As They Fall [First Draft] ~ Currently Editing ~

Twenty-One

A/N: Boom! Another nice, long chapter, you're welcome ;) As always enjoy reading As They Fall and thanks for continuing to read <3 xx

"Welcome back," said Elizabeth, relieved to see Charlie and I return. Too happy to speak I simply smiled at her, hoping my cheeks weren't still pink.

"Thanks," said Charlie, before heading over to where Merek was tending to the horses, "I'm sorry about what happened earlier, I don't know what came over me."

"No harm done," replied Merek with a shrug, untangling a clump of burs from Orchid's mane. Charlie dipped his head gratefully and rummaged through one of the saddlebags, pulling out a selection of dried meats and bread. The four of us sat and ate in silence, scanning our surroundings for danger every few seconds.

As night fell and we settled into our bedrolls, a large shriek in the distance made Elizabeth let out a squeak of terror which Merek quickly muffled with his hand. Raising a finger to his lips he withdrew his hand and whispered,

"Sounded like a rabbit, it's close by too." Charlie and I exchanged a concerned glance but remained silent. Merek closed his eyes for several moments before he spoke again, "The horses can hear a group of three unknown creatures heading toward us. I'm going to untie them. If we get killed I don't want them getting eaten because they were tied up." I nodded in agreement and Merek stalked over to where the horses were tied. One of the horses let out a nervous whinny as Merek untied them but none of them moved once they were free. He hovered near the horses, placing a reassuring hand resting on Auriel's flank, as he strained his senses for the intruders. Before long the sound of undergrowth being crushed underfoot could be heard, followed by a strange dialect that was a combination of high keening noises and guttural snarls.

Merek flattened himself behind a nearby tree and motioned for us to hide. My heart hammered in my chest as the sounds grew closer and closer until it felt as if they were right beside us. The three of us huddled together behind a large bush several feet from the base of the Yew tree. I could just make out Merek's silhouette in the dim light, peering around the trunk every so often. Then I saw the creatures.

The three of them were around the same height, a head or two shorter than myself with shrivelled skin, the colour of sour milk, that was covered in angry green pustules. Their red eyes were so large they seemed to protrude from their skulls which were angular and hairless. With large hooked noses and fang-like teeth, these monsters were the stuff of nightmares. Elizabeth recoiled as she saw them, burying her face into Charlie's shoulder. I wrinkled my nose in disgust as their scent hit me, a mixture of rotten meat and dirt. Completely ignorant of our presence the creatures strode into the small clearing and began to tear through our possessions. I let out a tiny sigh of relief that we kept all our weapons and valuables on our person at all times.

The tallest creature made a strange keening noise and the other two grunted, walking over to the base of the Yew tree, stopping a couple of steps from where we were hiding. My muscles tensed with anticipation as I prepared to spring into action, but before I could move Merek's voice rang out across the clearing.

"Can I help you?" He strode out from behind the tree and confronted the creatures, seemingly calm. The tallest one barked some sort of order at the other two and they rushed to his side, their fangs bared menacingly. Merek looked down them, his expression a mixture of surprise and disgust. The creatures began to speak to one another, yipping and growling like a pack of fighting dogs. While they were distracted Merek quickly nodded to me and I quietly stepped out from behind the bush. Beckoning for Charlie and Elizabeth to follow we snuck up behind the creatures who had stopped communicating and were closing in on Merek.