---
She nodded, still unsure. "We'd travel light, then. Sled rations, aura canisters, a collapsible nursery crate in case Miryam must come?"
Kai hesitated. Bringing the wyrmling into an essence storm felt reckless. Yet leaving her in a still new lair without both parents gnawed. He clenched fist. "If the map pans out, we stage at Ridgefall Basin first. We assess storm readings. Only then decide if she travels."
"Fair." Luna stepped closer, voice low. "I will not let greed cost her safety."
Kai met her eyes. "Nor will I."
They woke the lair like a hive at shift horn, issuing orders that rattled every corridor. Skyweaver ignited the forge, folding fresh wolf cores into slim darts, she christened them stinglets then tipped with condensed aura magnetite, lethal to storm-drunk beasts.
