Lyra continued,

"It’s a wolf. Its strongest trait is agility."

Arthur nodded.

"Speed. Movement."

"That’s where we begin."

She turned and gestured for him to follow.

Arthur stepped forward, adjusting slightly as Mel shifted on his shoulder.

They walked a short distance, stopping at another section of the hall.

This one felt different again.

Smaller and more controlled. Obstacles were placed closer together.

Lower.

Narrow gaps, short platforms, angled surfaces.

Everything scaled down.

Refined.

Built for something smaller.

Torren leaned slightly from where he stood.

"...That one looks less deadly."

Arthur glanced back.

"For now."

Lyra spoke again,

"She’ll move through this."

Arthur nodded.

"Obstacle course."

"Yes."

Lyra’s eyes stayed on Mel.

"I want to see how she reacts. Her balance. Her speed. Her awareness."

Arthur understood immediately.

"An assessment first."

"Then we adjust."

Arthur gave a small nod.

"That works."

Lyra crossed her arms slightly.

"The only issue is communication."

Arthur looked at her.

"...You think we can’t?"

"I’m saying I don’t know how you will."

Fair.

She wasn’t wrong.

From the outside, it didn’t look like there was much interaction.

No commands or signals.

Just... closeness.

Lyra continued,

"You’ve grown closer since this morning."

Arthur didn’t deny it.

"Yeah."

"I noticed."

Of course she did.

Arthur scratched lightly at the back of Mel’s ear.

"She listens."

Lyra’s gaze didn’t shift.

"Then show me."

Arthur looked down at Mel.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything.

No words. Not even gestures.

Just.. A look.

It wasn’t long, but it was clear.

Through the bond, his intent passed.

Move. Observe. Adapt.

Mel’s ears twitched slightly.

Then..

She moved with no hesitation.

She jumped down from his arm and landed lightly on the ground.

Lyra’s eyes narrowed slightly.

She had expected something more, like a signal or command.

But there was none.

Arthur just gave a small nod.

"...Go."

That was it.

Mel dashed forward and straight into the course.

Fast.

Her small frame slipped through the first gap easily.

She didn’t stop.

She adjusted her steps instinctively, avoiding a raised edge before it could slow her down.

Lyra watched closely now, her attention sharpened.

Mel moved again, this time jumping onto a low platform, then off it without breaking pace.

Clean, with. o wasted motion.

Arthur folded his arms.

A faint smile touched his lips.

"...Good."

Lyra didn’t add to his reaction, instead her focus stayed even more on the wolf’s movement.

Mel reached a tighter section.

Narrow spacing, and less room to move.

As she slowed just slightly.

Adjusted.

Then continued.

Lyra’s brows lowered a bit.

"...Already?"

She had expected trial and error.

But this... this was smooth.

Not perfect, but natural.

Mel stumbled once on a landing.

A slight slip.

But she corrected instantly and kept going.

Arthur didn’t react, he didn’t need to.

Through the bond, he felt it.

The correction.

The adjustment.

The learning.

Lyra glanced at him briefly.

"...You didn’t guide her."

Arthur shrugged lightly.

"I didn’t need to."

Lyra looked back at Mel.

Her movements were becoming more confident with each step.

Faster.

Cleaner.

The obstacles didn’t slow her as much now.

She was reading them.

Understanding them.

Arthur spoke quietly,

"She gets it."

Lyra didn’t respond immediately.

Because what she was seeing didn’t match what she expected.

No commands, or repeated instructions.

Just one look.

One nod.

And the wolf moved like she already understood.

Lyra’s gaze sharpened slightly.

"...Interesting."

Mel cleared another set of obstacles and slowed to a stop at the end of the course.

She turned back toward Arthur.

Waiting.

Arthur met her gaze and gave a small nod.

"Well done."

A faint sense of satisfaction came through the bond.

Not pride.

Just... quiet acknowledgment.

Lyra stepped forward slightly, her attention still on the wolf.

"...We’ll continue."

Lyra said, her eyes still on the small wolf.

Mel stood at the end of the course, her body still, but her attention locked in.

Arthur rested his hands in his pockets, watching her with a quiet smile.

"She’s not tired yet."

Lyra glanced at him.

"She shouldn’t be."

Then she looked back at Mel.

"But we’ll make this one count."

Arthur tilted his head slightly.

"...How?"

Lyra didn’t answer immediately. She watched Mel for a few seconds more, as if confirming something in her mind.

Then she spoke.

"We’ll make it time-based."

Arthur nodded once.

"Fair."

Mel tilted her head slightly, sensing the shift.

Lyra continued,

"For a cub, her agility is already impressive."

Arthur smirked faintly.

"Not bad, right?"

Lyra didn’t deny it.

"It’s not normal."

That much was clear.

Mel moved again, stepping back toward the start of the course without being told.

Focused and ready.

Lyra’s gaze lingered on her.

There was something off about it.

Not wrong.

Just... unusual.

That kind of focus.

That kind of intent.

You didn’t see it in cubs.

Not even in most grown beasts.

She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"...What did you do overnight?"

Arthur glanced at her, then back at Mel.

"Fed her."

Lyra didn’t react.

"...That’s it?"

Arthur shrugged.

"And talked."

That got a small pause from her.

Talked.

She didn’t push further, but her thoughts didn’t stop.

It wasn’t just one thing.

It was both of them.

The cub... and Arthur.

She exhaled quietly, then shook her head once.

"...Doesn’t matter."

What mattered was what she could see.

And what she could build from it.

Mel started the course again.

This time faster and more confident.

Her movements were smoother now, like her body had already memorized parts of it.

Arthur watched closely, his eyes tracking every step.

There was something different in his expression.

Not just interest.

Not just curiosity.

Pride.

Clear and simple.

The kind that didn’t need words.

Lyra noticed it.

"...He’s enjoying this."

Like a father watching his child take their first real steps.

She smirked slightly at the thought.

"...Strange pair."

But somehow, it worked.

Too well.

Mel cleared the first half of the course quickly.

No hesitation.

No wasted movement.

Arthur muttered under his breath,

"Good... keep that pace."