Firefly Ravine Bleak

The girl’s appearance barely distracted Meerkat, who was hot on Swordfish’s trail the moment a whiff of scent hit her nose. “Here?” Njord echoed as his snout twitched. His wife attempted to decipher the two boys’ cryptic pattern. Njord and Meerkat could not understand why their son and his friend had managed to wander from Dragoncrest, only to disappear.

In a flash, Meerkat took the steep bank down into the ravine. Njord turned to Lilia.

“Lass, a bear attacked Sapphique… s’no safe ‘ere,” he warned her seriously. The man felt his heart bleed, thinking of his packmates who now fought the bear tooth and nail. “We cannae find our son Swordfish or Quennell. They’re both injured. They’re no fit tae travel.” A deep frown pulled at the corners of his mouth. If one tallied up these pieces of information it was easy to imagine the harrowing path the two young men now faced.

“Ye best be headin’ back tae tha Rise. Warn yer people. This bear’s a wolf killer.” Njord’s voice was dark, expression gaunt. He was a man who knew death. “If ye see tha lads, can ye tell ‘em we’re desperate tae find ‘em?” the father pleaded.

The echo of Meerkat’s calls bounced off the walls of the gully. Njord felt he could not linger much longer. “Ye must go,” Njord pushed, “but dinnae cross tha Tangle.” An ominous warning.