'Lence?' he croaked, gulping great lungfull's of cold mountain air. His legs shook so badly he had to crawl, praying all the while to Halcyon for his twin's life, praying the beast had not managed to get its rear legs into his brother's belly and disembowel him, or torn out his throat.
Chapter Six
Lence lay on his stomach. He must have turned and tried to run. The thick fur of his winter coat was shredded from his shoulders to his buttocks. Only the many layers of cloth underneath had saved his back from being lacerated. Byren's knees ploughed through the fine white snow as he dropped beside him. 'Lence, speak to me.'
His brother stirred and Byren rolled him over. Lence seemed unhurt, thrusting Byren's helping hands away.
'I'm all right, just winded. Saw nothing but stars for a bit.' Lence grimaced and shrugged his massive shoulders. 'M'back feels like the beastie danced on it.'
Byren grinned with relief. 'I guess he did.'
Lence came to his feet easily enough, his gaze going to the fallen leogryf. 'So what happened?'
Byren pointed to the wound as they approached the beast. 'I was lucky. My hunting knife found its heart.' He stepped around the body, onto the far side near the drop but, before he could retrieve his knife, he saw an impossible sight.
A second leogryf stood poised on the high rock behind Lence, about to attack. Just as Lence spun to see what had startled him, the beast leapt.
'Down, Byren!' Lence threw himself across the fallen leogryf, shoving Byren out of the path of the attacking beast. They both went down, sprawling in the snow. Byren's legs swung off the ledge. He felt the weight of his thick-soled winter boots drag him over and scrabbled for purchase on the slippery snow-covered rocks. Lence grabbed his arm. Byren clutched him. For a terrible moment he felt Lence begin to slide towards him, then Lence wedged his legs between two rocks and saved them. Relieved beyond measure, Byren swung his weight onto the ledge.
Even as this was going on Byren was aware of the leogryf sailing over them. He rolled closer to Lence and looked up to see the beast's paws scrambling as it hung suspended in mid-air, wings battling to prevent its fall. Then it dropped. Its feral scream of fury echoed up the ravine walls.
Byren wriggled around to peer down over the ledge's lip. He was in time to see the beast battling valiantly to prevent its fall, but its ragged wings were in even worse condition than the larger one. Unable to gain height, it was rapidly tiring. A vicious gust of wind drove it into the cliff face, stunning it. Then it tumbled out of control towards the jagged rocks below.
Byren felt the impact in the pit of his stomach. That could so easily have been him.
'Who would have thought there'd be a second one?' Lence muttered.
'It was the female,' Byren said as he made the connection. 'Leogryfs mate for life. The male must have been bringing back its kills to share. We were lucky this time.'
Lence sat up on his heels, careful not to look towards the ledge's edge. 'You saved my life. Again!'
'Then you saved mine. That makes us even.' Byren grinned.
'No. Not even. There was that time when — '
'Doesn't count. You would have saved yourself.'
Lence rolled to his feet, backing away from the drop. 'I owe you.'
Byren would have argued but the others arrived. They came shouting and marvelling over the fallen leogryf. Seeing both brothers alive and well they cheered.
Monk Autumnwind approached the beast to say the chants over it. The Affinity that had been released when it died had to be settled. It was best to be sure with matters of power. Before he could start, Nun Springdawn hurried over to join him. Her manner made it clear she thought it her business to make sure he went about this correctly.
Byren hid a smile and turned to find the hunt-master inspecting the beast. He checked where the hunting knife was wedged then shook his head and laughed. Retrieving it, he wiped it clean and strode over to Byren. As if it was an honoured sword, he presented it to him, hilt first across his forearm. Byren took it and slid the knife into its sheath.
Garzik bounded over to Byren demanding to know exactly what had happened.
'Watch what you're doing.' Lence grabbed the youngster's arm, pulling him away from the edge. He caught Byren's eye with a shake of his head. Were they ever so heedless? 'Come over here, Garza.'
Byren and Lence returned to the place where the others crowded around the leogryf. They were perched on rocks or struggling to get a glimpse of it, impeding each other on the narrow path.
'Byren killed it with a single blow of a hunting knife,' the hunt-master announced.
They cheered. Orrade clapped him on the back saying something but his words were drowned out as the others all shouted at once, demanding to know how he'd managed it.
Lence raised his arms. 'He leapt on its back to save m'life.'
They cheered again.
'That's right,' Byren agreed. 'Then the beastie's mate would have killed me but for Lence's quick thinking!'
'We heard the second one's scream,' the hunt-master said, shaking his head. 'I missed it. I — '
'I should have suspected,' Autumnwind muttered, rising and dusting snow off his hands.
'Yes. Leogryfs mate for life,' Springdawn said, as if this was obvious.
'Don't worry,' Byren spoke quickly. 'The villagers missed it too.'
While the others discussed this, the hunt-master turned to Byren. 'I've never seen a leogryf slain with a hunting knife. King Rolen the Third was the last man to kill one with a spear!'
Byren shrugged. 'It was that or end up in the beast's belly.'
'Trust Byren. He always has to go one better.' Lence slung an arm around Byren's shoulders, but his voice held a tinge of bitterness, reminding Byren that his twin had wanted the honour.
As the men cheered he turned to Lence, worried. His brother's black eyes gleamed with laughter and rueful admiration.
Relief eased the knot in Byren's belly. Today had proven the old seer wrong. Nothing would come between him and his twin. Nothing could. He caught Cobalt watching them and grinned. His older cousin returned the smile with a shake of his head which Byren took to mean that he and his twin were lucky to be alive. And didn't he know it.
One of the hunt-master's apprentices returned Lence's spears and they set about tying the beast across them to carry it back to the village.
'Now we know what your symbol should be,' Garzik told Byren, his eyes glowing.
'What symbol?'
'Your honour guard's,' Garzik explained. 'A foenix facing a leogryf!'
Byren laughed. The men lifted him off his feet, onto their shoulders. Their cheers drowned all thought. Blood rushed through his veins. He'd faced death and come out the other side. Throwing back his head, he felt a great shout of laughter roaring up through him and let it out.
Life sung in his veins.
'Byren Leogryfslayer!' the men chanted. 'Byren Leogryfbane!'
At that moment he looked over to Lence, willing him to share this. Cobalt leant close to his twin, to make a comment. For a heartbeat his brother's eyes glittered strangely. Then the men spun Byren around so that he lost sight of Lence. He demanded to be let down and they released him, still shouting and laughing. Disoriented and disconcerted, he staggered a little.
'One blow, straight to the heart!' Garzik crowed. 'With only a hunting knife!'
'A lucky strike,' Byren protested. The men laughed and refused to believe him. Though he tried to contain the grin, he felt his lips pull back. After all, it was an achievement. Then Byren remembered his twin's odd expression. If
