Dragoncrest Cliffs Let it smoulder

val watched as figures poured in. each wolf was giving an apprising glance or a courteous nod depending on relationship, but as he looked across the crowd he noticed njord and meerkat had not come.

why would they ignore the summons? and, why had chacal then strode to speak while two of sapphique's stalwarts were not present?

his brow furrowed while he listened to each wolf speak. some, like him, remained silent. etienne, suzu, and rhaegal kept their counsel. rykor, theo, and mirelle watched in rapt interest.

others offered their voices to the murmuring crowd.

val thought of ursus and the gauntlet he had performed in the bear's den. he thought of shardik and ankyra sound's undoing. he thought of the sorrowful graves atop the cliff, and their occupants -- lives forever silenced by a bear. he thought of the day he and njord had buried the dead, and how njord's dirge had rose over grey stormwaters.

how much longer must i endure this crucible?

merrick's single eye burned along the edges of his mind, followed by the hard, silvery glint of his son aventus.

it was rousing to think of driving the bear from their home. he admired wing her enthusiasm. and it was cleverer still to offer poison - to this he looked at his maman in quiet awe.

he could stay silent no longer. where are njord and meerkat?