Caspian walked at the very rear of the procession, his massive obsidian wings partially unfurled to act as a physical shield for the group. Every few steps, he would let out a low, vibrating growl that echoed through the canyon—a warning to the shadows above that he was just waiting for a reason to unleash his fire.

​Kulu walked at the front, his bone dagger drawn and his golden eyes scanning the cliffs. He was no longer their Prince; he was a scout on hostile ground, his body tense and ready to intercept any dive-bomber that dared to test them.

​Every time a loose pebble skittered down the cliffside, the Boars flinched, but they didn’t stop. They moved as one unit, a slow-moving snake of silver and muscle winding through the red dust.

​By the time they reached the Central Pass—the invisible line where the Falcon territory ended, and the neutral lowlands began—the sun had fully dipped below the horizon, staining the sky in bruised purples and deep oranges.

​"They’ve stopped following," Kulu called out, his shoulders finally dropping an inch. He looked back at the darkening heights of his home, then at Hana.

​Hana checked the system window.

> ​[QUEST TIME REMAINING: 03 HOURS 55 MINUTES]

The clock was ticking.

Only three hours left for the quest. Hana had to receive Kulu’s mark at that time. Three hours felt like a lot of time, but the moment something becomes an obstacle, it’s all over.

​"Taga, you know the hidden paths from here," Hana said, her voice steady. "Lead the Boars to the den entrance. Caspian, you’ll stay with them."

"What?!" Caspian exclaimed, clearly not pleased by this change in plan, as his face crinkled.

Hana had originally planned to let Kulu stay behind and watch over the Boars, but if something unexpected happened in those three hours and Kulu did not make it back, she would lose fifty thousand points.

That was too much to risk.

"Yes, you. If any of the younger dragons from your territory try to sniff around the Boars, they’ll think twice about doing anything to them once they see you there."

Caspian’s golden eyes flared with indignation, his tail lashing behind him and narrowly missing a stack of crates. "You are sending the King to be a shepherd for pigs? While the bird gets to fly with you?"

Hana didn’t flinch. She leaned back against his chest, her eyes meeting his with a look that was both weary and unyielding.

"I’m not sending a shepherd, Caspian. I’m sending a deterrent. If Kulu stays with them, a younger dragon might think they can pick a fight. If you are there, they won’t even dare to breathe in the Boars’ direction."

She reached up, her palm resting flat against his heated collarbone. "I need this cargo safe. I’d like to stay and watch it myself, but I need to get back to the den to prepare for something else."

"Something like?" Caspian asked, letting out a long, sulfurous huff of smoke that smelled of frustrated pride.

If Hana told him she needed to hurry back because she wanted to prepare herself to be marked by Kulu, he would throw a tantrum, and as much as she did not want to care about his feelings, she could not help but be... softer.

"I’ll tell you when you arrive with the boars." With that, she could buy herself enough time to receive Kulu’s marking. "And it has to be Kulu."

Caspian might get hurt when he arrives home and sees another mark on her body, but he should’ve at least seen this coming when she made it known that she would take him in as her mate.

Caspian looked at Kulu, then back at Hana, his expression a mix of dark suspicion and wounded ego. He shifted her weight, passing her over to Kulu with the stiff, dangerous reluctance of a predator handing over its kill.

"Alright, Hana. I will do as you ask," He said to her, his hand lingering on her head as his gaze was filled with bitter longing, but to Kulu, he looked like a venomous beast about to sting his throat. "If you drop her, bird-brain, I’ll pluck every feather from your wings before you hit the ground," He threatened, his obsidian scales shimmering under the moonlight.

"She will not fall," Kulu promised. His voice was thick as he adjusted his grip, his heart thudding rhythmically against his ribs.

Hana checked the system window one last time. It had become a habit as every second counts.

> [QUEST TIME REMAINING: 03 HOURS 42 MINUTES]

"Go, Taga," Hana commanded, looking down at the Boars who were still trembling under the silver crates. "Follow Caspian. He knows the shortcuts. Don’t stop until you reach the den".

Taga nodded frantically, and with Caspian trailing behind them like a massive, looming shadow of death, the ground team vanished into the thick forest brush.

Hana turned her attention to Kulu as they stood alone on the ridge. The silence between them was heavy, filled with the weight of her earlier declaration regarding the ’child’ she claimed to carry.

"Do you like the view, Hana?" Kulu whispered, his amber eyes searching hers as he prepared to launch.

Hana looked at the horizon, where the last sliver of orange was being swallowed by the ink-black night. She clutched the teddy bear in her vest, her fingers brushing the worn, blood-stained fabric.

"I’ve seen better," she said softly, though the bite was missing from her voice. "But it’ll do. Now, fly. We don’t have much time".

Kulu didn’t need a second order. He had no idea why Hana was rushing back to the cave with him, but he would obey. He snapped his vibrant red wings open and, with one powerful thrust, they were in the night sky, leaving the drama of the Falcon tribe far below.

As they soared toward the den, Hana closed her eyes, letting the night breeze seep into her as she clutched the teddy bear she had been holding this entire time, harder.

"Kulu," Hana called softly. He looked down at her, his eyes widening as his arms tightened around her. "We have a problem."

"What is it? Am I going too fast? Do you feel sick?" he asked, but she simply shook her head. Bringing her hand to her belly, a loud, embarrassing growl erupted, sounding even louder than the wind.

"I’m hungry."