Both were surprised when another Liorex stomped forth from the portal. Her blackened scales were striking, reminiscent of the night sky. Nasal horn equal to the crescent. Silver mane enchanting as moonlight.

  The figure was Vice Chief Bloombark!

  She dragged the limp neck of a vulcan-brachiosaurus behind her, its massive body scraping across the soil and leaving molten streaks in its wake. The scent of fresh kill clung to her like smoke.

  More importantly, what was she doing out here?

  Idalia glanced from Papa to Bloombark, realizing that the mission the two were about to embark on would be quite perilous.

  Before she could question, Bloombark snarled as soon as she spotted her.

  Idalia shrieked and stumbled back, and when she lifted her head to return the glare, her stomach began to churn, feeling queasy at the domineering strength behind those purple eyes. Lovely as they were, they were far from kind.

  Instinct roared in her mind, acknowledging Bloombark's superiority. Superior than Father. Idalia must obey the hierarchy. She felt an overwhelming urge to retreat, so she ran away before Bloombark could give chase.

  "Idalia!" her father called out, but she was too panicked to stop at his voice. Bloombark was not kind when she spoke.

  "Leave her be, Solrift. Our assault against those Phantom Carnotaurs is more important than your…"

  Bloombark's voice trailed off as Idalia swam across a lava river, bolstered by her Heat Resistance to the element.

  Once out of the warm liquid, she shook her fur that fluffed out in equal parts to the heat and her anxiety. She was safe for the moment, but her heart thudded like a rockfall in her chest. Her mind raced as she weighed her options. Should she hide and wait for Papa to finish his mission, or follow him and uncover the secret that had called him into the unknown?

  Peering back through the ferns, she watched as her father exchanged a few hushed words with Bloombark. The tension between them crackled in the air like the smell of charred soil struck by lightning. Idalia's ears perked up at the mention of "Phantom Carnotaurs," a name whispered among the elders, always followed by tales of vanishing hunters and bones gone missing.

  Idalia knew they were dangerous, creatures of shadow and fear. None from the settlement had ever dared to confront them alone. The thought sent a thrill of panic running down her back, but also a spark of determination!

  She wanted to be braver than any of them. If her father was to fight such a fearsome foe, how could she possibly sit back and do nothing?

  Resolved, she set her jaw and turned back toward the portal, her thoughts racing faster than her heart.

  She was not merely Idaliakit, the little one who followed the rules; she was Solrift's daughter, destined to become strong. She could be a part of this mission.

  She paused, then stiffened when she felt the pressure of distortion. Two mini portals suddenly ripped open before her.

  Without warning, two fluffy figures lunged at her. She rolled and tussled with them, swinging and nipping at her foes until she finally managed the impossible.

  She pinned both of them down: the Liorex twins, Pyrakit and Pyrokit.

  They squirmed under her weight, their fluffy tails flicking in playful protest. Idalia couldn't help but let out a giggle, the tension from her earlier fright melting away for a moment.

  Annoyance and amusement colored her voice.

  "What are you doing here?"

  Pyrakit, the bolder of the two with vibrant orange stripes against her dark scales, wriggled free of Idalia's grasp. "We saw you sneak out and thought we'd join!"

  "Yeah! An adventure!" Pyrokit chimed in, always the more exuberant twin with his deep blue highlights shimmering in the sunlight.

  Idalia took a deep breath. While she normally cherished the company of her friends, bringing them into the danger wasn't part of her original plan. "This isn't a game, guys. Papa's going to confront the Phantom Carnotaurs. It's serious!"

  Pyrakit tilted her head, feigning innocence. "And you're going to stop him all by yourself?"

  Idalia shot her a determined glance. "I'm going to help him, and that means you two need to stay here."

  "Too late!" Pyrokit's tail swished, the end pointing in the direction where Papa had stood. "They've already left."

  Idalia gasped in scandalized disbelief, because he was right. Her Papa and Bloombark were gone. The same was true for the portal that had opened for them, sealing shut as if it had never existed at all.

  "Then we'll just have to follow them!" Idalia declared.

  Pyrakit frowned. "How? The portal's gone."

  Idalia grinned, eyes blazing with determination.

  "Easy. We can track them down." None of them noticed the faint glow spreading beneath their paws. But Idalia did.

  She wanted to set off immediately after her father, but her protective instincts clashed with the knowledge that danger lurked ahead.

  The mention of the Phantom Carnotaurs had kindled a fire within her, igniting her fierce nature to prove she could stand alongside her father. Yet, as she looked at her eager friends, the weight of responsibility pressed hard against her chest. One day, she'd be the one to lead them as the [Alpha]. But…

  "Listen," she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "if we're going to do this, we have to be smart. The Phantom Carnotaurs are not just fearsome; they're freaky but skilled pack hunters. We can't rush in without a plan."

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  "A plan?" Pyrokit echoed. "This is gonna be so cool!"

  "Focus!" Idalia snapped, trying to rein in their enthusiasm. "First, we need to find a way to track them. They could be anywhere, and we can't risk losing their scent or trail."

  "Let's look for the portal residue!" Pyrakit suggested, her tail flicking excitedly.

  Idalia nodded. The twins had clever ideas, and they could use all the help they could get.

  Together, they began scouring the ground for any signs of activity. She activated [Smell] and [Spatial Sight]. The subtle scents of magic and interdimensional energy tickled her nose, while her vision picked up faint distortions in the terrain. A glow glimmered faintly in the soil.

  She sniffed at the air, finally catching the portal's subtle {Portal Particles} shimmering before her eyes, barely visible unless you were looking for them. Her friends crowded close, watching her focus.

  "There!" cried Pyrakit, pointing excitedly to a faint glimmer amongst the rocky ground. "Over there—look!"

  Idalia chirped excitedly at the sight.

  Soon enough, they were close to the source!

  But as soon as they approached, she felt a blockage, making the residue difficult to sense. It was probably Bloombark's doing. Focusing her energy, Idalia closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, feeling for the echoes of her father's presence intertwined with the lingering essence of the portal.

  The portal entrance had been moved elsewhere.

  "It's leading this way!" she announced, her heart racing as she opened her eyes wide and set off in the direction of the new glow trail. The twins bounded alongside her.

  Every step felt heavy with anticipation as they navigated the rugged terrain. The barren expanse stretched vast, where hardened lava lay sprawled like a sleeping dragon. Idalia had seen one of those Liorex mimickers once in her lifetime, with Papa beating one till it took flight. She had found those things called wings fascinating. But they were nothing compared to the freedom granted by the Liorex's shout.

  "Do you think we're close?" Pyrokit asked, glancing back at Idalia, who was focused intently on the subtle changes in the environment.

  "We must be. Just keep your senses sharp. Phantom Carnotaurs are known for their stealth and ambush tactics. We have to be ready for anything."

  As they moved further from the settlement, the world around them grew eerily silent and foreign. Enough to make Idalia's fur stand. Then a new sensation threw her off.

  She froze when a much larger portal appeared.

  Her group stopped when an adult Liorex exited the portal. This one she recognized as Mama, and she didn't look pleased.

  Mama's vibrant scales glinted like polished gemstones under the sunlight, but her eyes were stormy with concern. "Idalia! What have I told you about straying from the settlement?"

  Idalia's heart sank as she met her mother's gaze. "Mama! I—" She stuttered, unsure how to explain the wild urge that had led her into danger. Words fled her, but her determination rose back, filling her with courage. "I have to follow Papa! He's on a mission against the Phantom Carnotaurs!"

  Mama's expression softened slightly. "And you think it's wise to run into danger without guidance? You're not trained for this, Idalia. You can't just chase after him blindly!"

  Pyra and Pyrokit exchanged nervous glances behind Idalia. The gravity of the situation hung palpably in the air, binding them all in unspoken apprehension.

  "Mom, please!" she pleaded. "What if Papa needs me? What if he…"

  "He'll be fine. He's a skilled hunter, trained for this. But you? You are young. You have so much more to learn before facing something like the Phantom Carnotaurs alone."

  Idalia jutted her chin out defiantly. "I can learn! I want to learn! And… I don't want to just be a Liorex who stays behind!"

  Mama's throat clicked as she swallowed hard, and the roar that followed distorted the world around them. Mama's [Portal Roar] pulled them toward her gaping maw, swallowing the sunlight and the surrounding landscape as it summoned them into its celestial depths.

  Idalia felt the world twist around her as if a cyclone had gripped her very essence. She gasped, feeling the rush of wind and light press against her fur. Pyra and Pyrokit clung to her sides, their eyes wide with astonishment and excitement.

  Together, they were drawn through the portal as time and space blurred into a dazzling spectrum of colors. The sensation thrilled and terrified her, and as they were ejected from the portal, Idalia landed with a soft thud on the ground.

  She glanced around, disoriented but quickly remembered her goal. She wanted to find Papa, but they now stood in the volcanic fields of their settlement. Before her, a thriving hub of activity filled with the sounds of her fellow Liorex bustled about.

  "Aw, we're back?"

  ??? ???

  Idalia's paws scuffed the volcanic soil as she sulked, still bristling from Mama's scolding. Though she did have something to take her frustrations out on.

  Well. Not really. More of a desire to sink her fangs into something juicy. And she did focus on that something. A rodent. Bigger than her and looking quite scrumptious.

  Idalia licked her chops, and the pungent scent of the rodent filled her nose. She narrowed her gaze on its backside, viscous drool dripping from her maw to the volcanic sands. She made her first steps toward it; the creature was sniffing a patch of grass. Distracted and vulnerable.

  Good.

  It seemed almost hypnotic when she drew closer within the cluster of ferns. Stalk. Sniff. Watch. Careful steps. Her mind repeated these thoughts as she recalled her mother's teaching.

  This would be the first time she hunted alone, though the presence of Mama lingered nearby. If it wasn't for that, Idalia wouldn't have been allowed to prowl outside the pride's hub. But the thrill of independence ignited a fire in her belly.

  She crouched low, her muscles tensing in anticipation. The rodent was too absorbed in its foraging to sense the impending danger.

  And fortune was on her side. The wind drifted toward her face, flicking whiskers, and carrying her scent away. She kept her head outstretched, barely keeping her excited, twitchy tail down. The nerve.

  Each step she crept forward with brought her closer to a nerve-wracking showdown. The world outside her focus faded into a blur. The only thing that existed was her prey.

  Suddenly, a snap of a twig underfoot sent a jolt of panic through her.

  The rodent froze.

  Idalia's heart raced. She held her breath, willing the critter to resume its meal. Instead, with a trembling leap of defiance, the rodent dashed toward a thicket with desperate speed.

  "No!"

  Come back! Frustration flooded her senses. She hadn't come this far to let her first hunt slip away. Instinct kicked in and she bolted after it, pounding across the sands, her paws barely making a sound. The thrill of the chase electrified her, every step bringing her closer to her prize.

  The rodent zigzagged through the ferns, and Idalia matched its frantic rhythm, weaving expertly through the foliage. Mama and Papa's lessons echoed in her mind: patience, precision, power.

  Just as the creature thought it had found safety, it darted into a dense patch of brush. Idalia felt the panic spike. It would get away. Unless—

  She sprang into the air, roaring out of habit, but this time her portal formed not where her scent marked, not where her roar pointed. Instead her focus locked on the empty space ahead of the rodent. A point. A thought. A picture in her head.

  The world lurched.

  Her body flung forward, tumbling out of a tear in space. The air shifted wrong around her ears, and when her paws struck the earth, she realized with a start she had landed ahead of her prey. No scent marker. No trail. Just… thought. Focus.

  Her eyes widened. How? No elder she knew could do this. Not even Mama. They always needed scent, roar, direction. Yet she had simply pictured it and been there. The shock rattled through her chest even as instinct surged forward to strike.

  The rodent was there, caught off guard, its eyes wide with shock and terror.

  Idalia sprang forward, the ground rushing up to meet her. The impact was exhilarating. She ensnared the rodent in her jaws, her triumph solidified as she felt the warmth of its body ceased under the tremendous force of her bite.

  Its bleeding motes spread against her tongue. Tender, rich, and slightly sweet.

  Idalia's heart swelled with pride. She had done it.

  Yet the pride tangled with unease. The way she had… leapt. No roar guiding her, no scent to chase. Just focus. Was that normal? Could others do it? She thought of the elders. They had never done such a thing. Never. Why her?

  A flicker of movement on the edge of her vision made her ears twitch. She froze, muzzle still sticky with blood, and peered past the ferns.

  Something watched her.

  A creature perched on a hill, golden light at its back.

  Wolf? No. Not a wolf. But her mind leapt to the nearest shape she knew. Its narrow frame, sharp snout, eyes glinting with strange interest. Maybe even smugness. The breeze shifted, but its scent slipped away too quickly for her to catch.

  Idalia blinked, heart pounding. When she looked again, the creature was gone.