Young Macintosh and Merida rode through the meadows toward DunBroch. Merida could hardly wait to share the good news with both clans. But no matter how quickly the horses galloped, the sun seemed to set even faster. Merida remembered Lord Macintosh’s announcement that the Macintosh clan would leave by sunset. She hoped that he had changed his mind.

But when Merida and Young Macintosh reached the castle, it was deserted. All the tents had been taken down, and there wasn’t a single person to be seen.

“Hurry—to the docks!” Young Macintosh exclaimed. “I hope we’re not too late!”

“He wouldn’t leave without you,” Merida promised him.

Thankfully, the Macintosh ships were bobbing in the water when Merida and Young Macintosh arrived at the dock, Angus rearing to a stop and whinnying. King Fergus and Lord Macintosh stood nearby, still shouting at each other as the Macintosh clansmen finished loading the boats. Then Lord Macintosh noticed his son.

“Young Macintosh!” he yelled. “Get over here, lad! We set sail at once!”

“Wait!” Merida and Young Macintosh cried together as they dismounted their horses.

Everyone spun around to look at them.

“The Fire Falls are sparkling again!” Merida exclaimed. “The water flows as beautifully as it always has!”

The crowd gasped in surprise. King Fergus, Queen Elinor, and Lord Macintosh quickly pulled Merida and Young Macintosh aside.

“Merida, where have you been?” Queen Elinor asked at once. “And what’s this about the Fire Falls? Does the water really run clear again?”

“When everyone left the falls, we stayed behind,” Merida explained.

“Merida!” Queen Elinor exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, Mum. It’s just—we didn’t believe that the water was truly spoiled,” Merida replied. “After all, our clans have been friends for a very long time.”

“And we always will be,” Young Macintosh said firmly.

“Do you mean to say—” Lord Macintosh began. “So you also saw the Fire Falls, lad? With your own eyes?”

“Aye,” Young Macintosh said. “The water is back to normal. So we don’t have to leave now, do we?”

“After all, there’s no reason our clans can’t still be friends,” Merida added.

King Fergus and Lord Macintosh exchanged a long glance. “Of course our clans are the dearest of friends,” King Fergus finally said. “It would be a dark day for DunBroch to lose the friendship of the Macintosh clan.”

“Aye, but it would be a darker day for us!” replied Lord Macintosh.

“Tonight, we will celebrate,” King Fergus announced. “And tomorrow—let the Rites of Summer begin!” Then he glanced at his wife. “It’s not too late, is it?” he whispered in her ear.

Queen Elinor consulted the schedule on her scroll. “Scratch the afternoon feast,” she mused, “move the welcoming ceremony to the evening feast instead; hold the games in the morning, with dancing and music in the afternoon. No—it’s not too late at all!”

Everyone on the dock began to cheer. Then the DunBroch and Macintosh clansmen began unloading the ships once more.

Merida caught Young Macintosh’s eye and smiled. Together, they had saved the Fire Falls…and their clans’ friendship. And they had even become friends. This year, there was more to celebrate at the Rites of Summer than ever before.