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Often Raon could not avoid remembering his previous life with Rukj. From those early days when, immersed in his world of snow and under the protection of that old cabin, he did not have to worry about ancient legends, or spiritual ties, or fanatical wars, or about death.

Back then they had something that, at the time, Raon missed terribly, something that he would have been willing to give anything for, if he could just recover it.

A routine.

Getting up every morning after a meager but sufficient meal. Going hunting in the morning as the wind gently caressed his skin, looking for some snow rat that was clueless or in the best case, a bird that had landed to rest. Sitting quietly and watching the Borderline in the distance while, stealthy as a lynx, the light of the day faded as it stained everything red putting the Lands of the Beasts into a cold, calm night. Occasionally, Rukj would take a hammer and nail from the cupboard and try to fix the old walls of the cabin, which were starting to feel the effect of time and the Lands' raging winds. Or maybe Raon would bathe in the lake near their cabin, that only thawed in summer and in which the young Human's reflection had been seen many times.

That had been his life. His cabin. His lake. His mornings and afternoons filled with hunting and long walks. His father...

For some strange reason, Raon could not stop from thinking that, during those days, time had stood frozen. Its complex mechanisms had remained still, waiting for someone to arrive and put them back into operation again.

And that someone had been Jarek.

Now, what was left? He could sit indefinitely to bleakly observe, how Raizac's men toiled away hour after hour to remove the rubble from the cave in which they had fought their last battle with Ronod. He could wonder if someday they could fulfill his goal, if they would find Rukj and Jarek alive, or discover Ailec's dead body under the rubble. He could blame himself for what happened, or he could feel self-pity.

But that was not a life.

Raon would have given anything to be able to take a step back; however, now that they had finally escaped Ronod, it seemed the young Human had a new torturer: time.

And it not only tormented him, reminding him of the events over the past few days, that probably would never occur again, but it also slowly consumed his hopes that Rukj and Jarek, the only two things that he was willing to fight for, would return to his side.

-Raon -he heard behind him at that moment.

The youth shook his head, trying to wake up from his dark thoughts, and glanced back briefly. He soon recognized Raizac's silhouette, who watched him with some concern only a few steps away. Raon looked through him as if he was transparent, and then returned his gaze to the rubble in front of him.

The bull let out a dismayed sigh and tilted his head, somewhat worried.

The Human had not moved from that position the entire day. After the rockslide, Raizac's men had come to inform the leader of the caravan about everything that had happened in his absence, from the time that he had been dragged from the cave. The bull was happy about Ronod's death, but the alarming news of Rukj and Jarek's disappearance under the rubble had completely taken him by surprise. Although, knowing Ronod, he should have foreseen that the twisted white lynx would never have gone to the grave without taking someone with him.

Raizac understood Raon perfectly. He understood his impulse to cling to the slightest hope, to the smallest and weakest ray of light that could save him from falling into the shadows. He had felt that way when his own son had been killed by Ronod's archers.

Precisely because of that, he had ordered his men to hurry and remove the fallen rubble as quickly as possible, looking for Jarek and Rukj in the debris. The bull knew that any hope of finding them both alive was slim, but if Raon was willing to continue fighting, Raizac was not willing to leave him behind. Not after everything the Human had to go through to rid them from the threat of the lynx torturer.

Even so, Raon's behavior was worrying him.

Sitting on a small rock at the entrance of the cave, the young Human had been watching Raizac's men work for hours, engrossed in his darkest thoughts without uttering a sound. It almost seemed as if the possibility that his two loved ones had died had killed something inside Raon too.

The bull was afraid that if they did not find his two loved ones, Raon would never be the same again.

-Errr... Raon -repeated the bull, after politely clearing his throat -. Are you all right?

This time, he received no response. Not even a simple movement by the young Human, who continued sitting on the rock in the same position, with legs crossed and arms resting on his knees. It almost seemed as if he had not heard him.

Swallowing nervously, the bull approached him and sat beside him. However, he was unable to articulate a single word, embarrassed by the strange silence that seemed to envelop Raon. Both turned their gaze toward the huge mountain of rubble that, in spite of everything, seemed to have barely diminished since that morning. Raizac's men worked tirelessly, lifting the heavy stones that had fallen from the ceiling and had buried all that could be seen throughout the room. In many cases, these stones were stuck in place, with that strange viscous material which had been converted, melted, from the strange black ropes that seemed to go all over the whole cave as if they were a nest of snakes. When this happened, Raizac's men used a short sword or knife in hand and were engaged in patiently removing the curious sticky material with the edge.

That did not stop them, but delayed their work and, in a way, was a real setback.

Raizac sighed impatiently. He could not wait to see if Rukj and Jarek were still alive. When years ago, he had decided to join up with the small band of Rukj Jirnagherr's defenders and allow them travel in his caravan until they found a safe place, he had also decided to try to help in any way that he could. He did not want to waste his last chance to fulfill that promise.

-They are taking a long time digging, aren't they?

Raon 's voice at his side managed to startle the bull, which gave him a puzzled look.

-It seems that the rocks will never end -the young Human said, tilting his head while biting his lower lip.

Raizac didn't know exactly how to respond. The voice of the young Human sounded so cold and impersonal, as if he was not the least bit affected and was observing the data in a specific limited and objective manner. However, the bull was able to guess, that under that mask of apparent calm, was pain and suffering far greater than he could imagine.

-Well ... yes -the bull replied, rubbing his temple gently with a hoof and letting out a long sigh of exhaustion -. But ... I guess that not very much remains. After all, they have already been at it for several hours. I'm sure Rukj and Jarek will be found soon.

-I hope so.

Raizac deliberately omitted the fact that, when they were found, there was no guarantee that they would still be alive.

-Raon... how are you? Are you okay?

The young Human took a few seconds to respond, yet was extremely attentive to the movement of each of Raizac's men. Finally, he shook his head gently.

-Don't you think you could use something to eat or drink? Rest a bit, at least? -Raizac asked, trying not to raise the tone of his voice too much -. You've had a very hard day... Maybe you should...

-I am willing to rest once I have Rukj and Jarek beside me -Raon replied, without hesitation.

The bull gave him a brief look and discovered that a strange light was kindled in his eyes. If he was looking for the life that was inside of the youth, he had found it. But at that moment, he could not have said if that was good or bad...

-So, would you at least go out to get some fresh air? -he asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

Raon hesitated.

The snow had begun to fall slowly outside of the cave in which the sudden end of Ronod's story had changed them all. The flakes were gently gliding through the air and fell on the roofs of the canvas tents that Raizac had ordered his men to setup at the edge of the cave, and now were extending in all directions without any order. They had not had much time for a better plan, anyway.

-Raon -then asked the bull, as he walked beside him slowly -. What will you do now?

The young Human gave him a confused look, as if he did not quite understand the question. Raizac understood why that was; the "now" of Raon, at that moment depended on too many things.

-I mean what will you do if Jarek and Rukj... are found alive under the rubble.

The youth took a few seconds to answer.

-I guess that's hard to say -he answered eventually - . Until now, I could never decide what to do. When I was a child I lived with Rukj, and he protected me from the rest of the world. The protection was necessary, in a way, because otherwise they would have killed me; but on the other hand, he restrained me. Rukj was controlling my life back then, not me. -Raon paused, shaking his head as if trying to push those thoughts from his mind -. But even Rukj could not protect me forever from Mother Kara's prophecy, I guess. From there, she and her order decided what should be done, what were the steps I should follow and what would be the end of my story.

>>You ask me what I want to do, but I really do not know myself. I'm too used to depending on the decisions of others and, so far, no one has given me the opportunity to decide for myself. I am starting to think that freedom is an annoying and strange feeling when you're not used to it. But still...

Raon paused in silence, not quite knowing how to continue the sentence.

Raizac raised his head, believing he had perceived a change of attitude in the young Human. Just minutes ago, he would not have thought him capable of making such a long speech, knowing the strange silence that he was lost in.

-... even so, I guess the only aspiration I have is to live simply. And for me, life would not be the same without... either of them -the youth's expression became somber as he spoke those words and his voice dropped -. Rukj is my father, my mentor, my guardian; he has taught me everything I know, saved my life as a child and I will be eternally grateful. In contrast, Jarek is my other half -Raon smiled slightly -. I believe, as much as it would hurt me, I could actually bear Rukj's loss. But if Jarek died... part of me would die with him. He is part of my being.

-Is it the link from Mother Kara? -Raizac ventured, feeling the bitterness in the words of the youth and trying to change the subject.

Raon shook his head, but said nothing more.

Raizac watched him from the corner of his eye, without really knowing what else to say to continue the conversation. Now that he had vented, the Human did not seem to be willing to talk any more. Again, his expression had become inscrutable and his eyes looked down, not up. He tried to find something to talk about.

-A few hours ago, they reported that the Human woman had left the caravan -he mentioned after a few seconds -. One of my men surprised her packing a knapsack with some of the provisions we carried with us and heading for the Moors, without any company but her own shadow. I guess she preferred to travel alone, don't you think so?

Raon did not respond.

-Or maybe she did not feel at home among the men of my caravan -continued Raizac, while observing expression of the Human with the hope that a hint of emotion would appear on his face at any moment -. I try to surround myself with the most tolerant of men available to me, but I know a couple of fools who are stuck in their narrow way of thinking that there isn't such thing as a reliable Human... I 'm afraid I cannot control that, anyway.

-Maybe she only wanted to return -Raon murmured, in a faint voice.

-To return? Where?

-I do not know. But I 'm pretty sure she did have a place to return to -the youth continued, with a scowl.

Raizac tried not to press the issue, realizing that nothing would move Raon past the dark and pessimistic mood that seemed to have seized him. Basically, the bull understood the young Human, but he also knew that this attitude would not serve him well as he moved forward with his life.

He had omitted to tell him, however, that his men had located Loki's body, partly buried in the snow, near the vicinity of the cave. The bull had given the order to pick him up and take him with them to then provide a dignified funeral ceremony for the work he had dedicated his life to. And, secretly, one of the reasons that Raizac ordered his men to keep searching in the rubble of the cave was because he had a profound hope of locating the body of his son and to offer him same ritual. He had been slow to understand this, but after so many years traveling around the Lands of the Beasts he had witnessed so many deaths Raizac knew that even though it will cause him much pain, it was all he could do for his son.

Just at that moment, the bull perceived a change in Raon's expression and curiously glanced towards him. After a few seconds, he turned to him and cocked his head, puzzled.

-What is it? -he asked.

He soon found out. From the mouth of the cave one of his men had appeared, who seemed to be looking for him with a strange expression. Raizac soon realized that meant that something had changed.

Meanwhile, Raon did not wait a second before to running towards the cave, with his white fur coat billowing behind him. The bull let out a cry of dismay, alarmed.

-Raon, wait! -he exclaimed, extending a hoof to him.

He was aware that what the young Human might find upon entering could be very different from what he would have liked.

However, Raon did not slow and continued running to enter the cave. The bull sighed and then nodded to a lynx that was not far away.

-Valkir! Make sure that doctors are prepared to deal with seriously injured men as soon as possible! And hurry!

He did not know what Raon would find in the cave but, first and foremost, he wanted to be prepared.

Raon felt as if at any time his heart would explode.

After making his way through the tide of Beasts swarming from side to side in the cavern exchanging shouts and giving each other orders, he had managed to reach the place where, just a few hours earlier, he had cried until his tears had dried. A part of him felt a real urge to go back and cover his eyes to the possibility that things would not go as he had hoped and, after all, he had to prepare himself for the worst. However, the other part insisted violently that he should rush to the spot where he had lost sight of Jarek and Rukj to see if, after all, they had managed to survive the fall.

Unable to wait any longer and trying to contain the runaway beating of his heart, caused by fear and utter anguish, the young Human took a few steps past an enormous wolf that was contemplating what he had under his feet.

What he saw took his breath away.

Raizac's men had to dig a few yards down into the ground to find the place where Rukj and Jarek were semi-buried by the rubble. Their fur was stained with mud, dust, smoke and the strange viscous goo that the black ropes had finished turning into, but at that moment, the youth almost had the feeling that they were glowing themselves.

Rukj, in a last desperate effort to try to save the life of the other wolf, had covered his arm and part of his back, exposing himself to the impact of most of the debris. Therefore he had some ugly wounds that were distributed between his shoulder blades and waist; but luckily, it seemed there was no serious damage in any major areas such as his neck and head.

But Raon, thanks to the black furred wolf, was accustomed to always critically analyzing events in a rational manner, and was able to see beyond the situation and discover that, underneath all that dirt, something that he could not see and it was even more important than the fact that neither of them was seriously injured.

It was the fact that they both were together.

Raon knew that, had it not been for Rukj, Jarek would have probably died under the enormous weight of the rubble. The black wolf must have been aware of that too, and in a selfless gesture that risked his own life, had rushed to protect Jarek. And Raon knew, at that moment, it would not seem very important, but the very fact that Rukj had finally accepted another wolf as someone worthy of protecting was infinitely comforting.

At that time, Raon knew he could never thank him enough.

-Move aside guys! -he then heard a voice behind him, who he quickly recognized as Raizac.

Raon turned on his heels. The leader of the caravan went forward, striding alongside men who were carrying large stretchers that seemed to have been improvised at the last second. The young Human watched them for a few seconds, not knowing how to react, and they finally reached the place where he was at. However, as soon as he saw them collect Jarek and Rukj from the ground and place them on those stretchers, he reached out alarmed.

-Wait! Where are you taking them?

-To the doctors tent -Raizac informed him, casting a quick glance -. They will ensure that they are well...

Raon gave a look of suspicion towards the men accompanying the bull, as if he did not trust them enough to perform that task. But at that moment the voice of one of them caught his attention:

-... it seems they are both still alive. The black wolf has more injuries and is really in a bad state, but the copper wolf will survive without problems. Even so, we must treat them now.

That said, they got up quickly, and with Rukj and Jarek placed on their respective stretchers, heading out of the cave as quickly as the uneven ground full of obstacles allowed.

Raon's eyes followed them uneasily. Although the news that both were still alive had managed to reassure him to some extent, he could not help thinking that, at the time, that Rukj and Jarek's survival depended on men who did not know them at all.

He felt like he had to do something, anything, to help.

Yet, at the same time when he looked up to ask Raizac, he replied emphatically:

-No, Raon.

-But why not?

-These men are professionals. They will know exactly what they have to do for Rukj and Jarek so they will recover.

-But I also know things about medicine! -the Human protested, looking reproachfully at the bull.

Raizac crossed his arms.

-Until now you had to do a lot of things for us as a Link. For once, allow others to help you.

That said, the bull turned around and left the cave, accompanied by several of his men. The few who remained there congratulated each other for the rescue, patting their backs and exchanging words of encouragement.

Raon sighed, feeling helpless.

The night passed without incident or news.

Raon, unable to sleep a wink, spent long hours trying to distract himself in some way with his dagger, drawing little grooves in the freshly fallen snow and blurring them by passing his hand over to start a new drawing below. Somehow, he had the feeling that it was much colder than he felt, but at the time, it did not seem particularly important.

Silently, he could only think of Rukj and Jarek and the fact that both of their lives hung in the balance and that he felt completely out of place at this time, unable to do anything.

Raon never would have thought that being unoccupied was so horrible. Accustomed to always having some task to fulfill, an objective to reach, he now felt empty. And not only was his helplessness killing him inside, but also the uncertainty and anxiety of knowing what happened from that moment on no longer depended on him, but was in the hands of others. The suspense was going to kill him at any moment.

Shortly before dawn had begun to appear, unable to stand doing nothing any longer, he got up and walked over to the edge of the camp, feeling the bitter cold of the Moors cut through his white coat and bite his skin without mercy. However, he tried not to be intimidated by the freezing morning wind and continued moving without stopping once, until he had left the last canvas tent of the camp well behind. While his feet firmly dug in the snowy ground, his fingers closed around the spear he carried on his back in an attempt to stay calm and leave his mind blank.

It did not take him long to spot off in the distance, what he was looking for.

Raon held his breath and crouched under his white fur layer, trying to blend in with the snow. His prey, a big snow rat that was digging in the snow, seemed to perceive the danger and sniffed the air carefully, looking in all directions with his little red eyes. However, Raon was the predator this time and he had assumed that his prey would do something like that. He had positioned facing the wind, so that he could smell the rat but the rat couldn't smell him. It was easy to be a hunter if you remembered those little things, but non-evolved species would never be able to maintain those useful tricks in their mind. That made them easy prey.

Finally, the rat turned his back to Raon and began to walk with short steps; the creature must have assumed that there was no danger. It was a deadly mistake. The boy came out of hiding and pounced on his prey, which let out a shriek of surprise before being pierced by the blade of a spear. Fast and lethal.

The joy that flooded Raon could not be explained in words, but disappeared rapidly as if carried by the wind while the youth hurried to leave his hiding place to pick up his prey. Once he had reached it, there were only the fleeting remnants of the happiness the hunt had given him obtaining that trophy.

Raon crouched beside snow rat snow and observed it closely. There was nothing to differentiate this feat from the one he had performed on the morning that he met Jarek, long ago, before things had changed so much. And yet, the situation could not have been more different. It was almost as if time had erected an insurmountable barrier between the events that had taken place on that day and now, like a wall, and even though he tried, Raon could never break it down.

It was another kind of Borderline, Raon understood, while saving the rat in the bag. Only, unlike the actual Borderline, separating Humans and Beasts, this one could never be destroyed.

Still lost in those thoughts, the young Human returned to camp without even having skinned the rat. It was then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the medical tent, where Rukj and Jarek were being treated inside.

There seemed to be no movement inside the tent or of the canvas door and Raon wondered uneasily if those men had decided to leave them, leaving the two wolves to their fate. However, he soon dismissed that idea; they were in Raizac's employ and, after all, he knew well the men in his caravan. Or did he? The young Human did not know whether to fully trust these strangers on such an important issue as the safety of Rukj and Jarek. In his heart, although he trusted Raizac, he felt that someone should be able to do something for the two wolves. Or, at least, he would have given anything to be present when the doctors had treated both of them...

At that time, the eyes of the youth looked around with curiosity. There didn't seem to be anyone around; at least not anyone who would prevent him entering the doctors' tent, which also seemed to be completely empty.

Raon hesitated slightly. What if...? Giving a brief sideways glance to make sure no one interrupted him in the process, the Human stepped into the tent, praying that his white fur coat would help camouflage him once again; this time, adopting the stance of prey that is trying to pass unnoticed.

However, he had not taken a single step when a hoof fell sharply on his shoulder, making him release an exclamation of surprise.

-Are you going somewhere, Raon? -Raizac asked behind him.

The young Human's shoulders sank, drooping; realizing the bull had been watching him and even blending in with the snow he had not have been able to circumvent his attention.

-I need to know how they are doing -he answered, softly -. I can not stand this waiting any longer...

The bull took a few seconds to answer.

-Both are alive, if that's what you want to know.

-No, it is not, Raizac -Raon sighed, looking away -. And you know it. I need to see them.

Silence befell the conversation. The young Human waited, with a heavy heart and bull's hoof still on his shoulder. Aware that the decision depended on Raizac and not him, he closed his eyes trying not to get carried away by his impulses and run straight to the tent.

When he opened them, the hoof and the bull had disappeared completely.

The canvas tent was almost completely shrouded in darkness even though it was already a few hours after dawn. Only a small ray of light made its way through the dense darkness, defying and illuminating the shadows inside slightly. The silence was broken only by a soft snoring, which Raon quickly identify as Rukj's and reassured him far more than any words that Raizac had given him.

Apparently, there was nobody in the tent; no one but him. If at any time the doctors had been there, they had long since finished their work and had left the tent. And while on one hand Raon had criticized their lack of attention to both of the injured wolves, yet on the other hand he felt lucky to have had the chance to find the tent empty.

The youth stood for a moment at the door of the tent, enjoying that familiar sounds that he had gone so long without hearing, as he waited for his eyes were adapted to the low light. When they had done so, he stepped forward with care not to make the slightest noise. As far he could see there were two beds inside the room, one raised to waist level and another on the floor, each located in one corner of the huge canvas tent.

He could not help but feel some curiosity and moved toward the corner where the elevated cot was. By listening to the faint snoring coming from there, he figured that this was the spot where they had laid Rukj. At least, it made sense; if the black wolf was in worse condition, the doctors would have wanted to keep him elevated to better treat him. Would they have had to do some kind of dangerous operation that would have jeopardized the life of the black wolf? Raon shook his head, trying to move away from those thoughts.

When he reached the place where the black wolf rested, the young Human could not help it as a shiver ran down his spine. His body was mostly hidden by numerous bands that crisscrossed him as far Raon could see, probably due to the large number of back injuries he had sustained in the collapse. The youth wondered if there would be any serious consequences, but a brief look at the black wolf's face was enough to confirm that he was all right at that time.

As always when he slept, Rukj remained with his eyes gently closed and the muscles of his muzzle relaxed in an expression of relaxation that was unusual for him. His chest rose and fell slowly to the rhythm of his heavy breathing while one arm, bandaged to the elbow, fell to one side of the bed. Realizing this, Raon picked up the arm and placed it back on the cot with his paw on his stomach, afraid that that position will not help him recover from the wound in his arm. The snout of the black wolf trembled for a split second, but he didn't give the slightest sign of consciousness.

Raon smiled slightly, knowing that such a deep sleep had always characterized Rukj, and placed a hand on his forehead. He was wet with sweat and somewhat warm, probably because the state that the wolf was in, but nothing more.

The young Human took a brief look around and found that, at the foot of the improvised bed was a bowl full of soaked bandages, the water had a slight reddish hue difficult to distinguish amid the shadows. He also found a spool of thread, a needle and a bottle of alcohol, so it did not take too much to deduce what the doctors had done there.

-... Raon? -he then heard behind him.

The young Human turned on his heels, startled, but knew that voice very well. Once he had calmed down, his eyes shone with joy and quickly moved to the other corner of the room.

-Jarek! -he exclaimed, with a whisper -. You're... you're awake!

The copper furred wolf managed something resembling a smile from his corner. Raon, being careful not to trip over anything on the floor in the tent, crouched beside him and, unable to contain his excitement, hugged him tightly. Jarek let out a groan.

-I'm supposed to be dying, remember?

-Sorry, sorry -Raon apologized, slightly loosening his embrace.

The wolf smiled slightly and tried to return the embrace as best as he can.

-You wanted to say that I was alive, right?

-Huh? -Raon asked, not understanding.

-Before, when you remarked I was awake -Jarek reminded him, while his expression was becoming somewhat gloomy -. You wanted to say that I was alive, right?

Raon had no answer.

-I'm sorry for having worried you -the copper wolf said, tightening his embrace a little.

-I don't think it was your fault. You did not know the roof was going to fall, right?

-No, but I went back into the cave when we were about to save ourselves and, because what I did, Rukj both I ended under the rubble -he explained, letting out a sigh -. When we were buried there, I regained consciousness a few times, you know? I woke up and everything around me was darkness and pain. I felt something soft protecting my back, but the pressure around me was almost unbearable and I could barely breathe. I thought I was going to die more than once and was more afraid than I had ever been in my life -he paused and lowered his ears -. At that time, I did not think of you. I was simply afraid for my life.

>>Tonight I woke again. They had pulled us out of that horrible place and, it seems, I was not as badly hurt as Rukj. I saw the doctors helping, I saw his wounds cleaned and how they stitched his wounds, but above all I heard them talking. They said I would not have survived if he had not protected me with his body. If not for him, I'd be dead right now. When I heard that, I was not afraid of how close I came to dying. I was afraid for how you'd have felt if I was gone because of my irresponsibility and my foolishness.

-I know I have not been more than a hindrance during this trip -Jarek continued, looking away -. As much as you say I've helped us to continue; when it comes to the truth and being practical, I have done nothing more than create obstacles. But this time I went too far. I could not sleep all night thinking about that if by my fault I had died and you had made some horrible decision...

-But Jarek ... -Raon tried to stop him, but the wolf would not let him continue.

-Would you have done it, Raon? -he asked, staring into his eyes -. Would you have done something that you might regret?

The young Human did not respond.

He just pulled away from him and sat on his knees, watching him with a mixture of pity and tenderness in the depths of his eyes.

-But ... it's not your fault -he finally uttered, unable to say anything more.

Jarek sighed softly, crestfallen.

Then a flicker of amusement crossed one of his emerald eyes and wolf grinned, winking at Raon and revealing a look of surprise.

-Well -he continued, with a mocking tone -. False modesty aside, the important thing is that it did not happen and I have saved our asses after all.

Raon blinked a few times, perplexed.

-That you have ... saved us? -he asked, not understanding.

-Of course -Jarek repeated, convinced of what he said -. Did you really think I would throw myself into the flames inside that cave for no reason?

The youth cocked his head, not understanding at all.

Just as he was about to ask, someone drew back the canvas door, lighting the inside of the tent and letting out an exclamation of surprise.

-What are you doing here? -asked a brown lynx, one of the doctors who had attended the two wolves, frowning.

-I ... I was ... -Raon murmured, trying to find an excuse. However, the urge to never lie was strong and his constant babbling just further enraged the lynx.

-Get out of here right now! Don't you realize that if you caused any harm to the black wolf it could kill him?

-I do not think he was thinking of lying on top of him, lynx -said Jarek, outlining a half grin -. Or hitting or punching him either.

-I did not intend him any harm -Raon explained hastily.

-I'm not interested! It is very irresponsible of you to be here as if nothing happened! -the lynx reproached him, grabbing his shoulders and forcing him to get up, and moving him towards the exit -. If you really value the lives of these two wolves, you'd wait until they are fully recovered, Human.

-But...! -Raon exclaimed, trying to resist -. I was not doing anything wrong!

Desperate, the Human looked to Jarek for help, who merely shrugged and waved goodbye with a paw, still smiling, as if he knew there was nothing he could say or do to get the doctor to change his mind. Raon swore quietly at Jarek's attitude and tried to break free, and struggled a bit, but being careful not to cause any accidents inside the tent.

However, perhaps precisely for this reason, he ended up outside of the tent and, much to his dismay, he listened as the lynx closed the entry of tent with twine, and then scolded Jarek for allowing the Human to enter. Appalled, Raon sighed and told himself that after that last attempt, all that was left to do was wait.

Days passed.

The stay at Raizac's camp was pretty boring if he did not have the right company and Raon felt terribly alone. He knew from Raizac that Jarek remained conscious most of the days, but as he could not stand by himself, the doctors had recommended for him to stay and rest. And, unfortunately, he had to stand in the same tent where they were tending to Rukj; a place that, after his little foray, Raon was strictly forbidden to enter.

So the young Human tried to distract himself by hunting some small minor Beasts or conversing with some of the members of the caravan. There was little to talk about, so he did not create great relationships with any of them and only learned the names of one or two. Meanwhile, Raizac seemed awfully busy those days preparing for the cremation of Loki and Ailec, whose body had finally appeared from under the huge pile of rubble that had collapsed inside the cave.

Thus, Raon had the feeling that time had never passed so slowly.

It was one of those endless mornings, where he had gone hunting, in which he was finally told that there was some news. Raon had cornered a small snow cat and was about to run it through with his spear when a warning cry made him miss his target and turn on his heel. The same lynx, that weeks ago had driven him from the canvas tent where Rukj and Jarek were resting, was now running toward him and trying not to slip over the newly fallen snow. The young Human could not tell why, but something about his face was transmitting good vibrations.

He ran to the medical canvas tent, only to hesitate undecided for a few seconds at the entrance, then taking a deep breath as he finally decided to go in. The tent looked completely empty in the darkness except for the light from the entrance. However, at that time there was no snoring to be heard. Only by paying close attention, the sounds of soft breathing and the faint shadow of a silhouette could be seen, on top of the elevated cot at the back of the tent...

-Rukj! -Raon cried, feeling as if a huge weight had been removed from his shoulders.

From the shadows, the black wolf smiled slightly and waited for the Human to approach him, sitting on the bed where he had been treated during those days. Raon had to restrain himself from hugging and pouncing him right there, but the many bandages that he had eventually dissuaded him of that idea.

-How are you? -he asked, unable to contain the question -. Do you have something bad happen? What did the doctors say...?

-Again asking too many questions? -Rukj interrupted him.

The youth paused, caught again, but the wolf smiled slightly and Raon realized that, for once in his life, he was not being completely serious.

-Apparently, I'm fine -Rukj replied, softly, his expression was becoming grimmer -. The doctors say I came close to dying, anyway, and that I will need a few months of rest. But thankfully, there is nothing to worry about.

Raon watched the black wolf for a moment and then laughed helplessly. Rukj gave him a puzzled look, without being able to understand what was wrong.

-I'm sorry! -the young Human apologized, after a few seconds -. I was just so nervous... I thought you would not live, although experience has shown me that it is not easy to end Rukj Jirnagherr, the outlaw -he paused, smiling -. Besides, you've survived commissioners, torturers, dangerous Beasts of the Moors, Trackers and landslides, leaving you unharmed. Instead, look at me. -And, so saying, he raised his left hand, which was missing a finger -. I only had to confront a lynx to be forever marked.

-You've had to face many things, Raon -Rukj pointed out, tilting his head and giving a brief look at the youth's bandaged hand, which concealed his damage - . If only he had been a mercenary lynx, I would almost feel happy. But I fear that, practically, you have had to face the whole world.

The Human did not respond.

-So do not underestimate your role in this story -the black wolf asked as he leaned back against the wall of the tent canvas - . Because, after all, it is the most important.

A cough was heard on the opposite corner of the tent. Rukj's expression seemed to relax a bit and began to resemble something like a smile.

-Well -he admitted, after a while -. There also may have been another important character in it... but not too much, I'd say.

-Not too much? -Jarek asked, trying to sound offended.

Rukj did not answer, but lay down on his bed again, still smiling. Raon, however, had just remembered something.

-Jarek -he asked, curiously - . What did you mean the other day?

The copper furred wolf took a few seconds to react, not understanding.

-What are you talking about?

-When you told me you had saved us -Raon replied, putting a hand to his forehead and trying to keep his patience -. What did you mean?

Jarek seemed to remember and a glimmer of happiness seemed to light up the depths of his green eyes.

-Oh, well -he said, crossing his arms behind his head -. After what happened in the cave, we could deduce that all traces of the ancient human race have been destroyed, right? Thanks to... the barbecue that Ronod organized inside there, we could say that the legends of an earlier civilization will always be that: legends. Right?

-Can you get to the point, please? -Raon asked impatiently. Behind him, Rukj also seemed to show some interest in the words of the other wolf.

-All right -Jarek agreed, sighing -. Let's say after Ronod made me a prisoner, I could see how his men destroyed the inside of the cavern, everything that was there. They left nothing whole, I can assure you that; before setting fire to the room, there was nothing left to rescue. Except...

The wolf left the word in the air for a few seconds, which gained him a sideways glance from Raon.

-Sorry, sorry! -he hastened to apologize, as he turned on the bed and began to look for something between the sheets. After a few seconds, he turned to Raon and offered him a small rectangular object, triumphantly -. In short: this is what I was looking for when I returned to the cave.

The young Human took a moment to recognize what this meant. He had seen plenty of them in that chamber full of strange objects from the ancient civilization and even Jarek had encountered them. It wasn't too long before they realized what it was.

-It's...! -he began to say excitedly. However, he had to stop, realizing he did not know what that thing was called.

-It's one of those storage systems of images we saw within the cave -Rukj finished for him, surprised, while returning to standing position, with an expression of effort -. I ... I did not expect you would to be able to retrieve one, Jarek.

The wolf 's smile became even broader .

-Well, you should learn a lesson, Rukj. While I was in jail I had a long time to analyze what Ronod's men were doing around me. I saw this huge box of smashed glass in which we could see the images until it was reduced to pieces. Those fools thought this was just another useless piece of that box, so they left it lying there; but I remembered what I had seen and turned it. By comparing it with those in the heap nearby, I deduced that these are the small rectangular boxes where the images had been captured by the humans of the past.

-I thought the same, though it was not at all sure -Rukj replied perplexed -. Really, you come to that conclusion yourself? Jarek tried to look indignant.

-How dare you doubt my potential? -he rebuked him, hugging the rectangular object hard as he returned a hurt look -. Well, as I was saying, while we fled from there I thought there was no way to recover those images unless someone did this. So...

-... you ran back to the cave -Raon understood, nodding, impressed -. Even though you have a terrible fear of fire.

-Yeah, well ... -Jarek muttered, scratching his head -. Actually, I'm still not at all sure that this thing is going to be of any use, but if there was any chance of that, I wanted to make sure not to waste it -he paused -. Also... once I had it picked up and I realized where I was... I fell and...

-Rukj and I found you there, curled into a ball -recalled Raon -. At first I thought you had only lost consciousness, but in reality, you were also protecting it, right?

Jarek nodded, blushing lightly.

-That's why I like to think I helped a little on this trip -the copper wolf replied, looking away -. Although, after all that, I hope this device does help us. Otherwise, I would feel very bad for risking my life and Rukj's for nothing.

-No, it's okay, Jarek -the black wolf intervened at that time, giving him a long look in which a small glimmer of approval was distinguished -. You're right about something. Although there is only a small chance of getting this thing to work, it is good that you were able to retrieve it.

-But we do not have that other gadget, which is shaped like a box -Raon pointed out, sighing -. And without that, what is the point of the pictures?

The three of them fell silent.

-Well -after a few moments, Jarek eventually went on -, the important thing is that at least we do have this. And with any luck... we will find the words of Aron the Vindicator and the images that came later. Also, it survived after being buried so long with me and Rukj, right? -he remarked, smiling -. Surely that's a good sign.

-It could be -Raon smiled in turn -. Now, we just have to find one of those contraptions. -I bet Kara's Cubs Order also knows the location of more Human artifacts -Rukj pointed out, tilting his head -. It would not seem so strange after to me after all.

Having heard that, the youth hugged Jarek tightly and pulled him close, kissing his muzzle. The wolf let out a soft laugh and returned the embrace, while Rukj watched them from a corner, with a gleam of joy in his eyes.

Raon realized at that moment, that this was happiness. He wanted nothing more than to remain this way for the rest of his life, with the two wolves with those he loved, living a life without unpleasant surprises after all they had been through. He knew, if he could be with them, he would be happy.

-Well, can we get out of here now? -the copper wolf then asked separating gently -. I 'm bored of always being in the same canvas tent, you know?

-But didn't the doctors say you had to rest in bed? -Raon asked, puzzled.

-Yes, but my rest ended three days ago -the wolf explained, with a playful grin.

-Then why haven't you left the tent yet? -Raon asked indignantly.

-Because I was hoping that you would break the rules and come looking for me, as I did for picture box. But it seems that you are not so brave, huh?

Raon took a moment to realize that he was joking, and when he finally did, he hit him gently on the shoulder.

-Ouch! Hey, be careful, I'm still hurt!

-You're a jerk -he replied, while smiling slightly.

-Does that mean we're going to get out of here now?

-Wait a second -Rukj interrupted gently. The two turned to him, taken by surprise -. Before you leave, I'd like some time alone with Jarek. If you don't mind, Raon.

-Not at all -the Human replied, in a whisper, wondering what Rukj intended. Then he turned to Jarek and grumbled -. I'm a little tired, so I'll wait in my tent. If you do not know where it is, ask anyone you see in the camp.

-All right -said Jarek, smiling.

Raon thought he saw something strange in his expression that he was not able to identify, but it only lasted a few seconds. He shook his head and after saying goodbye for the last time to both of them, he left the doctor's tent and headed for his own. Along the way, he continued to think of how relieved he was now that both wolves were well, and although he was unable to blame Jarek for the desperate measure he had taken, he cursed the coppery wolf for risking his life that way. If only he had shared what he knew with them at the time...

Once he arrived at his tent, the youth that had left to go hunting that morning stood at the entrance and suddenly felt very tired and collapsed on his own bed. It might have been the emotions of the past few days, which had prevented him from thinking about anything else and had robbed him much needed sleep. Now that he no longer had to worry about what happened to Rukj and Jarek, it seemed those feelings of anxiety and uncertainties were gone as if they were a distant nightmare. So he allowed himself to be carried away by the idleness of his thoughts and the heaviness of his mind, and snuggled into his fur coat while he was sinking slowly into a restful, deep sleep; for the first time in many days.

He could not have said how long he remained wrapped up in the cobwebs of slumber, sleeping peacefully. It could have been minutes or hours, it didn't matter; the point is that, just for a while, he could escape from the world and let himself be carried away by the tides of his own unconsciousness. However, after an indefinite time, one of those tides brought back a feeling that he had long since forgotten: The gentle touch of two soft paws along his waist. It was the same tide that slowly returned him to consciousness.

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Jarek's smiling face, lying beside him, staring at him with those beautiful emerald eyes that Raon had learned to love so long ago. For a few seconds, the young Human was tempted to say something, but was not able to find anything that needed be said at that moment, nothing that wouldn't seem to be completely out of place at that moment. So it looked like the most important thing in the world was how the Jarek's muzzle approached his face until they both surrendered with a long kiss.

The Human closed his eyes and was carried away by the overwhelming current of feelings that now filled him, while the wolf with the copper fur ran his paw between the ground from his hip and his back, gliding under white fur to start to stroke him gently. Raon, completely surrendered to that moment, merely prolonged the kiss for as long as he could while one of his hands, guided by an instinctive impulse, began to climb up Jarek's stomach and sink into the soft, thick fur of his chest, where he began to caress him tenderly.

The wolf allowed a soft pant to escape and pulled closer to him, while his muzzle opened as he introduced his tongue into the Human's mouth. He reacted with surprise, but was carried away at the time, trying to enjoy as much as possible the wonderful feelings that their contact produced. The two remained that way for a while, playing with each other's tongues and caressing passionately until the kiss slowly died down and they both parted, panting. Raon looked up and met Jarek's eyes, whose pupils seemed to promise infinite tenderness.

-I love you -the copper wolf said softly without diverting his gaze one iota from the Human's face.

-And I love you -murmured Raon, as in a dream.

The wolf smiled and brought his face to the young Human to surrender with another kiss, this time faster and more passionate. Raon gasped softly at Jarek's enthusiasm, but allowed him to continue as his hands roamed through the fur along the back of the wolf, his fingers stroking each of his muscles. For some reason, he was unable to guide his hands: they simply followed the path they wanted to follow, enjoying the feeling of rubbing against the body of the Beast he loved and absolutely preventing the young Human from thinking about anything else.

Before he knew it, Jarek had disposed of the young man's fur coat and had thrown it to one corner of the tent, leaving his body bare and exposed to the air. Raon breathed deeply feeling the cold of the Land of the Beasts on his skin, but he did not have much time to think about it before the wolf laid on top of him and embraced him tightly, sharing all his heat . The youth, feeling the warm and soft caress of Jarek's fur, on every corner of his body, let out a soft sigh.

But nothing had prepared him for what was to come.

Suddenly Raon noticed something rough and wet ascending somewhere between his chest and stomach up to his neck; an extremely pleasurable touch that made him shudder and utter a soft moan. The sensation of cold that followed that delight made him realize that Jarek had just licked his body and blushed deeply, digging the tips of his fingers into the shoulders of the wolf to force himself to stop shaking with pleasure.

However, Jarek soon appeared in his vision, his face approaching the Human's and gently licking the tip of his nose.

-Did you... did you like it? -he asked, panting and completely flushed.

Raon just nodded. The copper wolf's breathing seemed to show that he too was also really enjoying this exchange of affectionate touches... and Raon did not take long to discover this when, suddenly, again he felt that tongue sliding down from his neck to his chest, turning on his collarbone and visiting each and every inch of his skin, and warmed with excitement.

But Jarek did not stop there; he continued gently licking the Human's body as he moaned in pleasure, running his fingers through his fur, eyes closed, as he was carried away by the moment. They continued so until Jarek's tongue began to descend lower and lower, while the tone of Raon 's moans rose. The youth was trying not to cause too much of a commotion, mostly because he didn't want anyone else to be aware of what was happening inside their canvas tent, but it was in vain.

Those sensations, which he had never felt before, proved to be too much for him.

It didn't take too long before he felt the morning chill of the Land on his legs, Jarek now having removed all of his clothing. The Human blushed even harder, knowing that only his underwear separated him from the complete nakedness and tried to remain calm. However, he could not give it any thought since, before he could even think of protesting, Jarek's paw gently stroked his groin, making him groan with pleasure.

-They... they will hear us... -the youth gasped, shaking violently by the intensity of the moment.

-Well, let them hear us -Jarek replied with a certain playful tone, bringing his face close to the young Human's and kissing briefly -. I don't care the least.

That said, he again rubbed his groin. Raon, who was trying to stay calm and keep quiet, gritted his teeth as he let out a gasp, helpless. The wolf continued for a while until, with a small glint of deep concern in his eyes, gave him a long look.

-Is something wrong? -he asked, frowning.

-No, it's just that ... -the youth murmured, trying to control his breathing and the crazy beats of his heart, that threatened to escape his chest at any moment -. I do not...

Jarek understood and gently licked his cheek. Raon let out a soft sigh.

-Listen -said the wolf with copper fur, his eyes staring fixedly at the youth -. If you do not want to continue, we can stop now, okay? I will not make you do anything you don't want to.

Raon hesitated.

His eyes, accustomed to the gloom of the tent, slid over his almost naked body and Jarek's. The copper fur of the wolf seemed to merge into his skin in the darkness. On top of each other, for the first time since they'd met, it almost looked like they were about to become one being.

The youth looked at Jarek, the feeling bubbling in his chest with all the love he felt for him. He discovered the tenderness in his eyes, along with irreproachable desire to continue what they were doing. He ran his eyes over his body, which seemed extremely attractive to him; his chest, rising and falling to the rhythm of breathing, impatient to continue with that pleasurable ritual of excitement.

-I want to continue -he replied softly, while surrounding the wolf with his arms -. I want you to teach me everything you know... Tonight, do not leave me alone, Jarek. I want us to be one.

Fine sparks escaping the flames seemed to ascend into the sky and get lost into the infinity of a starry sky. There were hidden promises in that starry sky and in those solemn flames, which had little to do with those who had burned the house of a family of martyrs or those in which he had slain the deranged torturer who had lost his battle.

No, those flames were a symbol of hope and future; of new days to come that would be born from its ashes.

Raon thought about these and other things as he watched the bonfire erected in honor of Loki and Ailec, leaning against Jarek's chest, who surrounded his waist gently. In that fire, their souls, finally freed from their mortal bonds, could escape their bodies and fly through the sky, perhaps to take shelter in a lost star in the middle of the sky, where they would be protected until the end of time. And maybe, just maybe, both would choose the same star to spend the rest of their days... together.

Raizac watched the fire with tears in his eyes, knowing that this was definitely the end of his son's life. He knew he had lived and fought like a hero to avoid the final war between Beasts and Human and had always believed in the reconciliation between the two, so he had no fear that his righteous and noble soul, would rest in peace forever. But even so, it always hurt to say goodbye.

But the flames of the fire were also witness for the eyes of someone else.

Rukj sitting at the entrance of the doctors' tent was staring at the sparks of fire rising into the air as they were lost in the sky. The flames were reflected in the depths of his amber eyes, creating hot flashes and shadows reminiscent of ancient times. It had been a long time and so much had changed that the wolf was not sure if he was the same person he had been so many years ago, but his memories remained, and they would stay forever.

After all, it seemed logical that what had begun with fire would end with fire. The story had a curious way of repeating itself; always the same, but always different.

Rukj smiled.

In his mind, the voice of a young lynx with a heart full of faith in the future said a few words that, though the years passed, he would never forget. Those words would accompany him wherever he went, forever and ever, as would the memory of the one who had spoken them.

Silently, the jet black wolf lifted his head toward the starry sky, and with the last glimmer of those flames controlling his eyes, he said:

-There is always a sparkle of hope... if you just believe.