Chapter 50: Finding Skye

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Lyra asked, her voice low. She hugged her jacket tighter around her, the morning air cold against her skin.

Maya looked down at the trail of footprints in the soft dirt, some of them mixed with claw marks. “It’s the only clue we have,” she said. “Skye left a mark here, and Bryce remembered which direction she ran after saving him.”

Jack frowned and adjusted his backpack. “I still can’t believe she’s real. I mean, a shapeshifter? Who even believes that?”

Bryce, walking a few steps ahead, didn’t answer. He was focused on the trail, scanning the ground and trees carefully. “You don’t have to believe it,” he said finally. “I’ve seen her change. You’ll believe soon enough.”

Lyra shivered. “I hope we find her before something happens.”

Maya nodded. “That’s the plan. Stay close, and don’t make any noise. If the Hunters are around, we don’t want to alert them.”

The group moved quietly through the narrow forest path behind the old railway. Sunlight broke through the branches in thin strips, but the woods felt darker than they should. The air smelled damp, mixed with leaves and something else, something faint, sharp.

“Do you smell that?” Jack whispered.

Maya inhaled sharply. “That’s her,” she said. “The scent… it’s hers, but mixed with something else. A predator.”

Bryce stopped and crouched to the ground. He pointed to the dirt. “See this? The prints are hers. Big and small. She shifted recently.”

Lyra leaned in. “Shifted? You mean she turned into something else?”

Bryce nodded. “Exactly. That’s why it smells like a predator. She’s not fully human right now.”

The group moved faster, following the trail. The footprints led to a small clearing where the grass was flattened as if someone had slept there.

“She’s been here,” Maya said. “Not long ago.”

Jack scanned the area nervously. “Do we wait or keep going?”

“We follow the trail,” Bryce said firmly. “She didn’t go far.”

They continued through the trees, stepping over roots and under low branches. The further they went, the more the forest felt wrong. The birds were silent. Even the wind seemed still, carrying only the sound of their own footsteps.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Lyra said. She stopped and looked around. “It’s too quiet.”

Maya’s hand rested on her pocket where a small silver knife was. “That means we’re close. Stay alert.”

After ten minutes, they reached an abandoned cabin at the edge of the forest. The windows were broken, the roof sagging. The door hung on its hinges.

Bryce froze. “This is it,” he said softly.

Lyra stepped forward cautiously. “It doesn’t look like she’s inside.”

Maya shook her head. “Wait. Look at the ground.”

They all turned to see faint golden scratches leading to the back of the cabin. The marks glowed faintly, almost like they were alive.

“She’s been here very recently,” Maya said. “And she left a trail intentionally.”

Jack frowned. “Why would she do that?”

“She wants to be found,” Bryce said quietly. “She needs our help.”

Lyra swallowed and took a deep breath. “Then let’s go inside.”

They opened the creaking door slowly. The cabin smelled like smoke and wet wood. Dust floated in the air, disturbed by their movement.

“Skye?” Maya called softly. “It’s us. We’re here to help.”

No answer. The only sound was the creaking floorboards beneath their feet.

Suddenly, a shadow moved near the corner. They froze.

Skye stepped out of the darkness. Her hair was messy, her clothes torn, and her eyes glowed gold. Her skin had faint black veins running along her arms, and her teeth looked sharper than before.

Lyra’s stomach twisted. “Skye…”

She didn’t smile. Instead, she tilted her head, observing them like a wild animal. “You found me,” she said, her voice low but sharp. “I told you I could protect him, but now… I might need your help too.”

Jack’s mouth went dry. “What… what happened to you?”

Skye moved closer, each step careful but deliberate. “I fought them,” she said. “The Hunters. They won’t stop. And I had to change to survive. But every time I do, a part of me disappears. Soon, I might not be me anymore.”

Bryce stepped forward. “You saved me, Skye. You don’t have to do this alone anymore. We can help.”

Her eyes flicked to him, then to the others. “Help? You don’t understand. If I stay this way too long, I’ll be something else. Something worse. And Damien… he can’t see me like this.”

Lyra clenched her fists. “We’ll fix that. Together. We always do.”

Skye’s lips curved slightly. It wasn’t a smile, not really. “I hope so.”

Maya walked closer. “We need to get you out of here, away from the Hunters. They’ll come looking, and if they find you like this…”

Skye’s gaze hardened. “I know. That’s why I left the trail. I wanted you to find me before it was too late.”

Jack’s voice was quiet but urgent. “Then we need a plan. What can we do?”

Skye looked at the golden scratches on the floor. “There’s a place,” she said. “An old cave in the forest. I can hide there. It’s protected. But it’s far, and I’ll need you to guide me. The Hunters might be closer than you think.”

Lyra nodded immediately. “Then we move now. No hesitation.”

They all followed her carefully out of the cabin, moving slowly through the forest. Skye led the way, sometimes glancing back to make sure they were following. The golden glow of her veins pulsed faintly in the shadows, guiding them.

As they walked, the forest seemed to hold its breath. The air smelled of damp leaves and something faintly metallic. Every sound made them jump ,a snapping branch, a rustle of an animal, the wind brushing the trees.

Finally, they reached the entrance to the cave. Skye stepped inside first, crouching low as the darkness swallowed her form. The walls were rough and wet, but she moved with ease, her golden eyes lighting the path.

Maya and the others followed, keeping close together. Inside, the air was damp and cold. The silence pressed against them, almost suffocating.

Skye stopped and turned. “This is safe for now,” she said. “But I can’t stay long. They’re hunting me, and if they find me here…” She didn’t finish the sentence.

Bryce looked at her, his voice firm. “We’ll protect you. We’ll figure this out together.”

She nodded slowly. “Good. But you need to understand… I’m not who I used to be. When Damien sees me, he might not recognize me. And if he doesn’t…” Her voice trailed off.

Lyra placed a hand on her shoulder. “He will. He trusts you.”

The cave was silent except for their breathing. Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying a faint sound.

Skye’s golden eyes glowed brighter for a moment, then dimmed. “We have little time,” she said. “They’re closer than you think.”

The group exchanged worried looks but didn’t speak. They had found Skye, but the

danger wasn’t gone. Not even close.

For the first time, they realized that finding her was just the beginning.