Chapter 15

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I walked, and walked, and walked. Connall had still not come back from his quest. I hope he's okay, if anything happened to that little guy... I couldn't even finish that thought without getting a lump in my throat. I had grown attached to him, attached like a mother bear is to her cub. I would try to stop anything that harmed him. It was then I heard a squawk from above me. It was like relief rushed through my body, like water does a river. I look up to see Connall diving down into a land. "Hey bud, did you find any water?" He cocked his head at me like he was comprehending what I was saying but then straightened up again to nod his head. I couldn't help but get excited, I hadn't realised how thirsty I really was until there was actually a possibility that I could have a nice long drink of water. I jumped up into the air and did a little spin. "Yes, good job boy!" I yelled as I hugged Connall. I yelled so loud that crows lifted off from the trees with a loud squawk, but there were too many of them for my comfort. Had they been following us? No matter, at the moment all I needed to worry about was finding the water Connall had found. "Alright boy, lead the way." Connall bounded in front of me like a snow leopard in its natural home. He had grown a bit since he first hatched. From the size of a medium dog to about the size of a strong male cougar. He bounded through the snow with ease, like there was no obstacle in front of him at all. I followed keeping my eyes peeled for any danger.

About a half hour later we came across a brook, the edges frozen over making it run slower than it more than likely would if it was thawed. I pulled out a small leather sack from my pouch. It had a string tied around the top. Mother's little touch. Father had made it for me from the hide of a Oxen when I had just turned old enough to go hunting on my own. He told me to always take it with me wherever I went, that I never knew when it would come in handy. But Mother had insisted on adding her own touch. So instead of putting a buckle to seal it she knitted one long string, one that not only always ties tight enough to hold the sack shut but also grow into a cloak that blends into its surroundings. Mother always seemed to try and add a little something extra to anything she knows is going to us kids. Like my brother's bow, she enchanted it so that it would never miss its target. Or my sister's fans, my little sister Murciana has loved Chinese style fans ever since she was a small child. So my mother made her two that when she spun with them out and open they would throw daggers at her attackers. That is why she was nicknamed "Fan Assassin". I dunked the sack under the water. It ran swiftly, it was evident that if it wasn't partially frozen it would be rapids.

I knelt down to sip some water from the small brook. But I heard a small crunch in the snow. I looked back to see if it was Connall, but he was standing exactly the same as he was before with no prints a stray. I heard it again. I pricked up my ears as I stood, scanning the area for any sign of movement. I heard a flock of crows take off from the trees behind me. In one swift motion I grabbed my bow and drew an arrow. Ready to shoot at whatever came near. It got quiet, that type of quiet that just suffocated you from the inside. Everything was still. I stared in one direction for so long my eyes seemed to focus on it like a cheetah does a gazelle. It was like this for another moment, but then I heard the whizz of a arrow cutting through the air. But when I tried to move out of the way the arrow followed. It stabbed me in the side of my gut, and before I could react. I fell to the ground. The last thing I saw were the hooves of my brother and Connall fall to the ground, with a arrow sticking out of his shoulder. His eyes were shut and he was still breathing for now. But then. Everything, went black.


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