her heels. Branche

d bleeding, but the

n...what was happening? Surely all that crazy stuff

ain for explanations. So

etting wild dogs, cats, and snakes on somebody!? Hope that

clang to it anyway. Far better to think about t

ialtros kicked through the rotted wood. Climbing inside t

d. Oh

ing...had eaten one of them. She had helped. There were strict laws against animal murder in Daldaria! D**m

ong before any law c

ily everything. Hiding wasn't an option. S

ty is the Se

here for her family. Running around the woods would get her lost,

against the bark,

'd be to reach. She'd also have a

scream. Three loud yelps followed by a long,

a

wood from the tree roots, she started running.

fork. Beside him, Mom kept Grandma behind her, swinging viciously at another four-legs wit

s just gonna call em starry skins or hounds from now on, were d

g party? The woman controlling these things must've been a

e mouthed for Mialtros to run and get help.

These things would overwhelm Dad, Mom, and Grandma soon. Already, Dad's arms wer

ialtros had judging by the

st Dad turned. Clenching her fists around the wood, bendin

r friends ya filthy varmi

er to shed this blo

nge a thing. No judge could ma

iven her an idea on how to hurt the

d her. Side by side. Their fangs he

wered their heads,

hounds, she slid into the dirt. Snapping the spar in half, she t

ouched the h

kling feeling, not even bot

maw, into their thr

eir jaws. The roof of their muzzles pierced throu

easts were, they were also pretty

chased her round the farm. It all got her to thinking about how her hogs would chomp down on a

ent. A starry skin was still a

but it was better than no plan a

uch were she wrong. She'd be

her knees. She cr

the gumption flew right out of her t

tossing away the hay fork. He hugged her

ng me like that. I ain't got

ir was matted with sweat. Strands fal

do as your told. Don't go throwing yer

er calloused fingers as

ne saved us, so we may as well be grate

ed. Fright did

s dotted her skin. Her hair was singed. She brushed dir

y clothes will darn. Ain

f mattered. Not because her Grandma w

could all go home and figure o

wide was the only

she flew. Tumbling into grass, th

in. Holding its snapping

g towards him, drunk with blo

, Mialtros screamed. Looking

ad. Not l

ne! A

bove s

ng tired of waiting. Hold still, I don't

Mewl slammed into her ches

started