He snorts a laugh. “That would be unlikely.”
I frown but decide not to argue. He’s probably right, though I’ll never leave her behind.
He cups his hands in front of his mouth and blows into them, making a weird horn sound. He waits a minute, then does it again.
I watch the mouth of the cave, anxious and hoping that no one gets hurt.
But nothing happens. Minutes drag on, and nothing comes out.
I exhale, annoyed, but just as I’m about to suggest we look elsewhere, Ramsey makes the sound again, and instead of silence, a shrill screech fills the air.
I look to the cave and see a monstrous boar with huge tusks jutting from its mouth charging into the forest.
It’s just as large as the endergulf, but with glowing red eyes and tusks along its side.
Fiona steps forward with the pike, stabbing the creature in its side.
It wails, turning toward his injured flank. For a moment, I worry it’ll impale Fiona on a tusk, but Araelya steps out from the tree, firing an arrow into its neck.
It shrieks, bucking its hind legs and charging forward.
“Finish him,” Ramsey commands.
It seems impossible. The boar has got to be at least three hundred pounds of solid muscle.
Then I remember back in the hull, how that even though I’d been a servant, the women trusted me, allowing me to lead them into the scary unknown.
I have to take down the boar. Not only will it impress Ramsey, but it’ll provide food for my people and his.
I allow the boar to get close, then I dart from the tree, driving the spear into its ribs.
It howls in response, slowing, whipping its large body from side to side. I try to pull the spear out, but it holds, jolting me back and forth as I wrestle with it.
Fiona stabs it again with her pike, and as the beast lurches, the spear is released, and I’m able to lunge forward again, piercing its neck.
It falls forward, thrusting its head from side to side. I almost feel bad for the creature, but I know it would hardly feel bad for killing us if it meant his own survival.
Ramsey extends a knife out to me, and I know what to do with it. I wait for the beast to slow, then I walk over and slit its throat.
Fiona’s face lights in elation. “We did it!”
Araelya too smiles with satisfaction. Even Ramsey looks impressed.
After our hearts settle, Fiona asks, “How are we going to get it back?”
“You two will go back to the shore,” Ramsey says. “Just follow the direction of the sun.”
For a moment, they look unsure, and I almost wish they’d refuse to leave, because the last thing I want is to be alone with Ramsey.
But they wave goodbye, heading back without us.
He gestures to the boar-looking beast. “Now, we skin the bruntler.”
“I’ve never skinned an animal before, so you’ll have to teach me how.”
To my utter shock, he instructs me without lacing his words with insults, only helping when I cannot easily move the animal on my own. I can tell he wants to call me weak during those times, but he holds his tongue.
When we’re done, he takes a large blanket from his pack that’s fastened to ropes, and lifts the creature onto it, so that it acts like a sled.