Brooke stopped, raising her hands to show they were empty except for the small wooden vial. "I know you are hurting," she said, her voice clear and steady in the silent clearing. "And I know you need the light to stay alive. But our people need it too. Let us help you heal your wound, and then we can share the warmth."
Belle nodded, standing up and brushing the dirt from her trousers. She was the tracker of the family, possessing an uncanny ability to read the wilderness, while Brooke was the strategist, always thinking three steps ahead. Together, they were a perfect team, but the sheer scale of this task was testing them both to their absolute limits. bc_brooke_belle_159
Belle lowered her bow slightly, her brow furrowing. "But if it keeps holding it, the stone will go dark. Our people will die." Brooke stopped, raising her hands to show they
The creature tilted its massive head, the growl subsiding into a low rumble. It looked down at the fading Sunstone in its hands, then back at the small human brave enough to stand before it. Slowly, with a grace that defied its massive size, the beast lowered itself to the ground and extended its injured side toward Brooke. But our people need it too
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.
"It's draining it," Belle hissed, reaching for the small hunting bow strapped to her back.