During their desperate flight, shadows stirred below—those black figures moving restlessly, their forms twisting like living nightmares in the moonlight.
Cedrick (clutching tighter, fear flashing in his eyes): "Aunt… can they fly too? If they can, then aren't we in real trouble?"
Ballerina (her voice steady, though her gaze remained fixed on the horizon): "No, Cedrick. They cannot fly. Have faith in Grignard—he will carry us safely to the pack house."
Grignard's mighty wings beat against the turbulent sky, each stroke pushing them farther from the danger below. The chill of the cursed winds bit at them, but the dragon's sheer power held strong.
At last, the looming silhouette of the pack house appeared through the misty night. Amelia stood outside, her anxious eyes scanning the darkness. Her heart nearly stopped when she spotted Cedrick clinging to Ballerina as Grignard descended.
Amelia (her voice trembling, but urgent): "Quickly! Come inside, all of you! The curse is drawing nearer—faster than I imagined. Hurry!"
The winds howled louder, threatening to wrench Grignard off balance. For a terrifying moment, his great body tilted under the storm's fury. But with a roar that shook the trees, he steadied himself, wings slicing through the air with renewed strength.
Then, with one final surge, Grignard landed directly before the pack house door, talons striking the earth like thunder. The moment Cedrick and Ballerina leapt off his back, Amelia slammed the heavy door shut behind them, sealing away the storm and the creeping curse—at least for now .