Everything was going well—until troubling news arrived from Krivex's scouts.
"My Lord," Krivex reported, "our scouts have spotted a massive group of monsters—wolves—moving through the forest toward our territory. It appears they're migrating."
'Monsters migrating… Could it be the war's affecting them too?'
"Did they confirm the numbers?" Lumberling asked.
"We can't say for certain, but they estimated several hundred—possibly close to a thousand. And they're no more than three days' travel from the village."
"That many…" Lumberling muttered. "With numbers like that, their leader must be strong. At least Knight Apprentice level—possibly more."
If there was one thing Lumberling had learned, it was this: the larger the pack, the stronger the alpha. And if the wolves were migrating, they likely wouldn't venture deeper into the forest. Stronger monsters ruled those territories. Instead, they'd seek out areas like his—less crowded, more vulnerable.
