Caspian's Legacy: The Scent of Truth (book two)

Chapter seventeen: Unveiling the Sanctuary's Chilling Secret

It had only been a few hours since the pack left the chamber, but to Soren, it felt like an eternity. Every shadow, every wind blowing in the trees and every movement from the corner of his eye sent a jolt of adrenaline through him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Something about the sanctuary felt... different.

"That chamber really set me off," he thought to himself worriedly. His senses are on high alert. "Something's not right about this place..." As they walked down a long hallway, Soren caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. He immediately tensed up and prepared to defend himself, only to realize it was just a stray shadow playing tricks on him. "Get ahold of yourself; it's just shadows playing tricks on you," he muttered under his breath, trying to reassure himself.

The wind blew around him on the mountain, sending a shiver down his spine. He glanced at Cedar, his expression worried. "You don't think the sanctuary is in danger, do you?" he asked softly. "I mean, the tapestry... it felt like it was warning us about something." Cedar looked back at him, his hazel eyes thoughtful.

"It's okay; I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," Cedar replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "But we should keep an eye out for anything unusual. You know, just in case." They continued on their way, each lost in their own thoughts. As they turned a corner, they were confronted with a scene that sent a chill down their spines.

A mounting sense of dread filled Soren's chest as he took in the scene before them. The once-vibrant sanctuary was now covered in a thick layer of frost, and the air felt cold and still. The trees and plants were withered and dying; their leaves turned brown and crispy. Even the animals that usually roamed the grounds were nowhere to be seen. The only sound was the gentle rustling of the wind through the lifeless branches.

"What happened here? Everything is dying." Luna gasped, her eyes widening with fear and confusion. She walked forward, carefully stepping over the frost-covered ground, her fingers brushing against the brittle leaves of a withered plant. "Something's wrong," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the silence that seemed to surround them.

"We can't ignore what happened in the chamber," Soren said, his voice shaky. "I think whatever caused this, whatever is going on, it started with us finding that tapestry." He looked around, feeling a growing sense of helplessness. "We have to find out what's wrong and how to stop it."

Aurora looked around, her eyes filled with determination. "Then we'll find out what happened, and we'll stop it," she said firmly. "We can't just stand here and let everything die." With that, she turned and began to walk deeper into the sanctuary, her siblings and Pack following close behind. They moved silently, their senses on high alert, as they scanned their surroundings for any signs of life or movement.

"Should we head back home? It's only a few miles from here or so. We could warn the others and see if they know anything," Luna suggested, her voice shaking with fear. But not knowing what awful fate might befall their home, they couldn't bring themselves to abandon it just yet.