Barbara's Book of Fire

Chapter 26

Below the scorching heat and the singing of the sparse trees, we bid our farewell away from the Welling's farm. I took the chance to call Ouranos and set a few simple signs following Jared's suggestion.

What we prioritized was if Ouranos found someone, he would signal us by shrieking high and long. It was, all in all, a straightforward method. Still, I personally thought it was enough, considering it was an impromptu one.

We practiced a couple of times before letting Ouranos go out again in the colorful sky, reminding him not to stick near us and expand his range. I also reminded him to make a straight beeline back if there's any danger coming at him. I'd roast any bastard of a beast that dared to bully our Ouranos.

Anyhow, with all that done, we resumed our short-lived journey—skirting around the likely dangerous area in accordance to Filtiarn and Ferrisa's noses and ears whilst studying the surroundings along the way. 

After what seemed like an hour or so, we stumbled upon a lush prairie filled with all kinds of packs of beasts, peacefully munching on the soft red grass as their lunch.

Along the way, while the wolf pups were entrusted with guiding us safely—I did a lot of thinking about the whole trial once more. Other than Giselle's unfinished clue, what Jared said about properly utilizing the Mynima had piqued my interest.

So, I had to retrace the whole thing, starting from the important point once again, afraid that I might miss something.

'The goal is for us to survive. If we found another student and grouped up, we got merit points. Similarly, if we chose to stay and blend in with—say Jared's farm, for example—then we would get more points.' At that point, everything was still simple; nothing was odd.

'And then Giselle's advice about good things may come with a risk, and don't trust them too much. If it's good things, then is she talking about the rewards? What are the risks? And where does our Mynima come in between all of this?' The more I thought about it, the more it felt all tangled up in the middle. And then, I found myself back to square one, peevishly disgruntled by the result.

My slender back soon found solace from the big tree as I scrounged my face and watched the beasts on the prairie absentmindedly. Watching the serene scene of the adults grazing while their young frolicking about had gnawed the frustrated heart if only a bit.

Yet, peace had found them no longer. Filtiarn and Ferrisa got tense all of a sudden, bared their fangs, and growled hideously before a couple of ferocious two-legged beasts appeared, spurring their long and powerful legs towards the prairie.

No sooner when their vicious calling could be registered by my ears did the whole prairie break into complete mayhem. Confused because the hunters came from two different sides, the innocent beasts broke loose and scuttled in about all directions. The adults reared their young as they returned the gesture with another deep bellow of intimidating roar back at the predators; while slowly figuring out and joining the majority of the herd.

Ignoring the fierce roars, one of the hunters screeched a particular cry to the other as soon as a certain pack had taken its fancy. At first, I wondered why they pursued that group instead of the one that was closer to them.

But after I waited and observed them some more, I could see the reason why those beasts were after them. It might've looked like nothing was out of place at first glance, yet when I caught a glimpse of a young beast different from the others within that herd, I knew it was their target.

Frightened by the sudden appearance of the hunters, the poor fawn had run away randomly and mistook the herd for its own.

Like an arrow that flew out of the bowstring, the bloodthirsty beasts had bolted through the restless wind, and in no time at all did they manage to catch the tail of the escaping pack.