The Lost Princess

Chapter Six: The Ulund

The next afternoon Amara was again tied to a tree. Earwen had come and offered her food again earlier that morning. Amara had once more grudgingly allowed herself to be fed. She was still in pain, but the food was enough to ease the ache in her gut. She closed her eyes and sighed, settling against the tree's trunk.

She felt a small tremor in the ground, and her brow furrowed. Confused, she opened her eyes. Another tremor, larger this time. Something was coming, and it was huge. The tremors were getting faster and closer together. Amara became alarmed. She opened her mouth to shout a warning, but it was too late. A giant creature erupted from the trees. Amara stared in horror, for the beast was one she had learned to fear. It was an ulund.

The creature was one of the most terrifying she had ever faced, and it was so rarely seen that she could hardly believe her luck was so terrible as to see another in her lifetime. It had the head and body of a lion, but the comparison stopped there. The monstrous animal was covered with blue-green scales, and tufts of brown hair grew from its head and neck and the end of its tail. The creature had six eyes, matching the number of its lanky, spiderlike legs. Dozens of curved, wicked-looking teeth lined its great maw. Venom glistened in the saliva spewing from its mouth as it bellowed.

The creature lunged into the campsite, catching up one of the soldiers in its jaws, killing him instantly. The camp erupted into battle. It was obvious the main objective was to protect the two young royals, although the elf princess stood confidently behind the line of soldiers, holding a beautifully crafted silver bow. She was flinging arrows at the beast with blinding speed.

Amara felt utterly helpless and was slightly disgruntled, as she was apparently forgotten. She wanted to scream for them to cut her loose but knew this would prove fatal, as the creature would be drawn by her cries. Just as she was about to give up hope of being spared the role of a helpless bystander, an arrow sailed toward her, slicing the bonds that held her to the tree. She was stunned.

Looking in the direction the arrow had sailed from, she saw the elf princess. She gave Amara a curt nod and sprang away as one of the ulund's great paws smashed down where she had been a moment before. Amara wriggled out of the now-loose ropes about her upper torso and then dove forward, untying the restraints around her feet. Once free, she bolted for her weapons and effects. She threw on her vest of knives, strapping it with fluid, well-practiced motions. She opened a pocket and drew out a small bone whistle. Clenching it in her fist, she looked at the company of elves battling the ulund, then ran into the forest.

Amara bounded through the trees like a deer. She brought the whistle to her lips and blew. A high-pitched sound emitted from it. She slowed and stood waiting, the sound of the battle behind her raging in her ears. She heard a man cry out and a woman scream in fear. Guilt warred within her. She tried to harden herself against it. She cared nothing for these people.

Again the scream of a woman. Why? Why? Why? Amara thought. Cursing in frustration, she turned and sprinted back, blowing the whistle again. Breaking through the trees, she threw herself into the fray. She noticed the soldiers were attacking valiantly with their bows and swords, but their blows and arrows were glancing harmlessly off the ulund's impenetrable scales. Amara blew the whistle again. She looked around the clearing, searching the trees.

"Come on. Hurry up," she ground out, aggravated. Turning back to the ulund, she drew two throwing knives. She shouted, getting the beast's attention. It turned as it heard her cries, and all six of its eyes focused on her. It roared, just as she'd known it would, lunging forward with its mouth agape. Amara tensed and dodged to one side at the last second, throwing both knives into the creature's mouth. The animal bellowed in agony and fury, pawing at its wounded face.