Chapter 4
Mark was too stunned to move. He knew how deadly the creature could be. Just like in the book, the Orchard Keeper went to a rock and started to sharpen its beak. Mark had a guess that when he slipped it thought he had left. Mark tried to think. Lief had thrown a skull to distract the creature. Lyndal had thrown a spear and made it go away. Just then what looked like a gigantic wolf ran past the Keeper. The Keeper chased after the wolf.
Mark was glad he had liked the peel otherwise they would all have died. Worst case scenario: Jasmine, Lief, Barda, and John would die and he would live. Mark hurried to the four and started to try to wake them up. He wished they hadn't spit out the peel. He heard a sharp bark then a whimper of pain. Then it was totally silent.
Mark knew the monster would come back soon. He grabbed his sword and backed against a rock. The Keeper lumbered back into view. Mark saw a cut on its leg and blood on its mouth that he figured he knew what it had come from. The beast went to a rock and sharpened its beak on the rock. It went to Barda because he was the biggest and was about to stab his heart. Mark leapt from his hiding place, shouted, and stabbed the creature in then foot.
The Keeper's blood came out of the wound. The monster screamed, whirled, and lunged for Mark. Mark jumped out of the way and stabbed the creature in the foot again. The creature fell and went into the forest. Mark went over and tried to wake them up fruitlessly. Mark remembered the nectar Jasmine had gathered. He went to her and saw the three vials on a string, the golden nectar spilling around. Mark thought about taking them and running, but he deemed that as shelfish. He said a silent apology to Jasmine and cut the rope.
He put just a little in each of their mouths, and they stirred awake. He tried to explain why the had to go , but they couldn't understand him. He then had to push John away as the Orchard Keeper lunged for him. The creature grabbed Mark and shook him around in its beak. John grabbed his sword. Mark had saved him. He would save Mark. He saw Jasmine gesturing, but he ignored her. He jumped up and stabbed the Keeper in the heart. The Orchard Keeper looked, fell, and died. Mark scrambled from the beak and stood up. "Thanks," he said. "They say killing an Orchard Keeper is bad luck. I don't believe in luck," John said.
That was when a tree fell on him.
They rushed forward and Jasmine started babbling, "The tree said it would kill the Keeper." John smiled. "I am going to die. Brought on by irony." He turned to Mark. "You saved me Mark. I now realized I judged you too soon. Take my sword and take care." Mark said a heartfelt thank you and with that, John died.
A/N: Sorry I killed off John for those of you who liked him. I will have the next chapter up soon. I'm thinking of a look into the Shadow Lord's mind.
