I sprang out of the grass, grabbed the Diamond Dog by the head, and slammed him into the earth. He stared blankly up at me, momentarily stunned. I kicked his weapon away.
I pointed my sword at his companion. “Drop the spear!”
The pair had been hunting rabbits; a string of hares hung from each of their waists. The second dog leveled his spear at me, growling. He started to advance, but stopped when I turned my sword onto his clansman.
“Drop it!” I shouted, “or I’ll gut him”.
The second Diamond Dog narrowed his eyes. He looked from me, to my sword, and finally to his clansman. He growled, low and threatening, but threw his spear next to the first one.
I dived away from the pair, and snatched up both spears.
The first dog rolled to his feet. He looked around, dazed and confused, and then shook his head. He joined his companion. Together they glared at me.
Kitty Hawk fought her way out of the brush. She looked cautiously at the pair of dogs, both gawking back at her, and then trotted over to my side.
I cut the spears in two my sword, and threw the pieces back to their owners.
“Leave us alone,” I commanded, returning my sword to its sheath. To Kitty Hawk I hissed, “let’s go”.
Together we retreated backwards.
“You won’t get far, intruder,” said the second Diamond Dog, stepping forwards and retrieving the broken weapons.
“We are only passing through,” I reassure him.
“You’re trespassing in Iron Clan territory!”
I did not reply. My eyes never left the pair until the tall grasses blocked my view.
I turned, and started pushing through the grass at a double-quick pace.
A long howl rose up into the sky.
I cursed under my breath.
“What does that mean?” asked Kitty Hawk shrilly.
“They’re summoning the clan! Get on my back,” I ordered. She did so.
“Hold on,” I hollered, and plowed through the grass in the mad dash to the north-east.
I blazed my own trail, straight ahead, headless of whatever stood in my path. Blades of grass snatched and cut at my face as they whipped by. I tried to enlarge my stride into a full gallop, but my paws kept slipping between the grass crowns and digging into the sod beneath.
I heard enraged barking behind me and off to both sides. They were trying to cut us off.
I put on an extra burst of speed.
“Ember! Slow down! I’m slipping!” cried Kitty Hawk.
Hold on, I silently played. I didn’t have breath enough to speak.
The sky was a black torrent of anger and strife. It let loose with a menacing growl that rumbled across the land. Thick, heavy rain drops assaulted us. The wind added its own battle cry to the mix; a howling gale, frothing and riving as it tore overhead.
The light was fading fast.
“Ember!” cried Kitty Hawk, and I felt her slide off my back.
I wheeled around.
Kitty Hawk struggled to her feet.
“Ember, I’m sorry! I just can’t grip anymore,” she cried. “I’ll run behind you.”
Too late: the barking on our left and right had surpassed our position. The encirclement was complete.
I grabbed her and we left our trail, swerving through the grass until I found a shallow depression.
“Here,” and I forced her into the depression with the blanket on top. I laid down beside her.
I drew my sword.
It was now completely dark. Rain pelted us from all sides. The wind cut through my wet fur, and I shivered.
Lightning flashed, illuminating a Diamond Dog as he walked directly in front of me. He turned away, poking in the grass with his spear. All the dog had to do was turn around and see us!
Another flash of lightning, this one was much closer. I saw that the dog wore no armor. I grimaced; atleast I had a way to even the odds. He continued to probe the grass before him, oblivious to the eyes on his back.
Rising slightly, I delicately picked my steps, careful as not to disturb any foliage. I prowled closer, my belly scraping over the earth. I would have to be quick.
I crouched, ready to spring.
Another dog appeared beside him. My target turned to the newcomer. He cocked his head, trying to hear him over the storm.
I sunk back down.
“Is the chief crazy!” yelled the newcomer. “We need to get to shelter!”
My target turned and accosted his clansman. “No one is leaving until we find that intruder!”
The newcomer scoffed. “The intruder can stay out here and die. We need to get back before the same happens to us!”
My target pointed to the sky with his spear. “The chieftain doesn't care if fire and brimstone are raining from the sky! We are going to find that intruder, even if it’s the-”.
The world exploded.
For a moment, nothing existed: no sound, no smells, only a white so intense that it burned my eyes. Then my ears started to ring. The white world gradually faded away.
Once more I was amongst the grasses, wet and cold, surrounded by dark slender shades that bowed to the wrath of the wind.
A large, dark shape lay at my feet. I could make out a muzzle, ears, and singed fur. It was my target; sizzling and popping, and smelling sickeningly of cooked meat. His eyes stared fixedly into space. His arm was frozen, extended outwards, the end of his paw had been obliterated and the spear was gone. His companion was nowhere to be seen.
I had to force the contents of my stomach back down.
I slipped back to Kitty Hawk.
“Ember, what was that?” asked a shivering Kitty Hawk, poking her head out from under her wet blanket. I placed myself between her and the grisly view.
“Come on, lets go find another hiding spot.” We settled into a place some distance away from the corpse.
A mournful howl sounded above the roar of nature’s fury.
I gave Kitty Hawk a reassuring smile.
“Their heading back home,” I told her.
“Good,” replied Kitty Hawk, teeth chattering as she huddled in the wet blanket. “Ember, can we have a fire? I’m really cold.”
I looked around. Nothing was going to light, not in this weather.
This night was almost identical to my first night beyond the walls. I had been a young pup, soaked from the rain and shivering. My father had… dug a trench!
I dug in the ground until it was big enough to fit Kitty Hawk. I cut several bundles of grass with my sword and lined the trench. Finally, I coaxed Kitty Hawk to lie down on her side and then situated myself on top.
Kitty Hawk made no sound, and after several moments I asked her, “are you comfortable?”
“No, every time I move my wing hurts, and I have a really bad itch on the end of my nose”.
“Are you warm?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” I said, and rested my head on my paws.
I lay there, shivering, facing the brunt of the storm. Beneath me, my young charge slept safe and warm. I settled in for a long night.