Hushed Willows This is not the end

Valiant had been getting to know another of his aunts when his father returned. He and Easy hurried to his call, neither with much hope of good news. He sounded distraught, and so many bad things had been happening lately. Aunt Dawn had just lost their cousins this same way, and Valiant wanted to be out there helping, but Sunny's burly sister had been watching him like a hawk while he was away. There'd been no chance of escaping.

"What happened?" he asked as he reached his father, heart sinking like a stone at the look on his face.