The night was quiet and serene, with stars twinkling. The summit of Azure Wolf Ridge was enveloped in a thin layer of moonlight, as if a sprinkle of silver frost had covered the earth. The entire valley exuded an air of mystery and solemnity. The wind blew through the mountains and forests, making the shadows of the trees dance. The howls of wolves echoed from afar, like an ancient ballad.
Kale stood at the edge of the cliff on the summit, gazing down at the valley below. The wolf pack had already dispersed, leaving him alone to face this vast land. Alan and the woman behind him watched in silence, not disturbing him.
"Is becoming the wolf king really what you want?" The woman's voice drifted gently in the night wind.
Kale didn't turn around, his voice low and firm. "I don't want to be a king, but I must shoulder this responsibility."
The woman quietly looked at his back, a trace of tenderness showing in her eyes.
Alan joked from the side, "Responsibility? Kale, I've known you for so long, and this is the first time I've heard you say something like this. You used to only think about how to survive, but now you actually want to lead the wolf pack?"
The corners of Kale's mouth twitched into a faint smile. "The meaning of life should be more profound than just simple survival."
Before the words had even faded, there was a sudden commotion in the forest. The shadows of the trees swayed, and several dark figures quietly emerged on the distant hillside.
"There are people," Alan immediately stood up, gripping his bow tightly, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes. The woman also quickly drew the dagger at her waist and stood beside Kale, her gaze fixed on the approaching figures in the darkness.
Kale squinted slightly. Sensing that the approaching people didn't pose a threat, he raised his hand to signal them to relax.
"It's the wolf pack," Kale said softly.
Several black wolves approached slowly, their steps steady, with a look of awe and expectation in their eyes. The one in the lead was huge in size, with silver fur glistening. It was the wolf king, Azure Claw.
Azure Claw walked up to Kale, lowered its head and whimpered, then crouched down, as if swearing allegiance.
Alan widened his eyes, looking at this scene in disbelief. "They really want to follow you?"
Kale squatted down and gently stroked the top of Azure Claw's head, a warm light shining in his eyes. "The wolf clan has no way out. I'm just their only choice."
The woman smiled and said, "Perhaps you're more suitable to be a leader than you think."
The next morning, the sunlight pierced through the forest and fell on the valley of Azure Wolf
Ridge. The wolf pack stood quietly in the forest, waiting for the new journey.
Kale stood in front of the wolf pack and slowly said, "Guardians of Azure Wolf Ridge, the darkness is devouring our homeland. You may have already noticed that more and more of our kin are losing themselves under the erosion of the darkness and becoming bloodthirsty monsters. We can no longer just sit back and do nothing."
The wolf pack let out low growls, as if responding to his call.
"The darkness is not to be feared. What's truly terrifying is that we lose hope," Kale said with a firm gaze and a loud voice. "From today on, I will lead you to fight against the darkness to the end. We will no longer run away or be afraid. Even if there's only one wolf left, we will fight until the very last moment."
Leaning against a tree, Alan had a faint smile on his face. "You really look like a leader."
The woman watched as the wolf pack gradually moved closer to Kale, a trace of admiration flashing in her eyes. "Perhaps this is exactly the meaning of his existence."
In the following days, Kale led the wolf pack on raids through the mountains, hunting those wolves corrupted by the darkness and at the same time searching for the scattered members of the clan. Along the way, they encountered many black wolves, and every confrontation was extremely fierce.
But gradually, the number of the wolf pack began to increase. More and more wolves were brought back from the darkness by Kale, and Azure Wolf Ridge gradually regained its vitality.
Until one day, a letter of help from the south changed the entire situation.
At dusk, Kale was patrolling in the valley when a hunter covered in wounds stumbled into the valley and collapsed in front of the wolf pack.
The wolf pack immediately surrounded him warily and let out low growls.
Kale quickly stepped forward and helped the hunter up. "What happened?"
The hunter gasped for breath, his voice trembling. "The darkness... The darkness is devouring the villages in the south! Please save them!"
Kale's eyes narrowed, and he asked in a low voice, "What exactly happened?"
The hunter slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with fear. "A few days ago, Flaming Stone Village in the south was attacked by black wolves, and the whole village was set ablaze. I managed to escape, but... there are still many people trapped in the village. The black wolves are searching everywhere for the living, and no one can get away."
Alan frowned. "It seems that the darkness is no longer hiding. It has started to attack more villages."
Kale slowly stood up, turned to look at the wolf pack, and a determined light flashed in his eyes. "Let's set off for the south."
Alan was taken aback for a moment. "Are you sure you want to take the wolf pack to a human village? Will they accept it?"
Kale said in a solemn voice, "If we don't go, the village will be destroyed. I believe that there are always people who can understand our position."
Three days later, the wolf pack reached the outskirts of Flaming Stone Village. From a distance, the village had turned into ruins. The remaining flames flickered in the ruins, and black smoke curled up into the air.
Kale walked slowly into the village, with the wolf pack following behind. They stepped on the charred ground, and all that could be heard in their ears was the howling of the wind and the cawing of crows in the distance.
"Is it already too late..." Alan said softly, a trace of disappointment in his voice.
Suddenly, a faint cry came from the ruins.
Kale immediately followed the sound. Under a collapsed house, he found a young girl curled up in the ruins, covered in dust and blood.
The girl opened her terrified eyes. When she saw the wolf pack, she immediately let out a scream. "Don't... Don't eat me!"
Kale squatted down, took off his coat, and gently draped it over her shoulders, saying tenderly, "Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you."
The girl looked up at Kale, her eyes filled with doubt and fear, but under his gaze, she gradually calmed down.
Kale picked up the girl and turned to the wolf pack. "Keep searching. There might be other survivors."
The wolf pack quickly dispersed and searched for survivors in the ruins.
When night fell, Kale and the wolf pack rescued more than a dozen villagers. They gathered in the open area at the entrance of the village, lit a campfire, and warmed themselves and ate.
The villagers looked at the wolf pack beside them, both in awe and gratitude.
Looking at the campfire, Alan said softly, "Perhaps you're right. The darkness is not to be feared. What's terrifying is losing hope."
Holding the girl in his arms, Kale looked firmly into the distance and said in a low voice, "As long as we're still alive, hope will never be extinguished."