Chapter 101: The Falling Ravine
Swanly’s anger broke.
"No."
He checked her neck.
Her back.
Her arms.
Only when he found no wound did his shoulders lower.
"Nahla!"
"I do not need her."
"You cannot even move your arm."
"I can move it."
He lifted it.
His face went white.
Swanly stared at him.
Kael slowly lowered the arm.
"Nahla."
The healer arrived carrying two bundles while Sari dragged a wounded guard behind her.
She looked at Kael’s shoulder.
Then at Swanly.
"Again?"
"He threw himself in front of claws."
Kael growled, "She was the target."
Nahla pushed him onto a stone.
"And now you are useless until I close this."
"I am not useless."
"You cannot lift your arm."
"I can bite."
Swanly pointed at him.
"No biting anything."
Kael looked offended.
Nahla cleaned the wounds.
He did not flinch until Swanly stepped away.
Then his claws dug into the stone.
Swanly noticed.
She returned and placed one hand against his chest.
His breathing eased.
Soren watched from a short distance.
His face remained blank.
His tail struck one irritated line through the dust.
The next attack came from behind.
Three hollow birds descended on the rear guards.
The first guard stabbed one through the wing.
The second bird tore out his eye.
He screamed and fell from the ridge.
The third landed on another male’s back and ripped through his neck before Raku crushed it against the stone with his tail.
Swanly fired twice.
One arrow entered an eye.
The other pierced a wing joint.
The wounded bird dropped into open ground.
Kael, ignoring Nahla’s furious shout, shifted and crushed its skull beneath one paw.
The final bird escaped into the trees.
Two rear guards were dead.
The tribe kept moving.
They had no time to bury them.
Their group placed two stones beside the path.
That was all.
Later, while the light began fading, Thalara stopped.
Everyone near her immediately tightened their weapons.
She looked toward the forest.
"Their voices are improving."
A survivor’s face twisted.
"How would you know?"
Thalara did not answer him.
Swanly did.
"Explain."
The Aelari’s forehead eye moved toward her.
"They cannot perfectly copy a voice they have never heard."
Swanly went still.
Kael’s ears rose.
Soren turned slowly.
Thalara continued.
"They need to listen first. They collect the sound. The breathing. The way words break."
A mother pulled her cub closer.
"But they used voices from Riverbone."
"Yes."
"How?"
Thalara looked toward the trees below.
"They were listening before the settlement fell."
Silence crashed over the travellers.
The hollow birds had not arrived that morning.
They had been near Riverbone for days.
Maybe longer.
Watching.
Learning.
Waiting.
Several survivors backed away from Thalara.
One whispered, "And you knew?"
"I knew what they could do."
"Why did you not tell us?"
"I did not know they were there."
"Convenient."
Thalara flinched.
Swanly stepped between them.
"We argue after we reach safer ground."
The survivor pointed at Thalara.
"She always knows after people die."
Thalara’s smile disappeared.
Soren’s claws lengthened.
The male immediately stopped speaking.
Nerin suddenly stumbled at the front.
His broken antler vibrated.
He pressed one hand against the stone.
"Nerin?" Swanly called.
His face emptied of color.
"Stop moving!"
The command came so sharply everyone froze.
A loose pebble rolled past his foot.
It bounced once.
Then vanished through a crack.
No sound came back.
Nerin lowered himself carefully and pressed both palms to the ridge.
His antlers trembled.
"There is water beneath us."
Tovan crouched beside him.
"How much?"
Nerin swallowed.
"A river."
The stone beneath the tribe gave a long, low groan.
Cracks began spreading beneath thirty-two cubs and more than one hundred exhausted survivors.
Nerin looked up.
"The ridge is hollow."
Nobody breathed.
The stone groaned again.
A crack split beneath a supply carrier.
He jumped aside.
The place where he had stood collapsed into darkness.
Far below, water thundered through a narrow gorge.
Broken trees spun through the current.
Pale bones rolled between them.
Soren looked once.
Then turned to Tovan.
"Crossing."
The beaver builder was already moving.
"Ropes! Strong hides! Long branches!"
His workers dropped their packs.
Large beastmen pulled thick hide ropes free.
Others cut straight branches from the sparse shrubs growing between the stones.
Nerin crawled along the ridge, listening for solid ground.
Every vibration made blood gather around his broken antler.
Swanly followed.
"Do not strain it."
"If I stop, someone may step through."
"You are already bleeding."
"I know."
"That was not permission to continue."
Nerin looked at the cub groups.
"I will stop when they cross."
Kael appeared beside Swanly.
His wounded shoulder had been wrapped tightly, but fresh blood already stained the binding.
"You remain with the cubs."
Swanly turned.
"So do you."
"My injury is closing."
"You nearly fainted lifting your arm."
"I did not faint."
"You made the face people make before fainting."
Kael’s ears flattened.
"That was anger."
"That was blood loss."
He stepped closer.
"I am staying beside you."
"Good. Then we both stay until the cub families cross."
His jaw tightened.
He wanted her first.
He always wanted her first.
Then Kairo appeared holding the travel rope.
"Baby cubs first."
Kael looked at his son.
Kairo’s golden eyes were steady.
"Mama make sure."
Swanly folded her arms.
"Your own child has spoken."
Kael stared at both of them.
Miko peeked from behind Tilla.
"Papa lose."
Kael’s tail lashed once.
Nilo covered Miko’s mouth.
The crossing took shape quickly.
Tovan tied two ropes across the narrowest part of the broken ridge.
Wide carrying hides were secured between them.
Smaller beast forms crossed first.
Minks, rabbits, foxes, and young cats crawled along the ropes to test the tension.
Larger beastmen braced themselves on both sides.
Boars carried the wounded.
Deer crossed lightly, supplies tied along their backs.
Tilla moved with the cub groups.
"Eyes forward. Do not look down."
Tavi immediately looked down.
His entire body stiffened.
"Very down."
Tilla grabbed the back of his clothing.
"I said do not look."
"Mama, water angry."
"Yes. Stop insulting it before it climbs up."
Miko looked over the edge.
"Water cannot climb."
A broken tree struck the gorge wall below.
The impact exploded like thunder.
Miko jumped backward.
"Maybe can."
Kairo took the rope.
"Follow."
The younger cubs crossed one by one.
Kairo remained near the middle, pushing frightened cubs forward.
Nilo noticed every weak knot and warned Tovan.
Miko crawled with his eyes squeezed shut.
"Tell Miko when ground."
"You are on the rope," Nilo said.
"Do not tell!"
Tavi crawled directly behind him.
"Miko tail in face."
"Good tail."
"No."
"Hold if fall."
Tavi grabbed it immediately.
Miko’s eyes flew open.
"Not now!"
For one tiny stretch, the adults laughed.
Then the ridge shook.
Everyone went silent.
"Hurry!" Tovan shouted.