Grimmer (Sequel to Kailin)

Chapter 27: Flightless Bird

***

Zanek

***

Ice was carried in the wind. That worried me.

It chilled our bones. Even I, with the ability to keep my limbs strong against the chilling cry of the breeze, felt worn by the night.

We stood together before our trees; the boundary I had long sworn to protect, and the boundary many ancient guardians had emerged from to guard still -- centuries into their efforts. They made my struggle seem as insignificant as the sun in that moment.

Vilkos, High Guard, emerged from mist to stand at my side. His eyes were pale as the fog as he looked across the plain.

We knew they were there. We could sense them. Their very presence rose the hair on our arms. Our ears pricked. I heard through the anxious thoughts of every elf surrounding the same two words, passed from body to body, to meet my understanding before the message arrived.

Be wary.

The silver-haired guardian pushed into my connections. They attack when?

When their numbers grow.

I'd had the most involved contact in the relations of the Knights. They knew this.

The growl of an animal behind us called my attention. Dariel stalked, in brutish pride, one large, clawed paw at a time, before the queen. In meeting his eye, I knew he was loyal to the land, rather than the pale figure which strode behind him, though in his position he seemed to have little choice but to oblige, and escort Tailin onto the ghostly field.

She approached with eyes sharper than the leopard's. The queen scowled.

"What have we?"

A low, rusty voice replied, in well-aged fashion, "A threat upon the border, larger than we may be able to contain at this time."

"No," I said firmly. "We can handle it."

"And where are your numbers, Ashe?"

"They are coming."

"Mm." She turned to address some others.

Vilkos turned his rough whisper. "The young ones are not prepared for such a fight, if it is to come as we have predicted."

"This is not the fight you want, Vilkos. This is part of the game."

A figure jerked through the mist in our direction; thick and heavy, limbs flailing in a sloppy sprint, roaring as it neared. Firell, the black blade point-down in the dirt, was cold in my grip, and thirsty for blood. Vilkos tensed to draw his greatsword.

Just as our blades lifted to drop the beast in one motion, the sound of clinking glass sounded behind us -- and a shard of ice, as large as Firell, shot through the creature's eye, throwing him back into the ground.

Tailin angrily stomped again to my side. "What is this?! I thought you handled these abominations!"

I said nothing, jerking my eyes across the mist and back, searching for movement.

"Where are the Vari! I demand their ranks immediately!" Her head whipped around, trailing black strands behind her. "Hunters, at the ready!"

Still wearing the thin skirts, Tailin swept back into the cover at the trees, ordering every protector and guardian of the forest out and at the ready, as they had been, and ordered the wolves out of their hiding.  I tried to ignore her commands; I had already attempted to organize these elves as best these elves could organize.