Legends of Arkadia - Forgotten World

~ Chapter 8 ~

They're my new tribe...

Rune's heart nearly sprung from his chest at the thought, and a wide smile spread across his face. He let out a sudden happy squeak when Yuko's large paw batted him out of his distraction, almost knocking him off and he clung to the seviri's ear.

"Awww, that was such a cute noise, Rune! That's so embarrassing for you!" Yuko laughed as Rune vengefully nipped at his neck, making him laugh harder and the two continued to play at the entertainment of the sisters.

Vanna was looking off to the right silently, seeming to watch something, but only Jatari paid attention and instinctively followed her gaze. The young mouse and seviri were too distracted to notice, playing and roughhousing happily until Jatari urgently snapped something undetermined at them, making them stop in an odd stance, both focusing on their new friend, slipping out of their happy high, their ears perking when they felt the anxious energy stirring around both the sisters.

"What's wrong?" Yuko quickly whisper-yelled and fell into step next to Jatari, Vanna not moving from against the boulder, fear growing in her eyes.

"They're back." Jatari growled gravely and was already gripping her sword.

"Who's ba-" Yuko cut himself off, Rune following his line of sight and caught the movement Yuko and the two Kynai were watching. Chills crawled through his spine and down to every nerve as a pack of the strange rabid creatures that him and Yuko had the previous encounter with, were now hurtling towards them up the cliffside path, followed by something that stood taller and walked behind them much slower. He didn't have time to decipher it before the group of about seven growling and yipping creatures, all came over the lip of the path. Jatari was the first to move, letting out a battle cry as she grabbed hold of the chain linking her sword and hammer, starting to swing the blade above her head in a spinning blur. It spun faster and faster, making Rune marvel at the whirring sound it made as it cut through the air.

He watched as the blade suddenly lashed out at lightning speed as one the beasts launched, his eyes widening when the blade severed it completely in half. He finally made the coherent thought that he shouldn't be out in the open and ran to Yuko, scurrying up to his place between his shoulder blades and held on. The world became a blur as Yuko attacked a creature that circled around the side, this time battling back with full force, not playing around or hoping to avoid a fight anymore. He knew just as well as everyone, that that wasn't an option with these animals.

The seviri's claws aimed low and cut into the creatures unprotected hide under its belly and along its side, making it yelp and limp-run away to regain its bearings. Vanna stood and got beside Yuko, holding a large spear that she must've taken from the village. Rune heard another high yelp before he saw the blood spray from the spear wound of the fleeing creature. For a girl who wasn't a warrior, she sure knew how to fight.

Everyone backed into a defensive circle with their backs facing each other, and the remaining rabid creatures circled the group. Three were untouched, two were badly wounded by Yuko and Vanna still circling relentlessly, and two were sliced in half, killed instantly by Jataris ruthless blade.

The older sister swung her lightning-like sword at the stalking predators, but the prowling creatures yipped in less surprise and jumped back, quickly dodging the attack.

They're learning... Rune realized with horror.

Yuko suddenly broke the circle, eagerly launching at two of the beasts that were getting too close, yelping when they dodged and ambushed him, biting at him from both sides, trying to drag him further away from the safety of numbers. Rune held on, crying out in fear just as Jatari slammed her blade through one of the creatures, it not even getting the chance to yelp. Yuko was able to kick the other beast off him, Jatari already running to Yuko's side, pulling back her blade for another retaliation.