Belle lowered her bow slightly, her brow furrowing. "But if it keeps holding it, the stone will go dark. Our people will die."
"Wait," Brooke commanded softly, catching Belle's wrist. She looked closely at the beast. It wasn't snarling or destroying the stone. It looked tired, desperate, and desperately sad. Brooke noticed a jagged, angry red scar running down the creature's side, weeping a dark, thick liquid. "It's hurt. It isn't stealing the light to destroy it; it's using the warmth to heal itself." bc_brooke_belle_159
Leaving her walking stick behind to show she meant no harm, Brooke stepped out onto the black rock. The creature's head snapped over instantly. A low, thunderous growl rolled across the clearing, shaking the very stones beneath Brooke's boots. The white star eyes locked onto her. Belle lowered her bow slightly, her brow furrowing
"We cannot afford to be timid now," Brooke said, forcing a bravery she did not entirely feel. "The fog is lifting. If we move fast, we can catch it before it reaches the Black Crag." She looked closely at the beast
Brooke and Belle stood side by side, bathed in the restoring warmth of the Sunstone, knowing they had not only saved their village but had also made a friend in the deepest dark.
The creature looked at Brooke and Belle for a long moment. Then, it carefully placed the Sunstone on the ground between them. The artifact immediately began to glow brighter, its warm, golden light flooding the clearing and chasing away the bitter cold. The beast bowed its head to them in silent gratitude before turning and melting back into the shadows of the deep forest.