Page 80 of Unleashed

“If things continue like this, we’ll have to start walking in the water,” Vortok grumbled. “How will you adapt when you’re up to your knees in hungry muck?”

“If anyone is likely to get stuck, it is you, Vortok,” Aduun said.

The clouds overhead darkened as the group continued, and soon the air was charged with a disconcerting energy. Aduun’s quills rose, and his skin tingled faintly. His instinct spoke from that beast portion of himself, the part of him that was tuned to the surrounding world in ways he could neither fully understand nor deny, to tell him a storm was inevitable.

This weather wasn’t going to blow over before it struck; it was exactly what Kelsharn intended and would happen exactly when he intended.

“We should seek shelter,” Balir said.

Aduun glanced at him over his shoulder. Balir’s features were drawn, his face tilted toward the sky.

“We already know that if it rains, it probably won’t stop,” Nina said, looking up. “We should keep going. We’re closer than ever.”

“She is right.” Aduun swung his gaze from Balir to Vortok. “If it becomes too much, we will stop. But we cannot allow Kelsharn’s games to keep us from our goal any longer.”

“If it rains too hard, my awareness of our surroundings will be greatly diminished.” Despite Balir’s steady, neutral tone, Aduun sensed a struggle beneath his words; even after all this time, it was not easy for him to fully accept what he’d lost. And to feel as though he might be a burden to the others because of it…

“We will guide you,” Aduun said, “as you have for so long guided us.”

Nina settled one hand on Balir’s shoulder and cupped his jaw with the other. “We just need to stay together, and we’ll be fine. Lean on us, Balir.”

Their progress slowed significantly when they finally came to a point at which the dry ground was no longer connected. After handing the bags to Vortok in the hopes of keeping them dry, they walked into the water, moving slowly through muck that seemed intent on trapping their feet and holding them in place. Aduun did his best to feel out as sure a path as he could, but it became more difficult as they moved farther from land, and soon the water was waist deep.

Nina cursed, and there was a splash. Aduun turned to see her battling for balance, one side of her body somewhat lower than the other.

“My foot sank.” She eased down until the water was touching her chin, tilting her head back to keep it out of her face. “I can’t get my boot up. It’s stuck.”

Vortok moved up behind her and crouched, reaching into the murky water. He held both bags on his other shoulder, keeping them above the waterline. A moment later, she fell backward into his chest, and he put an arm around her to steady her.

“Thanks, Vortok,” she said.

Aduun’s gratefulness was almost overwhelming when they finally reached the next bit of dry land. He stood at the edge and faced the others, assisting as they drew themselves out of the last of the persistent muck.

Once they were all on the ground, he surveyed the area and frowned. Large expanses of water, riddled with various plants and fat-bottomed trees, separated the outcroppings of land as far as he could see.

“Look at that!” Nina called, gesturing to the water they’d just exited.

Aduun followed her gesture with his gaze to see a long, dark shape moving beneath the surface, too obscured by the murk to make out.

He couldn’t guess what was in the water and found himself unwilling to try. “We just need to remain alert,” he said. “There’s no way to go but through the water.”

“At least those things might be edible. It could be worse,” said Vortok, lifting one of his legs to shake mud off the fur of his calf.

The sky chose that moment to unleash the storm that had been building. A single flash of lightning lit the heavens, followed by a peal of thunder, loud enough to make the ground beneath Aduun’s feet tremble, and then the rain began — torrents of rain, so much falling water that it quickly seemed as though there was as much of it in the air as in the swamp itself. The sound was overwhelming, and the rain was so heavy that it immensely reduced Aduun’s visibility.

He flattened his quills and shot Vortok an annoyed glare.

Vortok spread his hands and lifted his shoulders, already wet enough that his mane hung around his face in limp clumps.

Aduun wiped raindrops from his eyes, though he knew it was a futile endeavor. “Come on,” he called over the din.

He extended his tail toward Nina and watched her over his shoulder. She took hold of it and reached back with her other arm to clasp Balir’s hand, drawing the shrieker valo closer to her. Behind them, Vortok grabbed the end of Balir’s tail.

They continued forward, correcting their course as Nina directed. More lightning flashed, and more thunder boomed. The rain was worse once they were in the water again; not only did it fall on them from above, but it bounced off the surface of the water to splash their faces from below.

Never releasing hold of one another despite their frequent missteps and stumbles, the four trudged onward through the swamp, battling mud and rain every step of the way. Occasionally, one of them reported something brushing against their legs, but nothing attacked — that would’ve been too simple a problem to deal with. The valos were well-equipped to do battle with anything living. They had the natural weapons, the toughness, and the ferocity.

Dealing with the environment, however, was a different matter. They could not fight the rain, and their claws and hooves offered no advantages in the mud.

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