Chapter 26: Elder Eclipse

Spring finally returned to Vancouver, melting the last traces of the strange eclipse winter that had nearly frozen the league. Rogers Arena buzzed with excitement again as the Grizzlies resumed the season. When Alex skated onto the ice for warm-ups, the crowd erupted louder than ever.

“THORNE FAMILY! THORNE FAMILY!”

Fans held signs with drawings of Finn and Liam wearing tiny helmets. Some waved little baby jerseys with #1 Finn and #2 Liam stitched on the back. Cameras cut to the arena screen showing clips of the twins laughing at home while chewing on toy hockey sticks.

Alex shook his head with a smile.

“Those two are already more famous than I am,” he joked to Brody on the bench.

Brody grinned. “Future first line, remember?”

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Life at the Cabin

Back at the lakeside cabin, life had settled into a rhythm.

Finn had become the explorer of the family—crawling everywhere he could reach and trying to grab anything that looked remotely like hockey gear. Liam was calmer, watching everything with wide curious eyes before deciding whether to join the chaos.

Jake often skated slow circles on the frozen lake while the boys sat bundled in a sled beside Alex.

Finn would wave his arms excitedly every time Jake made a sharp turn.

“Look at that edge control,” Jake said proudly. “Kid’s already impressed.”

Alex laughed.

“They’re nine months old.”

“Exactly. Elite development program.”

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A Warning Returns

The peace didn’t last forever.

One evening while Alex was returning from practice, the lights inside the arena flickered again for just a moment. Not a full eclipse this time—just a shadow passing through the rafters.

Security cameras later caught a strange symbol etched faintly into the ice near center.

The same mark the elders had used before.

The league increased protection immediately, and the Grizzlies players held a meeting in the locker room.

Coach spoke first.

“We’re not letting anyone threaten this team or your families.”

Brody cracked his knuckles.

“Good. Because if the elders show up again, they’re dealing with all of us.”

Alex stayed quiet for a moment before nodding.

“They’re testing us,” he said. “But we already proved something.”

Jake leaned against the doorway, arms folded.

“Yeah,” he said. “Family wins.”

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First Steps on Ice

A few weeks later, the tension eased enough for a quieter moment at the cabin.

The lake had refrozen after a cold snap, smooth as glass under the sunset.

Jake carefully held Finn upright on a pair of tiny skates while Alex steadied Liam nearby.

Finn wobbled dramatically for a few seconds before sliding forward about a foot.

Everyone froze.

Then Brody—watching from the shore—started cheering like it was a Game 7 overtime goal.

“FIRST STEP! FIRST STEP!”

Liam clapped his tiny hands while Alex laughed so hard he nearly fell over.

Jake lifted Finn into the air.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced dramatically, “the newest Grizzly skater.”

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Looking Ahead

The NHL season rolled on, and Alex kept scoring goals while the crowd continued chanting for the whole Thorne family.

At home, the twins grew stronger every week—pulling themselves up on furniture, chasing pucks across the cabin floor, and giggling whenever Jake pretended to be a goalie.

One quiet evening, Alex and Jake stood together on the porch watching the boys crawl across the living room carpet.

“You think they’ll play hockey someday?” Jake asked.

Alex watched Finn try to drag a toy stick twice his size while Liam chased after him.

He smiled.

“I think they already started.”

Jake wrapped an arm around his shoulders as the sun dipped behind the frozen lake.

The elders’ threat might still linger somewhere in the shadows.

But the Thorne family had something stronger than fear.

They had each other—and two very determined little rookies growing up fast.