Page 57 of Saving the Alien Chieftain

Even Cupcake takes flight into a tree, barking frantically. Finally, my brain clicks into gear and I move in a blur, my legs pumping in a frantic motion. I move so fast I can barely navigate the terrain. But behind me I can hear the splashing paws of the beast getting closer and closer. Panicking, I try to think of some plan, something, anything I can do to escape.

There are no trees nearby that I can climb that the venefex can’t reach or tear down. My lungs feel like they are about to burst as I push harder than I have ever pushed before. The adrenaline roars through my veins like a burning inferno. The river widens as more streams converge.Maybe if the waters are deep enough, I can swim?But I’m unsure if venefexes can swim in shallow water.

Cupcake’s frantic barks fade into the distance, swallowed up by the panting snarling at my back. For a mad moment, I contemplate turning back to fight the monster, but that would be suicide. This venefex is larger than any other I’ve encountered, the size of a small house. I’d stand no chance.

The river grows more rapid, flowing faster here, and I hear the roaring of water ahead. The hairs on the back of my neck prick up.It must be right behind me; its panting is so close now.Even though I push myself and the exoenhancer armor to their limits, I still can’t outrun this terrible monster.

Suddenly, an immense force strikes me, as if a bus has rammed into my side. Agonizing pain explodes, engulfing half my body, searing my mind. Darkness clouds my vision as I spin through the air, the world a dizzying blur. I hear a loud splash and believe I can feel water, but it’s hard to tell everything feels hazy. Now, amidst the muffled sounds of water falling, I plummet.

Darkness takes me.

Chapter 21

Krogoth

Hunting the huntress

The refreshing rain peltsmy forehead as the cool light wind rustles through my long black hair. I crossed the Draxxi border in the early hours of the morning.Gods, it feels good to be home once more.It’s been three days since my fateful meeting with the trader in the deserts of Nardune, and I’ve barely rested since.

Reinvigorated from the traders’ water, I propelled myself with an unrelenting pace through the harsh and brutal dunes, with nothing but the monotonous sands and blistering sun overhead for company on the long marches. The only obstacle was crossing the border between Sanaxus and Draxxus. Both clans maintain a border of hunters to keep out the more dangerouspredators from civilization, but fortune was on my side and I was able to pass them unseen under the cover of darkness.

Now, the early morning sun is illuminating my surrounding area.Good, it’ll help me track my Pebbles.The waning gibbous moon is still visible in the sky and it fills me with a desperate anxiety. I’ve missed the start of the Proving by two days. I’ll never forgive myself if anything has happened to her because of my slowness.Perhaps if I had avoided those three naps, maybe I could have reached her before she started!

I curse myself for not being strong enough for her, but there’s nothing left to do other than find her.Great Gods, if you have any regard for the concerns of your noble sons, then hear my prayers. Please keep her safe until I find her. I’ll pay any price, make any sacrifice!

Setting off through the increasingly dense forests of Draxxi, I intentionally avoid areas likely to be populated, still wishing to remain unseen. If Rylar has been training her, he’ll hopefully suggest she take the Taru path, being safer and slower, which will give me a chance to catch up to her. Ignoring the dull ache from my wounds and endless forced sprints from the previous weeks, I hurry towards the Taru path.

The trader said Pebbles was wearing strange golden armor. He must mean the exoenhancer Nu’warian armor I planned to give her as a gift after the Mortakin-Tok. The thought is simultaneously encouraging and disturbing. It means Xandor is involved in this madness too, as he’s the only one who could have given it to her. My fists shake with fury at their betrayal.Damn them both! I had commanded Rylar and Xandor to see her home safe; instead, they send her into the voiding Proving! Where no off-worlder has ever survived! Utter folly.

They will both feel my wrath if anything should befall her. But not before I take my revenge on the black-hearted Zyraxis and the rest of the treacherous cowardly elders who supported him.I vow they will rue the day they agreed to send my innocent Pebbles into almost certain death. My only comfort is the golden armor I had torn from the broken body of Tensin Naxsus’ champion. With it, she can hopefully outrun any stalking predators.

I discard my scaled cloak, leaving it to the side as I dodge through the trees that come whirling past. Despite the dire situation, a part of me enjoys the hunt. I just wish I was hunting Pebbles for a more fun reason.

I feel the rain splash off my exposed chest, washing away some of my fatigue and dried sandy blood. The knowledge that Pebbles is not far now drives me forward.Nothing can stop me now. I will find her.

Before long, I arrive at the river denoting the start of the Taru path. My eyes scan the scene, hoping to find any hint or clue to trace Pebbles. My eyes are drawn to a brush that is partially squished in the middle. Inspecting closer, I notice a muddy footprint nearby.The size is ridiculously small. Pebbles!Relief washes over in a wave. It’s surreal to think she had passed through here not two days passed.

I follow the trail of broken twigs and muddy footprints. It’s clear she headed along the river some distance from the banks.Clever female, staying out of sight.Pride and adoration wells within me that my Pebbles has risked so much to rescue me. No words can express the intense feelings of love I have for her.

I follow along her trail until it suddenly converges near a cluster of larger footprints.What happened here?The other tracks are obviously Klendathian, being much larger and deeper, denoting heavier weight. Panic springs within my chest, thinking they might have attacked her. Crouching to get a closer look, the bigger prints crisscross. At least two of them.Doesn’t appear to have been a struggle. The realization brings me relief.

Maybe they teamed up together?No, the Klendathian footprints head back towards the river while Pebbles’ tracks head further out from the riverbank.She was hiding from them!Blind fury nearly overwhelms me. Those bastards are hunting her! Not wasting another moment, I continue following her tracks; I need to find her.Hang in there, my love.

Rushing ahead at a blinding speed, I send scores of razorbills and puffrios squawking into the skies in fear at my rapid advance through the dense foliage, only pausing to reorient myself to match Pebbles’ tracks. My watchful eye catches a Klendathian hunter perched atop his lookout post, high amongst the towering trees.

Momentarily, I consider going around to avoid being seen, but I don’t have time to waste. Besides, he might have seen Pebbles come through. Hurrying towards the hunter, he turns his masked head in my direction, waving down at me. “Have you seen a human female come through here?” I shout up in question.

He nods eagerly, “Yes, Chieftain, not two days ago. I saw your female Rocks. I pray to the Gods she’ll succeed. She traveled along the Taru path,” he concludes, gesturing with his large spear toward the north.

“Thank you, brave hunter!” I shout in reply, already sprinting north through the trees on Pebbles’ trail.Less than two days?I’m already gaining on her and should be able to reach her before she finishes the Proving.If nothing terrible has happened.

Speeding through the dense foliage of Draxxi, it’s not long before Pebbles’ trail leads to a frantic aftermath of stampeding hooved feet of aurodons, the trees damaged and smashed in places, the beasts obviously harried by something at their backs. Nearby, the grisly remains of an old aurodon, nearly picked clean down to the bone, sheds light on what happened here.

Hydralith droppings around the aurodon corpse paint a vivid picture.Hopefully, they were too busy eating their fill here to notice Pebbles.Casting my eyes about the scene, I desperately search the muddled ground for any signs of her tracks, until finally I spot her tiny prints heading northeast. She was running fast,denoted by the large berth between each step. Panic grips my chest, noticing the clawed paw prints of a hydralith following her path.

I can almost picture the frenzied chase in my mind as I follow the tracks, praying Pebbles was fast enough to escape the beast. The tracks end abruptly near some stone outcroppings. Noticing a small opening hole, I doubt I could safely squeeze through.Could she still be down there now?“Pebbles!” I shout into the dark cave. I wait patiently as my voice echoes eerily through the tight enclosure.

With no response, my eyes catch sight of more hydralith tracks leading further northeast, away from the stone opening. I follow the paw tracks, hoping I’m not being led to a den full of hungry hydraliths, but the lack of other leads gives me no choice.

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