“Yeah, just a scratch. Careful though—those sounds can do you in,” Vikki said, panting hard, her hand still bleeding.

  “You take care of yourself,” Ryke replied, surveying the trees.

  “Sherlyn, you’re up,” Ryke said, wielding Hollow.

  “Okay then, lure them out,” Sherlyn replied, her hands steady on her bow.

  “Your ability needs you to master weaponry,” Azeya had told her before, forcing Sherlyn through training with all sorts of weapons.

  Vikki was back up, jumping from branch to branch, while Ryke stayed on the ground and Sherlyn kept her presence hidden behind the trunks. Suddenly, one of the harriers dove deep from the sky, rotating as it evaded the thick branches.

  “One’s behind you!” Vikki shouted mid-jump. Her body rotated through the air before she grabbed a branch, her grip just enough to keep her balance.

  Ryke looked over his shoulder, seeing the harrier catching up. It opened its beak. Seems it’s got small eyes, hard to see them through the white lines, Ryke thought. He tilted his body, catching a glimpse of the bright colors inside its mouth before slashing hard through the air. But just as he touched the ground, a sound struck him like a whistle—sharp and violent—right to his left ear.

  Sherlyn fired an arrow. It almost whistled, too, as it sliced through the air; she didn't hit it, but she forced the creature to change course before she could fire again.

  “Ry…”

  “I’m here, let’s go,” Ryke said, pulling himself up, his ear starting to bleed.

  “Medication. Let’s at least cover that ear; a bandage will do.”

  “No. There are seven of them, hopefully. Gotta kill some to chase them away. Right now we’re just food—another meal—and Vikki can’t outrun them.”

  “Okay,” Sherlyn agreed, walking out quickly and starting to pick up the pace.

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  I’m not a skreevil,' Ryke added to himself, sprinting after her.

  'She selects the strong branches to run on,' Sherlyn thought, watching Vikki leap from tree to tree, dodging every attack from the three harriers chasing her. 'Best thing is, this forest has big trees and strong branches.' she added.

  “She got one!” Sherlyn shouted, noticing Ryke ahead of her.

  'She twisted mid-air while throwing those little blades' Sherlyn noted, gripping the next arrow in her right hand.

  After seeing one harrier die, the two others took to the skies, flying over the canopy.

  “You fine?” Ryke asked, seeing Vikki limp a bit from her landing.

  “Almost twisted my ankle. I’ll be fine. Clear land is near; the plan is good,” Vikki replied, turning back around, her eyes steady on the next branch to take.

  Within minutes they made it out. It was cloudy, like London weather. Sherlyn maintained her position within the forest, staying close to the edge but not coming out, while Ryke and Vikki stood back-to-back.

  “I can use stealth again; it would make it easier,” Vikki said, her little blades out.

  “That would do. It’ll be like they’re only fighting me,” Ryke said, tightening his grip on Hollow as he saw one coming straight at him, beak open.

  ‘Not twice,’ Ryke thought, eyeing the beak. ‘Dodge!’ came the additional thought, sharp and sudden.

  Ryke bent his body backward, feeling the wind pass over him with high velocity. In its eyes, the creature saw the human dodge and prepared to sweep back up for another strike—that was the harrier's plan. Vikki’s plan was to cut from behind. Because Ryke bent backward, she was able to lean forward just enough to stay in rhythm while surviving the pass.

  ‘He just served me. Smart one, this one,’ Vikki thought, watching the harrier go down.

  “Two down, five to go,” Vikki said, spotting one far away.

  Suddenly, Ryke pushed Vikki away just before a thunderclap rang out—not huge, but enough to create a spectacle. The grass cleared as Ryke fell to his feet, both of his ears now bleeding.

  Sherlyn maintained free fire with her bow while closing the distance. But before she could do much, another harrier swooped down, grabbing Ryke by the shoulders and flapping hard to lift him.

  “He’s out! We’ve got to stop it!” Vikki shouted, running toward the dead harrier.

  Another harrier ambushed from the sky. Sherlyn kept firing while trying her best to move forward. For a moment Ryke was off the ground, the harrier straining to carry him up, but Hollow increased its size, its weight making Ryke drop back down.

  Vikki saw the perfect chance and took it, her strike barely missing a lethal blow. Sherlyn looked in the direction the little blades had come from and released an arrow. Vikki moved left, evading the shot, which instead scratched the harrier lurking behind her.

  “That’s the big one; it can see you!” Sherlyn yelled, walking toward Ryke. “Ryke! Ryke, wake up!” she said, shaking him.

  “Huh? I can’t hear anything. Speak up!” Ryke murmured. He suddenly grabbed Sherlyn by the waist and threw Hollow, the weapon hitting the wing of a harrier trying to ambush them.

  “Thank you. Guess you're fine then... so, my waist?” Sherlyn said. Ryke instantly removed his hand.

  “I can’t see. It’s all dark,” Ryke said.

  “Hold my—”

  “I’ll assume you’re worrying! I’m fine! Remember, I usually sense presence—but I feel like I’m pushing a wall!” Ryke shouted, before hearing screams echoing in his mind.

  Sherlyn hadn’t noticed it quickly, but Vikki’s shout helped her. There was another thunderclap, more violent than the last, but nothing happened afterward. It went silent, as if the sound had been yanked right out of the air.

  There was no time to drop jaws. Vikki did her best with her sword, which she always carried in a limitless bag. For a minute, the harrier was surprised; before it could track Vikki down, it was cut deep—too heavy though for Vikki to maintain the sword in the air.

  Vikki looked at the two of them. Sherlyn was holding Ryke tightly, his head against her chest as she knelt on the ground.

  ‘Seems like today is a bad day. I mean, after that, waiting for another chance is the best action,’ Vikki thought, only then realizing her stealth was fading. “Can you two walk, or do you need a breather?”

  “A breather,” Sherlyn said, tears flowing down her face.