Chapter 139: Preparations
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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.
The boar twins hammered plate segments into a modular siege sled. Tunnel Crown and Heart Mason widened eastern escape burrows for supply re-entry. Silvershadow oversaw the layering of trap glyphs, piercing concussion mines, night-fog snares, aura reels keyed to Kai’s personal signature.
Above all hung a simmering anticipation.
As Kai and Luna began organizing their expedition to the eastern fissure, the entire mountain lair shifted into a hive of focused activity. Each beast was assigned specific responsibilities to ensure the group would be ready for travel within a day.