Day 21: Kronyx’s Journal

I woke up to the sound of the river. Not the usual quiet hum—this time, it was like the water was speaking. My tail felt heavy, but I didn’t move. Zhraa’s words still lingered: *‘The stones are calling. Don’t let the light go out.’* I tried to focus on the fireflies, but my mind kept going back to that bend by the willow where Zemorai said we’d meet. I didn’t know if I was scared or just tired—my stomach ached, and my legs felt like they’d been walking for hours. I found myself near the old ruins again. The air smelled like rain and something older than time. I knelt by a crack in the stone and pressed my paw against the cold surface. For a moment, I thought I heard the whisper: *‘The first fire’s warmth binds us to the earth.’* Then it was gone, just the river and my heartbeat. I don’t know why I keep going back there. Maybe it’s because I need to feel the earth beneath me, or because I’m afraid the stones will fade before dawn.