Raven Braids

My heart slammed against my chest. I was flung back against a tree. My arm lay weak at my side, and I could taste the blood on my lip. A tall, mysterious figure was about the capture me, until out from behind it came a hand. The hand of my brave friend, Eagle Feet, that was about to save me. She scratched at the creature's face, clawed at its eyes, until it lay completely still. I ran! Away, further and further. I scurried up a tall oak and hugged my knees tight to my chest.

But down from the tree came a soft, "Please come down".  I said nothing.

"Raven Braids, you cannot run from your father. You know that. He told you something bad was going to happen if you went out on your own. He was right. Next time I will not be here to save you." Still I said nothing. I heard a deep sigh from below. Slowly, I began to come down. Eagle Feet hugged me.

"I'm just glad you are okay," she said and smiled at me. I gave a little scream. She backed up. My eyes widened.

"Eagle Feet run!!" I screamed. She ran! I climbed up the tree as fast as I could, reached into the hole that housed my bow, and fired an arrow quickly at the Harborbeast. It spotted me and started to climb the tree. I shot three more arrows, until it finally fell at the base of the tree.

I heard a low whistle, looked down the tree, to the right and saw my other friend Thorn Bush. He was holding Eagle Feet in his arms, for she lay still, and with a terrible claw mark on her cheek. I climbed down the tree, using my good arm. Thorn Bush spotted my bad arm, and I assume my lip, because I could still taste the blood. He frowned, then gave another low whistle.

I saw a creature about our size coming out of the distance. I flinched. But as the figure got closer, I realized it was only Bear Paw, another boy from our tribe. He picked me up around my waist, and tickled my back. I giggled. He always had liked me. Maybe I liked him too, but I was too shy to admit it.

We walked most of the way in silence, in fear of being attacked by another Harborbeast. Our tribe was being attacked by a huge pack of them.

Harborbeasts are hideous creatures. They look like a mix between a lion, bear, and shark. They have razor-sharp claws, a hideous snout, and they hear just about everything. Their only weakness is love.

Soon I saw the familiar teepees of my tribe. Boy was I going to get struck. Maybe even whipped a few times. I hate my father. This was just what I needed along with my bad arm and cut lip. Whip marks. He never really hits me more than 3 or 4 times, and that is only when I do something really bad. I knew as well as my mother was dead that I was going to get it good for this one.

I had snuck out of our boundaries late last night, and I didn't know that anyone was following me. But boy, was I glad Eagle Feet was behind me all the time. Out of nowhere, the biggest Harborbeast I ever had seen came up from the ground and attacked me.

Thorn Bush took me by surprise by being there. And Bear Paw, without him I might have been dead. Thorn Bush would have had to take two trips, because he's not strong enough to carry me and Eagle Feet. If I was left there alone who knows if another Harborbeast would have attacked me. I could have died. But I did not. But maybe I would have liked to die though, and not have to suffer what my father was going to put me through.