19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8GhcCqsdOThe mountain air is thin and cold, but the slope ahead is alive — horses stamping, a wagon creaking, people bundled in cloaks moving about like a small migrating village.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAb4jEsJ9X
Metro, Archeus, and Cornelius crest the ridge.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGXeFjBP6L
Cornelius whistles low.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7Ox0UHzNj
Archeus adjusts his cloak, muttering something about frostbite.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzQuNklYaJ
Metro just smiles — he sees them down below.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfr4ScqqDWq
Blake turns, squints—
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdom7Zp9nNB
Blake:
METRO!
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PUNspEyFm
His voice cracks across the valley.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nWWZy1qKM
Rose’s blankets slip from her shoulders. She sprints — full speed, hair flying, boots kicking up snow.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTymZD9HRQ
Metro hops off Sally mid‑stride, landing light, already walking toward her.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSIkT0gY0y
Cornelius grabs Sally’s reins with a proud little nod, like he’s doing something heroic.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuKocygkEt
Rose collides into Metro’s chest.
He catches her, lifts her clean off the ground, spins her once — her laugh breaking into a sob against his neck.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAX0I3furjx
Blake barrels in right behind her, nearly tripping over himself.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNb1MUk3b7F
Then the whole crew swarms.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3jeeyd8Hs
Hands on Metro’s shoulders.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rENd6UHXo
Arms around him.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqTIej8QTL
Someone ruffles his hair.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNPc7w4q8x
Someone else wipes their eyes.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4wnexyVNc
Questions fly over each other — “Where were you?” “Are you hurt?” “Did you eat?” “Is that your horse?” “Who’s the guy with the sword?”
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Tg2XHC4OC
Laughter mixes with tears.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZWWCJWFTu
It’s messy.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiE6Owi3i7m
It's loud.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJeNFJaUhb1
It's perfect.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSS93nYcWIV
Metro, still holding Rose with one arm, gestures toward Cornelius.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lNpHZAM2D
Metro:
“This is Cornelius. He’s with us now.”
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7FzD9DVxb
Cornelius straightens like he’s being knighted.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBBMNWXIo8
Archeus clears his throat loudly, pointing his quill toward the narrow trail leading deeper into the mountain pass.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA87fKkZR3L
Archeus:
“And I will be guiding us the rest of the way… (eyes narrow at Cornelius), assuming no one else threatens to throw my maps off a cliff.”
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gbwiPjuQV
Cornelius rolls his eyes.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrJj5DmxQV
Metro grins.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2pEdMe43V
Rose squeezes his bicep.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBTw4347px
Blake claps him on the back again.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc94mgBc7bc
The family close rank around Metro as they begin walking — the wagon starts to creak forward, horses snorting, snow crunching under dozens of boots.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMozfGCgieU
Metro is home again.
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkG8PkVC6Ut
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx50X1AgBEb
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0RRP9ONsQ
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrB4SrKEZx
and then Add to home screen.