Dragoncrest Cliffs Where the ocean meets the sky

Chacal was not far from the cliffs when the cries first rose into the air, but the first few were dismissed. It was often that she heard the names "Miette!" and "Astera!" screamed, as if by the gulls that wheeled overhead. She'd not seen Miette, and worried. But once she realized that it was Valravn who was calling out, she spun on her heel and made a beeline through the sequoias so that she could come to the edge of the tall, jagged cliffs that overlooked their line of beach.

She spotted him, frighteningly close to the waterline and when she looked out, she saw a dark figure plunging into the water. Barely noticeable against the whiteheads was the child in question, drifting far out from shore in a place where the water created a curve along the beach; something Chacal recognized instantly as a danger.

She bolted for the tunnel, but knew in her heart that that might have been the last glimpse she would ever have of the strong-willed girl again.