Chapter Five: Attacked!
The next day, Spiller and Arrietty decided to let the bird go. They were within walking distance to the cities, and the bird would frighten other borrowers if it got too close.
As the bird flapped its wings and took off, soaring into the sky, Arrietty felt a slight pang of sadness. She didn't know how long it would be until she could go flying again, and even though she'd only done it a few times, it was already one of her favorite things to do.
"We should be in borrower city before dark." Spiller explained while adjusting the pack on his shoulders. He wasn't used to carrying something so large on his back, it made him nervous, and if they were attacked his movements would be limited to the giant bag weighing him down.
While Arrietty's bag was no smaller than Spiller's, she seemed to be having a easier time, probably because she didn't know about how carrying a huge green and yellow polka dotted bag could be a huge setback during a skirmish.
"So, Spiller, tell me about the cities." Arrietty said as pushed blades of grass out of her face.
Spiller paused to help Arrietty step over a tall stick blocking their path. "Bright," He said as they continued moving through the brush. "Even at night."
Arrietty tried to imagine what it would be like living in a place where everything was always bright. She didn't know how they managed to fall asleep if it was always bright.
"What about the borrowers?" She asked, darting up to Spiller who'd gotten ahead of her.
"What mean?" Spiller asked, giving her a quizzical look.
"How many are there?"
Spiller paused for a moment and looked up towards the sky, inwardly counting. "More than Spiller could count." He decided.
Arrietty's feet bounced as she clapped her hands together. "This is so exciting, isn't it Spiller?"
Spiller gave her a small smile, but didn't say anything. As Arrietty began her next question, Spiller heard something snap in the bushes.
Spiller immediately drew his bow and pointed it in the direction he'd heard the sound.
"Spiller, what is it?" Arrietty asked, as her heartbeat quickened. Her eyes darted from left to right as she drew her pin.
There was a long pause; there were no sounds except for the wind rustling the leaves.
Slowly Arrietty lowered her arm. "I don't think anything's here." Just as she was about to sheath her pin a thundering noise erupted from the forest.
A huge furry creature barreled through the tall grass, leaping onto Arrietty and using its dirty paws to pin her to the ground. Arrietty let out a cry of panic as the creature's long claws began to sink through the backpack's straps, near her shoulders. She looked up into a pair of watery black eyes and yellowing teeth. As the creature's body lunged foreword, in an attempt to bite Arrietty in the neck, she saw the bottom two were twice as long as the top. Pod had taught Arrietty long ago how to identify creatures like this. It was a rat.
"Arrietty!" Spiller shouted before leaping foreword and pouncing on the rat's back, Spiller used all of his strength to knock the rat off of Arrietty.
The two rolled around in the dust, fighting to kill. The great rodent snarled and threw Spiller off his back. Spiller tumbled onto the dust, and landed hard on his back. After that, Spiller didn't move.
The beast lumbered towards Spiller, its eyes glinted darkly. "No!" Shouted Arrietty. Throwing the bag off of her shoulders and raising her pin.
The rat looked at her, almost like he was annoyed. Arrietty let out a shout as she charged at the monster. This time the rat gave her his full attention.
The rat stood on his hind legs and used his paws to try and swipe her away. Arrietty darted away from his long claws and got close enough to stab the rat right above one of his hind legs.
The creature squealed and slapped her away with the back of his paw. Arrietty flew through the air and landed hard on her left shoulder. Arrietty screamed in agony as she heard a sickening pop. Then, a splitting pain shot through her shoulder, and it continued down her back.
Arrietty swore she felt her heart stop. She was having trouble breathing, and she couldn't move her arm! Arrietty felt tears sting her eyes.
Her eye flitted up and she could see the rat standing above her. Its sour breath burned her nose as its lips pulled back to reveal the slimy, yellow teeth.
Arrietty took a shaky and painful breath and managed to cry out, "Spiller!"
At that exact moment, Spiller had woken up. His head was throbbing and his vision was blurred, but he could see the rat standing over Arrietty. Something inside him snapped. Spiller immediately stood up and drew his bow. He took aim at the creature's throat and let the arrow fly. It hit its mark.
The rat squealed in pain before falling to his side, dead. Spiller stumbled up to where Arrietty lay, tears streaked down her dirt covered face.
"Arrietty," he whispered trying to wrap his arms around her without hurting her. Spiller's hand brushed her left shoulder and Arrietty gasped in pain.
Spiller quickly examined Arrietty's shoulder, and it looked disfigured. Almost like someone had just pushed her shoulder into Arrietty's body.
He quickly realized that Arrietty's shoulder had been dislocated. Spiller looked up at Arrietty's face and brushed away the stray strands of hair that stuck to her face. "Spiller… you're alright." She whispered, using her good arm to touch his cheek with her hand. Spiller nodded and held her hand to his cheek.
"Spiller sorry," He whispered, his voice cracking. Arrietty quickly shook her head.
"No, you saved me." She smiled.
"Spiller fix." He said gently taking Arrietty's injured shoulder in his hands.
Arrietty looked at him nervously but allowed him to hold onto her shoulder. "Might hurt." Spiller said. Arrietty nodded and braced herself.
With a quick movement and a snap, Spiller had easily popped the Arrietty's shoulder back in place. Arrietty had made a small whimpering sound when the arm slid back in its socket, but after that, her shoulder didn't hurt at all.
Arrietty took a few breaths and sat up, wincing at the slight pain in her shoulder. She quickly smiled and held Spiller's hand in her own.
"Thank you." Arrietty whispered as she gave Spiller's hand a squeeze.
Spiller shook his head. "Spiller should thank Arrietty." Spiller's cheeks turned red as he lifted Arrietty's hand to his lips and planted a shy kiss on her knuckle.
Arrietty tried to hide a blush, but couldn't contain a small girlish giggle.
Spiller gave her a wide smile before helping her up. Arrietty dusted off her dress with her right hand, since her whole left shoulder and arm were sore.
Arrietty reached for her bag, but Spiller quickly pulled it away from her and put it on his own back. "Be there soon." Spiller said as he walked towards the dead rat. He yanked Arrietty's pin out of the rodent's leg.
Its once clean metal was now covered in sticky, red blood. Spiller quickly wiped the blood off the pin and gave it to Arrietty, who slipped it back through the fabric of her dress.
Spiller looked up at the sky nervously before leading Arrietty back on the path to the cities.
It was a quiet walk from then on. Both Spiller and Arrietty were feeling a little shaken up after the encounter with the mouse, after all, it's not everyday you almost see your best friend die.
Neither one of them knew what to make of the kiss, even if it was just a kiss on the hand. Spiller was much more alert now and he always kept his bow at the ready.
Arrietty's shoulder had a dull throbbing pain in it, almost like the headache one gets during a fever. Her white borrowing bag was on her right shoulder, so she could still carry it, but she still felt immense guilt every time she saw Spiller lumbering next to her.
Soon they came to an opening.
They pair stepped out of the grass and onto a strange long, gray, and flat stone. Arrietty examined it; every now and then there was a straight grove across the slab of rock where ants had made little hills.
"Arrietty," Spiller whispered. The girl looked up and darted over to Spiller who was pointing over the edge of the gray rock.
Arrietty looked over the edge and saw a large opening in its side, a little farther from the opening was a long black slab of stone with yellow lines dotted across it. Spiller took Arrietty's hand in his.
"Jump." Ha said. Arrietty nodded and they leaped onto the black stone, narrowly avoiding the hole.
Arrietty straightened up and turned towards Spiller, "now what?" she asked.
"Jump down." He said, pointing at the hole in the gray rock. Arrietty looked at him nervously. "Trust Spiller." He assured taking her hand once again and leading her to the opening. Arrietty looked into the darkness and held onto Spiller's hand more tightly.
Spiller gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before they both jumping off the edge. Arrietty hung on tightly to Spiller as her heart tightened. Then their feet hit the ground.
That was… painless. Arrietty realized as she straightened up, still holding onto Spiller's hand. Spiller smiled at her and pointed down a long dark path that looked as if it had been cut through the stone walls. Arrietty squinted and could make out a soft glow in the distance, she gasped quietly, "the Underground." She whispered.
There it is! I hope you like it :D My goal is to get 5 reviews for this chapter, but I need help from you guys with that :). On another note, have any of you read "The Black Games" by Mrs. Pettyfer? I you're a Zutara fan I'd recommend it :) Anyways, she does this thing where if she gets a certain number of reviews, she'll let you ask a character in the story a question, and the character will answer it. Would you guys be interested in doing that? tell me if you would :)
R/R
PessimistGirl: haha, thank you! No worries, I don't think you use the word cute too much :D
zabchan: Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me :)