Political tension has a way of seeping into everything.It crept into the patrol rotations, into the way warriors stood a little stiffer at the borders, into the council meetings that stretched longer than necessary. Nightfang’s proposal had not been answered yet, but the delay itself carried meaning. Scouts reported increased movement near Veilwood—not an invasion, not a threat. Just presence.Watching.Shadowpine responded in the only way it knew how.Training intensified.Kael ordered extended combat drills at dawn and dusk. Warriors ran until their lungs burned. Sparring matches lasted longer. Mistakes were corrected harshly. No one complained. They could all feel it the