Change of Chaos

by Jacinta Jade

  Just as fast, Siray realised the next part of Baindan’s plan, and immediately swung herself into a more suitable position on his back, timing her move for when his lope was the smoothest.

  After swinging her legs around and altering her grip promptly from behind her to in front of her, Siray adjusted her hold on the branch in her right hand to be sure she had a firm grip on it. Now facing backwards, she tried not to let Baindan’s speed and the trees rushing past distract her as she gripped the branch tightly and looked directly at the pack of cripwofs closing in fast from behind. There were five of them, and they sounded their hunting cries as they came into attack range. Siray readied herself.

  As the first of them drew near to Baindan’s hindquarters, Siray twisted her head slightly and yelled, ‘On your right!’

  Baindan’s large body swung in that direction, abruptly cutting off that cripwof.

  An instant later, Siray heard a crunch as the cripwof failed to avoid a tree.

  She turned her attention back to the other cripwofs. They were learning fast, and, rather than come up along Baindan’s sides, two now approached from directly behind. Then they began leaping for his back where Siray sat waiting, branch in hand.

  Clenching her thighs and calves tightly against Baindan’s back and keeping one hand buried in his long fur while she swayed along with his gait, she leaned forwards from her hips and swung the branch at the leaping cripwofs, missing the first but connecting with the head of the second one.

  The stricken cripwof yelped and dropped to the ground, rapidly left behind as Baindan continued running and the other three cripwofs continued the chase.

  Turning to look over her shoulder, Siray saw that, far ahead, the river was now visible. They might actually make it, although she didn’t know how they would fight the cripwofs off once they’d reached the river.

  She twisted back and pressed her lips together tightly as she tracked the movements of the running cripwofs. They would have to deal with the pack before they reached the river. Simple, in theory.

  Clenching her jaw, Siray forced herself to ignore her rolling stomach and crawled carefully along Baindan’s back, moving closer to his rear. Here, her balance was even more precarious as she was bounced around, and twice she almost lost her branch. But each time she restabilised and moved a bit closer still to his tail, until she was perched where she wanted to be, two thick and racing legs flashing out over and over before her.

  The cripwofs reacted instantly to this move, jumping higher and snapping their jaws at her as they lunged.

  Raising the thick branch over her right shoulder, Siray gripped Baindan’s furry body harder with her knees as she waited.

  An instant later, one of the cripwofs leapt particularly high, its claws scrabbling against Baindan’s fur as it fought to get close enough to reach her.

  With a powerful swing that started from behind her shoulder, Siray brought the end of the branch down on the head of the attacking cripwof with a crack.

  The cripwof dropped to the ground, unmoving.

  Baindan still ran on, and Siray could hear his huge lungs heaving as she looked around for the remaining cripwofs, but she could only see one growling up at her, though, as it continued to run on behind them, not yet attacking.

  Siray frowned. Hadn’t there been two of the beasts left?

  Sitting up straighter, Siray scanned wildly around for the second one and, hearing a growl from her right, snapped her head to look in that direction.

  The missing cripwof was running upwards along a sloping tree that had fallen and was resting at an angle against another tree, the cripwof gaining height as it ran.

  Siray watched incredulous as the cripwof reached the top of the fallen tree and launched itself from the highest point, its leap timed perfectly for when she would be passing by below. The attack happened so quickly that it was only her instincts that saved her. As the wide jaws came for her, Siray threw her upper body backwards in the direction of Baindan’s head and flattened her spine against his bouncing back, the cripwof sailing through the space above her where her shoulders had just been.

  Breathing hard, she saw the cripwof land on the ground on the other side, not hurt, but out of the race for now.

  Unexpectedly then, Baindan’s body heaved as he leapt into the air over some obstacle, and, hanging on only by her calves in that moment as she lay flat against his back, Siray was bounced upwards and off that seat of safety, the branch flying from her loose grip.

  As she tumbled over his side, her body falling towards the hard ground rushing past, she grabbed at a clump of his fur and knotted her hands in it, clinging on as that handful of fur took her weight and her body bumped against his side.

  She heard Baindan let out a pained bellow at her grasp, but more important matters were now occupying Siray’s mind.

  Dangling as she was above Baindan’s still galloping legs, Siray held on tightly as the last cripwof ran up along Baindan’s side.

  Clever thing, she thought.

  With her hanging there, Baindan couldn’t pull the same manoeuvre that he had with the first cripwof, and, keeping close to Baindan’s legs, the remaining cripwof leapt.

  And this time, the cripwof’s jaw found its target.

  Siray screamed loudly as she felt sharp teeth pierce through her soft boots and sink deep into her flesh. Now hanging on to her by its teeth, its own back legs being dragged across the ground, the cripwof’s weight pulled at Siray’s foot, and she screamed again as she felt its teeth tear her flesh further.

  Her own scream was echoed by another bellow of pain from Baindan, who now had the burden of both Siray and the cripwof hanging from one point on his furry side.

  With the weight of the cripwof tearing her flesh and causing a new level of pain and dizziness to wash over her, Siray was forced to let go of Baindan, and she dropped from his side to the ground, rolling several times after she hit.

  When she finally came to a stop, Siray groaned as she lay there panting. She must have new bruises or other injuries from hitting the ground at such a speed, but the pain in her foot was like a fire burning away everything else.

  But then another sound managed to enter her consciousness and distract her from even the pain burning through her foot. A low but fierce growl sounded as the cripwof that had pulled her down faced her. It didn’t approach any closer but stayed standing over her in a threatening manner for a moment, right before it tilted its head back and howled.

  Siray winced at the loudness of the eerie sound and began to breathe faster. The cripwof was alerting the other Faction soldiers to the prize it had captured.

  Yet even as the cripwof finished its howl, a rumbling began to sound in Siray’s ears, the sound growing swiftly to a thunder, and she looked around to see Baindan charging straight for her.

  Gasping, Siray instinctively curled her body up into the tightest ball she could manage as Baindan’s huge, shaggy body leapt over her and head-butted the cripwof with a strength that sent it tumbling end over end away from her.

  Trembling and uncurling slowly, Siray heard Baindan produce a loud but satisfied snort, and she peered past him to see the cripwof lying motionless on the ground.

  Its eyes were closed, but she could just see its lungs working.

  Then the rilander circled, and its big head began to shrink, its fur disappeared, and then Baindan was straightening up as he resumed his normal form.

  Siray watched Baindan approach quickly, her breathing ragged as she clenched her hands against the pain that was stabbing through her foot.

  Kneeling directly down beside her, Baindan took one look at the blood running from her boot before he slid his arms around her body, lifting her neatly from the ground. ‘We’re almost there,’ he said soothingly, his eyes concerned.

  Siray didn’t say anything but gave him a quick nod. She worried that if she opened her mouth, she might scream again, so she kept her lips tightly pressed together while her foot continued to burn.

 
Although he was obviously aware of her injury, Baindan risked jolting her as he ran with her weight pressed against him, their need for speed greater than any need for comfort at that moment. Indeed, Siray took a moment to marvel that Baindan could actually carry her like this while running. And he seemed to be doing it easily. Her pain-fogged mind wondered just for the briefest moment how he had gotten so fit.

  When she turned her attention back to their path, Siray saw that they were close to the river now, and she looked back over Baindan’s shoulder to see if they were being pursued. She could only see the cripwof he had head-butted, still lying where it had fallen. She hoped it was dead.

  Then they were at the river and Baindan was bending down to place her carefully on the bank. Turning away from her, he ran towards a group of thick trees and shrubs beside the bank and, after fishing about in them for a moment, dragged out a skinny wooden raft. Siray saw that, while it didn’t look glamorous, it did look like it would float, and that was enough for her.

  While Baindan dragged the raft into the river, Siray busied herself by keeping alert for any signs of pursuit and trying to ignore the growing pain in her foot. The shock of her injury was wearing off, and she could feel everything now, the pain radiating up her leg to her knee.

  Yet the Mother must have been on her side, as she didn’t hear or see any indication that they had been tracked. Still, she stayed tense and wished for the comfort of her branch, limited as that comfort might be, and waited nervously for Baindan to finish pulling the raft into the river. She felt almost naked, sitting there injured, and her eyes scanned the trees around her constantly.

  Having set the raft in place, Baindan ran back to her and knelt beside her again. Obligingly, Siray stretched out her arm to hook it around his shoulders, and, picking her up again, he carried her to the raft and settled her on top of it, helping her to shift across its breadth to its far side.

  Perched on the rough surface of the raft, Siray watched as Baindan got a good grip on the edge of it and, pushing them off from the bank, walked out into the water, nudging the raft along before him. Once he had safely guided the raft into the current of the river, he jumped on, water streaming from his clothes.

  When Baindan paused to take a long look back at the bank, Siray followed his gaze, and she saw a grey head poking out from between two of the shrubs on the bank they had just left. As both she and Baindan watched, the first head was joined by another, both animals still and silent as they observed the current carry Siray and Baindan away on the raft. As the river caused the cripwofs to disappear behind a bend, Siray turned back to face the direction they were traveling and let her head fall into her cupped hands.

  ‘Thank the Mother we made it,’ she said, closing her eyes in relief.

  A vibration through the raft made her look up from her hands to see Baindan settling down closer to her.

  He gestured to her foot. ‘Unfortunately, we didn’t both make it through in one piece. Let me see it.’

  Thinking about her injury brought the conscious pain back in full force, and Siray grimaced. But Baindan continued to stare at her, and, not having much choice, Siray reluctantly pulled her foot in closer for Baindan to inspect.

  Apparently not satisfied, Baindan motioned for her to scoot backwards a little and gestured for her to rest her foot on his lap.

  Lifting her foot carefully to do so, Siray watched as Baindan leaned over it. Against her better judgement, she also leaned forwards to look. Her stomach clenched at what she saw.

  Blood had soaked through the remainder of her torn boot, turning the cloth dark and wet. If she had been wearing hardier footwear, it might not have been as bad, but the soft cloth of her boots was no barrier to a cripwof’s fangs.

  Carefully, Baindan undid her boot, pausing when Siray twitched as the movement pulled at her injury. When the soiled boot was finally off, there was somehow more pain—or was that it her mind? But still, she breathed easier as Baindan placed the boot to one side. Her head was already clammy from sweating through the pain, but Siray braced herself as she leaned forwards to see the damage.

  It wasn’t pretty.

  The cripwof’s teeth had pierced both the top and bottom of her foot, but it was the tearing around the initial bite that was the worst. And the injury was still bleeding.

  Not a good sign, she thought.

  Reaching over the side of the raft, Baindan scooped up a handful of water, bringing his cupped hand back over her foot to dribble the water over the wound before he tore off a piece of his wet sleeve to use to clean off the blood.

  Siray tensed as the slight touch, the burning in her foot increasing.

  ‘You were lucky,’ Baindan said as he worked. ‘The cripwof’s fangs didn’t go all the way through.’

  Siray glanced at her foot again, then quickly looked away once more.

  Baindan noticed. ‘Don’t like the sight of blood?’

  Siray shook her head. ‘I’m okay with injuries—just not so much my own. And this isn’t your everyday injury either.’

  Baindan lifted her leg slightly higher so he could see the bottom of her foot better, and Siray leaned back on her elbows to aide him. Then he lowered her foot gently down and pulling off his wet overshirt and began ripping the sleeves into strips.

  ‘Seems like they’re still trying to capture you,’ he commented casually. ‘Otherwise I reckon this would have been a lot worse.’ Using one of the newly made bandages, he began wrapping it firmly around the wound, ensuring the bandages wouldn’t slip.

  His task completed, Baindan placed her foot back in his lap and left it there, his hand resting lightly on her calf as he studied her face.

  ‘You’re looking a little pale.’ His voice sounded too casual.

  Siray shrugged her shoulders, just as casual, trying to downplay her concern over her injury. ‘Guess I’m not used to so much travel.’ She shivered. She knew she was still at risk of falling back into shock, not to mention the potential for infection. Her cycles of education had included the basics in healing and managing injuries.

  Baindan gestured for her to come closer. ‘Come here—you need to stay warm. Can’t have you going into shock now.’

  Since it matched her own thinking, Siray obliged his request, moving closer to rest her upper body against his warm chest, her head on his shoulder.

  They were both silent for a moment.

  Then Baindan said, ‘That was good work fending off those cripwofs.’

  Siray shrugged. ‘You came up with the plan, I just went along with it. Actually’—she paused—‘you’ve been the one to come up with all the plans.’

  Baindan’s voice was firm. ‘I wasn’t going to leave you, Siray—we’re in this together. I’m going to get you somewhere safe where the Faction can’t get to you.’

  Siray looked up into Baindan’s steady gaze and felt her heart pound. It was different to the way it had pounded when the cripwofs were after her, but no less fierce.

  Maybe she was going into shock.

  She shivered again, the movement shattering whatever numbness it was that had taken hold. They both turned to look downriver at the darkening sky, which could offer cover against searching eyes.

  Their raft continued to travel swiftly as it was swept along by the current, and Baindan stretched out his legs as Siray felt him wrap an arm around her.

  ‘We can relax a little now. We’re moving too fast for anyone to catch up to us, and those cripwofs will be reporting back to their commander.’ He snorted. ‘Although I wouldn’t want to be them when they have to report how they failed to capture us.’ He laughed coldly.

  In spite of the seriousness of the afternoon’s events, Siray pressed her lips together happily, hoping that their enemies had a severe punishment coming. Then she grew serious again.

  ‘What about winged scouts?’

  Baindan waved a hand around as if he could disperse her fears like waving away a cloud of smoke. ‘They might continue to track us, but unless they have a un
it waiting right on the edge of the pass for us, there is little they can do now.’

  Baindan tilted his head as he continued to muse out loud. ‘We’ll probably reach our next stop in the middle of the night. From there we’ll track inwards to the pass. If the Mother’s looking out for us, Roalger might be there with some of the others.’

  Siray smiled grimly as she looked down at her foot, which was pounding even harder now than her heart had been a moment ago. As long as she didn’t move it, she could almost pretend the pain wasn’t actually a part of her but was happening to someone else. Some other foreign limb.

  ‘She’s got to be,’ she said to Baindan. ‘We’ve been through enough.’

  She tried to get a bit more comfy without moving her foot, and her muscles tensed as she felt her back press up against Baindan’s firm chest, his warmth seeping into her.

  He must have noticed her shivering still, as he shifted slightly to wrap his other arm around her.

  Siray’s heart began to work hard again as they sat there together like that, watching the forest slide by though the night.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  SEVERAL TIMES in the night, Siray almost drifted off while she was cocooned in Baindan’s arms. Yet each time her head started nodding, she came awake in a panic, unsure of where she was and whom it was that held her.

  When she saw Baindan’s head sink and rise suddenly, she realised he, too, was struggling to stay awake.

  Siray blinked and shook her head a little. If they fell asleep and missed where they had to leave the river, they could face spans of trekking back to the correct point. On foot.

  She pressed her lips together into a thin line. She was doubtful about making it a body length in her condition. Better not risk it.

  She nudged Baindan. ‘How’re you doing?’

  Baindan mumbled something back and unwrapped his arms from around her to scrub his face vigorously with his hands.

  Siray shivered as the protective warmth of his arms left her, and the cold night air settled around her shoulders.

  Apparently Baindan was still having trouble waking up, as, incredibly, he leaned over the side of the raft and, without warning, dunked his head straight into the water.