Chapter 3

It has a thick wood box who is hiding under the thick roots of the tree. I do wonder how it was placed there. Going back in my normal form, my fur  disappeared and was replaced with somewhat hairy skin. The roots were completely removed, it was me who did it. Lhana pick the wooden  box whose covered with dirt.

I quickly dress up using the clothes I have. I make sure that I am hiding behind the thick bush when I transformed. 

"What was inside?"

I asked Lhana to know what she got in that box. 

"I haven't opened it yet"

After I finished putting in my clothes I went back on where Lhana is. Sitting as she bend her knees, she looks at me. 

"I cleaned the box, how was it"

"That's... fine"

"Yeah"

The box she is holding is so different compared to the box I remembered in my mind. It was... clean. Absolutely clean as if it wasn't filled with dirt a while ago.

"How-"

"Water and towel. I used your water. Sorry about that"

"No worries, it's  fine"

That is why I somehow hate that girl.  Hah...

"Should we open this?"

"Sure"

Before we open the box, a very odd figure of carving was embedded on the top of the box. Still, with that small part of it... there is no use to think of what it symbolizes. Maybe that is just a random carving who have no meaning at all. I let my hand caress the wood.

"Emric, what is it ?"

I was stunned in some moments.  Something feels... off.

"No, it's... nothing"

We both open the box revealing a piece of rolled paper. 

"It looks... old"

What Lhana said is indeed true. The paper used are much older than those whose displayed in the library.  I wonder how long it's been here...

Lhana opened the paper roll and to our surprise...

"It is a... map"

A map? What should we do about this?

"So, we look for a long time just for this map?"

"It is... our wolvendom"

"Huh? How come?"

"This word here, if you look closely... it is the reflected word of ERHENDEM. This is the E and then the R, and then the H... next to it is..."

"Yes, I know. I now see it"

"..."

Looking at the big map that shows the whole land of our wolvendom, it seems just like an irregular circle. I never know that our pack covering this big space. Wait, is that a crescent mountain?

 Even the fence of the forbidden wall is said in here. This is my first time seeing a map as precise and accurate as this. All of the words described in book about our wolvendom... it's as if it gives figure or image about the words it says. 

 'The forest of Erhendem was enormous, clear, and prospering. Its canopy was marked by the leaves of the sacred tree, the erhelena. That leaves scattered covering the ground. Even the twinkling lights bursting through their crowns allowed for colorful wolf hook to dominate the stony grounds below'

Just like what it says... the whole Erhendem truly is... a paradise covered with dangerous places.

'Thin climbing plants drooped from the tree of erhelena, and an array of wolf hook, which grew in a sprinkled and disorderly fashion, protruded from the otherwise monotonous forest grounds'

"Ha... how funny. There is also a place that is full of wolf hook? I never heard of that"

"Emric, you act so weird. What are you talking about?"

Lhana look at me as if I am reading something weird. As if what I did was... out of the ordinary.

"I am just reading the words written behind this map"

Now, she looks at me full of confusion. 

"Isn't it just an empty... piece of paper?"

"What do you mean?"

"There are no words written behind the back of that paper. Even the map itself is just like the map in the library. Why do you look so amazed?"

"Oh..."

I didn't say any words for her to know what I saw. I may be selfish but if I tell her what I see, she wouldn't believe me.

"Wait, I'll just go in the lake"

"For?"

She looks at me with a disgusting face. As if I did something bad. Hah, we do hate each other to some point 

"Yeah, whatever"

"Call if you need help"

"As if I needed you to protect me"

"Sure sure"

I continued reading the words written behind the map. 

'A variation of wild noises, which were caused by birds and insects, added life to the forest, and were in harmony with the occasional howl of a large pack of wolf as they declare the dominancy of their wolfpack as the ruler of the Erhendem'

When he says pack... he means us... right?

'The country's landscape is dangerous; wild rivers, cold, windy mountains and depressing fields are just a sliver of the dangers that the path to the Erhendem borders has to offer, which is why I ordered the wolf king of the pack to not cross beneath those places.'

"Emric..."

I heard Lhana call my name. 

"Yes?"

"Just as I thought, there is a hole in that wall. The wall near the lake"

"We can fit?"

She nodded her head and lead me to the place she said. The place we can freely roam is covered with walls who is not that tall but for us who is not yet fully grown up, there is no possibility for us to walk pass that wall. Not unless there is a hole where we can fit.

With that being said, it is I who first entered the hole. It is dangerous to went on the other side especially of we are not sure about what will welcome us.

"Lhana, Are you sure about this? You can step back if you don't want to"

I can now see her. She slightly taps her clothes to remove the dirt that is in her dress.

Still, you can see that there is a hesitation in the Lhana's face. Indeed, it is her first time to disobey the rules of their pack. But for me, it is not exactly the first time I did. Not attending classes or skipping it because I think it is a waste of time, not attending the meeting that the elders created to make Lhana and I meet, and lastly... this. To went up on the hill that is the tallest place among this wolvendom is a grave sin. It is but a major offense that a wolf can make. 

"We get this far, why would I turn back? That would just be a waste of my time if that happens"

Removing the vines that covered the complete view of the other side, a new place welcomed us.

I see it with my two naked eyes. It is just described by the books that the library offers. Added with the information I got from the map, I feel like my knowledge and comprehension about this place becomes more... bigger.

"Emric..."

"Yes... it is... wonderful"