Page 5 of Outcast

I did not hear Kieran’s response as I continued down the front porch steps, not wanting to get caught eavesdropping.

Closing my eyes, I tilted my head back and tried to listen for any sounds that might be Branson.

Instead, I only heard the sound of my heart speeding up the closer Riddick moved to me.

Odd.

“Can you smell or see anything?” I asked as I opened my eyes.

“There are far too many animal smells here,” he said and rubbed a hand against his nose.

Right.

Hiking my backpack up higher on my shoulders, I turned and headed in the direction Branson had left.

“Did you get ahold of the prince?” I asked after some strained silence.

“Yes, he said to tell you he is very grateful for setting my leg so it didn’t heal wrong. He also told me to make sure I repay you properly.”

“I don’t need repayment. It didn’t cost me anything to use some wood and a bandage and feed you today.”

“If I don’t repay you someway, he’ll get upset at me.”

I was fairly certain he was teasing me, but …

“How about you owe me a favor?” I suggested. “Nothing crazy, but a small favor I could use at a later date.”

“A favor, hm? Like what?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t really leave my woods, so I can’t even begin to think of what favor I might want.”

He grabbed my arm, pulling me to a stop.

I froze, taking shallow breaths to allow us both to listen. There, a scraping sound, like something being dragged along the ground.

Pulling from his grip, I hurried in that direction, ignoring his hands as he tried to stop me.

Turning my flashlight on, I shone it in the direction the sound was coming from.

My heart plummeted as the light illuminated a giant black bear, three times the size of any bear I had ever seen, dragging an unconscious Branson by the back of his neck.

I dropped the light, made claw shapes with my hand, and pulled two dozen rocks from the ground. Being careful, I flung the rocks at the giant bear’s head.

As I’d expected, he opened his mouth, dropping Branson, and roared in pain and fury.

The bear focused on me, steam coming from his snout. There was something … off … about the bear. Something almost ethereal, but not in a good way. The bear ran forward and I prepared to shoot every rock I had right at his head.

Riddick shifted into his cheetah form and darted between the angry bear and I, drawing its attention and making it charge after him instead.

Snatching the flashlight from the ground, I rushed over to Branson and inspected his injuries. “Bran, Bran, talk to me, buddy. Wake up and say something, please.”

Nothing. Crap.

He was way too heavy for me to carry physically, but I could use my telekinesis on him.

Setting my hand on his snout, I took slow breaths to keep from crying or freaking out. I had to stay composed and focused to help him. “Branson, I’m going to carry you home, okay? Hang in there. I’m going to fix you right up.”

In the distance, I heard the sound of a tree crashing to the ground. What was Riddick doing?

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