The starship soared through a cloudless winter sky, the sun glinting off its hull as it headed east—toward the first village marked on Li Wei's new map: Thistle Vale. Below, snow-covered fields stretched to the horizon, and distant mountains peeked through the clouds, their peaks capped with white.
Inside the cabin, Xiao Ya sat by the window, her fingers brushing the woolen gloves Lila had knit. She'd placed the cedar bowl on the dashboard, and the jar of apple butter sat beside it—its lid slightly ajar, filling the air with a sweet, spiced scent. "The plants in Thistle Vale are calling," she said, her voice soft. "They say the village has a problem with their sheep—they won't graze. The grass is there, but they're scared of something."
Su Qing leaned over the new map, tracing the line to Thistle Vale with her finger. "Li Wei's notes say it's a small village, mostly shepherds. Their wool is their main trade—if the sheep won't graze, they can't shear them, can't sell wool for winter supplies." She flipped open her Arcane Manual, scanning a page on animal behavior. "Maybe it's a predator? Or something spooking them—like a bad smell, or a strange sound."
Mo Ying leaned back in her seat, polishing the new wrench Jax had given her. "Predators? Spooks? We've fixed rusted gears and frozen pipes—we can handle a few skittish sheep. Xiao Ya can talk to the plants, find out what's scaring 'em. I'll build something to keep it away—maybe a fence, or a noise maker."
Lin Che smiled, looking at his friends. Their faces were relaxed, but their eyes held the same determination they'd had when facing the Ancient Dark—just focused on something smaller, softer. He glanced at the Star Marrow on his wrist; it glowed faintly, matching the light of the runes on the enchanted horseshoe attached to the starship's wheel.
"Let's check it out," he said. "Even if it's just a fox scaring the sheep—we can help."
As they neared Thistle Vale, the landscape changed: snow gave way to patches of brown grass, and clusters of thistle grew along the roadsides (the village's namesake). The village itself was a cluster of stone cottages, with a large pasture on its edge—where a group of sheep huddled near the fence, their heads down, refusing to step into the grass.
Lin Che landed the starship in a field beside the pasture, and a woman with a woolen cap and a shepherd's crook hurried over. Her boots were caked in mud, and her hands were chapped from the cold. "You're the travelers from Ma Lan's village?" she asked, her voice anxious. "I'm Elowen—the head shepherd. The sheep stopped grazing three days ago. They just stand by the fence, trembling. We've checked for wolves, for foxes—nothing. If they don't eat soon… they'll get weak. We won't have wool to sell, and we won't have mutton for winter."
Xiao Ya walked to the pasture fence, her hands glowing green. She closed her eyes, listening to the grass and the thistles, then opened them, frowning. "It's not a predator," she said. "There's a hole in the ground—under the pasture. It's leaking a cold, bitter smell—like old stone. The sheep can smell it, and it scares them. The plants say the hole opened after the last rain—washed away the dirt covering it."
Elowen's eyes widened. "My grandfather told stories about old tunnels under the village—left over from when the Guardians lived here. He said they were sealed up years ago… guess the rain broke the seal."
Mo Ying grabbed her toolbox, already heading for the pasture. "We'll seal it up. Need shovels, rocks, mud—anything to plug the hole. Lin Che, you can help dig out the loose dirt. Su Qing, can you carve runes into the rocks? Make sure the seal holds, even if it rains again."
Su Qing nodded, flipping to a page of protection runes. "Runes for stability—they'll keep the dirt from washing away. Elowen, do you have extra rocks in the village?"
Elowen smiled, relief flooding her face. "We've got a pile by the blacksmith's shop. The boys can help carry 'em."
The villagers joined in quickly: men dug out the loose dirt around the hole, revealing a small stone tunnel entrance; women carried rocks and buckets of mud; and Elowen's young son, Kael, helped Xiao Ya talk to the grass, encouraging it to grow over the seal once it was done.
Mo Ying and Lin Che stacked rocks over the tunnel entrance, packing mud between them to seal the gaps. Su Qing carved runes into each rock—glowing green symbols that sank into the stone, warding off water and erosion. Xiao Ya knelt beside the seal, her hands glowing; soon, small blades of grass sprouted over the rocks, covering the seal and making it blend into the pasture.
When they finished, Elowen opened the pasture gate. The sheep hesitated for a moment, then sniffed the air—no more bitter smell—and slowly stepped into the grass, grazing happily. The villagers cheered, and Kael ran to hug Xiao Ya, who laughed and ruffled his hair.
That evening, Elowen hosted a feast in her cottage. She served mutton stew (from a sheep that had gotten sick earlier that winter), fresh bread, and a tart made from dried berries. The villagers told stories of the Guardians, of the old tunnels, and of how their grandfathers had protected the village.
Before they left the next morning, Elowen handed Lin Che a small woolen scarf—knit from the village's softest wool. "It'll keep you warm on the road," she said. "And every time you wear it, remember Thistle Vale. Remember that even small helps matter."
Lin Che wrapped the scarf around his neck; it was warm, and it smelled of wool and sunshine.
They climbed aboard the starship, waving goodbye. Elowen, Kael, and the villagers stood in the pasture, watching as the sheep grazed peacefully behind them.
Inside the cabin, Xiao Ya added the woolen scarf to their collection of treasures—hanging it on a hook beside Lila's gloves. Su Qing flipped open the new map, pointing to the next village: "Clover Hollow," she said. "Li Wei says their beehives are dying—they need honey for medicine and to sell."
Mo Ying grinned, starting the starship's engine. "Bees? We fixed sheep, pumps, mills—bees are next. Xiao Ya can talk to the flowers, find out why the hives are dying. I'll build new hives if we need to."
Lin Che looked out the window, at the sky stretching endless above them. The dashboard was now a mosaic of memories: the iron key from Hazelton, corn seeds from Willow Hamlet, apple butter from Pine Creek, a cedar bowl from Cedar Falls, a journal from Willow Bend, flour from Maplewood, healing salve from Birch Grove, woolen gloves from Birch Grove, and a woolen scarf from Thistle Vale. Each item was a piece of a village, a piece of a heart.
The Star Marrow on his wrist glowed steadily, a quiet reminder that their journey wasn't about grand battles. It was about showing up—for sheep, for bees, for villages that needed someone to care. It was about sharing light, even when the light was small.
"Clover Hollow," he said. "Let's go."
The starship turned south, toward the next village, toward the next small act of kindness. The sun rose ahead of them, painting the sky orange and pink.
Their journey would never truly end—not as long as there were villages to help, as long as there were people to care for, as long as they were together.
And that was exactly how they wanted it.