The faeling stumbled through the long grass, clutching a piece of torn cloth to
a gash across her right arm. Another gash across her left leg was stinging
painfully, but there was nothing she could do about that at the moment. It was
hard going through the unkempt grass and weeds. She knew the Estelbar highway
was somewhere on her left, but she daren't use it; for fear that the two orcs
who were tracking her would spot her easily in the open. She tripped over long
trailing weed, skinning her knees. Stifling a sob, she stood up and stumbled
on. She could feel her endurance waning, but she couldn't risk even a brief
rest, she didn't know how far behind her the orcs were.

Abruptly the long grass in front of her came to an end, and she stopped and
crouched just inside the grass's cover. Ahead of her were the open banks of a
river. Glancing upstream, she saw by the bright moonlight that the highway
bridge was quite a distance away. She would have to fly over the stream and
risk being spotted; there was no other way across. Flapping her multicoloured
wings she rose above the grass and sped over the river. Cries of triumph rose
from the direction of the bridge. They couldn't be that close could they? Panic
began to rise up in her, but she managed to compose herself, and tried to think
clearly. She had been spotted now, that much was obvious. She wished some cloud
would cover the moon, but the sky was clear. She could fly much faster than she
could run with her injured leg. But dropping to the ground would man that the
orcs would lose sight of her. Scanning the horizon she spotted a patch of dark
green against the grey-blue mountains. The forest! Surely she could make it
there before they caught up with her. She beat her wings faster.

The minutes ticked by. The forest was much closer now, but she could hear the
thud-thud of the orcs feet behind her, and her endurance was failing. Suddenly
the thudding stopped. She risked a glance back and then wished she hadn't. The
orcs had stopped, and the larger one was loading a heavy crossbow that had been
strapped to his back. She faced forward and tried to fly faster. A whirring
noise came from behind her, and she darted to the side quickly, but not fast
enough. A bolt ripped through her left wing, and she tumbled out of the sky,
landing on her injured arm. She herd a snap. Pain shot through her body, and a
red haze began to cloud her vision. A harsh voice came from behind her,
shocking her into action again.
‘Lets see you flutter on one wing, buttyfly.'
Painfully she stood up and took a step, and then another, and another, and she
running again. The thudding of feet started up behind her, much closer, and
gaining on her. She couldn't see where she was going, but she stumbled doggedly
onwards. Then cool air whipped around her, and she realized she had made it into
the forest. Collapsing behind a bush, she felt life slowly flowing back into her
exhausted body.

The orcs entered the forest and slowed down.
‘She come in here?"
‘Course she come in here fool, faeling like forest. Hiding in da trees
sumwhere'
The first orc saw a bush rustle.
‘Dere she be!'
The orcs hefted their axes and ran towards the bush. Powerful arms grabbed the
faeling and lifted her up. She cringed. Metal flashed in the moonlight. Golden
metal. The orcs fell back as a huge tae'dae rose out of the bushes, wielding a
large mace in one hand and cradling the faeling in the other. A tall elfen with
antlers appeared out of the shadows next to him. His sickle flashed again, and
vines shot out of the trees, wrapping around the orcs. Yelping in surprise,
they frantically began to writhe free. The tae'dae gingerly passed the little
faeling to his companion, and pulled a second mace out of his pack.
‘Filthy orcs, why you no pick on someone bigger than you?' he roared and
charged forwards. The orcs managed to free themselves of their entanglement and
fled, with the tae'dae in pursuit.

The elfen stood watching his friend for a moment, and deciding he didn't need
any help, he looked down at the faeling.
‘Don't worry, You're safe now'
Then, carrying his precious burden, he vanished into the depths of the forest.