The Patchling
**A 2026 Realm Awards Finalist for Novelette/Novella**
Patchlings are vicious creatures—but they are also one of the most loyal.
As chief shepherdess of her mother’s dairy farm, fifteen-year-old Rayna knows all too well the dangers of the forest looming at the edge of her home. But with members of her flock falling deathly ill, Rayna must brave the woods that swallowed her father if she’s going to find the powerful plant that will save the lives of her sheep.
As she ventures through, Rayna expects perils of all kinds. Raiders. Mountain prowlers. Banebears. She doesn’t expect to survive an attack from a patchling, a ferocious little dog that magically grows bigger while hunting. But this one is abandoned, starving, and unlikely to last much longer. Despite her mother’s warnings, Rayna can’t help but feel sorry for it.
Will Rayna’s compassion lead to her downfall? Or will the patchling prove to be what she and her family needed all along?
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About the Author
Jordan Janice once declared that she would never become a writer, but that was before she discovered that writing stories is nothing like completing essays for school. Since then, she has earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a creative writing concentration and submitted two manuscripts to the 2023 Aurora Contest, both of which became semifinalists. Jurassic Park was her first all-time favorite movie, which explains her love of thrilling speculative fiction and found family. When she’s not writing, you can find Jordan going on adventures with her family, scheming for her next piece of chocolate, or pet sitting. Learn more about her here.