARIA POINT OF VIEW

It had been seven days.

Seven long, hollow days since Shadowfang had declared its Alpha dead.

Time had not moved the way it used to. It dragged and stretched. Each hour felt like walking through water, slow, and suffocating. The castle had settled into mourning rituals, though Cairn had not allowed a full funeral rite without a body.

Still… grief had rooted itself into the walls.

Black banners draped the outer towers. Torches burned lower at night. Warriors spoke ...