Chapter 13: Azure's Solo Decision

As the chilling howl of the mysterious creature lingered in the air, Azure's mind was filled with a myriad of conflicting emotions. The discovery of the missing squad had sent shockwaves through her, but she knew she had a responsibility to act. The safety of her unit and the camp depended on her decisions.

Gathering her resolve, she turned to Iro, her trusted companion, and spoke with a commanding yet gentle tone, "Iro, we need to inform the main camp about what we've found here. The situation is more dire than we anticipated, and we can't afford to delay."

Iro nodded in agreement, her eyes reflecting both concern and unwavering loyalty to her captain. "You're right, Grace. We must report this immediately. But what about the hunt for the dire wolf?"

Azure's brow furrowed, torn between her duty to find the missing squad and her commitment to capturing the elusive creature. "Ryder can lead the unit in the hunt," she said, her voice steady. "We've trained for situations like this, and I trust his skills."

Iro's expression softened with understanding.

"You can count on me to support you in this decision," she replied, her dedication to her captain clear in her unwavering loyalty.

With the plan set, Azure and Iro returned to the rest of the unit. Ryder, Alexis, and the others looked at them expectantly, waiting for the next move.

Azure could sense their anticipation, and she knew that the weight of leadership lay heavily on her shoulders.

"We've found the missing squad's camp," Azure began, her voice firm and devoid of emotion. "They've been attacked, and there are no survivors. Iro and I will go back to the main camp to report this. Ryder, you're in charge of the hunt in our absence."

Ryder's face was a mask of stoic determination as he acknowledged his new role. "You can count on me, Captain," he said, his voice unwavering.

As the unit split into two groups, Azure and Iro set out on their journey back to the main camp. The forest seemed to close in around them, its darkness mirroring the heaviness in Azure's heart. She had not anticipated such a turn of events, and the weight of responsibility felt almost suffocating.

Silence enveloped them as they traveled, each lost in their thoughts. The rustling of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl were the only sounds that accompanied them on their solitary path.

As they neared the main camp, Azure's mind raced with the information she would need to share with Captain Hadrian. The implications of the missing squad and the mysterious creature roaming the forest were grave, and she knew that decisive action was necessary.

Upon their arrival, Azure and Iro were met with the hustle and bustle of camp life. Soldiers were training, blacksmiths were crafting weapons, and cooks were preparing meals. But amidst the apparent normalcy, Azure knew that danger lurked in the shadows.

They made their way to the central command tent, where Captain Hadrian was engaged in a discussion with other high-ranking officers. Azure hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady herself, before entering the tent with Iro at her side.

The atmosphere in the tent shifted as all eyes turned to the young captain and her companion. Captain Hadrian, a seasoned and stern leader, regarded them with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"Captain Azure, what brings you here?" he asked, his voice gruff but expectant.

Azure stood tall, her eyes meeting Captain Hadrian's unwaveringly. "We've made a disturbing discovery," she began, her voice steady as she recounted the events of the past hours.

As she spoke, the gravity of the situation became apparent, and the other officers listened intently. Captain Hadrian's expression darkened, his brows furrowing with concern.

"We cannot ignore this," he declared, his voice carrying a sense of urgency. "We must increase security measures around the camp and send out search parties for any survivors. This creature, whatever it may be, poses a significant threat to our forces."

Azure nodded in agreement, relieved that her report had been taken seriously. "I also believe that this dire wolf we've been hunting may be connected to the attack," she added, her mind analyzing the possible links between the two events.

Captain Hadrian's eyes narrowed in thought, considering Azure's words. "It's possible," he replied, his tone grave. "We must be prepared for the worst."

As the meeting continued, Azure and Iro shared all the information they had gathered, and a plan was set in motion to safeguard the camp and investigate the attack further.

But even as the plans were made, Azure couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in her heart. The forest held secrets, and she knew that the answers they sought were buried deep within its ancient trees.

The fate of the missing squad weighed heavily on her mind, and she couldn't help but wonder what other mysteries the forest concealed. With each passing moment, the web of danger seemed to tighten around her, and she knew that the next steps they took would be critical in unraveling the truth.

The weary unit returned to camp, their faces etched with exhaustion after a long day's hunt. As they settled around the campfire, the atmosphere was tinged with tension and unease. Azure's decision to leave with Iro had not gone unnoticed by Ryder, who couldn't shake the feeling that he was being overlooked.

In the flickering firelight, Ryder exchanged glances with some of the other knights, catching the subtle smirks and raised eyebrows. He knew they were talking about him and Azure behind their backs, and the jealousy inside him simmered.

One of the knights, Jared, couldn't resist making a snide remark, "Seems like the captain has a favorite, doesn't she?"

Another knight, Lydia, chimed in, "I've noticed it too. Always Iro this, Iro that."

Ryder clenched his fists, the bitterness bubbling up inside him. He had worked hard to earn his place as the second in command, and he felt that Azure's attention was being unfairly diverted.

"Enough of this gossip," Ryder finally snapped, unable to contain his frustration any longer. "We have more important things to focus on, like finding the dire wolf and figuring out what happened to the missing squad."

Jared smirked, "Oh, I'm sure the captain's precious Iro will take care of all that."

Alexis, who had been quietly observing the exchange, spoke up firmly, "Captain Azure made her decision for a reason. We should trust in her judgment."

Ryder shot him a cold look, "You're just a newbie. What would you know about it?"

Alexis' expression remained calm, "I know that Captain Azure is a capable leader. If she chose to go with Iro, it's because she believed it was the best course of action."

Ryder scoffed, "You're just defending her because she saved your skin during the test."

Alexis didn't rise to the bait, refusing to get dragged into their petty squabbles. Instead, he focused on the task at hand, "We should be preparing for night duty. The dire wolf could strike at any moment."

Ryder grumbled but didn't argue further. As the night descended, the knights settled into their sleeping arrangements, but the undercurrent of tension remained.

As they got ready to sleep, Ryder decided to take matters into his own hands. He approached the other knights, quietly whispering to them, "We should put Alexis on night duty. He's a newbie, and it's only fair that he takes on some of the burden."

The other knights, eager to appease Ryder and vent their frustrations, agreed. When Alexis returned to the campfire after taking his turn on guard duty, Ryder and the others approached him.

"Alexis, we've decided that you'll be taking the first watch tonight," Ryder said, trying to hide the smirk that played on his lips.

Alexis frowned slightly, "Why? I just had my turn."

"Because you're the newest member of the unit, and we all have to do our part," Jared chimed in.

Alexis could see through their thinly veiled attempt to assert dominance, but he chose not to protest. He knew that being a newbie came with its challenges, and he didn't want to make things more difficult for himself.

"Alright, I'll take the first watch," Alexis agreed calmly.

As the night settled in, Alexis took his position at the edge of the camp, his eyes scanning the darkness. The others settled down for sleep, but the tension lingered. They may have succeeded in putting Alexis on night duty, but the division within the unit remained, and it was a division that threatened to weaken them from within.

As the fire crackled and the shadows danced, Alexis felt the weight of his dual role. He was torn between loyalty to his fellow knights and his undercover mission. But he knew that he had to navigate this delicate balance carefully if he wanted to survive the challenges that lay ahead.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the unit, their actions had played right into the hands of those who sought to sow discord among them. The dire wolf was not their only enemy; the seeds of mistrust had been planted, and they would have to face the consequences of their decisions sooner than they thought.

The camp was cloaked in darkness as the knights of Azure's unit slept soundly, unaware of the storm brewing within their ranks.

Alexis, on night duty, took advantage of the quiet to follow his instincts and investigate the mysterious disappearance of the previous unit.

Stepping lightly and silently, Alexis made his way through the forest, guided by the faint glimmer of moonlight filtering through the leaves above. The chilling atmosphere only added to the gravity of his mission, and he felt a mix of determination and trepidation coursing through his veins.

As he approached the remnants of the missing squad's camp, a strange feeling washed over him. The air seemed heavy with unsettling energy, as if the forest itself held its breath, waiting to reveal its secrets.

Careful not to disturb anything, Alexis examined the tent that once housed the squad. The shredded fabric caught his eye, and he knelt to examine it more closely. At first glance, it seemed as though the dire wolf had been the culprit, but as Alexis traced the jagged lines with his fingers, he realized something was amiss.

The cuts were too clean, too precise to have been made by the feral claws of the dire wolf. The marks bore the telltale signs of a blade, cleverly disguised to mimic the creature's handiwork.

His mind raced as he pieced together the puzzle. Someone had deliberately staged this scene to look like the work of the dire wolf. But why? And who would benefit from such a deception?

The answer eluded him for now, but Alexis was certain that the missing squad's fate was not a mere accident.

As he continued his investigation, Alexis noticed other peculiar details. A trail of disturbed earth led away from the campsite as if something—or someone—had been dragged away. The signs were subtle, but they were there, carefully masked by the natural chaos of the forest.

"Aah...!" a scream came from, Azure's camp, breaking the silence inside that cold and dark forest.