The Fae huntress staggered away, her back meeting the side of a tent. The club sailed down into the earth with such terrifying force that Minx might have been split in two had it struck her, and the tip was buried in the ground, sending clods of dirt and grass flying past the both of them. Sensing an opening, Minx stepped forth, stamping on the tip of the club with her foot in the hopes of keeping it pinned to the ground.
Though she attempted to nock another shot and deliver a decisive blow from up-close, the hunter's strength once again foiled her.
With a savage yell, the lanky hunter heaved the club upward. The corded muscles of his arms trembled as he pulled it free of the earth, throwing Minx a few feet into the air as though she were weightless. With the swiftness of a natural predator, he reared back and prepared another bone-crushing swing before Minx's feet had even returned to the ground.
Minx jumped back on the tips of her toes, the knotty wood of the club missing her nose by mere inches, only to find herself backing into the sword of a waiting Wuff who'd just emerged from his tent. She rolled aside, hunted now by the both of them—but something unexpected happened as she weighed her next move.
The hunter, seemingly enraged beyond reason, continued his onslaught without a care for his foot solider. The Wuff was caught in the back of the head by the next swing of his club, and Minx watched in horror as the light went from the furry warrior's eyes in an instant. The lifeless swordsman toppled over, and the hunter promptly stepped over his body in pursuit of his quarry.
Reinforcements arrived before he could take another swing, however.
A great shadow descended over the two of them as Mau dove onto the hunter's back, claws and fangs bared. The Faelyr crashed into him with her full weight, staggering him. It was then that Minx first noticed it—the oval-shaped amulet dangling from his neck. The thing hung from a thin brown cord, and in the weak moonlight it seemed to possess a curious gleam.
Is that the amulet? wondered Minx, gaining her feet. With Mau running interference, the Fae huntress found herself with an opportunity. Rushing forth, she made a grab for the piece of jewelry, wrapping her fist around it and snapping the thin cord with a forceful tug. The hunter, too distracted by the Faelyr's claws sinking into his back and shoulders, could not resist, and dropped his club. He focused on trying to throw Mau off of him, but the stubborn Faelyr stood fast, her teeth sinking into the back of his neck.
“Minx!” shouted Kaleb from across the way. He pummeled an oncoming Krah, sending him tumbling back down the hill, and then ran to meet her. “Are you all right?”
She tucked the amulet away, nodding. “Get us out of here, will you?”
The hunter bucked like a bronco, finally knocking Mau to the ground. The crown of his head dripped with gore for the Faelyr's swipes, but he remained as rage-filled and assured in his movements as ever, and he raised the club with a mind toward attacking all three of them at once. He hadn't spoken a word since the start of the battle; rather, he seemed to have forgotten how to speak altogether, and only communicated now in the tongue of a beast. Growling, the hunter turned on his heels and focused on the incoming dragon shifter.
And, for once, Kaleb wasn't quite fast enough.
The club sailed through the air, connecting with the side of Kaleb's head while he sped to meet up with Minx. The blow had been more than a glancing one, severely injuring his ear and momentarily knocking him off balance. Kaleb gasped, eyes fluttering a moment and knees going weak. It was Minx who caught him and propped him up with her own strength.
“Kaleb! Are you all right?” asked Minx, pulling him out of the hunter's reach while Mau engaged.
It took him a moment to respond. Groaning, he placed a palm against his wounded head, then nodded unconvincingly. “Y-Yeah...” He winced, blinking hard to refocus his vision. “I'm... I'm all right. Come on. Let's... let's hurry.” Kaleb sucked in a deep breath and squared the hunter with a molten yellow gaze. “Mau, you too. Let's go.”
The camp, already thrown into chaos for the ambush, erupted into shrieks of terror as Kaleb donned his dragon form. The ruby red titan appeared in the midst of the simple tents, his boulder-like tail crushing them—and their occupants—in a single great sweep. He extended his long neck, loosing a sky-rumbling roar, and spread his jet black wings. At hearing this roar and beholding the enormity of the creature before him, the hunter finally came to his senses. There could be no doubt that he was a skilled fighter, but he wasn't stupid or enraged enough to go one-on-one with a dragon of the Pyra clan. He lowered his club, taking several steps back, and appraised the fleeing trio with sheer hatred in his steely eyes.
Minx and Mau climbed onto Kaleb's back and he quickly took to the skies with the forceful flapping of his wings. Catching a great breeze, the dragon sailed swiftly away from the hilltop camps and into the black night. From the very first, however, it was clear he was unwell. His flying was unsteady, his flapping sluggish.
“Kaleb, are you all right?” asked Minx as they flew off.
The dragon shifter, not wishing to appear weak, only grunted as they gained altitude.
The blow he'd taken to the head had clearly been severe, and as they drifted along, Minx couldn't help but be concerned for him. They went several miles from the camp, Kaleb struggling all the while, only to make a sudden landing in
