Cottage

As August and the pups continued walking through the woods, they began to hear the sound of running water.

"There's a creek near here?" she asked, wondering if it was the same creek that she had crossed when she followed the crow.

"Yep! We're almost there!" Alexander called from ahead, and the girls around August began jumping giddily with excitement.

After one more small hill, August paused in awe. Just ahead was the creek, and two beautiful stone bridges crossed it to the ruins of a little cottage covered in ivy. Each bridge crossed at opposing sides of the cottage and appeared to lead directly into it—one to the front door and the other to the rear, though the rear entry was obstructed by the forest's overgrowth.