to retreat. He snatched a rock and hurled it. The ulfr sprang nimbly to one side, opened its jaws in a silent laugh then melted into the shadows. A moment later he heard it howl and the others answer.
He suspected he had just seen the pack leader. Like wolves, a male and female pair led each ulfr pack, dominating the others with their cunning and strength.
Byren felt shaky and sick as the surge of fear drained away, leaving him exhausted. He hadn't even realised he'd fallen asleep. Weariness still dulled his mind.
Concentrate.
Build up the fire.
'That you, Byren?'
Silently, he gave thanks to Halcyon and darted around the blaze to kneel next to Orrade. 'How d'you feel?'
'Wonderful!' he said, but his eyes were firmly closed and he frowned fiercely.
Byren grinned. 'No, really. How do you feel? You've been out for ages.'
'Head's thumping fit to burst. But I'll live.'
'Just as well. Elina would never forgive me if anything happened to you.'
Orrade chuckled, then moaned as even this hurt him. 'Where are we?' He pried open one eye then closed it again, the effort too much. 'What happened and how'd we get away from the lincis?'
For some reason Byren didn't want to mention the old seer. 'Drove it off, but a falling branch clipped the back of your head. You're lucky your skull's thick.' Best to keep him talking. 'We're trapped, Orrie. An ulfr pack have pinned us on the edge of a cliff.'
'Build a fire.'
Byren blinked. Orrade's face was in the shadow of Byren's body, but ruddy fire light gleamed on his friend's hands where they clutched the cloak to his chest.
Fear settled in the pit of Byren's belly. The old seer had said Orrade would never be the same. Had she meant he'd be blind?
Like a three-day-old kitten, Orrade forced his eyes open and peered around. 'No stars to aid us tonight, just when we could have done with — '
'Orrie, the stars are bright enough to cast shadows and, if I move, you'll feel the fire's heat on your face.'
Those sightless eyes travelled to his face, following the sound of his voice. It was uncanny, but he was still blind.
'Byren?'
He heard the fear in Orrade's voice, the unspoken
'I am going to get you out of this, then I am going to take you home. You hear me, Orrie?'
His friend said nothing.
'You hear me?' he repeated. 'I am not going to fail you.'
'I know,' Orrade whispered.
Byren licked dry lips then glanced back to the tree line where the ulfr pack watched and waited. He had made a promise, but he didn't know how he was going to save his friend.
Orrade shifted on the hard rock. 'Could you have found a more uncomfortable bed?'
Byren grinned. Thank Halcyon, there was nothing wrong with his friend's wits. They spoke of this and that. It was easier to stay awake with Orrade conscious. Even so the night dragged.
Not long after midnight, when Byren reached for more wood, he found their supply dangerously low. He tried not to stare into the flames and destroy his night vision while he rebuilt the fire, but he had to look at what he was doing.
'Byren?' Orrade whispered, waking from a doze.
'Who else?' he countered.
Orrade grinned weakly. 'How goes it?'
'Just building up the fire.'
'How's the wood holding out?'
Byren glanced to the depleted pile.
'That bad, eh?' Though Orrade could not see him, he seemed able to read Byren's silences. He lifted onto his elbow, then levered himself to a sitting position with obvious effort. Only the boulder at his back seemed to hold him up.
Byren rubbed his jaw, feeling the prickle of unshaven skin. 'I could venture out to gather more — '
'That would be madness.'
He was right.
'Then I'll bring the fire in closer.' Byren began adjusting the wood.
'You stand a better chance on your own,' Orrade said. 'Leave me.'
Byren didn't even bother to reply. He stretched what was left of their fuel in an arc and set it all alight. With the fire burning in a semi circle the wood would run out faster, but it meant he had a smaller area to defend. And, when the fire did burn out, the hot coals might slow the ulfrs.
Shading his eyes, Byren stared into the tree line. The leader was watching him again, waiting. The beast seemed to know he could afford to wait. Byren wished his bow was not at the bottom of the ravine.
'What do you see?' Orrade asked.
'Mangy, winter-starved ulfrs,' Byren lied. Taking the three spears across his knees, he crouched next to Orrade.
Time stretched.
'If I were truly brave I would roll off the edge and you could save yourself,' Orrade muttered, rising to his knees and crawling around the boulder, feeling with his hands for the lip of the ravine.
'Don't say that. Don't!' Byren jerked him back, holding him so tight he could feel Orrade's muscles trembling.
His friend protested and pulled away. The hollows under his high cheekbones starkly defined his grim face.
Byren felt frustrated, helpless. 'We're going to get out of this, Orrie.'
His friend nodded once, but it was clear he wasn't convinced.
For a long while they were silent and the fire burned on, while the wandering stars crawled with deliberate slowness across their allotted paths.
Eventually, Byren shifted, easing his muscles, preparing for the worst. The ulfrs had begun to close in, their eyes glowing beyond the fire's semi circle.
He lifted one of the good spears and picked his first target, the male that had nearly crept up on him before. The distance was too great for an average man to throw but Byren was not an average man. Silently, he thanked King Rolence the First, who had bequeathed his descendants with unusual height.
The ulfr watched him, watched his eyes, not the spear.
When Byren went to throw it crouched, presenting a smaller target. Sylion take it, the beasts were too clever.
Byren swallowed.
The massive pack leader padded out from the tree line, lifted its head to reveal white fur on its chest and gave voice to that dreaded howl. Fear prickled across Byren's skin.
The rest of the ulfrs echoed their leader.
In the moment that the first, smaller male was distracted, Byren threw his spear with all his strength and training. It took the beast high in the shoulder. The impact threw the ulfr off its feet as its howl became a whine of pain. The others ducked and whined as if in sympathy, slinking back to the trees.
'You got one!' Orrade struggled to his knees, adjusting the cloak.
'They'll attack again,' Byren warned. He crouched and felt for Orrade's shoulder, thrusting the makeshift spear into his hands. 'If any of them get past me, deal with them.'
'How? I won't know where they are until their jaws close on me!' Orrade's voice dropped and he tugged on Byren's arm drawing him closer still. 'I'm going to die but I don't care as long as you live. I want you to know that I love you. I've always loved you!' He smiled ruefully as if he could see Byren's startled expression. 'And you've only
