Dorath's briefing that morning was longer than usual.
Zone fifteen, northern interior. Four targets: a Stone-Flame Drake pair in the central ridge, a Rift Sovereign Warden in the elevated platform section, and—newly added to the zone catalogue—a coordinated pack of three Shadow-Beast dual-expression hunters that had established territory in the far north over the past week. The catalogue team had noted the pack as high-difficulty due to coordinated ambush behaviour.
Dorath looked at the pack entry. Then at Kai.
"Primary engagement on the pack. The rest we split between us." He folded the briefing sheet. "If the pack behaviour is as described, standard formation won't work. We'll provide disruption pressure from the flanks. You handle the centre."
He said it without ceremony. Six months ago Dorath had put Kai on the right flank in support. Now he put Kai on the pack's centre and built his own team's role around that placement.
They filed their permits and went in.
