Clara backed away from Divant in a hurry, her eyes guarded and her body suddenly tense. "Get away from me." She said calmly.

Divant frowned. "I told you that I'm not going to hurt you or anyone. Whatever you have heard about us, I can assure you isn't true in the slightest. We don't hunt creatures like your friends. . ." He said quickly, trying to make Clara seem at ease. She wasn't in the slightest.

"Why were you so adamant on having this conversation?" Clara asked, her body language still giving off signals that she was uncomfortable and untrusting.

"Because, I wanted to warn you." Divant breathed out an exasperated breath.

"Warn me of what exactly?"

"The danger that you are walking into." Divant held out the dagger he still held in his hands out to Clara. Clara hesitantly took back the dagger.

"That dagger is a curse. A curse that you don't know how to handle." Divant finished and watched as Clara slid the blade back into its sheath. Her eyes widened in realization.

"Does this have to do with what the troll showed me?" Clara asked.

"What did the troll show you?" Divant was curious.

"He lifted up the dagger, and then I saw two images. One was of a silver crown, and the second was of a silver key. They both looked similar to-" Clara was honest, but curious Divant suddenly interrupted her.

"The dagger." He assumed.

"Yes." Clara nodded.

"There is a lot to explain. Too much honestly. . . And to be honest, I do not know all of the information I wish I did. Do you even know where you're traveling to?"

"Tallahi territory." Clara answered quickly.

"And let me guess, pretty boy told you that it's not a place for the light hearted?" Divant was starting to scare Clara.

"How. . . How did you know that?"

"Because it's true," Divant paused. "But it's so much worse than that. They've been preparing for war, and whatever that key unlocks, is something they need to unleash chaos on this earth." Divant explained.

"Wait. . . How do you know all of this?" Clara wanted to pinch herself. This couldn't be happening. What was he even saying?

"I'm new to some of the supernatural elements in life, just like I'm assuming you are. My father could tell you more than I can. He's spent his entire life searching for what I believe is that very dagger. He calls it the shapshifting blade that ties artificial with natural." Divant pointed through the trees to the largest tent in the village.

The tent was tall and decorated lightly, Clara watched as a man who looked to be Divant's father step out of it and go about his business, oblivious to her presence in the forest.

"Can I trust you?" Clara turned to Divant.

"If I wanted you dead, you'd already be hanging by your legs, bleeding out in the forest like a wild animal."

"That's very comforting to know." Clara was clearly being sarcastic.

"Sorry. That might have been a bit harsh... Even for me. Dark humor." Divant chuckled.

~~~

"And. . .Voila! They're back to normal." Divant stood near the bridge troll that stood frozen momentarily.

With the wave of his hand, everyone, including Cage was suddenly able to move and talk.

Cage glanced around, clearly confused and angry. "What did you do? I-I blacked out and couldn't move. It was like I was trapped in darkness." He growled.

"Ugh. Don't be too upset. If it makes you feel any better," Divant elbowed Clara's arm gently before continuing. "She missed you." He winked jokingly.

"Is everything okay?" Cage asked seriously.

Before anyone could respond, the sudden sound of footsteps approaching could be heard from behind Clara. Divant looked panicked.

"Give me your dagger for a moment." He demanded.

"Wha-" Clara began to ask.

"Just give it to me." Divant quickly took the dagger when Clara held it out to him, and he took a step forward afterwards.

Divant approached the bridge troll who was now unfrozen, and he stabbed it in the heart. The bridge troll fell back, lifeless, the dagger still sticking out of its body.

With a groan, Divant pulled out the blade from the trolls body and wiped the blood that stained the metal on the hem of his coat. He threw the blade back to Clara as he hoisted the troll up and over the railing of the wooden bridge. The trolls body fell down into the cavern below.

"Slimy little thing." Divant muttered as he wiped his hands on his brown pants.

"Who goes there!?" A man broke through the clearing and glanced to Divant, who stood like he was trying to not seem like he had just killed a bridge troll. Very convincing.

Clara glanced up to see who she recognized as Divant's father, and men and women with weapons all surrounding her and the group from where they stood, now on the other side of the bridge.

"It's okay father. They aren't dangerous." Divant nodded and Clara glanced at him.

"Who are they? And why are they here?"

"We are travelers sir. We do not mean to intrude or cause trouble." Clara held her hands up and so did Callum, Angelica, Daniel, Kai and Orion. Of course, Cage wasn't going to surrender so easily.

"What's your name?" Divant's father stepped closer to the group.

"Dani Mainn." Clara spoke up.

"Are you going to introduce the rest of your group?" Divant's father motioned to everyone behind Clara.

"I believe they can introduce themselves. I'm not their mother." Clara growled.

"Kaiman Culte." Kai spoke up first.

"Angelica Weiss." Angelica wiped her eyes.

"Callum Vanjoy." Callum looked to be the most scared person in the group.

"Daniel Smith." Daniel kept his cool.

"Orion Xern." Orion's eyes flashed a dark red.

"And you?" Divant's father glanced to Cage. Cage continued to stay quiet.

"And you?" He tried a second time.

"Cage Viantela." Cage growled at the man.

The man's eyes widened as he stared at Cage for a moment.

"You're Cadman's second boy." Divant's father realized.

"Don't speak that name again." Cage stepped forward and the man lowered his gaze.

"I'm sorry alpha." The man kept his gaze towards the forest floor.

"You should be. I told you many years ago, that if I ever crossed paths with you again Divin, I would tear you limb from limb," Cage paused. "And yet, here you are. With your son, acting as if this is your land to guard and protect." Cage's voice lowered an octave.

Divin and his son Divant, both bowed in front of Cage suddenly. All of the unfamiliar faces who stood with weapons, all followed in the action.

Clara's mouth dropped open, her jaw seemingly dropping to the floor.

"I cannot tell you how sorry I am alpha.
I know what your command was. I remember. I just wasn't expecting to see you here. You're father never left the den's halls." Divin stayed down as he bowed.

Clara couldn't tell if Divin was afraid or not. His hands that were planted on the dirt covered ground looked to be shaking.

Cage bent down quickly and gripped Divin by the neck. He forced him to stand and Cage began to lift the man up off of the ground.

"One thing you have yet to learn about me, is that I am not my father." Cage's expression was one of anger and hostility.

Clara turned to Kai and mouthed the words 'What is going on?', to which Kai simply shook is head as to say 'It isn't my place to tell you'.

Everyone stood quietly as Cage released the man from his grasp.

"Let's go. We can still make it to our destination by tomorrow evening if we hurry." Cage turned to Clara and ushered for her and the rest of the group to walk away from Divant and Divin.

"With all due respect, I believe you and Dani are going to need our help to tell you what danger is ahead. That blade isn't what you think it is." Divant spoke up and pointed to Clara's belt.

Divin glanced to Clara. He took a step forward to get a better look at what his son was referring to. Cage growled.

"What are you saying? I know there are dangers ahead." Cage said.

"There is a lot more to explain. You should all camp here for the night." Divant offered.

"Absolutely not." Cage bit out.

"Okay then. . ." Divant was in front of Clara in an instant, his hand reaching for the blade at her side.

Within a second, Divant had drug the blade across Clara's stomach. She cried out in pain, as she clutched her stomach.

Cage raced to Clara's side as Divant took a step back. Cage bent down to Clara and applied pressure to where she had been cut, but as he touched her wound, he realized that it had already healed.

"As I said, there are a lot of things to explain. I thought instead of telling you, I should show you." Divant stood confidently.

"Y-you said you wouldn't-" Clara groaned in pain and shock.

"I had to show pretty boy what he's up against." Divant silently apologized.

"You've got a lot of guts." Kai stood in front of Divant and eyed him angrily.

"You must be the brother." Divant wasn't intimidated by Kai's angry growl.

"The brother that snapped your best friends scrawny little neck." Kai had officially pushed Divant's buttons.

"Son, please." Divin begged.

"Listen to your father. He knows exactly what happens when you upset a werewolf." Kai persisted.

Divant backed off and watched at Clara stood up gently. Cage held her in his embrace as she regained stability.

"How is it possible?" Cage turned to Divin.

"She's the one ingredient in the Tallahi's concoction that they believe they don't need. Without her, they can't unleash an army." Divin realized.