In the morning, seeing Layla and the pup romping on the beach together, Frieda''s anxieties disappeared. The girl called the animal "Nact" in her language, a term Frieda later discovered was the word for "night" or "shadow", appropriate for its black coat.


    Nact adapted to its foster family with unexpected ease. It learned simple commands in a matter of days, and within weeks, it started patrolling the edge of their camp every evening, warning them of any nearby animals with a low, rumbling growl.


    As the weeks went by, Nact developed at a rate that astonished Frieda. The awkward little cub was rapidly yielding to a sleek, muscular young animal with a glossy black coat and bright, intelligent eyes. His silver-white stripe was more defined now, extending from the back of his neck down his spine to his tail.


    "He grows so fast. Is that normal?" Frieda commented one day as they watched Nact successfully chase down a rabbit, a hunting skill he certainly hadn''t possessed two weeks prior.


    Layla nodded, unsurprised. "Forest creatures here... different. Not like normal animals. Mother say they connect to world''s energy, grow different."


    Frieda studied the wolf-creature thoughtfully. This explained much about the beast they had encountered in the forest that first day—Nact''s mother, presumably—and its unusual size and intelligence. These weren''t ordinary wolves, but something unique to this world.


    The initial month proved to be difficult. Nact, as a puppy, destroyed a pair of Frieda''s boots and shredded one of the pilot ladders they boarded the ship with. Frieda''s patience was strained through all this, but the unrelenting loyalty of Layla to Nact was catchy. The girl trained Nact for hours, making it fetch items, come on command, and above all, to be quiet in case danger was present.


    "He learns fast," Layla said proudly one night as they sat by the fire. Nact was stretched out at her feet, his amber eyes catching the flickering light. "Smart like mother."


    Frieda nodded, taking a sip of the herbal tea they''d made from flora along the edge of the forest. "Most animals are. They don''t have any choice, the ignorant cannot live in nature. That''s how you''ve lived for so long in the wild."


    "So... you like him now?" Layla asked, a hopeful smile on her face.


    Frieda thought about the question, observing the steady rise and fall of the pup''s chest. There was something reassuring about having another sentinel in their little camp, another set of eyes and ears to be on the lookout for threats.


    "He''s... useful," she admitted, which earned her a bright laugh from Layla.


    "You like!" the girl declared triumphantly.


    Wilhelm would say I''m growing soft. Perhaps I am.


    Frieda started bringing Nact on hunts, and that was where she found him to be of real use. The animal could stalk game with unerring accuracy, padding through the underbrush to drive rabbits and small deer into the open. His senses were much keener than their own, and he appeared to instinctively understand what they required.


    On one such expedition, Frieda watched in amazement as Nact suddenly froze, his body rigid with attention. He turned to look at her, then back toward a dense thicket some twenty meters ahead.


    "What is it?" Frieda whispered, raising her rifle.


    Nact gave a soft chuff, a sound they''d discovered signified caution, as opposed to immediate danger. Frieda crept forward carefully until she could see what he was looking at. A big stag with a full set of antlers, bending down to drink from a small stream.


    One clean shot later, they had weeks'' worth of meat. As Frieda field-dressed the animal, Nact sat and watched, his head cocked to one side in seeming fascination at her steady work.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Back at camp, Layla squealed with delight at their successful hunt. "See?" she said, scratching behind Nact''s ears. "You used to always come camp empty-handed. You work good together, like family."


    "I can''t tell if you''re praising or cursing Layla..."


    That word—*family*—stayed with Frieda that evening as she gazed at Layla and Nact sleeping peacefully. It was something that had never been high on her list for most of her life. Duty, honor, and service had been her motto. And yet here, in this weird world, with this weird child and this weird creature, a sort of family had constructed itself around her.


    A few days later, they were struck by a fierce storm. Wind shrieked around the Yamato, rain pounding against the metal hull in sheets, thunder roaring overhead. They bunched together in the officers'' quarters Frieda had turned into living accommodations.


    "I afraid," Layla admitted, her little body shaking slightly as another thunderclap rocked the ship.


    Frieda, unsure how to comfort her, awkwardly patted the girl''s shoulder. "It''s just a storm. It can''t hurt us inside the ship."


    To her surprise, Nact became aware of Layla''s fear and moved closer, nuzzling the child''s side with his warm body. He made a low rumble, a growl, but deeper and softer, something they had never heard him use before. The vibration appeared to resonate through Layla, and slowly, her shaking ceased.


    "He singing," she whispered, wonder replacing fear in her voice. "Like my father when storms came. He said storms just sky dancing."


    Frieda watched as Nact continued his strange rumbling song, his amber eyes fixed on Layla with what could only be described as devotion. It was in that moment that Frieda understood: Nact was not merely an animal they had rescued. He was capable of understanding emotions, of offering comfort, of forming bonds deeper than mere companionship.


    The storm raged on through the night and into the following day. They were kept entertained well enough within the confines of the boat. Layla was practicing her German, which Frieda corrected and added new words to. Nact sat watching them closely, his head cocked to one side as though he were attempting to learn the lesson.


    "I think he tries to understand," Layla laughed as Nact''s ears picked up at the sound of his name.


    "That''s absurd," Frieda answered. "He''s reacting to familiar sounds, that''s all."


    Yet even as she spoke, she wasn''t quite certain. Something in those amber eyes indicated more than animal reflex, a glimmer of understanding, of intelligence beyond reason.


    When the storm finally passed, they ventured outside to assess any damage. The beach was littered with debris, driftwood, seaweed, and strange objects carried in by the high tide. Nact bounded ahead, investigating everything with his nose and paws.


    Over the next few days, Nact''s behavior became more complicated. He started to bring Frieda and Layla things, strange rocks, odd shells, driftwood with interesting shapes. He''d set these offerings in front of them with clear pride, expecting a response.


    "Gifts," Layla explained. "He bring us gifts."


    This behavior didn''t align with anything Frieda understood about wild animals. Domestic dogs might bring items to their masters, but Nact was no dog, he was something else entirely, a creature with capabilities and awareness that defied categorization.


    During the still moments when night began to fall, Nact would sit at attention, watching over their environs with a vigilance that made Frieda feel safe.


    In the days that followed, Nact''s behavior grew increasingly complex. He seemed to anticipate their needs, bringing specific tools when Frieda was working on a project or fetching Layla''s favorite cup when she was thirsty. He developed distinct vocalizations for different situations, one for potential danger, another for successful hunts, yet another that seemed purely conversational.


    "He talks to us," Layla insisted. "In his way."


    Frieda couldn''t deny it. Whatever Nact was, he was far more than a simple animal. His intelligence, his empathy, his apparent desire to communicate, all suggested a being with awareness and complexity she had never encountered before.


    One night, as they sat on the deck of the Yamato and watched the sun set, Nact lay stretched out between them, his warm body a reassuring presence as the night closed in around them. Layla leaned against Frieda''s side, idly stroking the wolf-creature''s fur as the final light left the sky.


    "He protects us," Layla said quietly, her voice filled with certainty. "Always will."


    Frieda smiled, seeing Nact''s ears twitching at the calls of night birds in the distance. Only a few short weeks since discovering him, and already the creature had worked his way into the middle of their existence, not just as pet or companion, but as something greater. A guardian. A friend.


    "We safe with Nact," Layla continued, her eyelids growing heavy with sleep. "We family now."


    Family. There''s that word again. Perhaps that''s what family means.


    Frieda didn''t debate her. She bent down to pet Nact''s coat, sensing the powerful muscles and steady heartbeat under her hand. The creature gazed up at her, the knowing amber eyes mirroring the first stars appearing in the evening sky.


    "Yes," Frieda whispered. "This night too, we''re safe. That''s enough."