---
A concentrated stream of fire, thin and mixed with orange red, hot fire burst from his jaws. Not wild. Not a blast. A surgical blaze. It had carved through the wolf's neck like a branding knife through cloth. Sinew snapped. Steam exploded from inside the corpse. The body twitched once, twice and went still.
Ash curled into the air.
Zephyr shielded his eyes from the blast. When he looked again, only blackened fur and steaming bones remained. The embers danced, then died.
Star stepped back. His chest rose and fell with slow control. He didn't look proud. He looked vigilant. The threat had ended not in anger but with duty.
Zephyr let out a low breath and nodded once. "Well done, partner."
Star snorted, a puff of smoke curling from his nose like punctuation. He turned, walking calmly to the rope. The hunt was over.
Above, Fenna lowered her trembling hand from her mouth. Her eyes, glassy from adrenaline, flicked down to Zephyr.
She mouthed, "You okay?"
