him into a difficult situation. If they were caught they would certainly be executed, but how could he fight armed men? He had no training, no experience. He had never handled a long sword. Surely Daura could not despise him for that?
Their horses were silent which puzzled Daura. Surely they would have made some noise if someone approached in the dark. She strained her eyes but the darkness would not reveal the horses. They might have been led away. But by whom? Would Kaell's wizardry work on horses?
They moved away from the mysterious shadows and the long shadows drifted after them. So it seemed. When Daura turned to check on the shadows the night was still. If something was following them it could see it the dark better than they could and it stopped each time one of them tried to spot it. Daura thought she saw pointed ears on the shadows but their shape changed too often. But they never saw them move. Parean was nervously pacing and tried to speak but she but her finger to his lips. He shook his head violently and let go of her hand. He picked up a rock and threw it at the shadows. Daura tried to stop him; the shadows may not have seen them yet.
There was a sudden yelp when the rock struck. It did not sound human.
"Now, run for it," she hissed. She punched Parean on the arm as his reward for his foolishness. She prayed it would not cost them their lives.
The sudden noise of their flight was slight but it was enough to bring the trio of shadows to life and they fell in behind the fleeing pair. The pursuers did not speak and their footfalls were light and quick and they gained on their quarry. Parean and Daura ran in a straight line through the brush and held up their arms in front of them to shield their faces from the whipping branches. Then they began to change direction but their pursuers still gained on them. Parean noticed it and dropped off to one side and waited for the trio to catch up. He did not know what he was doing. He did not know why he had picked up the rock and thrown it. He just felt he had to. He told himself over and over. "You must fight or die, fight or die." He worked up an adrenaline rush and prepared to act in Daura's defense. He planned to jump them; he carried a short ornamental sword and held it ready but when they passed, his blood froze. He did not move to intercept them as he had planned; he did not move at all. He saw the sharp teeth and the feline eyes and they sped by him silently, ignoring him. The moment hung in his mind; the huge creatures with the gaping mouths lined with endless teeth that seemed to swallow even the darkness. They had never failed to catch their quarry according to the legends of his childhood. The lurking shadows waiting to take disobedient children away to eat them. His older sister always whispered to him of the Amogrihens waiting outside the window.
They were Amogrihens, here, now, and Daura was their prey. They did not see him or else the fleeing figure of Daura was too tempting. The tall cat creatures stretched their long toes in front of them like fingers and were noiseless in passing. He stared at their long fangs jutting up over their upper lips. Then he bolted after them but the lead was too great and there was nothing that could catch the lean forms of the Amogrihens from behind. The Amogrihens had been bred for speed and stealth for the nobles of Nantitet. At first the wild creatures were tamed for hunting deer. Then warfare brought adaptations of their use and they were used often and cruelly. They were highly efficient killers. It was rumored they finally died out, yet here were three.
Daura sensed Parean was not with her but there was something behind her and she began to shake. She chanced a backward glance and saw whatever it was behind her had erased much of her lead and was almost upon her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she knew they were gaining with every step. She veered from her course and the branches whipped her as she
Their horses were silent which puzzled Daura. Surely they would have made some noise if someone approached in the dark. She strained her eyes but the darkness would not reveal the horses. They might have been led away. But by whom? Would Kaell's wizardry work on horses?
They moved away from the mysterious shadows and the long shadows drifted after them. So it seemed. When Daura turned to check on the shadows the night was still. If something was following them it could see it the dark better than they could and it stopped each time one of them tried to spot it. Daura thought she saw pointed ears on the shadows but their shape changed too often. But they never saw them move. Parean was nervously pacing and tried to speak but she but her finger to his lips. He shook his head violently and let go of her hand. He picked up a rock and threw it at the shadows. Daura tried to stop him; the shadows may not have seen them yet.
There was a sudden yelp when the rock struck. It did not sound human.
"Now, run for it," she hissed. She punched Parean on the arm as his reward for his foolishness. She prayed it would not cost them their lives.
The sudden noise of their flight was slight but it was enough to bring the trio of shadows to life and they fell in behind the fleeing pair. The pursuers did not speak and their footfalls were light and quick and they gained on their quarry. Parean and Daura ran in a straight line through the brush and held up their arms in front of them to shield their faces from the whipping branches. Then they began to change direction but their pursuers still gained on them. Parean noticed it and dropped off to one side and waited for the trio to catch up. He did not know what he was doing. He did not know why he had picked up the rock and thrown it. He just felt he had to. He told himself over and over. "You must fight or die, fight or die." He worked up an adrenaline rush and prepared to act in Daura's defense. He planned to jump them; he carried a short ornamental sword and held it ready but when they passed, his blood froze. He did not move to intercept them as he had planned; he did not move at all. He saw the sharp teeth and the feline eyes and they sped by him silently, ignoring him. The moment hung in his mind; the huge creatures with the gaping mouths lined with endless teeth that seemed to swallow even the darkness. They had never failed to catch their quarry according to the legends of his childhood. The lurking shadows waiting to take disobedient children away to eat them. His older sister always whispered to him of the Amogrihens waiting outside the window.
They were Amogrihens, here, now, and Daura was their prey. They did not see him or else the fleeing figure of Daura was too tempting. The tall cat creatures stretched their long toes in front of them like fingers and were noiseless in passing. He stared at their long fangs jutting up over their upper lips. Then he bolted after them but the lead was too great and there was nothing that could catch the lean forms of the Amogrihens from behind. The Amogrihens had been bred for speed and stealth for the nobles of Nantitet. At first the wild creatures were tamed for hunting deer. Then warfare brought adaptations of their use and they were used often and cruelly. They were highly efficient killers. It was rumored they finally died out, yet here were three.
Daura sensed Parean was not with her but there was something behind her and she began to shake. She chanced a backward glance and saw whatever it was behind her had erased much of her lead and was almost upon her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she knew they were gaining with every step. She veered from her course and the branches whipped her as she
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