Kael's silver eyes narrowed, his —Predator's Instincts— picking up the faint clatter of carts just beyond the quarry's entrance.
A cluster of heavy wooden carts stood loaded with crates, their wheels creaking under the weight of stolen goods. Muffled cries came from one, the silhouettes of women visible through the slats with their wrists bound.
His jaw tightened, the pulse of his bloodline flaring with anger. He raised a hand, his voice low but sharp. "Ten riders, guard those carts. Get the women back to the village. Move fast."
Ten wolf-riders peeled off, their wolves snarling as they circled the carts, their spears glinting. The lead rider, a grizzled woman with a scar across her cheek, nodded to Kael, her eyes fierce. "We'll keep 'em safe, my lord."
They herded the carts away, the wolves' paws thudding softly, disappearing into the forest's shadow.
