Chapter 19
The Keeper's Choice
At dawn, Greg and his friends leave the hollow to find the Keeper. They track him to a hidden glade, where the Keeper reveals that the only way to fully heal the grey flower is to bring it to the Glade of Echoes before the new moon. The serpent is growing stronger, but the Keeper agrees to guide them part of the way. The chapter ends with the group setting off, the serpent's distant laughter promising a final confrontation.
The first light of dawn crept through the crack in the old oak's hollow, painting the grey flower with a pale gold glow. Greg stretched his stiff legs and looked at his friends. Squeaky was already awake, his tail twitching with nervous energy. Thumper sat quietly, her ears turned toward the forest sounds. Mortimer was still digging, piling the last of the dirt around the pot.
"Dawn is here," Greg said softly. "Time to find the Keeper."
Squeaky scampered to the entrance and peered out. "The forest looks… normal. No shadow tendrils. No serpent."
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