“You sure you don’t want us sticking around?” Marik asked while securing everything on his horse. “We will be fine, right now. You need to get away and get him,” Lissa pointed to James, who had a haunted look in his eyes. “Some help. I don’t think he really knew what he was getting into.” Marik sighed, “No one really does, but I do agree. This is certainly not anything I expected when Balkim and I were given this team to train and lead.”

Lissa understood the sentiment. “Just do me a favor alright, I know you emissaries are supposed to be a tough bunch. But don’t get too cocky,” Marik smirked and hopped into his saddle. “We won’t, old man, just make sure you stick to the well-worn paths we got ambused not too long ago.”

“I appreciate the heads up, miss. Safe travels and safer battles,” Marik said while nodding to Lissa. She stepped back away from the horse. Marik touched his heels to the horse’s side, and it began to trot off. James followed shortly after, then the riderless horses with Balkim taking up the rear.

“So you want to stick with the same plan?” Saida asked while making her way over to Lissa. “I don’t see why not, but with a few adjustments obviously now that we are here,” Lissa responded and looked over to everyone else. Garza was putting out the campfire, Almios, Micah, and Darvick were packing up tents. Mera and Mela were nowhere to be seen, but Lissa assumed they had climbed one of the nearby trees.

“Like what exactly?” Saida crossed her arms. “Well, I think we need to change who the bait is,” Lissa walked past Saida towards the others. “Who do you have in mind?” Saida said while following her. “Someone who really isn’t good at being loud while in the woods,” Lissa set her sights on Garza.

Almios looked at Lissa and Saida while they walked over. There must have been a look in her eyes as Almios followed Lissa’s gaze. “Garza, you may want to run now,” He said somewhat loudly. “Huh?” Garza replied, looking to Almios and then to Lissa. “Cat’s out of the bag now,” Saida said while sauntering over to the horses to make sure they were hitched to their trees properly.

“Oh damn it,” Garza said while groaning. “What do you want now?” Lissa only smiled, “Since you are always so light on your feet, the plan will change just a little bit.” Mera and Mela poked their heads out of a nearby tree.

“Called it,” Mera said to Mela, who frowned and passed a single coin to her sister. Garza looked to Mera and Mela and then to Lissa, “Wait. I’m the bait now?” Lissa rolled her eyes, “To put it bluntly, yes, you are the bait, but you won’t be alone. Considering I didn’t even hear or see them until now.” She gestured to the twins, who smiled, “They will be shadowing you in the trees.”

“Alright, fine, I will do it. Though how are you sure that thing is ever around here still? For all, we know it could have jumped in the river and gone far downstream.” Garza retorted, kicking dirt into the last smoldering ember. “We can’t be sure, though, to be honest, unless we want to follow a trail of bodies, this is the best shot we have,” Lissa looked at everyone.

“Am I wrong?” She asked. “No, you aren’t, but he for sure doesn’t like this change in plan,” Darvick replied, pointing to Garza. “Of course I don’t! We were going to lure it to us by making loud noises or putting traps around the area with only one route out,” Garza grabbed his weapon. “I am going to do it still,” Garza said while walking over to Lissa, “But you owe me for this.”

Lissa smiled, “I already do, big man, no go be a master class thief in those woods.” Garza gave Lissa two upraised middle fingers and trudged off. Lissa cupped her hands to her mouth, “Try heading for the river!”

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Ts’og shook herself awake as an ever-familiar scent filled her nostrils. Rage took hold for just a moment as she lashed out at the rock wall next to her, leaving deep gouges in the stone. Stone fragments clattered out of the cave and dropped into the river.

Ts’og drew in a deep breath, taking in everything around her. “Finally, you are near murderer,” Ts’og couldn’t do anything but grin. She walked to the cave edge and looked up towards the cliff. Piercing the rock above the mouth of the cave, she gracefully scaled to the clifftop. She made for the forest and smoothly glided in between the trees.

Taking in another breath, she now took in more than just the murderer’s scent. Seven other scents graced her presence, one of them somewhat resembling the murderer. A family member perhaps, or maybe a lover? Either one would be fine. Ts’og wanted to hurt this murderer as much as they hurt her. Killing someone close to them would be just the start.

Maybe she should. Ts’og stopped. Was she really wanting to become like that monster? Was she willing to go into the darkness before her? No, she was not going to debase herself by becoming like the one she hated. Ts’og took a calming breath and continued deeper into the trees.

The scent was growing more robust now. Hints of smoke and cooking meat came to her now. Ts’og slowed her pace. Something was wrong. Closing her eyes, she listened intently. The birds were silent. The game was scattering. The cracking of a branch underfoot let her know why “They are hunting me?” Ts’og smirked and slowly advanced towards the sound. Whoever was coming towards her was sloppy, lacking in grace.

She let them come closer and closer. Their scent was not the one she sought. Ts’og heard them speaking, again more words she did not know. “A few more steps now,” She muttered to herself while crouching low. Muscles tensed, her hammering heartbeat slowed. Ts’og heard two more snaps, one coming from in front of her and the other off to her upper right.

She spun to her right and came face to face with a tiny shiny creature. “Clever, but not clever enough!” Ts’og roared while lashing out at the small creature. Her talons shattered the branch they stood on as the little creature jumped away at the last moment.

Ts’og expected them to fall and be easy prey. But a similar-sized creature grabbed them and pulled them deeper into the canopy. She charged towards the clumsy one, and now that she knew ones were in the trees, she could hear them clearly. Running, leaping, breathing, and shouting towards the one she closed on.

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Ts’og felt pain as something raked furrows down her spine. The pain flowed down to the tip of her tail, where she felt something grip it and pull. “Away little thing!” She roared, flicking her tail in hopes of dislodging her attacker. Ts’og felt the grip tighten further, hoping to hold on. With her erstwhile companion clinging on, she slammed them into a tree.

The grip slackened, and with one final flick, Ts’og threw them off. She continued forward, ignoring the screams and shouts behind and above her. Drawing in a heavy breath, she stopped in her tracks. The murderer approached. Ts’og grinned and charged past the most giant shiny thing she had ever seen. “You won’t escape me now, monster!” She roared, smashing through trees.

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Lissa heard the roars of the beast somewhere deeper in the forest, as well as trees splintering. “I don’t think that went well at all,” Darvick said calmly while loading his crossbow. “Do you think we should go towards it?” Micah asked nervously. Lissa shook her head, “No, by the fact the roaring and sound of wood splintering is getting closer, it is coming at us.”

Saida looked at the others, “I didn’t expect it to fall for our little ploy that easily. Wasn’t it supposed to be smart?” Lissa shrugged, “A beast is still a beast no matter how intelligent.” Abruptly the roaring and crashing stopped. “That isn’t good,” Almios said while cracking his neck and shaking his limbs. As Almios started, the rest began shaking the nerves out of their limbs.

Lissa took in one deep breath, exhaled, and felt the pain in her eyes. Opening them, she scanned the tree line. Everything was still in place. She looked to Almios and nodded her head forward. He took the hint and advanced slowly, sword and shield at the ready. Step after step, he went soon enough he was halfway to the tree line. Lissa saw him stop dead in his tracks, tense, and then throw himself sideways.

A tree trunk came flying out of the woods, barely missing Almios. It hit the ground and ran a furrow into the dirt. Lissa and Micah leaped to the left. While Saida pulled Darvick to the right. The trunk barely managed to fit in between them. “Holy shit!” Almios cried before something hard hit his shield, making it ring like a bell.

Lissa turned her head to look towards Almios. Who was tumbling backward, his shield dented heavily. Lissa looked to where he had been and saw the beast. Its eyes were locked onto her, and in them, she saw pure rage. It sprinted forward, impossibly quick for something of its stature.

Lissa sprang up and backward as one clawed hand raked the ground where she had been. It ignored Micah to the point that as it continued forward, it kicked him away.

The sound of cracking bone echoed in the clearing, and Micah hoarsely screamed. Lissa stepped into the beast’s charge getting inside the swing it sent at her. She stabbed downwards into the thigh of the monster. Ochre blood poured from the wound as she ripped the sword out. It screamed in pain and pivoted, getting the injury away from Lissa.

Lissa was quickly swatted away by the whip-like motion of the thing’s tail. She careened sideways, ending in a heap a few meters away. Lissa saw Saida rushing towards the monster and slide under its swipes, and slash its ankles. The beast fell to its knees, ochre blood seeping from the wounds. Saida had just begun to stand and turn back towards her opponent when a lightning-fast strike from its tail knocked her away.

Lissa saw a bolt hit the beast in one of its shoulders. The creature quickly ripped it out and stared at Darvick. Lissa got to her knees and saw the wounds healing right before her very eyes. “Shit,” She muttered while bounding to the monster. She had expected it to swipe at her, but it instead tried to impale her on its claws. Lissa put the shield between her and the beast. The talons pierced the shield quickly and barely missed her arm. Thinking fast, she pushed her shield farther onto the claws.

The monster did not expect that, and Lissa saw the surprise on its face. The surprise quickly turned to a maniacal grin as it lifted Lissa off the ground and threw her into the air. Lissa soared above the treetops and was barely able to scream, “Shit!” before impacting the trees’ upper limbs. She grunted and groaned in pain as she fell through the tree limbs, finally coming to rest painfully on a thick branch a meter from the forest floor.

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Ts’og watched as the murderer flew overhead and back into the forest. Turning, Ts’og began to quickly advance into the trees. Another sting hit her back, and she wheeled to face a little shiny thing wielding a strange wooden contraption. Using one mighty arm, it pulled something backward, and Ts’og heard a click as it stayed in place. Ignoring the pest, she continued to run into the trees before being stung again, this time in her lower back.

“Gah, damn you little thing!” Ts’og bellowed while ripping a sturdy limb from a nearby tree. Taking quick aim, she threw it at the little pest. They managed to sidestep the limb but not entirely. It sent them stumbling backward. This gave Ts’og enough time to get into the trees and follow the murderer’s scent. “You are mine now. Monster,” Ts’og whispered under her breath while quickening her pace further into the forest.

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Lissa groaned in pain. Everything hurt. She pushed herself off the branch and stood shakily on solid ground. Lissa raised her left arm up and bit her tongue to keep the scream of pain in. Looking at her left arm, she saw her wrist and elbow were bent at odd angles. Blood also poured from a shard of wood that had slipped under her armguard and punctured her flesh.

Lissa undid the straps from her shield with her right hand after putting the sword between her legs to keep it still. She threw the shield away and picked up her sword. “Holy shit, what happened?” Lissa heard Garza come up behind her. “Damn thing threw me over its head after I had shoved my shield onto its claws,” She replied and grimaced while taking the wood from her arm.

“How was that a good idea?” He asked while he turned his head towards the loud approach of the beast. “It was at the time since I thought I could make it have to pry me off with its other hand,” Lissa took in a deep breath and winced. “I think I cracked a few ribs with that fall,” She looked around for Mera and Mela.

“Where are they?” she asked while picking up her sword. “Up here,” Mela’s voice called out from above her. Lissa looked up saw Mela looking at her, and a very much worse for the wear Mera next to her. “Are you okay?” Lissa asked while looking at Mera. “I’ll live. It takes more than being slammed into a tree to stop me. How about you?”

“About the same, though we should continue this later!” Lissa shouted while turning to the incoming threat. The monster barreled through the trees, snapping tree trunks like kindling. It roared and tried to tackle Lissa through the tree she stood in front of. Mid-lunge Mera and Mela dropped onto its back, sinking their own claws into it.

This gave Lissa just enough time to roll out of the way. It crashed through the tree, screaming in pain as both Mera and Mela stabbed it repeatedly. Lissa had to move away as the treetops rained down on her. Lissa stood once the debris fall had lessened. “Garza!” She shouted over the din of falling trees, monstrous roars, and calls from Mera and Mela. “Still alive, let’s go!” Lissa couldn’t see Garza but rushed toward the commotion regardless.

Soon enough, she heard someone coming up behind her. Turning her head, Lissa saw that Saida was gaining on her. “Are you alright?” She asked while Saida fidgeted with her fingers. “Yeah, just got this from Micah,” Saida showed Lissa the ring Micah had used to kill Harrick.

“Is he alright?” Lissa asked while ducking under a fallen tree branch. “Yeah, just a few broken ribs mainly,” Saida replied while going ahead of Lissa. She barely had time to stop as the beast careened through a tree in front of her. Mera and Mela had been dislodged at some point, it seemed. Lissa saw it stare at her once more, it opened its maw, and it screamed at her, “Murderer!”