The Guardians Of Zion

CHAPTER 4 - DIRT AND FLAMES

***Ryoll's Point of View***

After the command that the White Owl gave us, we all ran straight into the fog; into the depths of the woods. I pulled out my wrist light and used it to search across the ground as I moved swiftly through the forest. I tried to listen carefully, like I have many times before, for multiple footsteps that came from packs of dirt dogs.

I could tell just by watching that Galiera was somehow very experienced at researching and Scavenging. Just watching her she was very quiet and very patient, but very alert. She bent down as if to take a crawling position and slightly moved without making a sound.

Unfortunately, the opposite could be said for Zack. He had no experience whatsoever on how to sneak and to stealthily move in a forest-type area.

Zack - "Ah crap!!! I'm burning!"

Ryoll - "Fall on the ground and roll around. You've been spat on by an ember lizard. Put the flame out and then run in a circle while looking behind you. Just trust me."

Zack - "Crap! Crap! Ok. Ok!"

The flames on his back were forming and starting to become bigger. I knew from experience that if you put the flame out and run in a circle it confuses the lizards. They can't keep up with your movements so this in turn helps with setting you up to stop suddenly and stab or shoot them unknowingly.

Galiera - "I can see more ember lizards coming. I think there is a pack of dirt dogs nearby as well. I can smell their fur from here. I'll go to the center of the forest and confront the lizards while you stay and assist Zack."

Ryoll - "Sounds like a plan."

I watched as Galiera moved to the center of the forest. Ember lizards came from the trees and from the ground and jumped right at her. She pulled out two knives and started doing a dance with the blades, slicing and dicing them as she continued to move forward.

I then saw her sheath her knives and pull out her bow and arrow and with her thumb she licked it and a flame appeared. She lit the tip of her arrow with the flame that was on her thumb and aimed it at the ground and fired. A huge explosion appeared and not only did it take out multiple Ember lizards but the light exposed the eyes of the nearby dirt dogs.

Ryoll - "There they are! I see them! Come on, Zack! Let's get some dogs!"

Believe it or not, Zack had actually did what I instructed him to do and had 3 ember lizards dead around him when I asked him to join me to fight the dirt dogs. So at least I knew he was teachable. How talented he was was still to be determined.

Zack - "Coming!!!"

The pack was massive! At least 20 dirt dogs and a few ember lizards hiding in the fog.

Ryoll - "Zack, get out your bow, arrows, and explosives. We have multiple packs working together here."

I examined my surroundings and observed our present situation. I saw that 3 packs of dirt dogs had joined together at least. I then saw that in every direction they had us cornered other than from the direction we had entered. So we had one way to escape but we probably wouldn't be able to outrun them to the top of the hill.

Ryoll - "Zack, explosives to the left, then shoot arrows straight ahead. Aim true. I'll cover the right side of the forest. Hopefully, Galiera will be finished with the ember lizards and join in to help finish them off."

Zack - "Ok! Got it!"

We yelled out a loud cry and charged forward through the fog-filled brush towards the dirt dog's domain.

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