The Obelisk

Oh my goodness! Chapter 60! Yes!

Before we get into the chapter, I’d like to thank you all sticking with my story. It means so much to me, it really does. Now, I have a question for you guys. What do you all think of the four characters, Avalanche, Bramble, Coal, and Quake? What’s your opinion? Which to you love? Which do you hate? I’d really like to know yur thoughts.

Oh, and my Biggest Fan, I hope you like Bramble. (I head cannon him with the voice of Gandalf, idk why!!) I’d gladly make another character for any of you!

-Chapter 60-

Darkness stretched acrossed the sky. The only source of light in the shadowed, quiet forest were the stars and moon glittering above them. Rays of silver and blue sifted through the Redwood branches.

The carnivores stalked in between the trees and rocks, keeping their tails above the ground and their eyes sharp. Bramble was in the lead, leading them down a narrow path through some thistles. Forest knew the Thylacoleo had night vision, but surely not as much as a cave-dwelling Rock Drake. Bramble lowered his head down and gave the ground a quick sniff. He huffed and kept walking.

Forest followed, keeping himself in the back. They had left Coal at the burrow to rest, as Bramble had ordered. The young Terror bird had growled and muttered about it the following hour, but eventually his grumbling had died down when exhaustion took over. Forest hoped he’d heal soon. Being a Prince must be very hard for a juvenile like him. So many rules and decisions. Forest had never grown up like that.

Caught up in his thoughts, Forest didn’t notice the glow coming from the sack on his shoulder. He double glanced at it and fumbled to reach inside.

“Forest!” hissed.

“Oh no, not now!” Rust whispered, turning around. “Someone will see that!”

Forest grabbed the sack and opened it up, quickly reaching inside. He snatched the rune and pulled it out, clasping it in both of his talons.

“Stop glowing,” he ordered it quietly. Why now? Forest thought. He shook it frantically. “Stop glowing!”

“Forest, look out!” Spark snarled softly. Her and Rust disappeared behind the nearest hiding spot.

Forest turned to look behind him. Two large carnivores—Carnotaurs— were walking his way.

Almost instantly his body switched to camouflage, and he just sat there, frozen in place. One of the Carnotaurs stepped forward, squinting. She must have noticed him.

“You saw that, right?” Asked the second one.

Forest prayed silently that the runes light was well hidden beneath his feathers. His camouflage should hide it well, but his heart thumped faster as the Carnotaur sniffed the air suspiciously. She was only a few tail-lengths in front of him now.

“Whatever it was, it’s gone.” She said. Forest was about to sigh with relief—but held his tongue. The Carnotaur turned to follow the other. “Probably just a few Terror bird juveniles or some stupid nocturnal.”

“Never smelled that scent before,” said the second, his tail swaying. They had begun to walk away. “You recognize it at all?”

The first shook her head. Their voices faded away as they swept back into the depths of the brush.

Forest’s tension released, along with his camouflage. The runes’ light had gone. It was a simple, faint glow now.

I’ll never understand this thing. He wondered why he bothered keeping it.

“That was close,” Rust whispered.

“Yeah,” Forest said, padding over to them. Spark hadn’t spoken. “Spark?”

“Those Carnotaurs—“ her breath faltered, and he heard her tail thump the ground. “I know them.”

“What?”

Sparks eyes met Forest’s. “They’re my parents.”

There was pause.

“No way,” Rust breathed.

“Your parents—?“ Forest didn’t know what to say. Spark had mentioned them many times. She didn’t like to—he could see in her eyes when she spoke of them. They were bad parents to both Spark and her older brother, and the two adults had eventually abandoned them. It had hurt Spark more than teeth or claws ever could, but apparently had made her brother stronger. Afterwards, he left, too, and Spark was on her own.

“Why would they be here??” Spark murmured, half to herself. Her voice cracked uncontrollably.

“Who knows,” Rust said.

“I have a few guesses,” Spark hissed, baring her teeth.

“Hey!” Crimson snapped from up ahead. Her, Nyx and Bramble had paused to wait just up ahead. “Bramble is refusing to leave you three, but I’d gladly have done it by now! You gonna keep chinwagging like three gossiping hatchlings or keep walking?” She sounded stern, but there was a slight bit of sarcasm to it.

“We’re coming,” Spark said. She looked to Forest and Rust. “Come on.”