Page 33 of A Storm Rises

He was right. She lowered her hand. Hit or miss, those foxes might come after them if they were alerted.

Mateo backed up until he joined them. Spear readied, he focused his attention on the foxes. “What kind of devious prey did that lunatic Kragar pick for us to hunt?”

She sifted through what she knew of the Shadowbloods—solitary, intelligent, and hunted varmints like mice, rats, and rabbits. Then she sorted the stuff she knew, but the others did not. Bloodsuckers. They disappeared into the shadows, and their claws sometimes passed on a deadly toxin. But Kragar never said anything about behaving as a pack or hunting fae.

“I do not know.” She hated the weakness of those four words.

Mateo balanced his newly acquired spear in his hands. He studied the pack of foxes. “I’m going in.” He glared at Avalynn. “This is my shot, and I’m taking it.”

Of course he would say that. “Fine. I am too.” She drew her arrow and matched his vim and vigor. She could do anything he could do…better.

Finnian brandished his spear. “Me first.” He ran toward Selene and Eiric.

Avalynn and Mateo locked eyes and then ran after him toward the melee. Neither Finnian nor Mateo were making the first kill. No. Way. That honor belonged to her. Forget the directive by her father. With the attacking prey, all bets were off. Her father would have to understand.

Avalynn darted toward the middle of the clearing. She carried her bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. The Shadowblood foxes had not noticed them emerging from the tree line, but they would soon.

Mateo raced upon the prey like a charging Enbarr. He quickly passed Finnian and hurled his spear. It soared on target for a Shadowblood, but the wily beast darted sideways at the moment of truth. The sharp silver tip grazed the fox’s hind flank. The beast yelped and fixed on Mateo. Raising its head, the fox let loose an ear-piercing wail.

Avalynn stopped and mumbled, “What in thunderation?” The foxes circling Eiric and Selene began darting every which way, yipping and barking in a frenzy.

“Stop them!” Mateo hollered.

“Stop them? From what?” Avalynn quickly studied the scene and realized they were assembling like warriors for a battle. She nocked an arrow and aimed her bow, but foxes came from everywhere. Impossible! It was not only the Shadowbloods. She gulped and lowered her bow. Other foxes, some red and others dark, joined from the forest’s edge. They were helping the prey. The hunters had become the hunted.

Mateo’s back pressed against hers. “I am going to kill that Master of Arms of yours.”

“Not if I manage it first.” She saw a clear shot, aimed, and let fly. Zip. The arrow lodged straight through the skull of a regular red fox. That was a kill. She nocked the next arrow when a Shadowblood leaped toward her, growling, claws out, and baring sharp teeth. Its eyes blinked from beady black to bright red.

Mateo clutched her waist, spun her, and slammed his fist under the beast’s mouth. With that uppercut, the Shadowblood buckled and then dropped with a thud. It sprang back to its feet, snorted, and snarled like it wanted more.

“Why are they working together?” More scurried at them, and Mateo kicked them away. “How is that even possible?”

“Magic!” Finnian moved closer, swinging his spear back and forth. “Must be magic!”

Selene and Eiric rushed in. Selene kicked at anything and everything that neared her boots. She grunted and hollered with each strike. Her wild red hair flew in every direction with each movement. “This hunt is a huge load of dung!”

“We cannot keep this up!” Eiric shouted as the foxes attacked, over and over with relentless abandon.

Avalynn reached for an arrow. Zip. It hit the hind of a Shadowblood, which howled and then raced off. No smoke in the air. That’s an injury, not a kill, and not a winner.

Mateo brandished his dagger, slicing at anything that came close. Off lopped a bushy tail with a thwack.

Avalynn flicked another arrow when a scream made her freeze.

“No!” A Shadowblood raced up Eiric’s leg, past his stomach, and latched on to his neck. He hollered like it was his last. “Get it off me!”

Mateo whipped around, gripped the beast’s tail, and jerked it from Eiric’s skin. He spun in two circles, gaining momentum, and flung the creature into the trees.

Blood jetted from Eiric’s neck. He slammed his hand over the wound and then slumped to the ground.

“Eiric!” Selene planted herself in front of him. “Protect him!”

Avalynn fired her last arrow, taking out another regular fox. She choked up on her bow and started whacking. She flashed Mateo an unsure glance. Were they goners? No winner. No loser. Only five dead hunters. They would all tie for last. What a joke.

A snarl echoed, and a large black wolf burst onto the scene. Sharp teeth bared and claws unsheathed, it leaped on an unsuspecting fox. The wolf chomped and severed the fox’s head with a mighty crunch. Growling and ferocious, it went after another and tore it to shreds. With furious frenzy, it clawed away at two more.

The advancing foxes yipped and scattered in all directions, retreating into the trees. But now they had a wolf to battle. She raised her bow. Her body trembled. Could they destroy a wolf that strong and that big? It was huge. She assumed a fighting stance, ready for whatever came next.

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