A Shifting Land

Chapter 16

Bladen ran.

His teeth clamped firmly in the scruff of his headmate's best friend, he ran. Warriors cried out, knives slicing closer, flaying leaves with a single twip of sound. They eeked closer to him with every duck and weave. He closed his eyes, letting instinct guide him like he'd been taught.

Soft hands seem to guide him, stroking his cheeks like the winds he loved. Little hands, like the ones who pulled them back, back into the brush. Little Fish as Swift had so proclaimed the child. Her secret stash of their people, ones she'd tried to save.

He shivered, hating what had happened next. Spears slicing in around them, sinking into earth and flesh alike. Screams. So so many. Just like the night.... He shook his head, forcing his eyes open.

He hit the water, never slowing a step as ice leapt out in front of him. Thin and cracking with every step, Bladen held the ice bridge through sheer force of will. It was not his Focus, his innate ability, and with him at the helm, their body certainly didn't want to actually use it. Icy water slapped at him, threatening to send both him and D'vala spiralling off from their long winded flight from home. "Come on Swift." He silently begged, "I need you back here."

He leapt, sections crumbling under him as a wave crashed against it again. He staggered, his lungs heaving as he stared out at the pile of rocks, so so far away. The ice creaked and cracked, threatening to split apart under his feet again. He stared down at it, his gaze blank as he tried to focus on freezing the cracks, or the edges, or any of it. "I can't... Swift. Please."

Bladen stumbled, his nose dripping with blood as their body fully rebelled. Ice fragmented further, his tears misting his vision as his blood mixed with the D'vala's. Kiri's.

"I can't keep going." He whispered into her scruff. "I can't. I'm sorry."

Swift's mind reached out, her touch featherlight and cold. Absolutely frigid. He shivered, opening his mind to hers.

Her energy poured forth, flooding their senses, boosting his mind. His mind desperately reached for hers. "Swift." He forced his feet to move, no matter how hard it was, "I need you back here."

"Is D'vala ok? I have Kiri. He wants to come back, but he can't reach her." Her spirit strengthened, lending him energy he put to good use, forcing the water to freeze ahead of him straight to shore.

"I don't know, we had to run. It was too dangerous. They were after all of us." His thoughts paused as she vanished as fast as she appeared. "I have her though.... She's safe."

He sighed, every step dragging across rough ground. Soon. Soon he'd have a cave system. Something to hide in. Hide away. They rose above him, towering pieces of earth fighting their own silent war against the perils of the elements.

He leapt up, his paws hooking on roughened cracks. He stumbles, exhaustion pulling his feet out from under him as he tries to roll to the side. He releases, leaving D'vala to hit the rocks with a muted cry.

His breath heaved, barely catching the air as it thickened with waterfowl. He snapped out, crunching through one who was stupid enough to land on his face. He forced himself up, the scent making him sick as he gulped down every bite.

He pressed his head against the rock, kicking the bones out into the water. "Gods above and below...."

D'vala groaned, "Kiri...."

Bladen forced himself all the way up, "Soon. Swift has him."

He attempted to pick her up, his strength failing him as his legs curled under him. He dropped, resting his chin against her back. "He's coming back, I promise. Just hold on a bit longer D'vala."