supplies. After a short meal of some nuts, dried fruit and some jerky, Garin laid down on the ground on his back, squirming to find a comfortable position when Kaz’s necklace dug unto his shoulder.
“I almost forgot,” he began as he removed it and threw it over to Kaz. “Have a nice sleep with that thing on your neck.” He rolled over and fell happily into a deep sleep.
Chapter 7
The fire was dying down and the four boys slept soundly, recovering from two days of unusual physical exertion. Having two strong listeners in their group, they all rested, relying on Garin and Farin's enhanced hearing for protection. Although Kaz could see farther than either boy could hear, it did no good during a night like this when the moon's light was hidden by thickening clouds.
Kaz rubbed his eyes when he heard one of the boys roll over on the ground. Farin threw some small sticks on the fire, and a slightly larger log.
“Is something wrong?” Bendar asked sleepily.
“I thought I heard some dry grass crunching. Maybe a deer walking in the woods. It’s probably nothing,” Farin responded. “Hey seamstress, do you see anything out there?”
“What?” Kaz groaned from his sprawled position on the other side of the fire.
Garin sat up and rolled his head, stretching out his neck. Kaz saw the marks on his ears darken as he made an audio sweep of the surrounding area.
“Get up now!” Garin reached for the long bow and nocked an arrow.
“What is it?” Bendar asked as he scrambled to his feet and joined the other boys standing in a small circle with their backs to the fire. Each had a longbow in hand, and Farin had his sword strapped to his waist.
“What’s out there?” Kaz asked as he searched the darkness for any sign of movement.
“Drams,” Garin and Farin announced in unison.
“They must be very hungry to attack so close to the road,” Bendar observed. “When they get that hungry, they usually don’t stop their attack until they get some meat.”
“That’s not helpful,” Kaz said as he anxiously pulled on the bowstring. “I can only see to the first row of trees.”
“The rest of us can’t see anything at all. It’s so dark, we can’t see beyond the firelight. We need to seek shelter.” Bendar said, moving to the edge of the clearing. “Get up into the trees.” He began running for the closest tree.
“There,” Farin said, pointing out into the night. Kaz shot an arrow in the direction Farin pointed, but he heard it thud harmlessly into a tree. He nocked another arrow and waited while the other boys began scampering up some nearby trees. When the dram came into sight he drew his bow, and in a fluid motion released the arrow. The shaft protruded out of the animals head, a perfect kill shot.
“Get over here!” Farin beckoned. “Two more drams are coming.” Kaz turned and ran toward a tree where Farin was hiding. As he came close to the tree he could hear the deep, gruff pants of the large animals that were now in their camp. He pumped his arms for more speed, and at the last minute he threw his bow to the ground and jumped up, grabbing on the highest branch of the tree he could reach.
He wrapped his arms and legs around the branch, frantically trying to stay out of reach of the dram that was now underneath him. From a nearby tree an arrow flew and found its mark in the dram’s body. The creature howled out in pain, but continued to claw at the tree. With a massive lunge, the dram’s front paws reached Kaz and ripped open his left leg, throwing him down from the tree onto the ground. When he hit the ground, Kaz turned over, and covered his arms over his face as the dram approached. Trying to ignore the pain, he kicked out, hitting the dram in the snout. The creature howled out, then arched its back as it cautiously advanced. Kaz pushed against the ground until he backed into a tree.
“Take him down!” Garin yelled from up in the tree, and Kaz saw an arrow strike the dram.
“I almost forgot,” he began as he removed it and threw it over to Kaz. “Have a nice sleep with that thing on your neck.” He rolled over and fell happily into a deep sleep.
Chapter 7
The fire was dying down and the four boys slept soundly, recovering from two days of unusual physical exertion. Having two strong listeners in their group, they all rested, relying on Garin and Farin's enhanced hearing for protection. Although Kaz could see farther than either boy could hear, it did no good during a night like this when the moon's light was hidden by thickening clouds.
Kaz rubbed his eyes when he heard one of the boys roll over on the ground. Farin threw some small sticks on the fire, and a slightly larger log.
“Is something wrong?” Bendar asked sleepily.
“I thought I heard some dry grass crunching. Maybe a deer walking in the woods. It’s probably nothing,” Farin responded. “Hey seamstress, do you see anything out there?”
“What?” Kaz groaned from his sprawled position on the other side of the fire.
Garin sat up and rolled his head, stretching out his neck. Kaz saw the marks on his ears darken as he made an audio sweep of the surrounding area.
“Get up now!” Garin reached for the long bow and nocked an arrow.
“What is it?” Bendar asked as he scrambled to his feet and joined the other boys standing in a small circle with their backs to the fire. Each had a longbow in hand, and Farin had his sword strapped to his waist.
“What’s out there?” Kaz asked as he searched the darkness for any sign of movement.
“Drams,” Garin and Farin announced in unison.
“They must be very hungry to attack so close to the road,” Bendar observed. “When they get that hungry, they usually don’t stop their attack until they get some meat.”
“That’s not helpful,” Kaz said as he anxiously pulled on the bowstring. “I can only see to the first row of trees.”
“The rest of us can’t see anything at all. It’s so dark, we can’t see beyond the firelight. We need to seek shelter.” Bendar said, moving to the edge of the clearing. “Get up into the trees.” He began running for the closest tree.
“There,” Farin said, pointing out into the night. Kaz shot an arrow in the direction Farin pointed, but he heard it thud harmlessly into a tree. He nocked another arrow and waited while the other boys began scampering up some nearby trees. When the dram came into sight he drew his bow, and in a fluid motion released the arrow. The shaft protruded out of the animals head, a perfect kill shot.
“Get over here!” Farin beckoned. “Two more drams are coming.” Kaz turned and ran toward a tree where Farin was hiding. As he came close to the tree he could hear the deep, gruff pants of the large animals that were now in their camp. He pumped his arms for more speed, and at the last minute he threw his bow to the ground and jumped up, grabbing on the highest branch of the tree he could reach.
He wrapped his arms and legs around the branch, frantically trying to stay out of reach of the dram that was now underneath him. From a nearby tree an arrow flew and found its mark in the dram’s body. The creature howled out in pain, but continued to claw at the tree. With a massive lunge, the dram’s front paws reached Kaz and ripped open his left leg, throwing him down from the tree onto the ground. When he hit the ground, Kaz turned over, and covered his arms over his face as the dram approached. Trying to ignore the pain, he kicked out, hitting the dram in the snout. The creature howled out, then arched its back as it cautiously advanced. Kaz pushed against the ground until he backed into a tree.
“Take him down!” Garin yelled from up in the tree, and Kaz saw an arrow strike the dram.
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