The cry of the wolf

Previously

…He turned back towards his house, the path now seeming longer, the shadows deeper. The weight of the discovery pressed down on him, a heavy burden. He had to protect the wolf, not just from the immediate threat of its wounds, but from this larger, insidious danger. He had to find out who was intruding, who was poisoning the heart of the forest, and why. The mystery had deepened, and the stakes had risen, far beyond anything he could have imagined. He walked with a new purpose, a quiet determination hardening his gaze, the dark, teardrop stone a silent promise in his hand. The shadow of intrusion had fallen, and Carter knew he could no longer stand idly by.