Black Wildwood is a beautiful forest, despite the chilling stories of monsters that inhabit it.
Like a deadly trap, it lures you in before swallowing you whole.
It is a dense forest, deceptively quiet. Kaer feels hidden gazes tracking his intentions, though the atmosphere does not fill him with the sensation of being prey.
Kaer has noticed the absence of any trails. Rather, his own imagination is what creates the sounds and shadows.
Kaer stopped and called out loudly:
"I seek Lyra Swiftclaw. Lyra Swiftclaw. Lyra Swiftclaw."
A woman appeared, accompanied by three men.
The alpha female of the Lycan pack radiates power and certainty. Her features and bearing blend human traits with those of a wolf. Across her shoulders she wears an elegant predator's pelt, covering her powerful hands. Her claws are long and sharp, resembling deadly weapons. Her eyes and pointed ears seem connected to the very life of the forest.
With graceful movements, the woman approaches Kaer. She circles him several times and inhales his scent.
"Who are you, stranger, and where did you hear the name you called out?"
"My name is Kaer. I was raised by the warrior Syberta, and I came here at the urging of an old man."
"Does this old man have a name?"
"Berntunn," Kaer answered.
"What exactly did this Berntunn tell you?"
"To come here and seek out my past."
They ventured deep into the forest and then, through a secret entrance, arrived at a cave. They settled comfortably.
Lyra wept for a long time. Then she pulled Kaer into her arms.
"You are my son. I don't even need to check the mark on your chest, on the left side. I was hunting when the village was attacked and you were taken. I searched for you for a very long time after that, but in vain. I learned that you had gone to some merchants. I didn't find you because you were already with Syberta."
Kaer had little to say; he was overwhelmed with emotion.
"Do you have the power of magic? Your father was a great Invoker. A very powerful one."
They had enough time to share their lives with each other, filling the gaps of years lost.
"Do you have the power of magic?" Lyra asked again, studying him carefully.