Chapter 100: Hidden Beneath
The sun beat down mercilessly, turning the field into a furnace. Ragnar wiped sweat from his brow, leaving a streak of mud across his tanned skin. Two days of digging had left the warriors exhausted, their muscles aching from the repetitive motion of breaking through the hard-packed earth.
“Moon goddess, this heat is unbearable,” Ragnar muttered, plunging his shovel back into the dirt. The shovel struck something solid, sending a jarring shock up his arms.
Jett looked up from his section a few feet away. “Found something else?”
Ragnar carefully brushed away the soil, anticipation fueling him.
“Just another rock,” he sighed, tossing it onto their growing pile of discarded stones. “How many of these crystal things does the Alpha expect us to find anyway?”
Axel grunted from his position. “As many as Luna Lily can unearth, apparently.” There was no malice in his tone—just tired resignation.
“Speaking of unbearable,” Ryker whispered, his voice low enough that only those nearby could hear, “I’m starving. We’ve been at this since dawn with no break.”
Ragnar was about to complain about the heat again when movement at the edge of the field caught his eye. He squinted against the sunlight, making out two figures approaching with what appeared to be a wagon.
“Look there,” he said, nodding toward the newcomers.
The wolves turned to see Lily struggling to pull a wooden wagon across the uneven ground, Martha walking beside her. Even from this distance, they could see the effort it took for Lily to haul the heavy load, her small frame straining with each step. Despite the obvious difficulty, she refused to stop, determination etched on her face.
“She’s pulling that by herself?” Axel asked, his tone incredulous.
Before anyone could answer, the scent of fresh food wafted toward them on the breeze. The warriors dropped their tools and ran towards Lily.