Red Spell

Chapter Twelve

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It wasn't enough. That slender beam of light was too small and Da was too close with his ax for me to get out in time. I heard myself whimpering as my digging grew more frantic than effective.

"Bow ready," Da said, near the door. I heard the creak as someone pulled an arrow back. So it wouldn't be an ax. It would be an arrow and the chance of not being immediately killed. I felt the urge to run to the darkest corner in a pathetic attempt to hide, but something grabbed my paw. I let out a high pitched cry of fright, but the grip held me tightly.

"Quiet and keep digging," A voice hissed. I obeyed, bewildered. The door rattled and at the same time there was a howl that sounded as though it was heading toward the village.

"There it goes! It got out!" one of the men shouted. Their footsteps thundered away and I began ripping away the dirt so the dim light outside flowed in. I rammed myself into the hole, scraping and kicking my back legs as I struggled through. I was halfway through when I realized I was stuck. I couldn't push anymore with my back legs without catching them on the edges of the hole and pulling myself back in. Then I saw a dark figure rushing towards me from the village. They realized they were wrong. They were coming to get me. I was pinned and an easy kill. I writhed, baring my teeth instinctively.

"Stop it," the boy from the forest hissed, falling to his knees beside me. He caught me under the front legs and heaved until my back legs straightened out and squeezed through the hole.

"Come on, they'll be back any second," he said, dragging me by the scruff of my neck towards the woods until I found my own feet. I could hear the men shouting behind us as we sprinted away and by the time we passed the tree line, I was dragging him as he held on to my fur.

"Go to the ledge," he panted, but I had already turned automatically along the familiar path. I didn't hesitate in leaping up the mountainside though I was afraid I'd slip back and fall as I had the first time, but the boy held firmly enough so that he could drag me up as he went. It hurt, but I thanked him over and over again in my mind.

We climbed for what felt like forever before he hauled me up as I struggled to find footholds and I saw the clump of small pine trees. I pushed through and went over to my familiar boulder and glanced over the edge. The village was lit up with torches and I could almost hear their angry and frustrated cries. I crouched in the snow feeling safe in the dark.

The boy pushed through behind me and walked directly into the stone wall at the back of the ledge. I expected him to stop or stub his toe, but he simply disappeared. I forgot about the village in my shock. Then his head jerked abruptly back out as he looked for me.

"Come on, it's cold out here," he said. Then he disappeared again. I moved forward cautiously until I saw a small crevice in the rock, mostly hidden by a few of the pines. I was surprised I'd never noticed it before. Inside, I saw the flicker of fire and I hurried inside for the warmth. The boy was coaxing a small fire in a charred hole in the ground. As I looked around, I saw dozens of pelts draped and hung up against the walls. There were crude shelves holding candles and a bowl and kettle. There was even a bed in the far corner. I stared at him as he tended to the fire. Surely he hadn't been living here. That would explain how he knew where the ledge was. All those personal conversations with Mam hit me like an avalanche. Surely he hadn't heard all of that. I was glad I was in wolf form for an instant simply because I couldn't betray my shock and horror as well.