Chapter 10: Escape

Back to: "Chapter 9: A Not-so-Great Morning" 

Escape!

"I don't like it."

The soldier turned a bored expression on his fellow. "Spare me your mutterings of doom tonight, Jellar. It's bad enough out here without you moaning about this or that monster clawing us all to bits."

"I'm telling you something's out there!"

Drugan rubbed cold hands together, wishing for the hundredth time he wasn't on watch tonight. "Stuff it!" he growled and turned his back.

Neira crept past the not-really-vigilant guards and into the camp. She paced cautiously and silently right into the heart of the soldiers and their helpless recruits. Her mind burned with hate, but she stubbornly bit her lip and held to her course. The dagger in her hand trembled and she fought herself to keep from stabbing a soldier as she stepped over his sleeping body. Grinding her teeth together, she moved on, arriving with none the wiser at the back of the wagon.

Tied back to back, the two prisoners slept undisturbed, fastened securely to one of the wheels. Crouching at the side of the young elf, Neira covered his mouth with her hand. Beside him, Lin awoke with a start, her eyes widening as she saw the half-elven woman next to her.

Neira shook her head, smiling grimly at the medicine woman's gentle sigh of relief. Her eyes sparked in irritation as the elven boy still did not wake. She set her dagger's point into his shoulder.

Torin jerked awake, trying to fling himself away, but the strange woman's grip kept him quiet and still.

"Be quiet!" Neira hissed. She sliced through the ropes in one quick movement, removing Lin's gag in the next. Seconds later, all bindings removed, Lin grabbed her staff and crossbow, Torin's crude weapons, and Neira held her own plunder.

Torin stood, mouth agape, as the strange woman stole items from the wagon. A single, fierce look had been all that was needed to maintain his silence. He took back his belongings from Lin, averting his gaze when the other woman went past.
Lin touched the elf's arm, beckoning for him to follow her. A step behind the half-elf, Lin crept out of the camp. They were almost to the tree line when Torin tripped, crashing unceremoniously to the ground with an ear-splitting racket.

Neira dashed past the startled medicine woman and hefted the equally surprised elf across her shoulders. Calling on reserves she hoped were there, she set off on a mad dash through the trees.

Lin ducked behind the first tree she came to, pressing her hand to its bark. Her mind joined instantly to the tree's and she/they/it reached out to the others, entwining their branches and rustling to mask the heavy footsteps of the half-elf running through the forest.

Carefully removing one part of her concentration from the trees, Lin set her other hand upon the ground, willing the very earth itself to rise up against the soldiers who sought to hack their way through the greenery. She smiled as she heard their cries of fear and confusion.

"Get it off me! Get it off me!"

Drugan sidestepped the screaming Jellar, leaving the terrified soldier to fight his own way free of the entangling shrubs and vines. His eyes narrowed as he stepped within the forest, searching for any movement, any sign whatsoever that the prisoners had gone this way. Moonlight flashed on metal, drawing his gaze to where one of the prisoners knelt at the side of an oak. It was the human female, her eyes narrowed in concentration.

Silently, the soldier crept forward, his eyes focused on his goal and his sword held ready.

Lin felt the jar of the soldier's foot on one of her/their/its roots and looked up, her eyes meeting his. Without even thinking, she flung up a hand, flinging the first spell she'd ever learned into the face of the advancing man.

Drugan cried out in agony as the blastingly bright light exploded in his face. He dropped his sword with a clatter, both hands reaching up to tearing eyes which refused to see anything but a myriad of bright lights as sharp as daggers.

Lin dropped her hand from the tree, thanking it for its help. Wearily, she staggered to her feet, avoiding the blind and enraged soldier.

Without a trace, she disappeared into the forest.


{c}"Chapter 11: Watcher in the Woods"