Moonlight streamed through the gaps between trees, leading Kel to a small
bluff that overlooked the stream. She watched, for no apparent reason, and
without any thoughts of Cleon or her upcoming Ordeal. Suddenly, Kel heard a
rustling in the bushes, and, in a flash, a Taurus came charging towards
her. Kel reached for her glaive, but remembered that she had left it at
camp by her bedroll. All she had was the dagger tucked into her belt, and
compared to the bull's two horns, she didn't stand very much of a chance.
Instead of fight back, Kel ran running deeper into the forest. She yelled
as the taurus backed her up against a huge boulder. Kel ducked its horns
that would have gutted her, and instead they cut a deep gash across her
head making a scraping sound as horn met bone. It sliced her thigh, and she
drew her dagger. Attempting to puncture his head, she lunged, but the
taurus was faster. He moved sideways, and cut her head again.
Neal woke up to a distant scream coming from the forest. Looking over, he saw Kel's rumpled and empty bedroll. He grabbed his sword and bow and ran towards the woods, following any sounds he could hear.
Kel managed to cut the beast's shoulder, but it wasn't stopping it. Now she could feel warm blood coursing down the left side of her head. It wouldn't be long before she fainted from blood loss and the taurus had her. The taurus sliced her shoulder again, and suddenly froze, its eyes glazing over, an arrow lodged in it's neck.
"Kel!" Neal whispered. "Kel. Wake up." "I'm awake, Neal." She mumbled. He scooped her up in his arms, green magic stopping the blood flow. She opened her eyes and watched the forest. He hoisted her up more and she held on by putting her arms around his neck. "Goddess, what were you doing out there? Alone, without any weapons at dark, far from camp?" He asked worriedly. "I don't know. Just trying to get back to sleep I guess." "It.it didn't get you did it?" She knew what he meant. Tauruses were known for preying on women and girls. Kel still didn't understand why the gods didn't make female tauruses. "Almost." She whispered.
They reached camp and Neal went straight to Alanna's tent. She and Raoul got tents, while everyone else slept out. "Alanna!" He whispered loudly, whacking the closed tent flap. They heard a grumble from inside. "This better be important, Nealan, or your head is going to be on my wall!" Neal winced. Alanna opened the flap and her eyes widened. She ushered them in and gestured to a spare mat where he lay Kel down. He turned to Alanna. "You know I'm not good with head wounds." The Lioness sat down across from Kel as violet fire streamed from her hands to cleanse and sew together the deep gashes on her head. At the end, only a scar was left on her forehead. Then Alanna turned to Neal. "The scar will go away in a couple of days. What happened?" She asked. Neal looked worriedly at Kel. Who laid with her eyes closed listening to them. "She went for a walk in the woods out there, alone, with only her belt dagger. It was a taurus." Alanna closed her. "Did it.?" She asked. He shook his head. Alanna sighed in relief. "You'd better take her back. She needs to rest." He nodded and picked her up. "I can walk." Kel said tiredly. Neal put her down and took her hand, leading her through the camp. He pulled his bed closer to hers, and they slept, fingers entwined and foreheads gently touching.
Neal woke up to a distant scream coming from the forest. Looking over, he saw Kel's rumpled and empty bedroll. He grabbed his sword and bow and ran towards the woods, following any sounds he could hear.
Kel managed to cut the beast's shoulder, but it wasn't stopping it. Now she could feel warm blood coursing down the left side of her head. It wouldn't be long before she fainted from blood loss and the taurus had her. The taurus sliced her shoulder again, and suddenly froze, its eyes glazing over, an arrow lodged in it's neck.
"Kel!" Neal whispered. "Kel. Wake up." "I'm awake, Neal." She mumbled. He scooped her up in his arms, green magic stopping the blood flow. She opened her eyes and watched the forest. He hoisted her up more and she held on by putting her arms around his neck. "Goddess, what were you doing out there? Alone, without any weapons at dark, far from camp?" He asked worriedly. "I don't know. Just trying to get back to sleep I guess." "It.it didn't get you did it?" She knew what he meant. Tauruses were known for preying on women and girls. Kel still didn't understand why the gods didn't make female tauruses. "Almost." She whispered.
They reached camp and Neal went straight to Alanna's tent. She and Raoul got tents, while everyone else slept out. "Alanna!" He whispered loudly, whacking the closed tent flap. They heard a grumble from inside. "This better be important, Nealan, or your head is going to be on my wall!" Neal winced. Alanna opened the flap and her eyes widened. She ushered them in and gestured to a spare mat where he lay Kel down. He turned to Alanna. "You know I'm not good with head wounds." The Lioness sat down across from Kel as violet fire streamed from her hands to cleanse and sew together the deep gashes on her head. At the end, only a scar was left on her forehead. Then Alanna turned to Neal. "The scar will go away in a couple of days. What happened?" She asked. Neal looked worriedly at Kel. Who laid with her eyes closed listening to them. "She went for a walk in the woods out there, alone, with only her belt dagger. It was a taurus." Alanna closed her. "Did it.?" She asked. He shook his head. Alanna sighed in relief. "You'd better take her back. She needs to rest." He nodded and picked her up. "I can walk." Kel said tiredly. Neal put her down and took her hand, leading her through the camp. He pulled his bed closer to hers, and they slept, fingers entwined and foreheads gently touching.