Valley of the Beasts: Part 3

** This is part 3 of our hero's tale. You can find parts 1 & 2 in the links below.

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Berend trudged ahead of Caine and I, sword drawn and head twitching towards every sound reverberating through the forest. We were nearing the Northern Hills and hopefully it would not be long before we found the cave.

"What were you two discussing this morning? You seemed chummier." Caine whispered barely louder than our moss-softened steps.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy? 'Fraid I'll find a new buddy to drink stale beers with at the tavern?"

"Be serious for one moment in your life Isolde," He chided, but he did not deny anything. "I'm curious if you learned more about our stranger from the north."

I chewed my cheek, trying to remember if there was anything useful to report. "No, not really. He has a brother at home, that's really all he said. He seems... sad. Lonely."

"He's not a stray dog for you take home with ye."

I jostled Caine's shoulder, feigning offense. "And I have no plans to. Just commenting on his state of being is all."

Berend was now quite far ahead of us, not seeming to care or realize we were talking about him.

"My feet are starting to blister," I whined a little bit louder.

"This was all your bright idea."

"Aye, I'm aware," I batted his shoulder lightly. "Look at us already. You've got a black eye and likely a new scar to boast..."

Caine jutted out his chin and turned the cut on his cheek to the sun.

"... We picked up a wounded stranger. And I have some wee blisters that burn like fire." I stopped to adjust my shoe.

Caine gave a light chuckle. "They'll be singing songs of your bravery when we get home. I'll help them write them even;

Isolde, a warrior, a fair maid

The location of a cave was she so enlightened

Of no beast was she afraid

Of blisters she was a-frightened."

He had to stop there for the laughing fit he caused himself. I picked up a rock and tossed it his way but there was a smile on my lips too.

We were interrupted by the sudden sound of footsteps heading our way. I froze but Caine pulled his sword, ready. I jostled my bow off my back and notched an arrow. From around the bend, Berend came sprinting towards us.

"Run!"

"What?" Caine called.

"Go!" Berend yelled as ran past us. Caine and I glanced to where he had come from.

"What is it?" I asked as I started to back up.

That's when I saw a single hare bound up the path. It stopped when it saw Caine and I, regarded us with almost glowing red eyes. It was large for a hare, but it was still just a hare. Then another one joined it, nose twitching, to stare.

"Bludhare!" Berend called over his shoulder.

I had no idea what that was. Then the first hare opened its mouth to reveal razor sharp teeth and it let out an ungodly shriek. Dozens of hares joined the first two and then they all started towards us.

Caine and I realized what was happening at the same time and we took off after Berend. It was hard to keep him in sight, even though he was injured and tired, the man was light-footed. I didn't know where we were running, just that we were running away from the pack of shrieking hares.

I put my bow away, losing an arrow off the path in the process. I slowed down just enough to draw my sword and hurried to try to catch up to the men.

A searing pain stung the back of my thigh. One of the devil hare had caught up to me, jumping and biting at my legs. I let out a yell and swatted at the cursed thing. It dodged and went for my ankle. In my attempt to avoid the bite, I stumbled.

"Caine!" I screamed as I hit the dirt. The hare lept towards me and I managed to clip it with the hilt of my sword. Another appeared and bit my elbow, slicing through the layers of cloth and drawing blood. Soon they would all be upon me, I would be nothing but a feast for a pack of bunnies.

"Isolde!" My own name came barreling towards me as Caine took a running strike the closest hare, lobbing the damned thing in two. Another swipe drew blood on the first one that had come back for another taste. I struggled to my feet as Caine began swinging back and forth, keeping the tide of red-eyed hare at bay.

"Run, Isolde!" I did what I was told.

"Over here!" I could hear Berend shouting from a short distance away. Caine and I ran towards the sound. I was vaguely aware of the blood trickling down my leg and I had flung blood from my arm onto Caine's chest at some point.

We broke out of the tree line to see Berend standing waist deep in the river, water rushing past him from a small waterfall just a little ways up. Caine and I didn't even question it, we plunged into the cool water. As I reached Berend, I lost my footing. I would have been swept away by the current if he hadn't caught me. Without a word he held onto my uninjured arm as we turned to watch the riverbank.

The first few hares, crazed by blood lust, had jumped in after us. They were too light to fight the strong current and were easily swept away long before reaching us. The rest of the pack piled onto the shore, mouths frothing, some spattered in blood. A few began fighting each other, driven mad by unreachable prey. There were easily 40 of the tiny beasts.

"What did you call them?" I yelled over the sound the water rushing around us.

"Bludhare. Carnivorous hares from the north. My grandfather was part of the party responsible for wiping them out years ago." He pushed up my sleeve and washed blood away from the bite on my arm. It was impossible to tell how bad it was, every time the blood would wash away, the wound would fill back up. The cold water stung badly and to my embarassment, tears had sprung into my eyes. The men acted like they did not notice.

"Let's go to other bank, I don't think they can reach us. The river stays like this for a long ways." Caine started towards the opposite bank, half walking, half swimming. Berend helped me across, keeping one hand pressed againt the throbbing injury.

Once on the other side we sat down, exhausted, and watched the hares jump in and out of the water, desperate to reach their three-course meal.

"Let's have a look," Berend examined my arm more thoroughly. "Do you have that salve you have been putting on my shoulder?"

"Aye, in my pack." I dug through the water-logged sack, tossing a disintegrating bit of bread into the dirt. Caine had already torn a strip off his blanket roll to tie around my arm.

"Thank you," I said to the both of them as the burn from salve replaced the intense pain of the bite. Hopefully extinct beasts couldn't make you go rabid.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" Caine asked as he washed away my blood as well as his own from a few small cuts from the claws of the hares.

I twisted to examine the back of my thigh. Distinguishable from the water soaking my whole body was a warm, dark red splotch. It was nowhere near as bad as my arm.

"A scratch on my thigh, but I think it's alright. I'll not be needing to undress to fix it at least. I believe I'll keep what small dignity I have left."

I had made Berend blush and look away but Caine just laughed at me. "And thank goodness for that. Keep your trousers on, saucy wench."

"Saucy!" I laughed too, the adrenaline quickly leaving my system. Berend shook his head at the two of us, probably thinking us much more vulgar than his people. I did catch his eye briefly though and he looked a bit amused, grey eyes glinting in the sunlight.

Soon, the hares gave up, ears twitching towards new prey. I hoped the pack stayed far away from our village. Our people had never even heard of such a thing I was sure. We were ill-equipped to battle evil rabbits.

"It is only mid-day," Caine observed. "We need to be getting on. Isolde are you alright to move on?"

"Well we aren't stoppin' for me," I held out a hand so he could help me up. "As if a little bunny could slow me down. Tsk."