“I–I’m not sure,” I said over the hard thumping of my heart. “It was too big to be a bird.” Last I heard, trogg didn’t have massive wings wide enough to span half the pasture.
Woosh.
The enormous shadow swept over the field, the flock crying out and scattering, their thick hooves drumming the earth. Theirfear ignited my own. Sparks prickled my skin, the sting burning brighter.
Woosh.
This time, the swooping sound accompanied frantic bleating.
“Whatever it is, it’s after the flock.” Dread was a pile of rocks dragging down my innards. The last time a predator had helped itself to Speck’s flock, Master Mortis nearly beat him to death.
No way was I letting that happen again. Fury scorched through my fear, and I plunged into the sea of woolly beasts, shoving past curled horns and musky fleece. Restless hooves stomped inches from my toes.
“Sera, wait! You don’t know what’s out there.”
“Blow every one of those damned whistles, Speck. One of them has to work.” If not, I’d deal with the creature myself. Speck was in no condition to go running about the field, chasing invisible monsters.
Stones slid under my racing feet, threatening to roll my ankle. Wingbeats thudded overhead, sending a chill down my back. The flock bleated in alarm, parting around my strides as I cut a jagged path toward the threat.
“Leave them alone.” I yanked off my kerchief and waved it like a flag. Unrestrained curls whipped around my head. I screwed my face up in a snarl, daring whatever hunted them totry me.
“Shoo! Shoo! Get out of here, you thieving bastard!” Woolly nerf darted left and right, sprinting away from me, the whites of their eyes bared, the panicked beasts unsure of who was the bigger threat.
I broke through the last of the herd—and stopped cold.
Heavy wind gusts buffeted my body. The pounding of gigantic wings beat against my eardrums, matching the powerful thump of my heart.
Before me hovered a massive creature swathed in shadow.Wings like storm-battered sails pumped powerful gusts on either side of its darkened body. In its huge skull, twin beacons of furious blue glared back at me. As I met its steely gaze, it peeled back its lip, moonlight flashing off twin rows of serrated teeth.
Gulp.
Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my headlong dash to save Speck from Mortis’ wrath.
My mouth went dry. “Good…lizard…thingy. Let’s not—”
Bahhh!
My panicked gaze dropped to the monster’s massive claw. Between its toes was a bleating nerf.
A red haze clouded my vision. One lost animal could mean a beating for Speck. I’d not sacrifice my friend to fill this bastard’s belly.
Again, my rational brain checked out, anger taking the lead. Not daring to take my eyes off the beast, I patted the ground for a weapon. I needed a rock, a stick. Anything! My fingers closed on something warm and pliable. Mud?
Good enough.
I hurled it at the monster. “Put that down!”
Splat. Dead center.
It was the stench that hit me first.
What was that horrible smell? The nauseating odor made me gag. I eyed the crumbly globs that coated my palm.
Not mud. It was definitely not mud. I retched, frantically wiping my hand on the grass.
The beast’s glowing blue eyes lowered to its dung-smeared chest, heated with fury, then narrowed on me.
I took a step back. Then another.
