The Reptile's Wrath

3

Swift had never been to Sanlow before. It was a small town without a wall around it. The opposite of what he had read Trunswick to be like. 
    He was inside a small shop with Bark and Thrash. Valor was outside, standing guard like he always did. If Swift was honest, he was afraid of the older boy, though he wasn’t nearly as scared of Valor as he was of Thrash. They were both so brave and quiet and strong. Swift wished he was too, but no. He was small and scared and weak. The worst part though, was he missed Mirabella.
    His cat had been with him ever since his spirit animal had left him. Well, not left him, become a part of him. She had given him her claws, eyes and teeth and eventually, his name. Maribella had shown up only a few hours after he realized he couldn’t summon her anymore.
    His spirit animal had been something called a pine marten. Kind of a cross between a ferret and a cat, native to Eura.
    Swift yawned quietly, thinking about his books. He had come inside to get out of the cold (and to avoid being alone with Valor, but that was beside the point), and now he was somewhat regretting it. Bark was still trying to haggle the price of a short sword down. It had been at least half an hour now.
           He weighed his options. On one hand, he could stay in here and be bored out of his mind but also be warm. Or, he could go outside and people watch and maybe find something to eat. 
    He edged towards the door, his steps silent on the hardwood. Thrash glanced at him and nodded after he gestured at the door. A small bell rang as he slid outside. 
    Valor stood on the left of the door, exactly where Thrash had left him. He glanced down at Swift, his black eyes unblinking behind his mask.
“Are they almost finished in there?” he asked.
    Swift nodded, and prayed that his voice wouldn’t squeak. “I think so.” He winced. “I’m going to find food.”
“Be careful and stay close by. There are some rough looking people here.”
    Swift nodded and scurried away, slipping into an alley out of sight. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Valor, but he was scared of him. He was always so quiet. He just watched most of the time, and that made Swift’s heart race.
    Finding his way through the mess of homes wasn’t hard. He was used to moving slowly through alleyways and backstreets, though it was harder without his spirit animal to guide him. 
    He stopped at a corner before continuing on. He smelled people and he smelled animals close together. He strained his ears.
“I don’t like those redcloaks poking around,” a girl said. “We should take care of them now, before they can call for backup or something.”
“No, Sasha, are you crazy? You’ve heard about how they fight, haven’t you? They’d crush us.”
“That’s why we take care of the small one hanging out with Huian.”
    Swift’s eyes widened and he whirled around. Before he could register anything, a small canine had its teeth around his wrist. He was about to cry out, before a figure grabbed him.
    He couldn’t see her face. She wore a mask, kind of like his, but brown and shaped like a crocodile. 
“Be quiet and we won’t hurt you,” she hissed.
    One of the other figures, Sasha, came to the alley now. She was shorter than the other with a large lizard at her feet, which Swift recognized as a komodo dragon. A bite from it and he’d be dead within hours. The other man who had spoken was nowhere to be seen.
    Swift lashed out at the woman who held him, managing to twist out of her grip and rake his claws down their spirit animal’s side. The fox screamed and jumped away.
    He took off down the alley, but before he made it to the street, the man turned the corner and grabbed his wrist. Swift swung his other hand towards him and his claws sank into his arm.
    The man grunted but didn’t let him go. “You’re a fast one, aren’t you?”
“Bark!” Swift cried. “Bark, help me!”
“Enough of that,” the man said. “We don’t want to hurt you or the others. We just need to know what you’re doing here.”
“Tell us nicely and this will go smoothly,” Sasha said.
    The man passed Swift off to her, who held him in a grip like iron. She dragged him towards the back of the alley, shoving him down. Her spirit animal flopped its full, scaly weight on his legs, pinning him down.
“Now,” the man said, crouching down in front of him. “Tell me firstly, what animals did you and your companions bond with?”
    Sasha cut in then. “What he’s asking is, how dangerous are you all?”
“Thrash bonded with a harpy eagle,” Swift said quietly, guilt rushing through him. “He’s the big Zhongezan man. Valor bonded with a honey badger. They’re both really great fighters. Bark bonded with an arctic fox and I bonded with a pine martian.”
“Right, okay, good. Now, where are you going and why?”
    Swift swallowed. What would they do if he didn’t answer? He didn’t really want to find out. “We’re going to greenhaven to warn them about the devourer. He’s back.”
    The group glanced at each other, then stepped away to speak together. Swift tried to connect the dots. The crocodile masks, the whispering over the devourer. Were they his supporters? Like, new conquerors? If they were, how many were there? How many were marked? Had they figured out a new kind of bile?
    Sasha came back over to him, her animal moving off. She grabbed the hood of his cloak, hauling him to his feet. He couldn’t run either, she still had her hand twisted in the fabric. “Now,” she said. “You’re going to go get the fox person. Bring them here.”
“Why do you want Bark?” Swift asked. Wouldn’t they want Valor or Thrash? They would give them the most trouble.
“Go get them. Don’t ask questions.” Sasha released his cloak, but grabbed his wrist, pulling his sleeve up. She shoved his mask up and clamped a hand over his mouth then dragged him down to the komodo dragon’s level. “Mavee, get it.”
    The lizard came forward, clamping its jaw down on his arm. His scream of pain was muffled by her hand, but she could do nothing about his tears.
    Sasha ungraciously pulled his sleeve back down, patting the back of his hand. “Come back to me with Bark or this bite will kill you. I can treat it.”
Swift whimpered in pain, his hand fluttering around the wound. “Do you understand?” Sasha growled.
He nodded quickly. Sasha released him and shoved him forward. He stumbled, but managed to regain his balance, sprinting from the alley and back to the shop.
Valor spotted him as he turned the corner, finally leaving his post to run over to him.
“What happened?” he asked, kneeling down in front of him.
Swift couldn’t form words. He was relieved to be safe again, but the dragon’s venom. He wasn’t out of the woods yet. He lifted his arm mutely, trying to ignore the blood on his sleeve.
Valor looked at it, then gently slid it up. His eyes widened and he stood up. “Stay here, I’m going to get Thrash.”
“No!” Swift managed. “No, don’t get him. I need Bark.”
“Why do you need Bark?”
    Swift tried his best to explain, but the pain was blinding. He could almost feel the infection spreading through his body, poisoning him. He was sure Valor was going to refuse, and almost killed over when he nodded.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll go get her. I’m coming too. I’ll make sure neither of you are hurt.”
    He disappeared into the shop and came back a minute later with a confused looking Bark. When she saw Swift, she rushed over to him, falling onto him like a worried mother. 
“What happened to you?” she growled. Her eyes blazed and she looked like she was ready to tear someone apart. 
    Valor and Swift explained quietly, and Bark seemed to become even more angry. “Well let’s go,” she said. “We can take them easily.”
“No, Bark, you don’t understand,” Swift said. “The girl with the dragon is the only one who can take care of my arm. We have to do what they say.”
    A low growl slipped from her throat, but she nodded, putting a hand on the hilt of her new sword. 
“Swift, lead the way,” Valor said.
    Swift was shaking, but he nodded, leading them towards the alleyway entrance. Valor slipped into the next alley, and the pair waited to give him time. 
    Swift continued to lead Bark into the backstreet. The trio were waiting for them. “Great job, redcloak,” Sasha said, getting to her feet. She lunged forward, grabbing one of Bark’s hands and twisting it behind her back.
“Sasha, easy,” Huian said softly. “Let me take her. You need to patch his wound.”
    Sasha glanced at Swift, then shoved Bark towards Huian. Huian held one of her wrists, but her grip was loose.
    Sasha dragged Swift back to the wall, her lizard lying down on his legs again. She took a small bag from under her cloak, opening it.
    Swift kept his gaze glued to Bark as the girl worked, trying not to cry out. Now that Bark was here, he needed to act like he could handle this. Sasha wrapped a bandage around his arm, standing back up. “There,” she said. “It shouldn’t get infected now. If it does… well, I’m sorry.”
“What do you want with me?” Bark asked loudly.
“You and your friend are going to help us. You have some good fighters in your group. Fighters that we can’t face. You’re going to be bait.”
    Swift struggled to keep himself from smiling.
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Valor stepped out from behind the building, walking slowly into the center of the group. “Let them go before things get violent.”
“Which one are you?” the man asked. He circled the group to stand beside Huian and Bark. He rolled up his sleeve, and flicked his wrist. A small, black furred creature appeared at his feet, something Swift didn't recognize.
“That doesn’t matter. Let them go.”
“Look, redcloak.” Sasha put a hand on the hilt of her sabre. “My animal can kill all of you with one bite. I suggest that you lay down your weapon.”
    Valor glanced at Bark and Swift, then stilled his gaze on Sasha again. “Okay,” Valor said. “How about this. The three of you and your animals fight me. If you win, you take all three of us. If you lose, you leave and never come back.”
“All of us?” Huian said. She glanced down at her fox. 
    Sasha barked a laugh. “You’re basically asking for us to take you.”
“Am I?”
    Sasha snapped her fingers and her dragon stood up and went to her side. Swift hugged himself nervously. Valor was the best fighter he had ever seen. He’d be fine. Right? Of course he would. He was Valor after all. Swift had never seen him lose a fight before.
“Mavee,” Sasha said, patting the lizard’s head and pointing at Valor. “Get it.”
    Swift shut his eyes. The sooner it started, the sooner it would finish, but he still didn’t want to watch. 
    After a moment, Bark slid over to him and helped him to his feet. She wrapped her cloak around him, wanting to protect him. Swift hated needing to be protected. Why couldn’t he be like Valor? Why couldn’t he be brave?
“Stop this!” Thrash’s voice rang out around the backstreet.
    Nearby, the fox yelped in pain. The volume of the fight fell away, and Swift dared to peek out of Bark’s cloak. 
    Valor stood in the center of the street, looking at Thrash. Sasha’s animal was nowhere to be seen, but she was sitting on the ground. Huian and her fox sat against a wall. The man with the black animal was lying on his back with Valor’s spearhead mere inches from his throat.
            Swift slowly edged away from Bark, trying to hide his shaking. Thrash would be furious. "What is going on?" Thrash asked, coming forward.
            Valor lifted his spear and backed off of the downed man. "These people attacked Swift, sir."
"Why didn't you come find me?"
           Bark stepped forward. "Swift was--"
           Thrash held up a hand. "Come along, all of you. We'll speak once we're away from town."
            He turned and started towards the main road, not turning to see if the others were following or not. Swift struggled to keep from crying.
            Bark bent and picked his mask up, helping him tie it back over his face. Valor waited at the mouth of the alley, his expression carefully guarded as always.
           The group continued on, no one saying a word. Swift hated the silence, but he hated the idea of what would be said even more. 
           As they walked, he steeled himself. Thrash would tell them all off, but it would probably be focused on the others. Swift could avoid most of the punishment if he stayed quiet, but that would hardly be the right thing to do.
           Soon, Thrash turned back to them, crossing his arms. "So," he said. "Explain to me what happened."