Gift- Book 1

Chapter 37

Without missing a beat, Leiea swings up on Craith without bothering to put on the horse tack.

Before she ran back around to where the horse was left, she stood paralyzed next to Hania after Sheyric told the news. She practically had to be pushed half the way until the Ildful- and other giant birds she hasn't seen before- became visible. She regained her senses then, confused and startled, but ran at full speed.

She hopes what Ryn said about the remaining being built for survival is true. It's not like everyone has weapons, the knowledge, or the courage to fight animals enhanced for killing.

As if the horse knows what's happening, he darts off in the same direction Leiea came in through the blanket of snow, her leg barely over his back. She thinks about how lucky she and Sheyric are for having a horse to ride on.

Another sign of her being some sort of mythical being. A red haired girl on a white horse with a fox commonly jumping at its heels. Then the handsome man that is Sheyric, riding a copper-colored workhorse with the scars of devilish fire birds streaking his body.

Leiea starts Craith running, not a thing stopping them. The birds overhead become more clear and close. The ones that aren't Ildful look like supersized eagles and falcons, many flying in wide circles.

She almost doesn't stop when a lone figure is walking her way, holding something shiny. Craith stops himself before she can, right behind the figure.

"I'm guessing you're Leiea?"

She turns to see who it is. A man roughly Sheyric's age stands next to the horse, petting his back. His hair's white blond but smudged with ash, as well as his face. In his opposite hand is a long machete.

"I'm Zasten. Vaeic sent me to give you this," he hands her the blade. She takes it and immediately recognizes it as the same machete Vaeic gave to Therin in the forest. The weight is unfamiliar and clunky, but she secures it in her belt. Zasten continues.

"Tons of animals are coming out of the forest and targeting the remaining villagers," Leiea stares at a faint white scar running across his forehead. "Vaeic said you'd know what she means. Most people are hiding in the remains and the rest are fighting." He shrugs and walks back the same direction.

"Wait," Leiea says and he stops and turns. "Are you fighting or hiding?"

Zasten sighs and crosses his arms "Hiding. I can't risk anything, and I have nothing to fight those things with." He throws his hands up, exasperated. "Have you seen them? Giant, weaponized... killers that shouldn't exist."

Leiea nods, completely understanding. She hasn't seen much variety of Firyah's creatures, but she should've expected to see hundreds more soon.

She clears her throat. "It sounds like you want them dead, so what would it take to convince you to help?"

His face pales quickly and his arms fall to his sides. She tilts her head, thinking again of how otherworldly she seems to everyone that isn't close to her.

"I'd need help, backup... and to know the people that aren't fighting are safe," Zasten says, "Maybe knowing that more than nine people are fighting alongside me."

Leiea smiles to herself, thinking of a plan immediately. She addresses Zasten. "Okay. I have an idea. Get on the horse."

He grins nervously and trudges back through the snow, hoping up on Craith behind Leiea.

"What do you think?"

Zasten shuffles and looks at Crevan, sitting in Leiea's lap. The second they got back to where she was before, the fox came running. She explained all his talents and skills to Zasten, although it took a while to explain the Firyah-murderous-creatures situation.

She didn't bother seeking anyone else out, and thankfully no one came over. However, she quickly noticed Heron in his billowing cloak talking to Vaeic. On the opposite side was, surprisingly, Ailpein. He wielded the beautiful sword with the polished stone at the bottom, making Leiea think of how perfect it is- and how doomed. He looked especially old and weary as well, but standing tall.

In the distance, she can see Sheyric riding Odenne patrolling the area. Although the birds were very visible, she can only see large figures emerging from the forest, guessing there's a number of smaller ones in between. She hopes Zasten saying "tons" of animals was an exaggeration on Sheyric's part.

Zasten sighs. "I think what you're saying is too good to be true. If you prove it, I'll give the fox a chance."

Leiea thinks for a moment, staring at Crevan's dark eyes. "Can you go find Hania?" Crevan tilts his head as if needing to hear the command again. She repeats herself and he barks, jumping from her legs. Leiea and Zasten watch him run into the ruins, going into an area a few yards away.

A sudden gunshot echoes over the hills, followed by another. Leiea jumps up, cursing Sheyric for already starting when he's the only one out there. Looking out, she can't see him or Odenne, but large figures of the beasts are much closer.

Zasten shudders at the noise and shrinks down. Behind his shoulder, Leiea sees Vaeic run off from Heron, grasping one of her knives.

Crevan finally emerges from the ruins, his paws covered in ashes. He barks at Leiea before turning his head around to barking again. Zasten looks at her expectantly.

Hania stumbles out behind the fox, looking dazed. She grins and points to Crevan.

"I had to prove something to Zasten," Leiea says, a little bitter that he was doubting them. She turns to him. "Are you happy now? Just you wait until you see Crevan take something down. Go now," She waves him off. Although appearing disgruntled that her claims weren't false, he claps at the fox to get his attention and runs off into the snowy fields.

Hania watches as she walks backwards, appearing anxious to get back to the ruins. Leiea holds her hand up.

"I didn't just call you here to prove a point," she draws in a deep breath. "I think you should use the horse going into that. I can't be on Craith and use a knife at the same time. You have a long distance weapon, like Sheyric."

Hania blinks and twists her bow around in her hands. "I guess that makes sense, but I've barely ridden a horse in my life, plus it's yours,"

Leiea frowns. "I haven't ridden one much either until we high-tailed it back to the village." She pats Craith's cream back, "He's gentle. I wouldn't be surprised if the person we got it from was a breeder," She thinks to Saena, the way she knew more about horses and tack than even Sheyric.

Hania sighs and jams the end of the bow into a belt loop without much care. "I'll use the horse. Just don't be surprised if one of us gets hurt." Leiea nods and watches her walk up, clumsily climbing onto Craith. She sighs with relief seeing that the horse is unbothered. Another gunshot rings out, sounding closer than the others.

"I'll be seeing you," Leiea says, trying not to show her worry. "Good luck."

"And to you." Hania says, smiling. She puts her heel into Craith's flank and he turns, darting off immediately.

Leiea crosses her arms, looking at her surroundings to forget her anxiety. Ailpein and Therin must have run off since she's looked at them. The only other person left waiting is Heron, standing as he was talking with Vaeic.

The noise of something padding on the snow barely reaches her ears before Heron calls out something to her, his words lost in echos. Something knocks her to the ground with immense force.

What feels like a clawed paw drives into the back of her head, another simultaneously going into her lower back. Leiea slips out of consciousness before she can scream or comprehend the tearing of her flesh.