Within moments of careening down the woodland path and into the thick of the whispering woods uneasy terrain the screaming started. I told myself not to react, to let the screaming echo though the branches like the cawing of birds.
These girls had been trained since birth, they were hardly damsels and were not above fighting dirty. I had to remember that, wincing when the screams cut off leaving only the faint cheers of the hungry crowd in their place. Concentrating on the task at hand I patted down my thigh to find the blades I would need should the creature responsible for those blood curdling cries for help come across my path. Killing our prey may have been prohibited but wounding it was fair game…
Down a small muddied hill I slid to safety against the trunk of a thick redwood, crou
