Like an unwinding cable car

Moments before, he'd been tearing toward the borderline. Now, Malachi's feet led him back to Duskfire's heart. He trusted Scarlett would keep Adlartok safe - he had to, for she was their hope for the boy's survival. His heart still hadn't accepted that @Tuwawi could have dealt the child such lethal blows. Adlartok must have been mistaken, deluded by fever. There had to be another explanation, a different queen with fire fur. Yet try as he might, his attempts to think his way to another solution only ran his thoughts to a dead end time and time again, and as the minutes passed he felt his vain hope slowly crumble to the ground.

The boy could see the mountain through the trees, the barren field of lupines that had once turned their faces toward the pack in the warmer months. There was nothing left of them now, and the meeting place brought an eerie chill to the boy. Soft tendrils of fog curled around the trunks, creating an even haze throughout the land, and Malachi drew to the place where they'd first claimed the Glacier as their own. Or rather, where the Sveijarns had. Even though he stood as leader, Duskfire had never truly been his.

His tongue felt dry behind his lips as he canted his head toward the sky. He did not know where Tuwawi was, so he would draw her to himself. Dread pierced him, a reluctance to confront the queen, but another thought toward the stricken Adlartok made his howl light the night. Whatever claim he felt he lacked over this place didn't matter. To bring justice to the child drove him: this was what he had to do.