"We cannot afford to be timid now," Brooke said, forcing a bravery she did not entirely feel. "The fog is lifting. If we move fast, we can catch it before it reaches the Black Crag."
Brooke and Belle stood side by side, bathed in the restoring warmth of the Sunstone, knowing they had not only saved their village but had also made a friend in the deepest dark. bc_brooke_belle_159
"They aren't human, Brooke," Belle whispered, her voice tight with a mix of fear and excitement. She pushed a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear and looked up. "And they are fresh. Whatever made these is less than an hour ahead of us." "We cannot afford to be timid now," Brooke
"We don't have to fight it to save our village," Brooke said, a plan forming in her mind. She reached into her own pack and pulled out a small wooden vial containing a glowing green paste made from crushed healing herbs and forest sap. "We help it heal, and then we ask for the stone back." "They aren't human, Brooke," Belle whispered, her voice
Brooke gripped the handle of her walking stick until her knuckles turned white. They had been tracking the creature for three days, ever since it had slipped into their village under the cover of a storm and stolen the Sunstone. Without the ancient artifact, their village would freeze before the winter solstice, which was now only a week away. The weight of their entire community's survival rested on their shoulders.