The following week, Wads kept the locket tucked safely in his bag, though his fingers couldn't resist brushing over its surface whenever he thought no one was watching. Klyden noticed, of course, but made no comment, only nudging him playfully during their walks.
"Wads, you're staring at that thing again," Klyden said one morning, a grin tugging at his lips. "It's just a locket. Not a treasure chest full of secrets... probably."
Wads' lips pressed into a thin line. "It is more than it seems. I can feel it... it's connected to something I've yet to understand."
Klyden shrugged. "Well, you're the smart one. You figure it out. I'll just keep an eye out for anything shiny." He laughed, kicking a small pebble down the path.
That afternoon, they wandered along the riverbank near their town, skipping stones and watching the water ripple under the sunlight. The black cat they had chased the week before appeared again, crouching silently in the tall grass. Wads froze.
"The cat again," Klyden whispered. "Do you think it wants something?"
Wads crouched, examining the path it had taken. "Perhaps. Or it may be guiding us... somehow."
The cat darted toward a narrow opening between two boulders, and Wads followed cautiously, Klyden bounding ahead without hesitation. Behind the rocks, they discovered a shallow cave, its walls glinting faintly with mineral deposits.
"This is... neat," Klyden said, eyes wide as he stepped inside.
Wads ran his hand along the walls, but his attention kept returning to the locket. Suddenly, a faint hum emanated from it. He froze, gripping the stone tightly. A subtle vibration thrummed through his fingers, almost like a whisper.
"What is it?" Klyden asked, noticing Wads' stillness.
"I... I don't know," Wads admitted quietly. "It's reacting... as if it knows something."
The black cat leapt into the cave with them, settling on a rock and staring at Wads. He swallowed. Something in its gaze felt deliberate, as if the creature understood more than a normal animal should.
Hours passed as they explored the cave. Wads' mind wandered to faint, fragmented memories-flashes of another life, another purpose. He couldn't piece it together yet, but the locket seemed to pull at those memories, teasing him with hints of power and responsibility.
Klyden sat beside him, watching him carefully. "You're too quiet today, Wads. Did the locket finally scare you?"
Wads smirked faintly, the tension in his shoulders easing. "It is not fear. Only... curiosity. And caution."
Klyden rolled his eyes. "Caution, right. Well, let's make a pact. If something happens, we figure it out together. Deal?"
Wads nodded. "Deal."
The cave, quiet and still, seemed to hum with possibility. The black cat purred softly, as if affirming their pact. And though Wads didn't fully understand the locket's power yet, he felt an unmistakable weight settle on his shoulders-a responsibility that would one day test everything he knew about himself.
The two left the cave as the sun began to dip toward the horizon, their laughter echoing softly over the river. Klyden ran ahead, chasing shadows and small stones, while Wads walked slowly behind, fingers brushing over the locket in silent contemplation.
For the first time, he realized that the locket wasn't just an object-it was a key. A key to a power and a world he had only begun to glimpse, a world that would change him, his friends, and the life they had known forever.