The cry of the wolf

Previously

…"Come on," he whispered, guiding the wolf away from the clearing, back into the shadowed embrace of the whispering woods. The path ahead was uncertain, the dangers unknown, but as he walked, with the unusual wolf limping beside him, Carter felt a quiet resolve settle over him. He had stumbled upon a mystery, a secret whispered by the ancient trees, and he was ready to follow it, wherever it might lead. The woods, once just a familiar backdrop, had become a gateway, and he, the curious boy, had just stepped through.