Fugitive of the Sky

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Almost Safe

Aqie started awake, heart pounding. The sun was halfway up the sky. Her pulse thundered in her ears as she slowly looked around. Had the hunters caught up yet? Last time she'd fallen asleep, they'd nearly been on top of her by the time she realized and flew away.

They had the advantage, with their packgorts and tons and tons of people everywhere. It was like everyone from the city had come to hunt her, or maybe all the Mongors in the whole East. If she flew west, there were people west, and if she flew east, there were people east, and if she flew south, she'd fly right back into the giant group of hunters. Flying sort of straight in between directions she could just barely keep ahead of them, sort of. But it meant she got further and further from the mountains and looking for Larkhold. It wasn't fair. She was hungry and tired, but there were always more Mongors to chase her and she couldn't ever stay put for long.

Where were they now? Aqie risked getting up on her elbows, trying to keep her head from poking above the grass. At least she'd been able to sleep for a little bit. Over the empty dead clayish plains there'd been nowhere to hide and she'd had to keep flying and flying and flying until she was ready to drop. They were still a way away, but she couldn't rest much longer. Aqie's arms and shoulders screamed at the thought of having to fly again. Why couldn't they just give up and leave her alone? Was it because she'd left Pigeon too late and gotten chased and lost inside the city. Her kaprae wasn't worth this much, was it?

Aqie startled herself awake again. Oh no. How close were they now? She scrambled to her hands and knees and peeked out. Still far enough they seemed kind of small, but she'd better keep moving. She felt her thoughts drift as she summoned the concentration and dug her fingers into the ground. She couldn't stop. Even though she was getting slower and slower and sooner or later she wouldn't be able to think enough to fly, she couldn't stop. The hunters would kill her, just like they killed Mom and Dad.

The hunters shouted as she appeared out of the grass and got a running start before taking off. It took her two tries to get off the ground, and her mind felt all squishy instead of buzzing inside the strain. Adonai, please give me the strength! Aqie pushed herself higher into the air.

Something whizzed through the air and she squeezed out another spurt. Arrows already? This time she was going to get caught for sure! Her skin tingled as it sucked in sunlight almost as fast as she was panting. She didn't even dare look over her shoulder in case she turned around with her head.

Faster. Faster! She couldn't look back and if she didn't go straight they'd catch up to her. How long would it take for someone to hit her? Adonai, I don't want to die!

Something loomed up in the distance. Shelter? A big rock? Could she fly to the top and hide while the hunters were all stuck at the bottom? Some place she could rest, at last! She just had to get there! Aqie flew, eyes glued to the lump inching closer. But wait, why was it getting fatter? Shouldn't it be getting taller? And what were those things on the top—

The hunters caught sight of the thing too and yelled. How had they gotten so close?! Aqie yelped, wasting precious breath, and turned her focus back to flying as fast as she could. Fly. Fly. Fly.

The thing was closer now. More Mongors were off in the distance heading towards it. Were they trying to cut her off? She'd have to go higher soon then. Higher, more effort, when she was already giving as much as she could! Aqie closed her eyes for a brief second and screeched as she fell out of the air. How had that happened? She scrambled to catch herself before she hit the ground, but her concentration kept out of reach, fragmented and way too squishy. She wasn't going to make it.

Aqie caught just enough to flip upwards and turn her fall into a hard tumble in the grass. She hit her side hard and bonked her head on the still blistered cheek. Somebody's arrow flew over her. Dizzy and shaking, Aqie rolled over. Too tired, too thirsty, too much flying all at one time while she was still weak. Her heart tried to pound its way out her throat and she choked, coughing between gasped breaths.