Page 24 of Primal Call

Jasper froze, his eyes wide with sudden apprehension. Kyral crouched, studying the unexpected shine with a hunter’s precision.

The snare was almost invisible, expertly camouflaged with natural debris. He traced the wire to its source, finding a crude but effective mechanism designed to trap anything — or anyone — unlucky enough to step into its grasp.

“Is it…?”

“Skarn’s work,” Kyral muttered, his jaw tightening. “No doubt about it.”

He set to work disarming the trap, his hands moving deftly despite the surge of frustration boiling inside him. The mechanism clicked as he disengaged it, the wire going slack. “They’re close,” he said, straightening up and meeting Jasper’s gaze. “Closer than I’d like.”

Jasper’s face paled. “What does that mean for us?”

“It means we have to move faster,” Kyral replied, scanning the area for any other signs of Skarn’s crew. “They’re somewhere in the area — and they’ve got no qualms about using underhanded tactics.”

He could see the worry etched on Jasper’s face, and felt an unexpected urge to reassure him. “Look,” Kyral said more gently, “I know this isn’t easy. But I know their methods. Skarn’s cunning, and that's predictable. That's good.”

Jasper nodded slowly, though his eyes still held a flicker of fear. “So… what’s our next move?”

“We stick to the plan,” Kyral said firmly. “We find that valley and get the treasure before they do.”

Jasper took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders as if bracing himself for what lay ahead. “Alright, then. Lead the way.”

Kyral couldn’t help but feel a grudging admiration for Jasper’s resolve. The human was more resilient than he appeared — a trait Kyral found himself increasingly drawn to.

With a final glance at the now-disarmed snare, Kyral resumed their trek, every sense on high alert for any further signs of Skarn and his treacherous crew.

The stakes were higher now; they had to be faster, smarter.

And they had no room for mistakes.

As night settled over the harsh landscape, Kyral and Jasper set up camp in a small clearing, shielded from the worst of the cold by a rocky outcrop. Zee curled up near the fire, her scales catching the flickering light. Kyral unpacked their sparse supplies, methodically setting up for the night ahead.

Jasper broke the silence. "So... how did you meet Skarn and the others?"

Kyral paused, his hands stilled over the firewood. He glanced at Jasper, then back to his task. "We worked together after the war, hunting bounties," he said gruffly. "We fell in together because all of us are clanless."

Jasper frowned, confusion etched on his face. "I thought all Borraq lived in clans."

A bitter laugh escaped Kyral before he could stop it. "Not all. Some of us don't have that luxury any more."

Jasper's curiosity was evident, but there was no malice in his gaze — just a genuine desire to understand. It was disarming in its own way. "What happened?" he asked softly.

Kyral stared into the flames. The heat licked at his golden skin, but did little to thaw the chill inside him. "I came back from the frontlines with this gene damage," he began slowly, surprising himself with how easily the words came. "My clan's alpha declared me tainted by human hands. Said I was a liability."

Jasper's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to say something, but Kyral cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I was cast out," Kyral continued. "Had to fend for myself ever since."

The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Kyral hadn't talked about this in years — not since it had happened. "That's why I need the treasure," he admitted quietly, almost as if speaking to himself rather than Jasper. "I want to buy some territory… Hell, maybe even start my own clan."

He glanced up at the stars dotting the dark sky, their distant light cold and indifferent. "I've been roaming as a hunter for years," he said softly. "But now... now I want to settle down."

Kyral’s eyes met Jasper’s across the flickering firelight, and he saw something in the human’s gaze that caught him off guard: genuine empathy. Jasper wasn’t just listening — he was understanding.

“That must have been really tough,” Jasper said softly. “Being cast out like that.”

At Jasper’s words, Kyral felt a crack forming in the wall he’d built around himself. It was strange, feeling such understanding from a human, especially one who should have been his enemy.

“What do you want, Jasper?” Kyral asked, his voice gruff but curious. "What do you want the treasure for?"

---