The cave smelled faintly of smoke and roasted meat, a small fire crackling at its center. Noel crouched near it, carefully turning strips of meat skewered on a metal rod. The orange glow danced across his face, highlighting the sharp curve of Revenant Fang lying beside him.

Selene sat a few feet away, her wand resting loosely against her knee. For once, she wasn't standing guard or scanning the shadows—just sitting, silent, watching him work.

"This reminds me of the last time," she said suddenly, her voice quiet but cutting through the crackle of the fire.

Noel glanced at her, brow raised. "Last time?"

"The Iskandar Peaks. When you… took me." She hesitated over the words, her cyan eyes flicking to the meat before turning away. "It feels the same."

Noel's smirk faded, a flicker of memory pulling at him. He remembered the frozen cliffs, the biting wind, and Selene clutching food with trembling hands, tears streaming down her face as she ate like she hadn't seen a meal in weeks.

"Yeah," he said softly. "It does."

The fire popped, and silence filled the space between them again. Noel shifted the rod, letting the juices drip and sizzle. His voice came quieter, more careful. "How do you feel?"

Selene's answer was almost automatic. "Fine."

But Noel studied her face, the stillness too rigid, the word too short. She looked composed enough—always did—but he knew better than to believe her completely. Still, he didn't push.

He nodded once, turning the meat again. "Good."

The meat sizzled over the fire, the smell of charred edges and dripping fat filling the cave. Noel leaned closer, turning the skewer slowly until he was satisfied, then pulled it free and sliced off a portion with his knife.

He handed the piece to Selene on a flat stone plate. She accepted it without a word, her wand resting across her lap while she examined the food with the same scrutiny she might give to an enemy spell.

"Well?" Noel asked, raising a brow.

She bit into it, careful at first. Her expression didn't change—until it did. Her eyes widened just slightly, and she chewed faster, more eagerly. "…Good," she murmured, almost too softly to catch.

Noel's smirk spread as he leaned back on one arm. "So it's good, huh?"

Selene gave a small nod, her usual mask cracking. "Very."

"Glad to hear it. There's plenty more, so don't hold back."

For a moment, she hesitated, then quietly took another bite, this time less guarded. The way she ate—efficient but clearly enjoying it—pulled at a memory in Noel's mind.

He let the silence linger before speaking again. "You know… until few hours ago, you used to talk more."

Selene froze mid-bite, the words catching her off guard. "…Did I?"

"Yeah," Noel said easily, watching her. "What happened? You're back to one-word answers now."

Her throat tightened. The truth—whatever it was—didn't make sense even to her. Sitting here, alone with him, made her chest feel tight in ways she couldn't explain. Words felt heavier than spells.

"I'm… focused," she said finally, her tone clipped, controlled.

"Focused, huh?" Noel smirked. "On the food?"

Her lips pressed thin, and though her expression didn't change, the faint red along her ears betrayed her. "…On the Hunt."

"Right." He chuckled under his breath, letting it drop. "Guess I'll accept that excuse."

Selene didn't reply. Instead, she ate faster, as if filling her mouth was safer than speaking.

The fire popped, echoing through the cave. Noel watched her quietly, a knowing half-smile tugging at his lips. She could fool the drones above—but not him.

"You can eat more if you want," he said. "We've got a whole Hunt ahead of us. Better to keep your strength up."

Selene took the offering without hesitation this time. Her cyan eyes stayed fixed on the food, not him, but her pace betrayed her hunger.

Noel leaned back, chewing thoughtfully. "So… this is your first time in the Hunt, isn't it? Iskandar never joined before."

Selene nodded, swallowing before answering. "Correct."

"What changed?" Noel asked, green eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Why now?"

Selene paused. The firelight flickered over her face as she set the plate down, her tone turning colder. "…I don't know. And I don't care what decisions my mother makes."

Her bluntness cut sharper than her wand ever could. Noel studied her for a moment, then shrugged lightly. "Fair enough."

The quiet stretched between them, heavier than before. Selene shifted slightly, as if bracing for another question, then finally muttered, "Let's not talk about her. Please."

Noel straightened a little, sensing where the line had been drawn. He raised his hands in a small gesture of surrender. "Alright. Sorry for asking."

She shook her head, eyes flicking toward the fire. "Don't apologize. Just… leave it."

The cave settled into quiet again, only the fire's gentle crackle filling the space. Noel chewed slowly, his mind turning, when Selene broke the silence.

"…Where's your shadow wolf?" she asked suddenly. "I haven't seen her in a while."

Noel froze mid-bite. His green eyes shifted toward the darkness behind him, then back to the flames. The smirk he usually wore faded into something more subdued. "She's… resting. Inside my shadow."

Selene tilted her head, waiting for more.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, I'm not sure what's happening with her. It's like she's… changing. All I can do is wait."

The weight in his voice wasn't something Selene had expected. She glanced at him, catching the faint sadness etched across his face. For a moment, her own expression softened, though she quickly looked down at her plate.

Without thinking too much, she cut a piece of meat and held it out to him across the fire. "Here."

Noel blinked, caught off guard. "What—?"

"Take it," she said, flat as ever, but the act itself betrayed more than her tone.

Noel stared at her for a beat longer, then accepted it with a small smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks."

Selene gave no answer, turning back to her food as if nothing had happened. But Noel noticed the faint pink brushing the edges of her ears, the same way she tried to hide every time something slipped past her icy façade.

He ate the bite she'd offered, savoring it more than the rest. "Not bad," he said quietly.

Selene didn't look up, but for once, the corner of her mouth curved just slightly.

Above them, the drones buzzed faintly, recording the scene. They would show firelight, meat, two hunters eating in silence.

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