After the escape from the cannibals and the long-awaited reunion, the squad finally reached a place of safety. James Urban's camp welcomed them with the glow of campfires and a harsh but reliable defense. Very close by lay the settlement where Uncle Henry had lived for many years.
Although the place was often called the "Indian Village," the population there was mixed—hunters, trackers, and those seeking refuge from the shadows of the forest. Now, all of us—Elisa, James, Henry, Corrie (who had regained her human form), and her sons—had become one large family, united by a common plight.
That night in Urban's camp, no one could sleep. The joy of Henry and Corrie's reunion was overshadowed by one unfinished goal. James sat by the fire, staring into the flames, an unbearable anxiety reflected in his eyes. His sister, Nadine, was still out there, somewhere in the depths of the forest.
— We cannot delay, — James said quietly, clenching his fists. — Every hour she spends in the hands of those unknown creatures could be her last. We must search and find her!
Corben and Rylan exchanged glances. They had fully recovered, and now, feeling the guilt of once having been on the other side, they decided to reveal the truth.
— James, we know where she might be, — Corben spoke up. — Not all werewolves live alone like Mother and us. Deeper in the thicket, beyond the Dead Rocks, there is a hidden werewolf settlement. It's an entire pack.
— Their laws are harsh there, — Rylan added. — If the cannibals didn't eat her, it means she was taken there. They love to collect "exotic" captives from the human world. Nadine is strong; they might have kept her for labor or... for something worse.
Henry stood up, adjusting the strap of his rifle.
— Then our path lies there. I know those parts, but without the help of lads who know the pack's habits from the inside, we won't pass unnoticed.
Elisa, who was sitting nearby checking her ammunition supply, nodded resolutely:
— I'm going with you. Nadine is my sister too, James. We won't leave her there.
The morning began with a feverish scramble. The camp turned into a veritable military headquarters. James and his warriors checked their rifles and cleaned their bolts. Henry prepared special supplies, knowing the trek would be long, while Corrie gathered herbs—she knew that in a werewolf settlement, wounds were inevitable.
This was no longer just a struggle for survival. It was a true rescue expedition. We understood that we were heading into the very heart of the beast's lair. If the cannibals were insane and wild, the werewolf pack was organized, cunning, and an incredibly powerful force.
— Listen, — James addressed the squad before they departed. — We are entering territory where bullets don't always decide everything. Listen to Corben and Rylan. If they say "quiet," it means you shouldn't even breathe.
The squad moved out in the thick dawn twilight. The wolf-brothers led the way, followed by Henry and James, while Elisa, rifle at the ready, brought up the rear. She felt the forest around them begin to change again, becoming darker and more hostile.
The forest here was different. The trees stood so close together that sunlight barely reached the ground. At every step, a howl could be heard—either the wind or the pack's sentries who had already caught our scent.
— They know we are coming, — Rylan whispered, crouching low to the ground. — The smell of gunpowder and humans is impossible to hide.
— Let them know, — James replied, chambering a round. — I'm not leaving here without my sister.
We reached the lair at the Dead Rocks at daybreak. It was a dismal place: caves draped with animal skulls and a heavy, suffocating stench of wild beasts. Corben and Rylan, pressed to the ground, listened to every rustle.
— There are dozens of them in there, — Corben whispered, turning to James. — Но if we strike now, before they've all shifted, we'll have the advantage.
James checked the bolt of his rifle. His face was as hard as granite.
— We don't need negotiations. We need Nadine. Men, — he addressed his squad, — shoot to kill. Fire!
The roar of rifles shattered the morning silence. The first wave of werewolves attempting to rush out of the main cave was literally mowed down by a hail of lead. Bullets tore through flesh, giving the beasts no chance to even draw near.
— Forward! — James shouted, plunging into the smoke.
It was a stunning slaughter. Corben and Rylan, in the form of massive wolves, burst into the side passages, creating true bloody chaos. They knew the habits of their pack and struck precisely at the weak points. Elisa followed right behind James. She fired quickly and cold-bloodedly. When one of the pack's warriors lunged at her with a bone axe, she didn't blink an eye as she put a bullet in his chest and immediately reloaded.
— Did you see that?! — one of James's men shouted, looking at the princess in admiration. — She fights like a true veteran!
The main force of the werewolves was decimated in a matter of minutes. The survivors, seeing themselves torn apart and shot at point-blank range, began to rapidly shift into human form. It was the only way to survive—men did not shoot at unarmed humans.
— We surrender! — one of them screamed, throwing a blood-stained knife to the ground. — Enough! We will give you the girl!
James walked up to him and pressed the barrel of his rifle to the man's chin.
— Where is she? Speak, or I'll blow your head off right here.
— In the back... in a cage by the well... — the werewolf wheezed, trembling with fear.
Without waiting, James rushed inside. A minute later he emerged, carrying Nadine in his arms. She was weak, her arms bruised from chains, but when she saw Elisa and Henry, the old spark ignited in her eyes.
— I knew... that someday you would set this forest on fire, — she whispered, leaning on her brother's shoulder.
The journey back to Urban's camp was a true triumph. We marched through the forest, no longer a rescue party, but a small victorious army. Nadine rode one of the horses, wrapped in a warm cloak.
— Nadine, how are you? — Elisa asked, riding closer. — Did those creatures torment you badly?
— They tried to break me, — Nadine smirked, wiping soot from her face. — They wanted me to acknowledge their leader. Но they don't know the Urban family very well. The rocks would crack before I bowed to them. And you, Princess... I heard the shots. They say you took down five?
— Six, — James corrected with a proud smile. — She covered my flank as if she'd spent her whole life hunting werewolves.
— It was all Uncle Henry, — Elisa smiled, nodding toward the old tracker. — His lessons didn't go to waste.
Henry, riding beside Corrie, gave a satisfied nod:
— The student has surpassed the master. But the main thing is—we are all together. Corrie, the boys, Nadine... Now we have a force that even Torsken will have to reckon with.
When we entered the camp, James's warriors threw a true celebration. The light of the bonfires soared to the very tops of the trees. Fresh game roasted on spits.
— For Nadine! For our sister! — the men shouted, raising their cups.
James approached Elisa as she sat by the fire, watching the dancing flames.
— We did it, Elisa. Twice. First the wolf-brothers and Corrie, now my sister. We've become stronger than ever.
— That's true, brother, — she replied. — But you understand: Torsken won't just wait now. He knows we've united. We've wiped out his "allies" in the forest. Now he will strike himself.
James sat down beside her and rested his hand on the butt of his rifle.
— Let him strike. We have you now, we have Corben and Rylan's wolves, and I have my marksmen. And there is the word you gave to the cannibals. We will make it to Marionis yet!
Elisa looked at him, the fire reflecting in her eyes.