Denali, Alaska – 18XX

The land stretched vast and untamed, a frozen expanse where jagged pines clawed at the sky and the wind carried the whisper of something ancient. Snow blanketed the earth in an unbroken sheet, save for the deep scars left by hunting trails and the restless movement of the pack. Above, the first stars flickered in the dying light, their glow faint against the lingering warmth of dusk.

Not far from the cliffside den, where her sisters remained under the watchful eyes of Aldric, Freya stumbled forward, catching herself before she hit the icy ground. A scoff sounded behind her.

"Go hunt by yourself," Varik sneered, shaking his thick coat free of snow. "Let’s see if you’re worth the food you take."

Freya steadied herself, rolling her shoulders. "At least I don’t waste my breath barking orders while others do the real work."

Varik’s lips curled, his hackles bristling. He took a step forward, eyes sharp with warning. "Say that again."

Before he could lunge, Kodi blocked his path with a firm shoulder. "Enough. She’ll be fine on her own. Let’s go."

Varik snorted but didn’t press further. With a final glare, he turned and padded off, disappearing into the growing dark. Kodi followed, though his hesitation was clear. He didn’t look back.

Freya exhaled, shaking off the weight of their presence. She turned toward the open wilderness, stepping into the quiet embrace of the coming night.

As she walked, the sharp edges of the world softened. The sky deepened into indigo, and the stars emerged in full, blinking into place like scattered embers. A mist curled around the distant trees, weaving through the frostbitten branches, carrying with it the scent of something old and distant.

She lifted her head, eyes tracing the constellations, their slow shimmer against the void.

"Are you watching, Mother?" she murmured, her breath a wisp of white against the cold air. "Do you see what’s become of us?"

Silence answered, but the stars seemed to burn just a little brighter.