28

Don't Touch It!

Zierno was disturbed by Lofan’s hut. But that nervousness abated as he banished thoughts of it from his mind. Refusing to dwell on the odd circumstances.

Especially, since he could make no ready sense of them.

But as he rode back toward the shack, the fine hairs on his neck began to spike and he shuddered.

The energy in the woods had changed.

His heart sped minutely, and his instincts were telling him that something wasn’t right in the forest.

The urge to get back to the woman was overwhelming. He could nearly hear her shouting for him in his mind.

Help me. A rushed whisper that seemed to echo to him from every direction all at once. Echoing as though small creatures were whispering it back to each other. Desperate for him to hear the call.

He looked around. Swearing that he saw eyes in the bark of trees nearby, the figure of a creature standing near a shrub, wearing leaves all along its silhouette.

Pushing Heretic hard he ran throughout the cool night, weaving Heretic