By afternoon, they reached a high ridge. The trail curved along the edge, giving them a clear view of the land below. Jas gasped as they looked down and saw their cabin—now just a distant speck in the landscape.
For a moment, the sight grounded them. “We’ve come so far already,” Ivy Mae said, her voice tinged with both sadness and pride.
But before they could move on, the ground began to tremble. A low rumble grew into a roar, and they froze as the earth shifted beneath their feet.