I was getting used to not knowing when day and night was. It became easier as time went on thanks to not needing to sleep, but I missed seeing the sun and moon.

  I do feel that would normally turn someone crazy, but for me it only made me hold on better. I would feel tired mentally, but I usually had enough with going to rest.

  The wolves had formed a few hunter parties, making sure the new arrivals were used to how things worked around there. I went out to see if they needed help.

  Hunters did double work as guards and food collectors. They went out, found animals to hunt, and caught them. That was how I found out another massive problem I inadvertently fixed on the North Clan.

  Animals were not as plentiful as they seemed. Although there were enough to feed the Alliance, they were already seeing less beasts to eat. Having a society dependent on hunting for feeding is not that good of an idea at the numbers they were, but it's all they knew back then.

  Wolf packs usually don’t go this big on numbers, so it was going to eventually become a problem. Most likely why the surface sounds so impressive for them. More space, more animals and beasts to hunt, and the light of the sun.

  The other problem came in when the hunt was plentiful. They couldn’t store food. And they didn’t figure out how to use magic to freeze the meat until I gave the idea to Fir on how to build a bridge.

  “Maybe the Leader could kill some more of those lizards,” one wolf commented near me.

  “Is the meat good, Kale?” Another asked.

  [Seems your order to make them chose a name worked]

  “Good, that way they have the name they want!” I answered with glee.

  “Yes! It is so delicious and plentiful!” Kale answered, “even if it was kind of tangy, the taste and amount made up for it! Besides, I felt so much better after eating it. Two of those lasted us a full week.”

  “Then I guess I will have to go find some!” I commented.

  “Ah! Lady Alice! You heard that!” Kale was startled as they turned towards me, tail straight and ears perked to the limit, “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t want to be rude!”

  Wait… that wolf… he looked quite young compared to the rest, and something about him seemed familiar…

  “Wait! I remember you!” I said, “you are that wolf that was getting chased by the drakeling when I arrived with Aspen. You joined as a hunter?”

  “You remembered me! Yes! I… I wanted to do something for myself, which is why I chose the name Kale!”

  Kale… sounded familiar.

  [Archival analysis… found in the local folk tales of the wolves. Kale was a human member of the royal guard in one of the Three Kingdoms of the Salkarhi continent. He was considered both weak and useless by the other members. He, however,would prove his worth after defending Princess Arla from a Goblin attack]

  Good thing Erika was paying attention when I was not!

  [So you will just ignore important information and make me pay attention for you?]

  “So, any problems I could help with?” I offered.

  [Don’t ignore me]

  The wolves looked at each other.

  “Eeehhhh…we couldn’t ask you for it!” the other wolf said, “I… we got it handled, Leader Alice, thanks!”

  “Oh… okay” that was weird. I thought he wanted to ask me to hunt for those monsters, but I guessed not. “Keep up the good work!”

  Then I felt a sight boring right within my soul.

  It was Adela, who happened to be around there.

  I knew she was going to tell me something even if I tried to escape, and most likely catch me if I tried to run.

  “Y-yes, Adela?”

  “It's good you are willing to give your people a hand, but you should remember you have to keep a certain distance in levels,” Adela said.

  “I feel weird not doing anything! Everyone is doing something and all I have been doing is check around!”

  “I understand that, but now you lead a group of wolves. You are a leader. You need to make sure they understand that.”

  Ugh, when did she become my teacher?

  “Then, I am going to check how my crafter is doing…”

  “By the way, some people are still doubting why you want them to choose their own name. Some have already chosen, but many still think they should win the name.”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  “Maybe I should explain to them why I prefer they make the choice themselves..”

  [Surely is not because you are lazy]

  “Many believe names give them purpose and power” Adelas said, “so they don’t want to randomly go over you to pick up their names.”

  “Wouldn’t they like it better to choose their own purpose?”

  “For them, the only purpose is to hunt, grow and find the sacred lands. Do you think that is that easy to change?”

  “No… but I always hated to be told what I am meant and not meant to be doing. If they are going to follow me, then that is my philosophy.”

  Adela smiled. “Then, see if you can convince them. Just remember, you are the Leader. There is an image you need to keep up.”

  “Yeah, I got it…” I was annoyed at the idea. Would that mean I had to change my whole behavior? I did not like it.

  But it made sense. I was questioning why I chose that path, but at the same time I was feeling this odd compelling sensation to continue and go forward.

  I just let it rest and returned to the ruins.

  There I would see something I would not expect at all, and learn that I should remember how powerful Erika was.

  }------------------------------------------o~o------------------------------------------{

  I wanted to see if Luna or the others had woken up. Aspen went out to hunt, Fir to sleep, as far as I knew. The rest of the wolves were doing their daily life. That was hours before.

  If you wonder what the daily life of a wolf, well, not that interesting. They didn’t know much to do with their lives other than hunting. Only a handful of them began hobbies like the one that Luna presented to me.

  Aspen loved exploring and hunting, so she was on her zone. Fir was an overseer and enjoyed moving around and giving a hand where he could. Luna… well, I still didn’t know much about her.

  The rest? They didn’t have games, they didn’t have instruments or knew about entertainment. What I would see them doing, however, was that a few of them repeated the stories of Ella or made their own stories based on those, with wolves as the protagonists. Oral tradition at its finest. If only I was more brave I would have been telling them about my stories I wrote back on earth.

  But, I wanted to speak with Luna.

  I wanted to speak a bit more with her, ask her a few questions about Forehead and if she knew how she went crazy. Adela mentioned something, so she was going to be questioned later, but Luna knew him more closely.

  But as I arrived, I found something I did not expect.

  “Her burrow should be around here…” I said as I moved between the ruins. She called it burrow, but in reality she took over a derelict house that was still standing. Cannot blame her, seemed more comfortable.

  A female wolf came out of the house I was going to, but I did not really recognize her. She was stretching, so she had to be sleeping inside, and made me think I was approaching the wrong house.

  “Ah! I might be mistaken…”

  But as I saw that wolf stretch, I could not avoid noticing how beautiful she was. Her mane was majestic and fluffy, her tail held high, her eyes sharp and telling. It was an incredible sight, it seemed like a beast of legends.

  “I feel like I overslept… I only wanted to sleep for a few cycles…” she said. Her voice was oddly familiar, but was another impressive part of her as it had a warm tone.

  Then she saw me.

  “Ah, Elder Alice. Did you need something?”

  She asked while sitting, and her tone of voice made it sound like we knew each other.

  “A-ah… no, I came here looking for Luna…”

  She tilted her head, and I could tell she was confused from what I asked.

  She opened her mouth to answer, but then…

  “Master Alice!” Fir yelled and approached me from between the ruins, “I have important news!”

  He came running towards me, with a smile, and then sat to deliver the message… until he saw the wolf in front of me. He froze, then coughed.

  “Excuse me!” he said and then approached the wolf, and began to circle her in a way I still had not seen wolves do so far, “I did not know that the most beautiful of wolves lives between us!”

  Wow… really, my dude?

  And she seemed to react the same way, her mouth opened so wide at his attempt of flirting, that she appeared to be screaming out of shame.

  “Y-you insolent… fool!” she screamed, and then did a full circle and kicked him away from her with her back legs.

  “Arf!” Fir yelled as he got launched and rolled through the floor until he fell flat on the ground.

  “That walk was a seduction attempt?” I asked.

  “And you, Elder Alice!” the wolf was now angry at me, and I paid immediate attention to her demanding voice, “you don’t even recognize me and he is shaming me like that… don’t you have any decency, Fir?!”

  Why was she so angry at us?! Is not like…

  Hold on…

  “I recognize that kick…” Fir said, still in the ground, in deep thought. Then he looked at her with wide eyes, “L-Luna?!”

  “Ah… is Luna… WAIT, WHAT?!” It took me a while to process that.

  “Yes! Of course it’s me, you damn fool… and Lady Alice!”

  She was completely about to call me a fool. I would not blame her, really.

  Besides, what the hell? She really lost several years!

  [She is, indeed Luna. Thanks to our influence, she evolved into a Shadow Moonless Wolf, at Tier 1]

  What the hell… why didn’t you tell me?!

  [Because, it’s funny]

  Of course!

  “L-Luna! You don’t feel anything different?”

  “Well… I slept more than usual… and none of my joints are hurting… why?”

  “Y-you became younger, Luna!” Fir said, now on his four feet.

  Her eyes widened and both ears pointed to the ceiling. Then she looked down at herself, her back, making a full circle in complete disbelief.

  Then she sat.

  “H-huh? Wait… then just like you...” Luna looked at me.

  “Yep!”

  [Hey! You are taking my credit!]

  “Serving Master Alice is the best choice, don’t you think?” Fir said.

  “I forgot to tell you something like this might happen. Aspen was affected too.” I explained to her.

  “Y-yeah, I noticed she was different as well, and Fir did explain to me that he woke up like that.” she looked to the floor for a few more seconds, then she asked, “are the rest going to be affected like this?”

  “No, but they should be slowly noticing they are a bit stronger. It’s complicated, but I can choose who gets affected like that, but right now it only affects you two.”

  “In Ella’s name! That is… I don’t have any doubts now! You are the key for us to leave these caves! I-I feel more…”

  She cast a spell, making many dark purple balls appear over her, and making them dance. By her expression, it was more than what she used to do.

  “I told you! Alice is inexperienced, but look what has happened since she arrived!”

  “Okay! Cut it! I don’t do compliments that good!” although they felt nice to receive.

  [Thief…]

  I had to think on how to compensate Erika later.

  “And you!” Luna turned to Fir, “you didn’t recognize me and immediately tried to flirt with me? What should I think about this?!”

  “H-huh? B-but it was with you…”

  “Y-you damn fool! I don’t know what part is worse!”

  “Well… I leave you two alone!” I quickly went to disengage.

  “Ah! M-master Alice! Please, help me!”

  Sorry, buddy! But I did not want to get caught in the crossfire of that discussion, specially since Fir did not recognize HIS younger ex-wife! Survive and you can deliver the message! I could speak with Luna when she was done with him.