Chapter 20

SIAN STAYED CLEAR OF THEM, wanting to practice with her bow first, and while practice would just be with sticks so not to waste the quiver of arrows, she didn't want to take out anyone's eyes. Roughly measuring out a distance of around twenty yards, she created targets out of piles of stones balanced on a waist-high boulder. Targets in place, she headed back to the starting mark and picked up the bow. Fitting the notched end of a stick into the string she took aim and released. The stick shot through the air and easily took out the lowest pile of stones. A thrill of delight ran through her at the accuracy and speed.

A strong bow, she thought, regarding the weapon in her hands with absolute pleasure; it almost sings when I release.

Taking another stick, she slipped into the rhythm of the bow, time flying while she practiced.

LOI, WHO'S PRACTICED KENJUTSU FOR nine years, instructed Kassie and I with our swords and my daggers. First, she showed a move and then explained the reasoning of it. Kassie and I then took turns in attacking each other. When Sian turned up to practice with my daggers, I realized in surprise that twilight wasn't far off.

*****

THE BRANCHES WE USED TO make the shelter stunk. The distractingly pungent smell made our sleeping space feel even smaller. We'd created the shelter out of long and slender fallen tree limbs, draping boughs of whatever that smelly tree was over the structure. Then we'd jammed the back of the shelter into the base of a tree, its large roots stabilizing the framework. A pretty basic design, but it kept the wind out and might keep us dry.

It's just that smell, I thought with an internal groan, shifting my head over a makeshift pillow of leaves under my cloak which bunched uncomfortably. Sighing, I sat up to try and fix it, scrunching the leaves into a better shape. I re-fixed the hood of my cloak over them and lay down.

Loi propped up on an elbow, watching with an amused expression. 'Can't manage without a pillow?'

'Not yet anyway,' I rolled my eyes. 'But with leaves crunching in my ears all night I might learn to.'

'Why don't you use Audi as your pillow,' teased Sian.

Audi looked up at hearing her name and then snuggled back down with Lucky.

'Shuuuussh,' mumbled Kassie, curled up like Lucky and Audi, snuggled down in her cloak. I sighed. Scooping the leaves up, I crawled to the entrance and dumped them out. I could learn to manage like Kassie. Crawling back to my cloak I stuck my tongue out at Loi, who still wore that amused look. Wrapping the cloak around me I pulled my knees up and tucked into the foetal position.

Sleep came quickly and it must have been around midnight when Audi's soft growl woke me.

What's she growling at?

Blinking, I peered around; the full moon made it surprisingly light in the shelter. I whispered her name and Audi crept to my side then gave another low growl. Placing a hand on her back I realized with shock that her fur stood stiff, like when she'd first spied the elgrids.

Oh God, what now?

It couldn't be anything little, considering Audi hadn't raced out of the shelter to scare it off. Audrey wasn't cowardly but did seem to know when to hold back. With trembling hands, I knelt and strapped on the sword and daggers. The rustling I'd mistaken for leaves in the wind sounded horrifyingly close and my stomach plummeted when I recognized the noise of bodies pushing through the undergrowth. Not again, I thought while goose-bumps rose over my arms, the village is half a day's walkthere's no way to make it back to the safety of those gates. Swallowing hard and trying to calm my breathing I crawled over to Kassie and shook her, placing a hand over her mouth. She mumbled and then her eyes flashed open in shock.

'Shhh, something's outside and Audi thinks it's bad. Strap your sword on and get ready.'

She reached for her sword and I turned to repeat the process with Loi and Sian. We packed the loose gear into the packs and Loi placed them at the back of the shelter into the tree's roots explaining, 'When we jump out, we'll pull the shelter down quickly so the packs are covered, we can dig them out later.'

We nodded in agreement.

KASSIE SCOOPED LUCKY UP AND draped the cat over her shoulders, wincing when she clung tight. Sian crouched at one side of the shelter's opening and Loi at the other, with Cat and Kassie right behind them. Audi, pressed to Cat's side, growled again.

Sian nodded to Loi and they ducked, stepping out of the shelter with the other two following.

Loi turned back and, with a hard kick, knocked the main supporting branch down. The roof collapsed covering the packs and she turned back to the them. 'Right, back to back until we sort out what we're facing. Have your swords ready and if you go to strike, step forward so you don't clip the person next to you.'

WE STARED, WHITE-FACED, AT one another for a moment then fanned out and peered into the forest. The rustling in the undergrowth stopped and then odd noises began, soft snarls, whines and a strange husky grunting. I shifted into a fighting stance and pulled my sword out. The rustling and strange noises started again, moving nearer still. My eyes widened in shock at the number of creatures that stepped onto the path before us.

Fuck.

This wasn't the few uglies Mentan and Lenol had warned us about, but a mass of them. I counted at least ten on my side and from the hiss of surprise from Loi I guessed that just as many stood on that side too. Fumbling with the straps, I wrenched off one of the daggers and reached blindly toward Sian.

'Sian,' I hissed. 'Take this.'