Time was about up. The night had set upon them and there was no sign of Doric. Nyssa and Skia began to panic. Felchio looked at them and sighed.
"Night is here, time is up. I told you. He was not coming." Meldrid and the girls lowered their heads in defeat. It was hopeless. This child was going to die and they had no way to save him.
"Doric…" Nyssa whispered with a whimper. She had put her faith in the small skull she had been traveling with this entire time. Skia embraced her friend and began sobbing. She could not help it. She wanted nothing more than for Doric to return right then and there but there was silence.
Felchio stood up from the couch once more. He made slow deliberate steps towards the boy. A heavy heart sank as he knew as a leader he was supposed to carry this out. How many times had he done this so far? How many more would he have to do this to?