Rebirth Of The Rejected Luna Chapter 169: Help From A Shadowclaw Warrior

**Tiana's POV**

I was taken aback. What did he mean?

Before I could react, he reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me up onto the wall. Just like that, I was inside Shadowclaw. The warrior looked me up and down, his grip firm but not unfriendly.

"You're not the first person to sneak in here," he said. "But you're the first to make it this far."

I yanked my hand back, stepping away. “Who the hell are you?”

He chuckled. “You mean you don’t know? After coming all this way?”

I didn’t like his tone.

I glared. “If you’re planning to turn me in, I suggest you reconsider.”

That only seemed to amuse him further.

“If I wanted to alert the patrols, I would have.” He crossed his arms. “Lucky for you, I’m more interested in why you’re here.”

I hesitated.

He had a point. He could have sounded the alarm. Instead, he was standing here, smirking at me like I was a puzzle he was enjoying putting together.

I studied him closely.

His posture was relaxed but ready, the way a skilled fighter carried themselves. His uniform was different from the others I had seen—similar, but with an insignia on his chest that I didn’t recognize.

A ranking officer?

Shit.

I weighed my options. Lying was risky. Telling the truth was riskier.

But before I could respond, his expression shifted, his amusement fading into something unreadable.

“Did Cecilia send you?”

The breath left my lungs.

My hands clenched. “What did you just say?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer, lowering his voice.

“If she did,” he said, “then you need to listen carefully. Because you’re running out of time.”

"How do you know her? What.…" I trailed off, expecting an answer of some sort but there was none from him. The only thing he did was to let his eyes dart around to check if there was anyone watching or listening.

The warrior didn’t say much at first. He studied me for a long moment, then tilted his head toward the deeper parts of Shadowclaw. “Follow me. And keep quiet.”

I did as he said, slipping behind him. He moved like a shadow himself. His steps were careful, avoiding dry leaves and loose stones. I tried to match his pace, but my movements felt clumsy in comparison.

We wove through narrow alleys between jagged rock formations and wooden structures that looked abandoned but likely weren’t. I caught glimpses of wolves moving in the distance, some patrolling, others gathered in hushed conversations.

Shadowclaw felt tense. I had expected brutality, but there was something else beneath it—paranoia. Wolves glanced over their shoulders, and no one seemed to fully trust the next person beside them.

I didn’t get a chance to dwell on it before he grabbed my wrist and yanked me behind a crumbling stone wall.

“Wait.” His voice was barely above a whisper. He gestured toward the clearing ahead, where two guards stood at a checkpoint. “They change shifts every hour. We move when the next patrol takes over.”

I nodded, heart pounding. He watched me closely, then dug into the pouch on his belt and pulled out a worn Shadowclaw cloak. He tossed it at me. “Put this on.”

The fabric smelled of earth and dried blood. I swallowed down the discomfort and slipped it over my shoulders, adjusting the hood.

“Keep your head low,” he instructed. “If anyone asks, you’re a new recruit from the outer territories. You don’t speak unless spoken to. And for the love of the gods, don’t look anyone in the eye unless you want a challenge to the death.”

I rolled my eyes. “Got it.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Stay close.”

We moved again, ducking behind wooden carts and slipping through gaps between buildings. The path he took was almost invisible, a kind of blind spot only someone with years of experience would know.

At one point, we passed so close to a pair of warriors that I could hear their conversation—something about another rogue execution scheduled for dawn.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we reached a safer spot behind an abandoned smithy. The warrior let out a slow breath and turned to me.

“You move too stiffly,” he muttered. “You need to be fluid, blend into the movements around you. Watch.”

He stepped forward, and in the blink of an eye, his entire demeanor changed to another. His posture loosened, and his walk changed suddenly, like he was just another Shadowclaw wolf going about his day i mean, if we were being real, he was just another shadowclaw wolf.

“See?” He glanced back. “Try it.”

I hesitated, then took a step, adjusting my posture the way he did. It took a few tries, but eventually, I found the rhythm.

He nodded in approval. “Better.”

I exhaled, tension easing just slightly. “Why are you helping me?”

A flicker of hesitation and maybe even guilt showed on his face. “Let’s just say I owed Cecilia a debt.”

A debt?

Before I could press for more, he gestured toward the main path leading deeper into Shadowclaw.

“This is as far as I take you.” He met my eyes, serious. “From here, you’re on your own.”

I adjusted the cloak around my shoulders, still eyeing the warrior suspiciously. "Why do you owe Cecilia a debt?"

He scanned the area before stepping closer, his voice barely breathing. "You want to get us killed? Now’s not the time for a story. Cecilia did warn me."

I frowned but let it go—for now. He was right. We were still too close to the border, and any lingering conversation could draw unwanted attention.

Before I could take another step, he reached into his belt and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “Here.” He said, pressing it into my palm.

I glanced down at it, then back up at him. “What is this?”

“A map of Shadowclaw. It’s not completely accurate anymore because things have changed but it’ll help you navigate.”

That was unexpected. "Why are you—"

"Just go." His tone hardened, leaving no room for argument.