Page 30 of Sohut's Protection

A dull orange glow lit up the area.

It was enough light for him to see but not too much to disturb the critters in the bushes around him.

With another sniff of the air, he settled in.

The creature’s scent was mostly faded.

Wherever it had gone, it hadn’t run towards the water.

Still, he was betting that it would turn up.

Something told him he was pretty right about that.

7

For the entire night, Cleo sat with the spikes she’d sharpened, waiting by the mouth of her cave…waiting for the alien to appear.

As morning rose, she still gripped them tight.

She had enough spikes to kill the whole coven in Twilight, and even as the sun rose, she gripped the two she was holding.

Unmoving, she remained vigilant behind the curtain of leaves at the entrance of the cave.

Logically, he shouldn’t be able to reach her cave, but still…

He’d come too close to seeing her.

If he found her cave, she would do him worse than bitch-bird did.

A breath shuddered through her as the sun rose farther into the sky, lightening the dark purple to a soft pink hue.

Her eyes were tired but she didn’t dare close them.

The moment she closed them, she’d be ambushed. She was sure.

Glancing behind her, she spotted the tuft of grass that was Wawa’s bedding.

He hadn’t returned yet and she was beginning to fear for his life.

It wasn’t the first time he’d left for a few days, but she couldn’t help feeling that the blue alien had something to do with her pet’s disappearance.

What if more blue aliens were roaming the jungle, looking for her? She shuddered at the thought.

There was a possibility this was true. She hadn’t had the chance to do her daily perimeter check.

It was a possibility she didn’t want to face.

Swallowing hard, Cleo glanced at the makeshift bowl in which she kept her drinking water.

She needed to refill it.

She’d do it now because it seemed she’d have to spend a few days hiding so she didn’t get caught.

She only had one dried morsel left too, so she’d have to ration.

Good grief…

But she could do this.

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