Chapter 81

• With each passing season, the packs continued to grow and thrive, forming life long bonds, and bringing forth new lives. New friendships blossomed between packs, and the bond among the different were-kinds deepened. Mates were found not just within the packs themselves but across the were-bear dens, were-cat prides, and other factions, knitting their diverse world even closer together.
• Lupa’s own pack flourished, as people that had once known only hardship now basked in the prosperity of their new lives. As they thrived, Lupa remained ever watchful of their future. She made it her mission to teach the younger wolves about their history, the battles they had fought, the alliances they had formed, and the sacrifices that had brought them to this point. Understanding the past, she believed, was essential to building a strong and enduring future.
• So, Lupa decided to gather the pack’s children, including Anika, and led them to a quiet clearing near the river. The water sparkled in the sunlight, casting a serene backdrop for the lessons she was about to start. The children sat in a half-circle around Lupa, their eyes wide with anticipation. For many of them, these stories were tales of heroes and legends, but to Lupa, they were memories etched in both joy and pain.