Dragon's Blood

Brave

Iyla sensed danger, the dark shadow at the edge of her vision told Iyla that they had run out of time. Bill's horse could run no longer, they hid it as best they could near the river that ran through the forest and drew the Amarok away from the poor animal as it gratefully drank from the cool water.

And so they found themselves, crouched in the undergrowth, with only shadows in Iyla's mind to tell them how close danger might be.

"Why did you come after me?" Iyla asked in a whisper.

"Well that's a stupid question," Bill replied, "Did you stop for even a moment to think about what you were doing? Didn't you listen to anything anyone said to you in the Great Hall?"

"I knew what I needed to do, I wasn't really thinking of about anything else," Iyla admitted, "I just wanted to find Tobias and nothing else mattered." She was beginning to feel ashamed of her behaviour, beginning to realise why her friends had been hesitant to head off for the Darklands without any concrete information. It was as if something had overtaken her, she hadn't thought about any possible consequences at all.

Now she had put Bill in danger, again, "I'm sorry," she said and she meant it, she found she couldn't explain what had really caused her to behave the way she did.

Bill waved off her apology, "I wasn't going to let you do this on your own," he said and then he paused looking slightly guilty, "I told Faine to go straight to Camen and tell him what was happening."

Iyla looked horrified, "Sam's going to go crazy! He'll be so worried!"

"Don't you think he'd have been worried enough once he found you were gone? Pandra isn't exactly an incognito way of travelling you know, someone will have seen you leave. At least this way they have an idea what direction you were heading in, maybe they can track my journey and come to help us."

Iyla had to admit he was right, she couldn't believe how selfish she'd been, and how impetuous. She could see now that she was wrong, they hadn't been standing in her way, they had been trying to help and keep her safe. The Elfin scouts would have had a great chance of finding Drago with the help of Alona's dragon and then Drago could have led them to Tobias. She had just been so blinded by her overwhelming need to find her brother.

Bill's look softened, "It's okay," he said softly, "I understand why you left, I do. It's going to be okay, the knights are probably already on their way, they will have followed my tracks and they will be able to follow the Amaroks too. They'll find us."

Iyla had stopped listening, the shadow that told her danger and evil were near had appeared once more at the edge of her vision.

She gripped Bill's arm tightly, "They're coming!"

Bill's sword was already drawn, his jaw set determinedly. He and Iyla stood back to back, circling. They had nowhere to run, they could hear Amarok approaching from all sides. Iyla held a dagger in each trembling hand, she had some close combat training but in the harsh reality of their situation she had no idea at all how two small daggers were going to protect her.

The first Amarok emerged from the trees; it took its time, prowling around them, it's hackles up and head low with a menacing growl rumbling from its cruelly curled lips. A foul stench filled Iyla's nostrils and she clamped her mouth shut and tried not to breath too deeply, the stink of the Amarok was so strong she could taste it.

The beast was enjoying itself, snapping at them occasionally, saliva dripping from its fearsome fangs. Suddenly it stopped and raised its head to the sky, letting out a piercing howl that carried over Iyla and Bill's cowering forms to the Amarok's comrades, telling them their prey was found.