“It’s going to kill itself ifit keeps running!” Michio said, feeling every jolt through hisweary body.
“It’s in pain and frightened.I don’t see how we can slow it down,” Jake replied.
After a few miles, the axterdonbegan to slacken its pace. By then its body was covered with sweat,its breathing labored, and blood poured from its wound. The animalstumbled to a stop and Michio dismounted.
“I’ll check its wound.”
Jake slid off the axterdon’sback and, in the process, bumped the creature’s bloody wound. Theaxterdon roared and swung toward him with horns lowered.
“Look out!” Michio shouted.
Jake jumped away as the axterdoncharged him. Michio grabbed the rope, but the axterdon barely slowedits attack. “Stop! Stop!” Michio shouted, trying to dig his feetinto the ground. Jake raced for a tree as Michio was dragged behindthe enormous creature.
Upon reaching the tree, Jakestarted climbing. The axterdon whipped out its tail and sent Michioflying, then charged into the tree Jake was scaling, nearly throwinghim off. The axterdon began shredding the bark with its horns,bellowing as it continued to attack the tree.
Michio lay on the ground with thebreath knocked out of him.
“Can you move?” Jake yelled.
Michio groaned. “I think so.”
“Then get up a tree while Ikeep him distracted.” Jake broke off a thin branch and smacked iton the axterdon’s head.
The beast roared and butted itshorns against the tree trunk.
Michio stood slowly, afraid anyabrupt movement would catch the beast’s attention. He backed wayuntil he reached a tall tree, then started climbing. Once he wassafely away from the deadly horns, he gazed down upon the bleedinganimal.
The creature finally gave up itsattack and lumbered off into the woods. “There goes ourtransportation,” Jake grumbled, climbing down the tree.
“We’re alive. That’s worthsomething.”
“True. I thought my life wasover when it charged me.”
“Let’s get going. Thataxterdon was making enough noise to announce our presence to all ofCommander Rochambeau’s soldiers.” Anxious to leave, Michiostarted off at a fast walk and Jake kept pace, alert to the forestaround them and any lurking dangers.
Michio realized Jake was a goodman to have at your side in tight situations..
28
Farmhouse
Zac continued telling his storieseach day. By the fourth day, he knew they couldn’t stay hidden muchlonger. They needed food and his stories weren’t enough to maketheir confinement bearable.
He moved over to Benray. Thelarge man’s foul-stench was especially offensive in the sinkhole’sconfined space. He resisted holding his noise. “We should send outa few scouts to ascertain the location of Samrat soldiers anddetermine if it’s safe to leave the cave. Everyone is tired ofbeing cooped up and Najetta’s well enough to travel. She’sstopped coughing so much and her fever had gone down.”
“Are you volunteering to go ona reconnaissance mission?”
“Yes, I’ll take a small teamand search the area.”
“Pick your team and leave afterdark.”
Late morning, Zac shared the lastof his rations with Onolyn. Both of them had lost weight on this tripand neither of them had much weight to spare with Onolyn’s tall,willowy build and Zac’s lean, lanky height.
“I want you to stay here whileI go scouting tonight,” he said.
“I want to come with you.”
“I need you to protect Erling’sfamily. They’re our first priority.”
“Where do think Erling and theothers are?”
He shook his head. “I don’tknow. They could’ve gone the mountain route.”
“I don’t think Erling woulddesert his family or Jake his men.”
“Maybe they didn’t have achoice.”
Her worried eyes gazed into his.“Let me search the area with you tonight. You’re the only oneleft of our group and I don’t want to be separated from you.”
They sat cross-legged, facingeach other. He leaned forward, about to kiss her, when he heard asound above them. He cocked his head, listening. The noise became adistinct rustling of sticks overhead. His hand went to his gun. Alight shone into the cave and his heart began to pound. Was thisit—had they been found?
A voice called down. “It’sKynail. Our ruse worked. The Samrat soldiers gave up and left theforest.”
A happy cheer rose up from thoseinside the cave. Onolyn hugged Zac, then scrambled to her feet. Herose more slowly, disappointed that he hadn’t kissed her, but eagerto escape the confines of the cave.
***
Toemeka and Erling traveledthrough the trees all morning. At noon, they stopped for a rest andToemeka found rainwater pooled in the curved center of a large leaf.She tilted the leaf toward her mouth and the cool water poured intoher parched throat. “This works pretty good,” she said.
Erling found another leaf and didthe same.
“Now if we could only find somefood,” she said.
“There isn’t time to searchfor food. We need to stay ahead of the soldiers. We’d better keepgoing.”
Toward dusk, Toemeka spotted thestone arch. “The farm must be close.”
Erling scanned the area. “We’reat the edge of the forest.” He pointed out a field of tallgolden-colored mana glowing in the fading sunlight. Beyond it was thebarn and farmhouse.
“Do you think we’ve lost thesoldiers?”
“I don’t know.”
“We could wait until dark toclimb down,” she said.
“Too perilous in the dark.”He started down and she followed, lowering herself from one branch toanother. As they got closer to the ground, there were fewer and fewerbranches. When the branches ran out, they used the rough bark tocontinue their descent.
Toemeka heard a noise above herand looked up. Soldiers were climbing down the tree after them.“Erling, hurry! Soldiers!”
Erling started descending fasterand she scrambled to keep up with him. He reached the ground firstand she dropped beside him moments later. They took off runningtoward the mana field. Together they pushed their way through thetall plants that rose above their heads and began weaving their waythrough the thick, leafy stalks.
Toemeka soon lost sight ofErling, but could still hear him just ahead of her. In places, theplants grew so close together she had to squeeze her way betweenthem. When she was deep in the field, she caught up with Erling who’dwaited for her . He put his index finger to his lips, indicating
