Duskfire Glacier This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms.

So there had been more. Malachi let his eyes sink to the battered skull, muddied by the soggy ground, and felt the sparking anger return. Njal's news did not surprise him, but reaffirmed their need to stay all the more vigilant in the days and moons to come.

The sorrow that flowed from the Northerner's fur gave word enough as to what would come next. Malachi found himself unable to meet the man's stricken face, and kept his stare trained upon the skull. He knew his words could do nothing to ease the man's pain. Larus was gone, as far as they knew, and now they would mourn with Njal and stand by him through the heavy days to come - though Malachi knew none of their sorrow could ever amount to the anguish raging through the father who'd given his all to find his son.

But Njal's final words caused the youth's heart to sink. The patriarch had returned to an empty home. Malachi feared how the man would respond to the news only a fragment of his offspring remained - and felt again the guilt that they could have done more, that they should have noticed Tuwawi's disappearance and pursued her sooner, when her trail had been strong. Danica did not sugarcoat her words, but the softness in her voice did not go unnoticed by the youth. Malachi felt a stir of gratitude toward the golden warrior, but he himself remained silent. It was not in his place to speak now: Danica had said what needed to be said, and he could find no further words of comfort or hope.