The creature looked at Brooke and Belle for a long moment. Then, it carefully placed the Sunstone on the ground between them. The artifact immediately began to glow brighter, its warm, golden light flooding the clearing and chasing away the bitter cold. The beast bowed its head to them in silent gratitude before turning and melting back into the shadows of the deep forest.
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. bc_brooke_belle_159
"It's draining it," Belle hissed, reaching for the small hunting bow strapped to her back. The creature looked at Brooke and Belle for a long moment
"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 beast bowed its head to them in
"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."
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.