Bc_brooke_belle_159 Instant

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 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." bc_brooke_belle_159

"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." Leaving her walking stick behind to show she

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." The white star eyes locked onto her

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.

"Wait," Brooke commanded softly, catching Belle's wrist. She looked closely at the beast. It wasn't snarling or destroying the stone. It looked tired, desperate, and desperately sad. Brooke noticed a jagged, angry red scar running down the creature's side, weeping a dark, thick liquid. "It's hurt. It isn't stealing the light to destroy it; it's using the warmth to heal itself."

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.