Thalos and Orin walked back toward the centre of the village. The feeling of guilt and victory faded, leaving only unease. Thalos's thoughts wandered. What was actually happening in Frosthelm? He could feel tension all round him, everyone was worried. And then there was Brynn and Elara. It felt like everything around him was crumbling apart, almost as though reading his mind, Orin said. "Do you think Brynn is actually mad?" Thalos could tell Orin had been thinking the same things. "She'll cool off, she's crazy, that's all."
Orin nodded absentmindedly. "She isn't really going into the forest alone, right?"
Thalos slowed his walking, with everything around him, he forgot that was the main reason for their fight. And now, all he was feeling was anxious. But still he shook his head. "Nah… I don't think… Brynn is that reckless…"
He said the words slowly, because honestly he didn't know himself.
"Are you sure?" Orin said, noticing Thalos's concern.
Thalos didn't really reply, he just looked up to the sky, because he wasn't too sure anymore. Thalos and Orin eventually parted ways, both making their way back home. Thalos stepped inside, his mother said something that he didn't hear, and he could tell his father was sitting at the table, though he didn't look. He didn't feel like eating, didn't feel like talking, he pushed past the furs, into his room, and sat on his bed. As the time passed, he was trying to calm himself, his breathing kept elevating, and his thoughts always led back to something happening to Brynn. Should he go stop her? Could he stop her? "Damn it!" He cursed, punching into his bed.
He tried to relax, taking deep breaths, telling himself everything would be fine. But the hum of the antlers above, normally forgotten. Now, made his head pound in his ears, and that blue light was flickering, and his eyes kept darting toward it, he couldn't calm himself.
Thalos continued to worry until the sun started to set. Then he heard footsteps approaching, he heard his mother and father talking just outside, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Then a moment later his father pushed through the furs, standing at the entrance. Thalos never looked up at him.
"There's something bothering you, isn't there?" His voice never got softer or kinder, it was still rough and direct. But nonetheless Thalos was happy, he didn't expect his father to check up on him. Eryndor took another step into the room. "What happened?" His father never pressed further. He just waited. Thalos didn't reply for a long moment. He didn't need to say anything, this wasn't his father's problem, but he wasn't stupid. If something happened to Brynn, he would feel responsible. What could his father do even if he told him? He slowed his breathing, trying to calm down. He decided. "Brynn and Elara got into a fight today."
"Oh? Is that what is bothering you?" Thalos could tell Eryndor was trying to soften his tone to sound concerned. But Thalos shook his head. "No. But because of it, she wants to go into the forest." He was speaking slowly, trying to pick his words perfectly. "She thinks that everyone is lying to us, and she wants to see for herself. I don't really think she would go alone."
There was a long silence after Thalos spoke, he wasn't sure of what to say next, so he just sat, waiting for his father to either leave or speak next. His father eventually gave a low long. "Hmmmm," before turning back toward the door. "You were right to tell me." Thalos looked up in surprise. "But you are wrong about one thing."
Thalos started to stand up. "What do you mean?"
His father started making his way back toward the doorway. "When has Brynn ever waited for anyone?" Thalos felt a tingle up his spine. His father was right, it never mattered if she was alone or not. Brynn never waited. She never let that stop her before. Why would now be any different?
Just before Eryndor left his room, he gave Thalos a single command. "Come."
Thalos didn't hesitate, he rushed to follow his father. As they stepped outside, he could see the last light of the sun was about to set, and the wind was picking up, causing flurries in the air that made it hard for him to see. But Eryndor didn't slow, he moved quickly through the storm. He headed straight to the Great Hall, Thalos followed closely behind. As they entered, Thalos was surprised at how many people were there, this was the first time he was in the Hall at night. Hunters and elders had gathered, their faces serious, talking over large tables, looking over old books and maps, some in groups around fires, their voices getting as heated as the flame beside them.
The moment Eryndor stepped inside, the talking stopped, and all eyes turned to him. Elder Haldor walked forward, he looked at Thalos and then Eryndor. "Eryndor," he said with a smile. "What brings you here?"
"Multiple children may have entered the forest." He didn't yell it, he just said it loud enough that his voice would carry through the entire hall. The whispering started.
"Are you certain?" Haldor asked.
"Certain enough" Eryndor walked further inside the hall.
Thalos saw the elders exchange a few words he couldn't hear, and some hunters stepped forward, placing their hands on their weapons.
"How many?" Elder Lorik asked. He was an older man, whatever hair he used to have disappeared long ago. His eyes were such a light shade of blue that whenever he would look at you, it felt like a wolf itself was watching. Thalos didn't like Lorik, he would always blame him, even if it was for something he didn't do. But this one time. He was happy to see him, he always took matters like this very seriously.
"At least one. But there might be others." Eryndor never looked at him. Instead, he was heading to a group near one of the fires. Lorik thought for a moment and nodded his head in the direction of a small group. "Go check." And in an instant, the hunters were dispatched.
All Thalos could do was follow his father around the hall. He listened to them talk about strategy and getting things prepaid in the worst case. It felt like they had been waiting forever, and every moment for him was unbearable.
The doors of the Great Hall crashed open. A young hunter who just sprinted back. Out of breath, "Orin's bed is empty!" A moment of silence, then everyone went back to talking a little more urgently. Just as it started, another voice. "Garrick's father just confirmed. He is missing!"
Thalos's eyes widened. "Orin and Garrick?" He didn't even mean to say it out loud, but he did. His father turned to look at him when another hunter ran inside. "Brynn hasn't been home all day! No one has seen her."
All his friends were missing. "Why… did they all leave?" Thalos was almost in shock. Staring wide-eyed at the floor. Would they leave? What is happening? Did they leave him behind…? Thalos was holding back tears, he couldn't cry. He was beside his father, with the hunters, in the presence of the elders. So instead he stood still, unmoving. His father noticed. But he had no time, there were things that needed to be done.
Chaos erupted around him, hunters ran, elders were fighting amongst themselves, and plans were being made. The next voice snapped him back.
"Then. If he left, so be it." Hendrick, Garrick's father, appeared at the doorway. His expression was uncompassionate and uncaring. He stood stiff. An elder was about to speak up, but someone stopped him.
"They're in danger!" Thalos yelled back sharply. Yelled? He didn't mean to yell. Was he that upset? Yes, he was upset, Garrick's father just condemned his son. Of course he was mad.
Hendricks' eyes glared at him. "Then that is his punishment." He said it with such indifference that Thalos didn't even know how to respond, he just stared at him. This… This was Garrick's father, the man who raised him, taught him, and fed him. And yet he didn't care.
"Don't waste manpower on him." Those were his final words before he turned and walked out.
The hall stopped moving for a moment, but this was serious, and the hunters were not going to abandon children. They moved quickly, grabbing weapons and shouting commands over each other, some leapt onto the backs of Snowstriders, and others darted out into the village, Frostfoxes running ahead, noses to the snow, trying to find any trace of them.
Thalos clenched his fists tightly, he hated Hendrick, but he was thankful for his arrival. It brought him out of his spiral, he tried to think again. He was sure this was all Brynn. Garrick would probably go with some persuasion. He and his father were fighting more often lately. He tried to think of a reason for Orin to go, but none of it made sense. Until he thought of something, he could almost see it. Orin, outside, with Brynn and Garrick. Brynn's hand tugging at Orin's wrist, pleading with him to go, laughing and pulling him along into the forest. Garrick was in the back teasing him as they walked into the unknown. Thalos's stomach twisted. He would go, because Orin always had a hard time saying no. And at that moment Thalos made a promise to himself that no matter what, he is going to save his friends.