"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
Leaving her walking stick behind to show she meant no harm, Brooke stepped out onto the black rock. The creature's head snapped over instantly. A low, thunderous growl rolled across the clearing, shaking the very stones beneath Brooke's boots. The white star eyes locked onto her. "We cannot afford to be timid now," Brooke
Belle looked at the massive creature, then at her sister's determined face. "You want to walk up to a giant shadow monster and offer it medicine?" "Yes," Brooke said simply. Leaving her walking stick behind to show she
"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."
The morning sun cut through the heavy gray fog of the Whispering Woods, illuminating a narrow dirt path. Brooke adjusted the straps of her heavy leather backpack and looked over at her sister. Belle was kneeling by a patch of moss, inspecting a set of strange, glowing blue footprints that pressed deep into the earth.
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.