Mau locked her jaws around an archer's leg and dragged him to the ground before he could launch another arrow. The Zuscha groaned as the Faelyr's full weight landed on his chest, knocking the wind out of him. A meaty paw tipped in razor-sharp claws met the side of his face and set him squirming against the soil. We need to hurry. They're going to kill the girl if we don't shut them down quickly!
Minx, the back of her neck tingling for the closeness of the human hunter's last shot, plucked a fresh arrow from her quiver. I'm doing my best, all right? This guy's no lightweight, though... Calling upon all her swiftness, the Fae huntress feinted toward the right. The hunter's aim followed—but no sooner did he move to fire did Minx cut back to the left, her nimble feet charging across the field and her fingers sending a blistering volley straight at the adversary's breast.
The hunter dropped to his knees, bow and arrow tumbling from his grasp. This had been his only way out—any other movement would have seen him skewered by the shot. He'd narrowly evaded the arrow but was now prone.
Gotcha! Minx sped toward him, arrow poised for a point-black shot.
But the hunter had another trick up his sleeve. Rather than freezing in fear or pleading for his life, the unkempt warrior smirked and produced a wide, flat blade from beneath his cloak, the edge of which sheared off the tip of her arrow before she could fire it.
Minx staggered backward, nearly catching the blade in the stomach as he delivered a second thrust. What in the world? He's so fast... I can't hit him from a distance, and he's too dangerous to engage from up-close!
Chuckling, the hunter pointed at Alla with his blade and gave a sharp whistle which the remaining Zuscha took for a command. They lowered their weapons and turned to him expectantly. “All right,” he growled. “That's enough. Just come on over here, Alla. I've got what you need, after all.”
“She's not going with you. Come anywhere near her and you'll regret it,” promised Minx, prepping yet another arrow. Strong though he was, she'd exhaust her quiver before letting this fiend make off with Alla. Mau snarled in the face of a fallen archer and then strode toward Minx, ready to seize upon the hunter herself. Don't, warned the Fae huntress. He's good at close quarters. If we're going to take him out, we're going to have to be strategic about it.
The hunter ignored Minx's threat and nodded toward Kaleb. “All right, Alla. Enough of these games. Come along, now.”
Weak and barely clinging to consciousness, Alla turned toward him and summoned her voice. “Just leave me alone! I don't want to come with you!” she barked tearfully.
The hunter did not press them any further. He shook his head and tossed his brawny shoulders. “So be it. I could've helped you, Alla—but if you'd rather pal around with this lot, that's your funeral.” He motioned into the distance with his blade. “I don't have all day to convince you. The Wuff are getting mighty uppity and I have plans to kneecap their forces. This has been a fine warmup, but if you're going to play stubborn, I'm done with you.” He signaled to the Zuscha, who mechanically lowered their weapons and returned to him.
“You're... you're planning to attack the Wuffs?” asked Minx, voice low.
The hunter spared her a narrow glance but said nothing, merely grinning beneath that bony mask of his.
As soon as he turns his back we can take him out, suggested Mau, still growling. The Faelyr's fur was bristling and her tail bobbed energetically as she prepared to launch yet another attack. On my mark...
No, replied Minx. No... Let them go. If they're truly giving up on Alla and setting off to challenge Valry's army, it's better to let them live.
The Faelyr grumbled at this. But they could have just killed us! And they're the ones responsible for poisoning Alla! This hunter claims to have what she needs—a cure, maybe. If we defeat him, he'll have no choice but to hand it over.
She'll recover soon enough thanks to the healing magic, countered Minx. And although they won't stand a chance against Valry's army, it's better to let them go on ahead. The more Wuff they take down, the better it is for us.
An 'enemy of my enemy' situation? asked the Faelyr.
Something like that. Minx watched as the hunter and the Zuscha turned and started across the field. They departed without another word, keeping close to one another. As he went, the mysterious hunter didn't even bother to look back at them. “Alla,” she began, taking a few steps toward Kaleb, “what was that about?”
There was no reply; the excitement had evidently taken its toll on the girl. She'd begun to shudder and sweat even more profusely, and Kaleb set her gently onto the grass so that Minx could get a better look. Her chest heaved and her fair skin had taken on a dire splotchiness. These were the hallmarks of a serious poisoning. Her body was descending into shock.
“The poison,” muttered Minx. “It's still spreading.” Ensuring that the archers had well and truly departed, she set her weapons aside and prepared yet another healing spell. Closing her eyes, she focused. Her inner warmth coursed through her fingertips into the girl's body, gradually rejuvenating the internal tissues that had been damaged by the flow of poison. She could almost picture these energies seeping forth from her own body and into Alla's; she felt the girl's restless heart grow calmer and her rocketing pulse slow to something more reasonable as the warmth washed over her. C'mon, Alla. Don't give up. Keep fighting. You're doing well... This poison will leave you, eventually. Hold on.
The dose of toxin had been great, there could be no doubt. Had she been a weaker victim, she would have perished quickly, even with the benefit of
