“Will they hurt us?”
He hesitates. “Intentionally,no.But if we get in their way...let’s just saythey’re not going to bother going around us.”
The Burasibellow a long squawk,mimickingthe hollowness of a conch shell.
“They sound really close!”
Caleb glances briefly behind him while keeping his pace.
I squeal at the loud crackle and then thud as treesare trampled and fallbehind us,one by one.
How big must these things be?I wonder.Seconds later,they come into view, and I no longer have to.Large tusks curl up toward the sky, and their beady,burnt umber-colored eyespoint in our direction. Their massivebull-like bodies could only be hidden briefly by the smoke puffed through their nostrils. The stampede is gaining on us.
“Caleb!”
He looks back, horrified.
They’re going to trample us to death.
“Should we shift?”
“No,” he huffs. “Bad idea. Their diet consists of wolves. Being human is safer.”Caleb grabs my waist and pulls me to him.
His back is pressed against a tree. Gusts of wind as the beasts run past us has my hairflyingaround my face. He tucks my head into his chest and holds me there. I’m thinking the stampede has to pass soon, but they just keep coming.
“It’s not safe here. They took out all the other trees!” I yell over their hooves.
Caleb’s eyes bounce between looking down at me, up at the tree and at the stampede passing us by. They finally land on the tree. “Climb up.”
With a hand on my butt and back of my thigh, hehoists meonto a branch.I begin climbing with Caleb not too far behind. Every so often,I slow to check Caleb is still there.
Each time, he hollers,“Keep moving!”
We make it to the tallest branch and look down at the Burasi. When the stampede subsides, we look at each other, thankful to be alive.
“Why did you slow down to look at me?”
“I wanted to make sure you were okay!”
His eyes soften brieflybeforethesoftness isquickly replaced with mischief. “You don’t have to worry about me. I would’ve died with the best view.”
“What do you mean?”
He smirks. “Taya didn’t give you underwear when she brought you that dress.”
My jaw drops.
“Nice ass.” He winks.
He laughs.
Mortified, I hit him playfully.Only I don’t know my own strength,apparently because he loses his balance.
“Whoa, whoa!” He flaps his arms and starts to fall.
I gasp. “Caleb!” I grab his shirtjust in time for me to fall with him.
Wecrash tothe ground, rolling onto the dirt, sides burning.
