Ever So Lightly- Book 1

36

 Zephyr stumbled backwards, her staff held before her in warning, as something began to emerge from the darkness. It crept forward on two powerful legs, only its razor-clawed toes touching the ground, clicking against the bones and rocks. Its ankles seemed to be bent backwards, giving it a birdlike stance. But that was where the resemblance to any bird Zephyr had ever seen ended. Short fur covered its entire body, a mottled gray and white that looked like a clouded sky. Powerful muscles trembled under the fur as it took another step toward her. Zephyr let out a whimper, wanting to run but unable to force her body even an inch away from where she felt locked to the ground.

A high-pitched growl sounded somewhere behind her and Jasper let out a painful yell. Zephyr finally stumbled another step backwards, taking in the creature's face as she did. Every other terrifying aspect of what stood before her paled in comparison to its face. Catlike at first glance, with those glittering golden eyes and ears that tapered to points, its nose and mouth were larger than any cat she'd ever encountered, jutting forward and even. Its strong jaws looked as though they could snap her in half with one bite. The creature stood slightly taller than her, and gazed down at her as it approached with a feline grace that was unrivaled. And then, to Zephyr's utter terror, the creature's lips pulled back to reveal a mouth full of needle sharp teeth. She could have sworn it was smiling at her. That feral grin, combined with those entrancing eyes that almost seemed to contain a trace of intelligence, completely undid her. Zephyr let out another whimper, and the creature sprang forward.

Zephyr screamed, summoning her Gift and slamming her staff into the creature with as much force as she could produce. It barely missed her with its needle bite, stumbling to the side as Zephyr took off in a sprint toward the valley entrance. She slammed to a halt almost immediately, her stomach dropping as she beheld another of the creatures blocking her way out. Frantically shuffling backwards, Zephyr smashed into another body and let out another scream.

"Run towards the water." Jasper's voice was soft and even behind her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her backwards so that he stood facing the creatures. A third had joined the one blocking their escape. Dark blood dripped from its side, matching the blood that stood out slickly along Jasper's sword that he held pointed toward the creature. Zephyr took note of a slice on his left forearm and felt a pang of desperation.

"Zephyr, run! I'll hold them off." She couldn't leave him. Summoning her Gift again, Zephyr began to pull the air from the lungs of the first creature she had encountered. For a moment it seemed to be working, as the beast stumbled a step to the side. It suddenly jumped backwards, faster than anything she had ever seen, and she lost her grip on its air. It began to make that same clicking noise she had first heard, the other two clicking back in response. All three began to move around, absurdly quick, and Zephyr found herself unable to get a lock on them. Each time she began to grasp their air they would slip away from her. She let out a terrified sob.

"Run with me," she begged, clutching Jasper's sword arm to pull him away. He resisted, wrenching his arm from her grasp. Another sob escaped her. "Please, Jasper!" He looked at her for just a moment, and seemed to read the desperation on her face. A moment was all the creatures needed. They began to sprint toward their prey on those incredible legs. Jasper pushed Zephyr away toward the waterfall with another order to run. Tears threatening to blind her, Zephyr took off toward the other end of the valley.

Footsteps slamming behind her told Zephyr that Jasper had followed. They were halfway to the water when Zephyr risked a glance over her shoulder. The beasts were closing the distance between them impossibly fast. Zephyr flung her power out against the one closest, the one with the golden eyes. Her wind slammed into it, causing it to stumble. She did the same for the other two, gaining precious seconds. Jaspers hand pressed her forward and her legs burned with effort to go faster, faster, faster. They were so close. But Zephyr could hear the creatures' panting breaths behind her, gaining on them. What were they going to do even if they made it to the water?

They reached the pool and found a dead end. Zephyr turned to face the creatures and Jasper pushed her behind him, his sword held ready. The two creatures slowed and began to pace in front of them, clicking back and forth at each other. Two creatures.

Jasper let out a yell as the third, golden-eyed beast slammed into him from the side. It hit him feet first, claws out and tearing into his cloak. Zephyr sent as much wind as she could summon crashing into it. The creature flew off of Jasper, rolling until it slammed into the rocky wall. After half a second it rose, a growl deep in its throat vibrating all the way to Zephyr's core. Jasper was still on the ground, and Zephyr barely had time to take in the fact that he was still conscious, his face smeared with blood and a new slash torn open in his side, before the creature with the golden-eyes began once again to advance.

Zephyr was near to losing herself in helplessness, her Gift waning and her physical strength all but gone. She fell to her knees, pulling Jasper up against her. He let out a moan, barely clinging to consciousness. Zephyr picked his sword up from where he'd dropped it, desperately pointing it toward to approaching beast. The other two creatures stood back, heads cocked to the side, almost as if they were anticipating a show. A snarl of rage bubbled from Zephyr. Her blazing eyes met the golden ones that were growing ever closer. Her snarl transformed into a battle cry as the creature sank onto its haunches, readying itself to pounce for the kill.

Something sliced through the air in front of Zephyr. An arrow embedded itself in the dirt at the beast's feet, followed by at least a dozen others. None struck the creatures, instead littering the ground all around them. A high pitched whine emanated from all three beasts, and a broken sob shook through Zephyr as they began to retreat. She clutched Jasper to her as tears cascaded onto her cheeks. Figures began to drop from the opening where the waterfall spilled forth. A familiar voice reached Zephyr's ears through the haze of receding terror and she cried harder. She felt arms around her, strong and steady, pulling her up away from Jasper. She fought against them, straining to reach him, to pull him back to her, to feel his weak breathing against her.

"It's okay, Zephyr, it's okay!" Bennet's voice was like a sky full of stars. "He's going to be fine. We need to get you both into the caves." Zephyr turned and buried her face in Bennet's chest, unable to stop shaking, her tears staining the front of his shirt. Several other men helped Jasper to his feet, and together they lead him up a rocky incline to the cave above. Bennet led Zephyr, keeping a tight hold on her the whole time, repeating to her over and over that she was safe now. They reached the entrance, the soft rush of water as it fell over the edge almost making a sort of melody as it echoed off the cave walls. As Bennet led her into the darkness, illuminated further ahead by torches, Zephyr dared one last glance over her shoulder into the valley behind them.

A pair of golden eyes stared out from one of the black caves closest to the small waterfall. Zephyr held the creature's gaze for a long moment. And before she turned away, she could have sworn the beast bobbed its head at her before retreating into the endless dark.