Re:Ant Lord-Chapter 146: Silent Vein

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As the last support brace clicked into place beneath the sled and Skyweaver’s wing sensors settled into passive watch, Kai stepped away from the fireless camp and looked out toward the basin.

The Lightning cracked silently overhead, tracing jagged scars through the storm sky. Down below, the rift spiraled like a whirlpool of silver mist and ghostfire.

He was about to head back to the campfire when a flutter of shadows fell across his shoulders. No wingbeat. No scent. But instinct whispered the arrival.

"Shadeclaw," Kai said without turning.

From the gloom beside a twisted stone fang, the scout emerged. His long body moved like smoke over rock, mandibles clicking once in respect. Deep scratches marked his left flank, dried black ichor flaking off where it had already begun to crust.

"I took the long path," Shadeclaw said, voice low and rasping. "Scouted north ridges, looped near old burial mounds. No guardians yet. Two teams from other clans arrived today, one green aura, one silver. Both have high rankers. At least five-star strength, perhaps more."

"You did well," Kai said, eyes narrowing. "We’ve seen them too from above. For now, we watch."

Shadeclaw moved to Miryam’s sling and sniffed her once, a guardian’s ritual. She chirped sleepily at him and nuzzled back against Kai’s chest.

"Still small," Shadeclaw mused, "but strong light. She will wake the storm early."

Kai nodded. "Let’s be sure it doesn’t wake first."

The hour before midnight changed everything. What first came as a breeze turned quickly into something stranger.

Not regular rain. Not regular mist.

It was the Essence liquid rain, a soft drizzle of tiny sparks. Each droplet was no bigger than an one tenth of droplets, but they glowed like starlight and sizzled midair. When they touched skin, they vanished in a prickle of icy heat.

Kai raised a hand. One spark landed on his knuckle. +0.01 Aura Regeneration, his system blinked.

Tiny. Almost useless. But the air around them suddenly buzzed like the world itself was holding its breath.

Behind him, Luna stood near the rock wall, eyes wide. The silver glow of the falling motes reflected in her pupils like twin moons. Her aura spirals began to spin faster, light pulsing under her skin.

Kai reached over and gently tugged her hood lower. "Don’t stare too long," he whispered. "Let’s just go inside the camp."

Luna nodded but said nothing. Her hands gripped her cloak tight, her face still lost in that quiet awe. But Kai... Kai’s eyes lingered on her.

It had been several nights. Since that overwhelming first time under the mountain stars, Kai hadn’t touched her again. Not because the fire had dimmed, no, far from it. But Luna had needed time. Her legs had trembled too much to walk right after. She had limped the next day, face flushed every time someone looked her way.

So he gave her that time. Waited. Watched her heal from their first night.

But now, she stood tall again. Graceful. Strong. And breathtakingly radiant in the stormlight, the silver aura curling around her as if the rift itself wanted to dress her in starlight.

Miryam was fast asleep in the sling. Her soft snores came in tiny puffs against Kai’s chest. But Kai carefully detached the wrap and handed her over to Skyweaver, who took the bundle silently and nodded with understanding.

"Keep watch, Shadeclaw," Kai said.

Stone Ram and Iron ram snorted. Tunnel Crown offered a brief salute. Luna looked surprised as Kai reached for her hand. freёweɓnovel.com

"Come," he said gently.

He led her past the main fireless ring, around a boulder glazed in dust, then down a small slope. There, about thirty meters away from the others, half-hidden by stalactites and a ring of jagged stone fangs, he had already set up a new tent. Moonvine fabric shimmered faintly over the curved poles. A soft fur lining had been laid inside. Dry. Warm.

Private.

Luna’s steps slowed as she realized. Her cheeks flushed instantly, color blooming across her pale face.

"Kai," she whispered, breath catching.

"I’ve waited," he said, stopping before the tent flap. His hands came to rest at her waist, gentle but firm. "You needed time. Now... I want to make you a promise. And maybe... give Miryam a little playmate."

Luna’s breath hitched. Her hands slid slowly up his chest, fingers tracing the lines of his armor before curling into the collar of his tunic. She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she stood on her toes and kissed him.

At first, it was soft. Feather light. A test.

Then it deepened, her arms wound around his shoulders, her cloak falling loose around them both. Kai pulled her close, feeling the warmth of her body pressed to his, her curves fitting against him like they’d been made for this moment.

The cold vanished.

His hands slid down to the small of her back. Her big ears in his silver hair. Their breathing matched in rhythm. The storm above felt distant now.

Luna broke the kiss first, cheeks flushed a soft pink, eyes glowing with silver fire. She bit her lower lip.

"Put it Inside," she said. "Please."

Kai didn’t hesitate. They disappeared into the tent together, the flap falling closed behind them as the essence rain continued to fall, soft, silver, and full of promises.

The moment the tent flap sealed behind them, the outside world faded. (Tent was sealed by Luna.) No sparks. No storm. No shifting silver sky. Only the hush of breath and the pulse of two heartbeats echoing in the quiet. She pushed Kai down on the ground.

Kai turned to her. "I thought I was the one who’d pull you close tonight."

Luna didn’t answer at first. Her hands reached for the edge of her cloak and peeled it back, slow, deliberate. Each movement whispered promise, the clothes threads catching glimmers of the essence motes that had clung to her like petals from a celestial tree.

"Kai..." Her voice trembled, not with fear, but something warmer, something wild. "I need to tell you something."