Ocean's Breath Plateau john barleycorn was dead

relief washed over him as brook arrived, and he pressed back against her with alacrity, letting his larger frame shelter her against the terrible forces of nature. pata nahin, he whispered, placing his chin upon the crown of her head. i don't know, beti. it woke me, too, and it's dark—

movement caught the corner of his eye, and he assumed a bristling posture, stepping forward to peer as best he could around them. who's there? he barked sharply. aditya wouldn't stand for someone creeping up on them in normal circumstances; in the current moment, he was thoroughly on edge. show yourself, now.

he squared his burly shoulders, waiting for whoever it was to come forward (if they chose to at all). his nostrils flared; he smelled fox, and close. . .could that be it? maybe it was just a squirrel, and he was overreacting.