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Chapter 31

And so it is. The camo-Beast we spotted earlier is wheeling up from the forest below us, and hurtling through the air right. At. Us. As usual.
"Bow." I demand, and feel of pang when I remember the fallen fox family. But now is not the time to mourn the dead, not when there's the potential we might join them. Soon.
Stone wordlessly opens up his pack and hands me the black metal rod, which shines dully in the sun of high noon. I deftly run my finger along it's length, and the next second I'm holding a full-length war bow. Stone passes me his remaining two arrows, and I hold one in my teeth, hefting the bow and stringing the other.
I suddenly realize I've got two shots. I'm no archer, and if I miss, that thing doesn't look too friendly, especially when I see the gory mess around it's huge muzzle- It's just been to dinner. And we're desert.
"What're you waiting for? Shoot!" Stone yells desperately beside me. I shake my head, barely, almost imperceptibly, and close my right eye, using my good eye to sight in on the bloody red speck of sky.
"Now!" Stone looks at me again, then groans and slides his twin blades from their sheaths, and faces the approaching Beast.
"Hold on..." I murmur, barely moving my lips, waiting for a closer target. The Beast is soaring at us so fast, if I don't act soon, it will be right on top of us. But if I shoot too soon, I might miss it, and our arrows are precious few.
"NOW!" Stone roars, just as I release my fingers from the bowstring. The great flying Beast, which is close enough now for me to pick up the scent of rotting meat and blood resonating off it, narrows huge black eyes, it's sky-blue face dripping gore onto the mountainside below. It opens it's great maw, showing five rows of wickedly pointed ivory fangs, and belts out a roar so huge I fall onto my butt from the mere force of it.
Stone lands beside me with a dull thud, and I lift my head just in time to see the arrow make impact, the pointed metal shaft sliding without restriction into the center of it's skull, right between the eyes, and the great roar stops.
I sigh in relief, as color ripples up along the Beast's blue skin, and suddenly it's clear as glass, so I can actually see the organs inside, the remains of it's last meal still resting in the transparent stomach. A weak last breath escapes it's slack jaw in a rasping squeak, and the glass Beast tumbles from the air, wings twitching slightly, and I look away at the last moment, though the squelching thud from below marks it's impact on the rocks below.
I glance over at Stone, who's still staring at the point where the Beast was moments ago. Slowly, he turns to look at me, and shakes his head.
"I think... I think we're being targeted..."
I smile grimly, nothing more than a twitch of my lips, and get to my feet, downsizing the bow and handing it back to Stone, along with the last arrow. He puts his swords away, and stores the bow and arrow, before looking again down the side of the mountain, most likely at the body of the Beast.
"C'mon," I say, nudging his shoulder deliberately as I brush past him. "Let's get going. I'll bet my boots (well, not that I have any) there're more of those where that came from."