Alla shook her head furiously.
Just then, from somewhere up above, there came a swift arrow. It sang as it flew through the air, plunging into the soft wood of the very tree Alla was pressed against and missing her shaking head by mere degrees.
“What the—” Minx watched as another arrow, this one from their left side, narrowly missed her and the shuddering prisoner.
Mau's fur bristled at the attack and she immediately crouched behind the nearest tree, seeking cover. We're under attack. Take cover. They could be anywhere.
Minx pulled Alla away from the tree, which drew yet another arrow from somewhere above as if through magnetism. “What's the meaning of this?” she demanded. “Who's there?”
“T-They're after me,” stammered Alla. “They've come for me...”
“They're here for you?” Minx nocked an arrow and prepared to loose a shot. In a loud, clear voice, she called out into the woods for all within earshot to hear. “I don't know who you are, but this girl is my prisoner, got it? I'm not going to let you have her, and anyone who comes near is going to regret it.”
“Thank you...” muttered Alla, clinging to Minx's side.
The Fae huntress sneered, eyes scanning the canopy for assailants. “Don't thank me just yet. I may still decide to hunt you myself, remember.”
An arrow burst forth from overhead, and catching the gleam of the arrowhead in the sun, Minx was able to trace its trajectory back to a particular limb in a tall, leafy tree. The sender of that arrow, which struck the ground near Mau's front paws, was using the leaves for cover. With a single, fluid motion, Minx raised her bow and launched a volley of her own. Her arrow traveled along nearly the same trajectory, and when it pierced the leaf cover with a sound like paper ripping, there issued a pained groan from the other side. Moments later, the woods were filled with the sound of a body crashing to the ground from high up in the canopy. She didn't see it land, but knew she'd found her mark. “I warned you, didn't I?” she called to the others. Already, she could tell they were reconsidering their attacks. For the present, no more arrows rained down on them. There were furtive rustlings in some of the trees as the attackers tried to reorient themselves or retreat.
Did they lose their nerve? asked Mau.
Seems that way. Minx pushed Alla back toward the camp. “All right, hurry on up. You've caused enough trouble for one day, haven't you?” Still, as they moved back toward the campsite, Minx kept her eyes peeled for more archers in the trees, the back of her neck tingling in anticipation of another near-miss. Who's out there? What could they want with Alla? What kind of enemies could a lonely girl like her have?
Hold on, said Mau. Her sensitive ears began to twitch and she turned upward, scrutinizing the tops of the trees. They're still here. They're going to try for a more concentrated attack.
Years of hunting with Mau had taught Minx not to doubt the Faelyr's senses. Mau's hearing and intuition were unbelievably sharp. How many are there?
The Faelyr took some time in responding to this question, gathering what sensory data she could. Six. Maybe seven. Some of them aren't as clever or nimble as they think they are.
The clumsy ones don't worry me, quipped Minx. I'm only worried about the ones you can't hear.
Let's hope there aren't any of those lingering above...
The breeze set the forest rattling, and in the canopy, Minx spied one of the waiting archers. The appearance of this assassin stunned her more than the arrow he had trained on her.
It was a Fae.
Strange-looking and thin, with raven-colored hair in a tight braid and a strange facial tattoo comprised of jagged lines, the archer had the look of a sickly Fae. Zuscha? thought Minx, loading up her bow and delivering a blinding-fast shot before the dark Fae archer could fully draw his own. The shot missed, but still had the desired effect. The assassin scrambled for cover, abandoning his line of attack for the moment and seeking out a new vantage point.
“Are these dark Fae? Zuscha?” asked Minx, looking sternly at her prisoner.
Alla nodded.
“What do they want with you?”
To this, Alla offered no answer.
The dark Fae, despite appearances, were accomplished fighters and worthy opponents. Minx had never crossed one of the Zuscha in battle, but had heard much about their supernatural stamina in battle. One popular urban legend that had circulated in the past detailed the incapacitation of a Zuscha warrior by a Fae hunter. After a lengthy struggle, the dark Fae had suffered several injuries, and as a result of broken bones could no longer stand or hold his sword. Despite this, when the Fae hunter thought the battle won, the crafty Zuscha was reported to have leapt from the ground with the hilt of the sword between his teeth, delivering a killing blow before perishing from his own injuries. The Zuscha were no laughing matter—to have these relentless hunters on one's trail was a curse.
If they were going to protect Alla and make it out without serious injuries, Minx would have to give it her all. I can't believe I'm working this hard to keep Alla safe, of all people...
Minx took a few calculated steps forward, trying to figure out where she'd earlier dropped the archer in the tree. Her study of the forest floor yielded the gore-slick arrow she'd fired, but there was no sign of the body to be found. The recipient of that arrow had been wounded, had fallen a few stories to the ground, and had still managed to disappear before Minx could make her way over. These guys are professionals, she thought, retreating a few steps and watching the treeline for more arrows.
We need to get back to the camp, urged Mau. Maybe your dragon friend can airlift us out of here to a safer spot.
