Talon flailed against the air that rushed past, but nothing would stop the fall. He drew in breath to scream and felt the dark slip inside. Before he could send it forth, something struck him on the back, hard enough to dislodge his mind from the rest of his senses. Before a different kind of darkness eased him from consciousness something landed heavily to his side. A monster? Sosa?

　　Through this new darkness, light glinted like golden sunlight from polished tools. It was Sosa, no longer in a linen skirt, but covered in plates of bronze metal. Talon looked down to find his own body similarly adorned. The monster stood over his daughter and tore away the sheet of metal protecting her chest, slashed the flesh open and sunk its maw into the soft of her belly.

　　He wanted to stop it but his limbs would not answer. The thing crept toward him, ribbons of Sosa swinging from projected teeth no longer obscured by darkness.

　　It`s not real, wake up wake up

　　It reached to swipe the metal from his own helpless body and&

　　Wakeupwakeup

　　Talon shook himself awake, but opened his eyes to complete dark. The unnatural black enveloped him, blinded him, and something was moving inside it. He threw himself to one side as a clawed foot slammed to the floor where his head had been. Air moved as something swiped at his exposed back. He kept rolling trying to rise, but the floor kept moving from beneath him and he could only roll and roll, keeping one swipe ahead of the thing. Finally his feet stayed beneath him and Talon stumbled clear, breaking out into dim light, free of the creature`s darkness.

　　He snatched up a long fallen branch, staggered and turned to face the cloud that followed. His swing was clumsy but hard, aimed at the centre of that he could not see. It hit nothing but a trunk and splintered leaving a point. He lunged into the centre of the darkness, this time hitting something and drove his weight into the creature forcing it back. It screeched and swatted the branch aside. The dark billowed and Talon swung, catching the thing mid leap, knocking it free from its own cloud. Talon stared at the protruding spikes, black plates and sinewy legs all exposed. The teeth parted to free its scream. There were no tatters of Sosa`s flesh trailing from them but otherwise it was every bit the horror of his unconscious nightmare.

　　It readied to pounce, but the dark closed over it leaving Talon trying to judge its timing. He swung again, breaking the lunge and his branch. He raised what remained, the thing took no time to recover and was already moving again.

　　Sosa lay somewhere behind this smother of darkness. He had to kill it, hurt it, something - buy her enough time to escape if she could. Unless, he could run and lead it away? There was no time, it was on him again. Talon swung the stub of a branch but to little effect. A clawed limb slashed from the dark cloud, a fast attack not meant to kill, just to injure. It was being more careful, trying to take him apart one bit at a time.

　　He dodged, not fast enough. Pain sliced across his forearm followed by a trickle of blood. It swiped again, this time claws dug into the stick and it was ripped from his hands.

　　His only hope was to run and lead it away from Sosa, but the claws were already slashing from the darkness. There was no dodging, no turning to run. There was no time for anything more than tensing against the blow.

　　Something wasn`t right. He could see it, see the limb that lifted to strike him, see the dark eyes, the black hard plates of bone and spines.

　　The dark around it was receding, blowing away like smoke from new kindling caught in a breeze.

　　It recoiled in pain, the lifted limb slamming into the floor instead of into him. The claws dug into the earth and it reared back, clinging to the ground, head raised in a long and piercing wail. It looked like it might pounce, but fell at Talon`s feet, darkness boiling off it like water from a fired stone. Its body evaporated, spitting clouds of black as it disintegrated to nothing. Talon turned his head away as the cloud exploded over him, though he felt nothing touch his skin. Then the darkcloud was gone and Talon could see to the other side once more.

　　Sosa stood opposite him, the shining head of the bronze spear thrust into the space where the back of the creature had been. It was the only metal he could see. That other had been an illusion born in delirium.

　　Blood leaked from the centre of Sosa`s chin and a line above her eyebrow. Blood oozed from mashed knees and a gash on her elbow. She was panting, eyes staring at the space where the monster had evaporated, at the gleaming tip that now replaced it.

　　Sosa, are you okay?`

　　She took one hand from the spear, lowering the point and rubbed at her head. Are there drums, or is it my head?`

　　Talon stepped over the spear and took his daughter firmly in his arms. You killed it, Sosa. You did it. I worried about bringing you here, about how dangerous this was. I should have worried I`d be the one to slow you down.`

　　Did you mean to throw me out of a tree?`

　　Talon gathered her to him, I`m so sorry. It was going to fall right into you and I& well, I didn`t know what else to do.`

　　How did you know we were so close to the ground?`

　　I didn`t. I just hoped you`d be able to hang on to something.`

　　Oh. No. I was screaming and got thrown face first into a tree.`

　　Did I do that?` he looked at her wounds.

　　She smiled. Yeah. But I think if you hadn`t, then things might have been worse. It was about to get me.` Sosa shivered.

　　He hugged her again, but winced when they separated and he got a closer look at her face.

　　She pushed him gently away. This is nothing, don`t worry. I`ll get my own back, you`ll see.` She laughed. Talon laughed too. Then all his energy left him and his legs deflated, dumping him on the ground. Sosa sagged next to him, still giggling.

　　I killed a monster,` she said.

　　Talon shuddered. Yeah, you did.`

　　Me.`

　　He smiled, but the more he thought about it the more he wanted to throw up. We`d better get moving.`

　　Sosa used the spear to lever herself up, then offered her hand. Come on, Elder Talon.`

　　He grinned at her and stood on shaking legs.

　　You okay?` Sosa looked worried.

　　He nodded, then remembered their agreement. Legs feel like water.`

　　And mine.` She held out the spear. Lean on this for a bit, we`ll take it slow until we feel better.`

　　You keep it. You`re better with it than I am.`

　　Okay, but let me help you.` She slipped an arm under his. Talon wanted to say no, but he was learning to change his thinking.

　　Thank you.` He looked around. There`s just one problem&`

　　Not there isn`t.` Sosa grinned at him. That way,` she nodded between two trees.

　　How`d you know?`

　　We climbed up that one there,` she looked at the big trunk, and we fell out of that one there. I thought about what you said and remembered the direction from these two. It`s that way.`

　　They limped off. Talon gauged the direction of the sun from where most of the light glittered through gaps in the upper canopy. Once he got the direction he could navigate using the sun. It would only become tricky when it was overhead. They`d have to be careful not to get too turned around until it started to drop again in the afternoon. The watery feeling in his legs shed as they walked.

　　We could do with a stream to wash your cuts, you`re covered in blood. I don`t want them to go bad,` Talon said.

　　They`re only grazes, I`ll be fine. You`re the one who`s bleeding from everywhere.`

　　What do you&?` Talon`s arm was still dripping, but it was beginning to slow. He touched the back of his head and winced. His fingers came away wet. He looked down at his body. He was covered in cuts and gashes gained either in the mad scramble through the trees, or his short fall to the ground.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

　　Oh thanks to Ale-ki,` he said.

　　What do you mean?` Sosa sounded alarmed.

　　I can`t go back to your mother less bashed up than you are.`

　　After a short pause, Sosa spoke quietly. You know that Mmawe is proud of you. She wants to be mad, so she can`t tell you herself, but she is.`

　　Talon reached an arm briefly around her and wanted more than ever to hold Kala again. He felt very far from the village and his wife. At the same time, he had never felt closer to his daughter.

　　You know, I`m supposed to say stuff like that to you. I`m so proud of you. I`m so glad you`re here. I should not say this to my daughter, but I feel safer with you around.`

　　She punched him gently on the shoulder. We`re invincible! We`re the forest warriors Halo dreamed of. Nothing can stop us.`

　　The mention of Halo sent them both to silence, but still, Talon almost believed her. For the first moment since running into the woods, he shook the feeling that this would end with him watching his own daughter die.

　　They walked on and the endless forest began to erode his optimism. Talon tracked the sun`s motion through dotted breaks in the canopy above. Sosa soon picked up on what he was doing and he let her try. They were used to judging the time from the height of the sun in the sky when working the fields, though he`d never needed to use it this way before. As it rose to the zenith there was no use trying to read a direction.

　　Stopping was a bad idea. There was nothing following them and the darkness kept its distance but they could not stay like this forever. Ego had spent three days wandering aimlessly, Talon had hoped to find the village in only one, but every delay made it more likely night would find them still among the trees. With the sun overhead what else could they do?

　　The ground slopes,` Sosa tilted her head as if judging the exact direction. This has to be the hill we can see the smoke over.`

　　It would be really handy if the smoke came back.`

　　We wouldn`t see it if it did, but yeah we could use a better direction.` Sosa stopped. I`ve got an idea. Before the sun gets too high.` She took the spear and scratched a mark into the bark of a prominent tree. Right remember this tree.` She stood in front of it and pointed with the spear. We still think this way?`

　　Talon looked at the sun and nodded. It still stood a slight angle to their zenith.

　　Sosa pointed with the spear. Right, don`t interrupt me or talk to me or anything just follow.` She walked and Talon followed. He noticed she sidestepped obstacles, but kept her head facing the same way. She was fixed on one particular tree up ahead and when she got there she stabbed the spear into it gently, then turned back.

　　So we line up the mark with this tree, then look to the next one.` She marked the other side of the second tree such that it could be seen as they passed. We keep the marked trees in line and mark another tree and just keep walking in the straight line until the sun comes back down. Might not be perfect, but it will keep us headed roughly right. Got to be better than not moving.`

　　I`m glad there`s something of your mother in you.`

　　When the sun finally began to drop, their course needed minor correction and they managed to pick up the pace. The ground levelled out from the gentle upward slope and began a gradual descent. They had crested the hill, far less distinct a feature now they traversed it.

　　They paused to nibble on berries, hoping to avoid anything poisonous. It was little sustenance and almost none of the water they needed. Adrenaline had long abandoned them and the exhaustion left by its absence was a burden. When the field called for it, their bodies could work long days, but this fatigue ran as deep in their minds as it did their muscles. The hidden growls that pursued their every step ground on Talon`s resolve, growing the certainty that they were lost and inching closer to their death.

　　The sun dropped until bars of light shone through the merest of gaps overhead, no longer touching the floor. When even this faded, they attempted once more slashing the bark, but in the darkness it only worked over short distances and Talon knew their accumulating deviation must be growing.

　　As the natural night-dark settled, so too the unnatural black pressed in. The bubble of light cast by the spear receded and with it his hope. Soon the spear`s ethereal sparkle was their only light.

　　Talon`s stomach was empty, his muscles soggy rope barely capable of thrusting out limbs to keep him moving. His mind fogged. It might have been dehydration. It might have been the dark. Either way it took too much concentration to line up Sosa`s marks.

　　The dark crept closer until they could barely see from one tree to the next. Lining up the markers was nearly useless. Things lingered behind the curtain of darkness, still unable or unwilling to enter the light of the spear but following anyway, waiting for it to fail.

　　Talon`s wrestled a decision no father should have to make. When they came, did he defend Sosa, let her escape? Or did he make sure she died fast so that it was not her who suffered her final moments alone in the dark. Maybe they would kill the first quickly, but toy with the second victim. If so, it had to be him. Perhaps he could kill her himself, faster than they would do it.

　　Then again maybe she was less tired, perhaps if they took him first she could run and escape?

　　No. They would only hunt her and toy with her while she was alone. No, he was right.

　　Better it take her first and take her fast.

　　He could offer to carry the spear and when she was ahead he could drive it through her back and heart. A moment of pain to save her from whatever torment the things in the dark might have in mind.

　　Better to&

　　Which tree?` Sosa asked. I lost it.`

　　He stopped. He hadn`t been paying attention. The darkness soaked his mind like spilled ink over Kala`s parchment. It was hopeless.

　　Light sparkled in her her, reflected from the spearhead and in that tinkle of ethereal light he felt a little hope return. He fed on it, pushed back the dark, expelling it from his thoughts, for a little while at least.

　　They looked back. Talon indicated a tree.

　　It has to be that one.` He`d been paying attention more than he realised. Wait. Just stand there.` He back tracked a step or two and lined up their path. It has to be that way&`

　　Sosa yelled, jumped forwards and grabbed him, pulling him towards her. A long foot appeared from the dark, swiping at him. It`s claws missed, but took three chunks out of the bark beside him.

　　Talon instinctively lurched back, but Sosa didn`t follow. She moved just as fast, but towards the creature, stabbing out with the spear. She wasn`t close enough to hit it, but the spear forced the darkness further back and for an instant the thing`s head was exposed.

　　Dark teeth glistened, dark eyes peered from beneath black plates of bone, long sinewy legs ended in sharp claws. It snarled, almost hissing at Sosa, then sprang back into the dark and galloped away.

　　Hah, coward,` Sosa spat into the night.

　　Sosa looked tired, but she was better than he. He had reached his end, he had nothing left, but that was not true of Sosa. He felt shame that he`d even considered her failure. If either of them were to fall, it would be him. If it all went wrong, he knew she would survive if she ran.

　　If she ran.

　　Sosa might run, but she might refuse to leave him. The best way to keep her safe now was to make sure she didn`t need to choose.

　　Talon growled, feeling the blackness stain his every thought. He gave an enormous mental push, shoving the black from his head. Being mindful of these dark intrusive thoughts kept them at bay, but it took effort, like holding a bale over his head. Eventually he would be too tired to keep them from smothering him.

　　Sosa, I think the dark is getting into my head. How are you doing?`

　　I feel it too, but I think this helps,` she hefted the spear. You should carry it for a while.`

　　A moment ago he had considered using it to end her imagined suffering. His hand hesitated. No, no, I want you to keep it.`

　　She thrust it into his hands. Remember what we said. Just take it, we will walk close and swap regularly.`

　　His thoughts lightened instantly, the spear a gentle fresh breeze that carried the dark away. Talon fought back tears. He had really thought about killing himself, killing Sosa to make it all better. How easily those thoughts had nearly convinced him. Before in the tree the feeling of hopelessness had been overwhelming, but this was more of a gradual drowning in despair. The cause might be slightly different, but the end result was the same. Why they were different was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was that the spear did now help.

　　Better?` Sosa asked.

　　He nodded. Yeah, it`s gone. I`m just the normal amount of terrified now.`

　　Sosa laughed and it dispelled his fear almost as well as the spear removed the dark. He let his gaze linger on her face, her smile. He felt joy, but it felt so alien now, as if the dark had tried to drive the very sense of it from him. Thank Ale-ki, Sosa was here to bring it back.

　　The dark retreated ahead and closed behind, but it was sluggish as if resisting their passage. A lot more things made noises from beyond its veil. There was a pressure of darkness building up against their protective light.

　　I think we need to get out of here.` He handed Sosa the spear. If this went wrong, he wanted her to have it and that was not the darkness talking.

　　Sosa nodded. When I say run&` She stepped forward, sharply jabbing the spear into the dark. There was a squeal and everything began to move at once.

　　The dark behind them erupted with growls and snapping jaws. Clawed limbs swiped into the light as far as they dared but were pulled back as if burned. Ahead, things fell back, fleeing the spear point as the light followed it and thrust into them.

　　Run!` Sosa screamed and they did. Talon found the energy and though his legs felt like heavy old trunks, he kept them moving.

　　Don`t slow for me,` he shouted.

　　Shift yourself!` She grabbed his shoulder and gave an encouraging shove. They didn`t need to run for long, they only needed to break the ambush, perhaps turn to face the pursuers and ward them off with the spear. Perhaps they should have stood their ground and fought. Perhaps the confusion was their undoing and now the bodaki only needed to pick them off as they fled in panic like small birds mobbing a predator. The spear could only protect them so much.

　　Over the sound of his own wheezing he could hear the panting snarls of the monsters who wanted them dead. Clawed feet slammed into soft earth and tore into bare roots as they smashed through foliage.

　　Keep going!` Sosa shouted, as he began to slow. He searched as he ran. A large branch, anything for a weapon, even if only to offer a moment`s resistance before they took him down. Anything to buy time for Sosa`s escape.

　　Only one of them needed to make it for their plan to be successful. If there was only one, it needed to be Sosa.

　　There was a thump, a crash and a small cry.

　　Talon was alone.

　　He stopped, skidding on loose ground and turned. Sosa was face down, her foot caught on a protruding root. The spear had shot from her grasp and lay at his feet. The light had followed it and the dark closed over her. Something screeched a triumphant cry.

　　Talon grabbed the spear. They were a moment from killing her. Those claws that tore up the forest floor would be tearing into her naked back long before he could turn the spear and send the dark away from her.

　　Talon gave a cry, willing himself to be faster, but he could hear the thing`s gallop end as it left the floor in a pounce. Something flashed and the creature landed, not on Sosa, but on its side and clear of the black cloud. It screamed until the dark found it again.

　　Another flash.

　　A second creature, this one still still veiled at the edge of the black, yelped and flew away from them. Where the first had stood, there was an eruption of black. It was dying, turning into black mist like the one Sosa had impaled on the spear. Talon could hear a pack of them, all scrabbling to retreat and with them went the worst of the black. It was still night, but the forest managed to look lighter.

　　He dropped to Sosa`s side.

　　They ran. Took the dark with them,` he said, breathless, but we should go.` There was movement behind. Talon span around, training the spear point on it.

　　It was not a bodaki.

　　It was Sosa from his unconscious dream, her body covered in plates of bronze metal. No. It was not Sosa, but it was a woman, older, thick-set. Plates of shaped bronze metal covered her body and glittered as if she stood in direct noon-day sun.