The Weaver's Source

Chapter 23

Gerald and I froze like a dear realising its being stalked. Our heads snapped east, the direction we came from, and the sound of distant howling rolled through the trees again. The sound of men shouting began to grow into existence.

I heard Gerald swallow thickly while I tried my hardest to slow my beating heart. Instantly Gerald grabbed my hand and dragged me into a run.

"We need to hurry." He shouted fearfully. "They've found us."

"How?" I asked numbly. They couldn't have found us. We had run so far last night.

"The hounds. They can find anything." He replied urgently.

We tore onwards, jumping over broken trees and barely keeping our balance through the thick patches of mud. We didn't stop and neither did we slow down but still the dogs that chased as drew closer. Their howls bayed, becoming increasingly keen as they neared their prey and scented their fear. And then suddenly they were there, three great dogs with lolling tongues and massive teeth, charging after us with great speed.

The black one was the closest, horribly close. Its jaws snapped at the hem of my dress several times before it finally caught hold. With its teeth in the thick fabric, it dug its paws into the earth and yanked its head back, pulling me to the floor. I let out a cry as I fell hard and small sharp stones dug into my hands and knees, stinging me horribly. The dog continued to hold my dress, growling softly and rattling his head, but I still tried to get up again. As I got onto my knees I noticed something coming at me. I just about managed to brace myself against the large dog before it barrelled into my side. I skidded across the ground, winded by the weight that was now on my chest. The beast barked happily and sniffed my face intently, letting globs of slobber smear against my cheek. Seeing that it wasn't vicious, I tried to push it off but flinched when it snarled horribly at me in warning. It wasn't going to let me move. I was trapped.

"Lyra!" Gerald called.

I saw him perched on a large rock that he'd scrambled onto. The third dog was baying at him while the one that had taken me down had bounded away, my torn dress in its mouth still. The black beast was going back to its masters. It was going to lure them here.

"It's okay, Gerald! Just stay up high!" I called frantically, trying not to flinch as the dog pressed down hard onto my chest.

Desperately I searched for my sack that had fallen from my grasp. It lay limp not far from me. I stretched my arm as far as I could, raking my fingers against the earth as tried to reach the thin dirty brown strap. As the sounds of movement and voices began to grow, I began to scrabble for it in earnest. But it was no use. No matter how hard a stretched and how earnestly I grasped, that pack just lay out of my reach. I had to move to grab it but the dog on my chest would not allow me, snapping savagely whenever I made to push it away. I stared at my pack in misery and panic until the men came waltzing into the clearing.

One of them, a big burly man I had seen chopping wood just outside the inn, came walking over to me. I let my eyes flicker to Gerald who was screaming and cursing at the two men trying to pull him off the rock. They succeeded much to my dismay.

"Hey there, little pig." The man said as he crouched over me. "Annis is mighty angry that you got away. She'll be pleased when we bring you back to her."

"Let us go." I tried to demand but my voice cracked with nerves.

"Can't. Annis wants you. Wants to eat your flesh. Says you're special." He smiled a black toothed smile.

"You can't mean to let us be killed."

"I can." He said firmly. 

The blank and unfeeling eyes that stared at me, as if I was nothing more than cattle, made me believe him. Gerald and I were going to die.