Hyntas [https://i.im.ge/2024/04/04/Wx5R8z.chapter-11.webp]

Elfric had merely confirmed Gage’s intent, before he nodded. They rushed to pack up their camp. Eshu stayed out of the way. Instead, he danced at the edge of camp, giving an occasional chuff. His agitation was clear as he sniffed the air.

“Oh, this is exciting! Scary. But exciting. This will be a new experience. My heart is thumping.” Ma’tuk was buzzing around Gage, keeping close to the godling. “Do I have a heart? Yes. I have a heart. Hearts are nice.”

Elfric had his shield strapped to his off arm, his axe clutched in the same hand. His pack was only hooked on the opposite side so he could easily slide it off if necessary. Gage wore his pack properly, but his hatchet was within easy reach. Ma’tuk helped to herd Eshu, keeping the dog close to Gage, as the group set off through the small dunes that they had made camp in.

The noonday sun beat down on them as they moved as quickly and as steadily as they could. Gage could feel it searing the back of his neck. Sweat tingled against his skin, cutting lines through the dust that coated him. He grit his teeth and bore it, sure that Elfric and Eshu had it worse. One was an elf from the mountains of the north. The other was a dog, though used to a desert climate, that had a fur coat in increasing temperatures. Both were clearly focused on what lay ahead.

Taking turns around the dunes cautiously, they trekked on. They heard the commotion before they saw it. It was a plethora of sibilant yips, mixed with grunts and yells. There were several solid thumps followed by either a grunt of frustration or a yelp of pain. Amidst the very clear sounds of combat, someone was crying while others were speaking in high, panicked voices.

“Ma’tuk, can you see what’s going on?” Gage asked as he took a pause to catch his breath. The orb gave confirmation and whizzed up and over the dune. While he did, Gage and Elfric shrugged their packs free. The elf readied his shield and axe properly. Gage removed the cover from his hatchet. As he checked his new plating, Ma’tuk returned.

“Okay, so I see a talasqar protecting a group of alajin.” The orb spoke quickly, though Gage noticed the hitch in Elfric’s swing at the words. “They are being attacked by a pack of hyntas, which are keeping the talasqar from the rest of the group.”

“Are you familiar with any of that?” Gage asked Elfric flatly.

The elf nodded, “Some, but we can speak of it later.” With that he ran forward and around the curve of the dune.

Gage didn’t wait and ran after the elf. As the fight came into view, he faltered. Before him was a space between the dunes. The animals, ‘hyntas’ Ma’tuk had called them, were slender creatures with long, thin legs. Their tails were about as long as their bodies and were clearly used for balance and speed. They had a striking orange and tan stripe pattern that worked with the sand around them. Long, pointed ears rose from their heads, reminding Gage of Egyptian depictions of a jackal. Their faces, however, were far more reptilian. Sharp eyes focused on their prey, matched only by the sharpness of their claws and teeth.

Most of the pack had surrounded a group of five individuals. Four of them seemed to be roughly Elfric’s height, while the fifth was half that, at best. They were dressed in robes of white, each with unique patterns of blue and brown. Three of them were huddled together, circling around the smallest, who was the source of the crying. The fifth stood just a few feet before them. Whenever one of the hyntas darted in towards the group she, as Gage decided the figure was a she, would throw a vial at them. It would break on impact and sizzle against the hide of the beasts, then dripped to the sand. This kept the hyntas circling the group, and while none were dead, he counted several who had fresh burns from the liquid.

It was what had to be the talasqar that drew his attention. Sequestered from the group by three of the hyntas, was a large creature. To his eyes, it looked like a pangolin, only twice his own size. It had a human-like body and wore a simple, loose-fitting shirt and pants with a leather belt. Its scaled arms were held before it, ready to either block or to lash out with its thick claws. A pangolin-like head crested its shoulders with small, dark eyes and a snout. The scales crowned its head and flowed down its back into a long thick tail.

Elfric rushed forward, axe raised. He ran for the one closest to him, which was one of the three on the talasqar. His axe swung down, but the beast’s ears swiveled towards him at the last moment, and it jumped away to the side with a hiss. It let out a warbling bellow and all the hyntas that were not actively engaged, turned to look at the elf.

Gage watched as the elf set himself up and took a defensive stance. As Elfric drew the creatures’ attention, Gage took the opportunity to skirt the area. A few of the hyntas turned their attention from the small group they had encircled and charged towards Elfric and the talasqar. The battle began in earnest.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Heart hammering, Gage made his way towards the harriers of the group. He was not skilled in fighting like Elfric, so he settled on being a distraction. Hopefully his chitin plates would help protect him from any grievous injury. Hopefully. As he approached the group from the side, the closest hynta swiveled an ear towards him before turning to look at him. Its gaze was sharp and intelligent. With a warning hiss, it bunched itself up before leaping towards him. He threw himself to the side, landing hard against the sand.

He rolled to his feet and whipped around to face the creature. It was already bearing down on him. Instead of ramming into him, it ran past him. As it did so, he felt the line of its claws slashing across his shins. He let out the breath he had been holding, seeing the creature come at him, with relief. It had not gotten through his plating. He spun about to keep his eye on the creature.

To the side he could hear the sound of battle. Along with the solid thumps of the talasqar and the hyntas trading blows, he could now hear them thwacking with Elfric’s shield. There was a rather meaty thunk and a gargled hiss of pain each time Elfric’s axe landed a blow.

The eyes of the creature facing him narrowed, perhaps annoyed, or confused, as to why he had not dropped from the blow to his shins. He adjusted his grip on the hatchet, preparing to swing. A quick glance behind the creature showed the cowering group still being harried and getting steadily herded further away. One of the hyntas lay dead or dying, its flesh badly burned by the contents of a vial. His gaze darted back to his own problem, the sudden rush of his attacker charging in at him drawing his concern once more.

“Grrr!” A ball of furry fury charged at the hynta from the side. The creature turned its charge into a leap to avoid Eshu’s assault. The dog skidded to a halt, keeping between Gage and his attacker. Instantly Gage’s heart was in his throat, his eyes wide.

“Eshu! No!” He charged towards the hynta and passed by Eshu, who began to charge with him. He swung the hatchet and missed, the creature having dodged backwards to keep clear of its, now, two assailants. Between Eshu and himself, they managed to keep clear of the fatal attacks the animal threw at them. Lunging nips and slashes were dodged or fended off. Gage gathered a few cuts into his chitin from an occasional hit. While neither he nor Eshu managed to land a blow, he could tell the beast was starting to tire. The downside? So was he. His focus was entirely on this one being.

He was streaked with sweat, panting for breath, and his limbs felt heavy and hot. This could not last much longer. Gage hoped that Elfric and the talasqar were faring better than him. As he readied himself for another charge by the creature, he watched as it stopped and perked up. A warbling, hissing cry rose up, added to by each of the hyntas. The cry reverberated around them, sending a chill down every living thing that heard it. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. As the sudden silence hung in the air, the tension grew. Until, with a flurry, it broke as the hyntas turned as one, and ran.

Gage watched as it ran towards the dunes and joined the rest of its pack. Very slowly he relaxed his grip and stance, chancing a look around. The talasqar and Elfric had managed to reach the group of what he could now see were elves, though each of them seemed to be albino. Strewn about were several bodies. Most of them showed the deep cut of Elfric’s axe, though a few looked to be rather bludgeoned and torn apart. Only one had died to the vials. As the rush of panic and worry of death began to subside, Gage was hit with the thick scent of blood.

He gagged as the cloying smell plugged his nose. Elfric and the pangolin-man moved over towards him, though the other elves hung back, staying huddled together.

“I know you do not understand me,” The talasqar began. His voice was deep, rich, and warm. It carried a melodic sound to it, rising and falling with a rhythm as he spoke. “Shuyama,” he placed his right fist into his open, left palm. “Thank you for your patronage.”

Gage shook his head, taking a moment to try and push the smell of blood from his nose. Breathing only through his mouth, “It is no problem. We were happy to help.”

“You speak the Shaved tongue?” Surprise was evident in talasqar’s tone, “I am Taan Tantarra, I look forward to our dealings.” He gave a slight bow, which Gage returned.

“Not exactly,” He looked around to see that not only had the elves come closer, but Ma’tuk was hovering just behind him, his and Elfric’s packs just below the orb. “This is Ma’tuk, a gift of my god, Kin. He is translating for me.”

The talasqar crinkled his nose. “I am not familiar. Though a discussion for another time, perhaps.” He lifted his arm and gestured to the elves, “I was in the middle of guiding these ones to safety when we were attacked by that pack of hyntas.”

“You are familiar with them? The hyntas?”

Taan nodded, “Oh, yes. They are scavengers, opportunists.”

“Ah, well. Hopefully they will not return. We should move, make camp somewhere.” Gage looked over the group of elves, who were now only a few feet away. Each of them had the whitest skin and hair he had ever seen, with very soft variations. It’s like looking at a cloud made elven. Their ears were slightly more pronounced than Elfric’s. They were all about the same height, give or take a few inches, which was half a head shorter than his companion. “Unless the safety you mentioned is close by?”

The scaled head of the talasqar rattled slightly, like a dog shaking its head to shed water. “It is roughly a two-day journey. We should depart from here, though. The scavengers will return to eat the dead.”

Gathering their packs, the now doubled group turned and headed northwest. Putting distance between them and the scene of the battle before settling camp to wait out the rest of the day.