Next morning, they reached the boundary trading post by midday.
It sat in a natural clearing where three territories met—wolf lands to the south, bear mountains to the north, and neutral wilderness to the east.
A collection of sturdy wooden structures surrounded a central marketplace: storage sheds, a communal eating hall, sleeping quarters for travelers, and dozens of merchant stalls displaying everything from dried meat to intricate bone jewelry.
The place buzzed with activity.
Bears in both forms—massive and powerful even in humanoid shape—bartered with fox merchants over winter pelts.
A family of deer-kin examined preserved fruits. A lone eagle perched on a roof beam, watching everything with sharp golden eyes.
And everywhere, the smell of food—roasting meat, fresh bread, something sweet and sticky that made Alex's mouth water despite having just eaten.
[TRADING POST DETECTED!
Neutral Territory: Safe zone for all species
Available: Food, supplies, information, gossip
