That’s untrue, said Iassia. Many could have made the jump, but only one tried.
Rokinin kicked the dead creature savagely, snapping its face towards Bel. Bel felt a chill as he stared into its eyes – yellow with tiny black pupils, hateful in death. It was one thing to hear a monster described, quite another to see one in the flesh. The body was the size of a large dog, though its limbs were long and ape-like, with retractable claws extended from the pads of its hands and feet. It was covered in mossy brown-green fur, which grew longer about its head. Its mouth was wide and lipless, an almost invisible line in the fur, and there were no nostrils in evidence. It stank of wet hair.
‘I forgot how much I hate these filthy beasts,’ said Hunna, prodding the corpse with his sword.
Keit grunted. ‘Come on. There’s nothing more to do here. Let’s get some sleep.’
Twenty
Drel Forest
All around, soldiers crept through the undergrowth of Drel Forest. Bel could only see a few of the others, despite how closely together the group was moving. The undergrowth was a verdant sprawl of ferns and shrubs, which shimmered here and there as someone knocked down a cascade of dew. To his left, Munpo disappeared around a mossy boulder at the base of a towering clawberry tree and Bel hurried to keep up. He had wanted to partner with Keit, but that morning Munpo had ordered him to stay close. He didn’t feel he needed to be babysat by the leader of the group, but orders were orders. He pushed through entwining vines and found Munpo speaking to Rokinin. Both had their eyes turned to the trees above.
‘Yes,’ muttered Rokinin. ‘We are close.’
Munpo gave a low whistle and Gredda materialised by his side. Munpo pointed through the trees. ‘We’ll make for that clearing,’ he said. Gredda nodded and disappeared again. Munpo glanced around to make sure Bel was following.
‘We’re headin’ for a clearing,’ he said in a low tone, ‘because we can assemble in collected force there, and watch each other’s backs. The bows will have better shots without trees in the way, and they can stay in the centre firing outwards while the blades protect them in an outer circle. If we are near the nest, as Rokinin suspects, they should notice us here soon enough.’
Together they ducked beneath an overhanging branch covered in fungus.
‘I thought huggers preferred an ambush,’ said Bel.
‘They prefer an ambush if possible,’ said Munpo. ‘But we’ll be inside their perceived territory, so I reckon they’ll come howlin’ along pretty quick.’
Bel glanced around. No one else was close. Why was he getting this private explanation?
‘I’ll be all right, you know,’ he said, managing to disguise his irritation as bland reassurance. ‘I’ll understand your orders once the battle starts, just like the others.’
‘Good to know, laddy. That ain’t why I’m tellin’ you this.’ Munpo paused in the shadow of a fig and sniffed the air. Birds sang in the canopy, an opera of melodic calls. ‘If you’re to be a leader,’ he continued, ‘and Taskmaster Corlas assures me that the Throne is takin’ a personal interest in your military career, then the more you know the better. That’s why I asked you to dog my heels today. You might learn somethin’ about strategy and command. If you’d rather run off and play chasings with Keit, be my guest. Up to you.’
‘Apologies, sir,’ Bel said quickly. ‘Just thought I was being spoonfed there.’
‘You were,’ said Munpo. ‘It was just a bigger spoon than you thought.’
I sense an approach, came the voice of the spirit. Thrills went up and down Bel’s spine, every sense alert.
Where are they?
To the east. Still some distance, but they know we’re here and they are coming.
They arrived in the clearing, which had silently filled with soldiers. It was some fifteen paces wide, a mound of earth with stones peeping out of it like boils on a backside. From the centre outwards lay a fallen tree, its twisted roots exposed to the air. Above, branches from other trees were jealously vying to reclaim the gap left in the canopy.
Quietly Gredda spread the order that the blades were to stand in a circle around the bows, some of whom climbed up onto the log. Questing eyes went back and forth across the busy greenery. They’d barely got into position when Bel noticed that the birds had gone quiet.
They’re close.
‘They’re close,’ called Munpo. ‘Be ready, soldiers! No need to be too quiet now,’ he added to Bel, who stood next to him. ‘Noise will draw them to us.’
In the upper reaches of the trees were plenty of shaded hiding spots. As the leaves moved in the breeze, roving patterns of light gave the illusion of movement. Taut bows swivelled to a rustling in the trees, but it was just a bird flying away. Bel turned his sword in his hands, waiting for the moment that was sure to come soon. His skin tingled with excitement and suddenly he knew with certainty – this was what he’d been born to do. He was a warrior. The truth of it shot through him, concentrating molten in his heart. Shaking himself, he told himself not to forget the danger, as Munpo had warned, but as he sensed the eyes of the enemy on him, he found it very difficult to keep a fierce grin from his face.
They’re here.
Where?
All around.
I see nothing.
Look left. The palebark tree at the edge of the clearing. Halfway up.
Bel searched, his gaze falling on a spray of foliage in which yellow eyes glinted. ‘There!’ he said, pointing. ‘In the palebark!’
The bows looked but did not spy the target. Impatiently, almost eagerly, Bel pulled a crossbow from his belt and loosed a bolt. There was a thunk in the shadows and a furry body fell from the tree trailing gangly limbs, to land somewhere outside the clearing. Bel notched another bolt in the crossbow.
A sound like cats in pain filled the air from all sides and the forest came alive. Shadows gave birth to snarling offspring. Growths of moss on trees became the hairy backs of monsters. Huggers ran out onto branches overhanging the clearing and dropped, their limbs stretched in oncoming embrace. Arrows whizzed upwards and beasts twisted in the air, screaming as their brown blood rained down. One fell past the wave of arrows and landed on a bow. The creature wrapped its limbs about her and gave a mighty squeeze . There came the sound of ribs snapping and the beast sprang away as she toppled, vomiting blood. Hunna thrust his sword towards it, punching into the creature’s gut.
‘Stand fast!’ bellowed Munpo as more huggers bounded out of the undergrowth and swung through the lower branches. They were attacking on all levels, from all sides. ‘Let them come to us! Don’t break the circle!’
Bel found himself facing two of them on the ground, their baleful yellow eyes staring out from under tufts of brown-green fur, their wide mouths open to reveal rows of stubby little fangs. They prowled towards him, low to the ground.
The bigger one will leap first.
A moment later the larger creature sprang, a schick sounding as claws extended from its hands and feet. Bel slashed it to the ground, spilling its guts as the second creature darted in to swipe at his legs. Claws scraped the hard leather of his boots and it raised its head to snarl. There was a flash of metal about its neck and the head rolled away with snarl fixed forever. Munpo glanced at Bel, nodded, then called again for the blades to keep formation and protect the bows in the centre. Despite his shouts, the circle was breaking.
See the big male?
For a moment Bel saw it, stalking past a tree at the edge of the clearing, at least twice the size of the others. He pulled the crossbow free of his belt.