Defiance

Prologue

"Come on!" he yelled, pulling his wife with him through the undergrowth, "we can rest later!"

They started running again, Samson taking the lead, branches breaking against his body as he took an undeviating path through the forest. He didn't dare look back to see if their pursuers were gaining on them. He knew that if they caught up to them they wouldn't stand a chance, not in such a restricted space. They needed to find a clearing, or, even better, some water, then the tables would be turned and they would be the ones running for their lives. He knew he wouldn't be able to rely on Jasmine's magic, not after her exertion of the past couple of days, she was so drained that she had almost missed the snares hiding just a few feet in front of them. Ordinarily she would have sensed them miles away, regardless, at least she did feel their presence before it was too late. But they weren't safe yet. Not until the snares were taken care of. And so they ran.

"Samson!" Jasmine's voice was weak; their flight was sapping what little strength she had. "They're gaining on us!"

"Which way?" he shouted, not daring to break pace, clinging desperately to his wife's hand, half leading her, half pulling her.

"Right," she gasped, her voice breathless, and then with force, "now!"

Samson jerked to the right, the urgency in her voice overcoming all feelings of fatigue. He risked a glance over his shoulder; his wife looked pale, there were dark rings under her eyes and her usually radiant skin was covered with a sheen of perspiration. If they didn't find a place to rest soon she would collapse, he could see it in the dimness of her gaze.

Then the ground behind them erupted and Samson's thought returned violently to their flight.

A creature shot from the earth, propelling itself the height of a full grown man. It had two stubby front legs which looked more like fins and was about as long as a new born lamb, but that was where the similarity ended. It looked reptilian, hard brown scales covering it from its head all the way down to the bottom of its thick pointed tail. When its mouth was closed, it too came to a point, the way a lily does but with none of the flower's beauty. As it flew upwards, its mouth opened in four directions, each section covered with row upon row of razor sharp teeth. The creature reached the peak of its arc, and realising its prey had evaded the attack, let out a bark of frustration.

Samson watched with sick fascination as the snare's mouth formed a point once more, and using its forelegs to twist itself with amazing speed, it cut into the ground as if it were water. His reverie lasted only a moment longer and then he was consumed once more by the heat of the chase. Blood pounding in his ears, muscles burning, he turned away from his wife, gripped her hand tighter and kept running.

As his eyes returned to the path his wife had set them on, he marvelled for the millionth time at how brilliant she was. Though she was utterly spent, she had somehow managed to direct them to a part of the forest which was covered in rock, much of which was embedded in the earth. Although it made their passage more treacherous, it would also slow down the snares; the creatures would either have to burrow around the rocks or under them, in which case it would be much harder for them to feel the vibrations and track their prey.

Samson was seriously starting to tire. He knew that if he stood any chance of beating these monsters, he'd have to find a spot to rest soon, or at least for Jasmine to rest so that he could take them out. If they had to run for much longer, he knew that his energy would run out. If this happened, he wouldn't be able to shift and they'd be as good as dead.

Samson looked around frantically but there was no break in the forest and definitely no sign of water. The only spot that looked marginally defensible was a large flat boulder. He veered for it, but not quick enough as ten feet in front of them the ground exploded, showering them with debris. The creature's wide gaping maw seemed to block out the sun. He knew that he had a split second to shift and kill the snare or it would be too late. Samson let go of his wife's hand in preparation, but before he could act it was smashed out of the air by a ball of pure energy. The thing thumped, sizzling, to the ground.