Lupi yawned and stretched, waking from her nap. Juno—her person—was nowhere to be found. She sniffed the air. The house was thick with the scent of food and pastries: sweet vanilla, warm cinnamon, and something new.
From her perch, she spotted a familiar figure near the window. Her ears perked. It was Marbles! He stood near the path, far from Mateo’s Animal Clinic. Curious, Lupi hopped down and padded toward Mama, meowing softly to signal she needed to go outside.
Mama, mid-motion in the kitchen, was prepping little pastry boxes. Without missing a beat, she opened the side door and returned to her work. Juno’s bike wasn’t outside—
Lupi knew she must be running errands.
Lupi trotted toward Marbles, who stood alert at the edge of the path. He sniffed in her direction, tail flicking.
“Hey,” Lupi greeted, paw raised.
Marbles barked softly. “I thought your person was nearby. I heard something in the woods and wanted her to follow.”
“I can follow,” Lupi offered, her curiosity blooming.
Marbles turned and padded toward the path. A rustle overhead made them pause. Milo—the monkey who often visited the clinic—signaled from the tree canopy. Without hesitation, Marbles followed. Lupi, never one to be left behind, bounded after them.
The path seemed to lead toward the Lantern Grove, where glowing fireflies flickered softly in the sky. As they approached, Lupi’s limp began to ease—subtle, not miraculous, but enough to notice.
She paused. Her paw, usually stiff in the mornings, felt lighter. The ground beneath the grove always hummed, but today it pulsed—like a heartbeat. Butterflies fluttered around her, and the thicket beneath her paws bounced gently, tickling her tummy and making her feel even lighter.
Marbles paused near a patch of ivy, sniffing. Beneath it: a carved stone in a wooden door, etched with animal sigils—some familiar, some forgotten. He pawed at the ivy. Beneath it, a smooth stone shimmered faintly. Carved into its surface were animals—some Lupi knew, others she only remembered from dreams, especially the ones about Juno.
Overhead, a rustle broke the quiet. Squawky—the Mateo Clinic’s feathery mascot—was perched in the trees, alone and without his usual firecrackers. His voice broke the silence:
“The glow returns when the heart remembers,” he squawked, then again, softer, like a lullaby.
Lupi’s ears twitched. She didn’t know what it meant, but it made her chest ache in a good way.
They followed Marbles deeper into the woods. Birds chirped softly in the distance, and crickets in the grasses sang a quiet alert: guests had arrived.
Marbles, trotting ahead, came to a sudden halt. The wind had stilled. No rustle. No chirp. Even the crickets held their breath.
He sniffed again—sharp, low, alert. Apex.
Lupi padded forward, unaware. Marbles stepped in front of her, tail stiff, body low.
“Stay close,” he murmured. “She’s not like the others.”
Squawky fluffed his feathers in the branches above. Even he knew: this owl was not to be taken lightly.
From a distant tree, an owl flew silently and landed on a branch near the glowing stone. She was larger than any owl they had ever seen. Her head was crowned in white feathers, streaked with faint grey—a regal presence.
She peered down at the strangers who had entered her quiet space. Her eyes glowed, piercing and intent.
“I’m an Elder of the woods. I guard this side of the forest,” she squawked, voice sharp and clear. “Why are you here?”
Squawky stood his ground. If she meant harm, she wouldn’t have made herself known. He knew that much.
Marbles, leader of the escapade, barked with quiet authority:
“We come as friends. We mean no harm. I was called here by a melody coming out of the wood—it silenced itself as I found this object.”
He moved with intent, placing his body between Lupi and the owl, shielding the kitten from the apex predator—just in case.
