Im concerned about you being able to get out of the trees before she is seen by that guard,
Scotty sighed and said, I know. Wheres a Torg when you need one?
What do you mean?
I was thinking that if a Torg roared, that guard is not going to go rushing into anything, blaster or not. No one in their right mind would go in the brush with a Torg around.
I can roar like a Torg.
What?!?
Its easy. Thats how we try to lure them out of the forest.
Let me think about this.
Take your time. Shes not coming anytime soon.
How do you know that?
Ladies dont like such dirty behavior. Shell wait as long as possible.
Most of them go during their meal time. I hope she doesnt come with a crowd.
Would you?
Scotty snickered, You know me too well. No, Id make sure I went alone.
So will she; Humans are funny that way.
Vring, Im going to need your help on this.
What do you mean?
I dont want the guard looking for her. Im going to kill one of those grecks up in the trees and scatter its blood at the site where she enters the forest. Im going to grab her and thats when you roar and run out of the trees. Ill come right behind you. As big as you are the guard will have to know its a huge Torg that attacked her. He wont rush in.
What if he burns the forest?
He wont.
Why not?
Even guards need bathrooms.
Vring started laughing.
Lets go into the trees. You turn around so you can make a fast escape and make as much noise as you can running through the brush.
I dont think that will be a problem.
Scotty chuckled, Me, either. He reached up and pulled his visor down over his face and they moved into the forest.
Juliette Larson felt her back hurting, but ignored the pain. She was sitting on the ground picking small yellow pods and putting them in a basket. She hated the pods; they were the same color as the Magrum. She thought about the dream that had come again last night. Why did she keep having that dream? She took a deep breath and glanced across the field at her parents picking pods. All theyve ever known is backbreaking work. She looked at the sky and asked the Creator to save them from this horrible existence. She wondered why her family was being punished. Then she shook her head; it was because of the blasphemy of attacking the Creators Holy Realm. Her family had the misfortune of living on one of the planets that sent their ships to attack the Realm. But how long must she atone for those sins? Please save us from this. I beg you. Please save us. Julie continued working and though she tried to wait, she had to make a trip to the woods. She stood and held up her hand. The guard nodded to her.
Jingo and Cezee were circling keeping a close eye on the Human female. Jingo was amazed that she went all morning and never moved toward the trees. Thats incredible. He had already had to land twice while Cezee circled without him. Finally she stood and said something to a guard. The guard nodded and she started toward the trees. Let them know,
White Hair, shes coming.
Scotty thought, I see her. He moved to the edge of the trees she was approaching and took the greck he had shot and used his sword to cut it and spread its blood all over the bushes and surrounding trees. As she moved closer he moved next to a tree and waited. She walked in twenty steps and stopped. Scotty reached out and grabbed her from behind. She issued a loud scream and Scotty hit her under her chin and threw her over his shoulder.
Julie pushed a bush aside and walked into the forests edge. She glanced around and saw blood everywhere. Oh, my God, whats happened? Then something grabbed her and she screamed. Then she felt the lights go out after a blow to her chin.
Vring heard her scream and released a Torg roar that rocked the trees. Then he rushed out toward the small clearing. Scotty ran after him carrying the young woman on his shoulder.
The guards jumped up, and the one next to the woods refused to move.
Glex, what are you waiting for?
The guard looked up at the huge yellow-skinned being on the hill and said, Why dont you come on down and see what you can find.
Didnt you hear it run away? Go check and make sure.
The guard gingerly but slowly eased forward toward the place where the female had entered the forest. He stopped every ten feet and listened as he pushed brush away, all the while expecting to be rushed. The Torg attacked in groups. Even though one had run away, there were probably more. He had gone about ten yards into the tree line when he saw the blood. He came running out of the woods and said, It took her. Theres nothing left but a lot of blood.
The guard on the hill laughed and yelled, Does anyone else need to visit the trees? Then he laughed even louder. Two Humans working in the middle of the field continued to pick pods and wept at the loss of their daughter. They cried quietly, and mourned the loss of another child. It was much later before they could hold each other and rock in each others arms as they wept.
Scotty ran out of the trees and ran up Vrings arm to the binding. The female was regaining consciousness. She moaned and Scotty said, Are you able to hold on?
Julie opened her eyes and didnt see anything, but felt something in front of her. Can you hold on? she heard.
She said, Who are you? and Scotty remembered his dream. Were going to get out of here, but you have to hold on to me and throw the cape on my back over you.
She felt around and found the loose fabric and said, Whats going on?!?
Ill explain later, but if you want to live youll do as I ask. Im not going to harm you.
She put her head under the fabric and wrapped her arms around the being in front of her. She was surprised; it was another Human. Suddenly, she felt the ground under her start moving. She looked and saw she was flying about ten feet off the ground at a very high velocity. Where are you taking me?
To freedom.
She heard the word and wondered if her prayers were being answered. For the moment, she held on tight and whatever she was on accelerated and flew away from the fields.
After a few moments she realized she was on a living thing. She felt the wings flapping and the muscles under her flexing and moving. Then she heard, Vring, are they doing anything?
She heard in her mind, No, Jingo says the guard looked in the woods and backed out quickly. It appears you were right. They think shes dead.
What about the guards on the hill?
Your favorite is laughing at her apparent death. You might want to hang on tighter; Im going to make a pretty hard left turn in a moment.
Scotty said over his shoulder, Lean to the left when he turns, and hold on tight.
Julie leaned left and held on to the rider in front of her. She still couldnt see anything but shifting colors that hid everything. Then she heard, All right, the land goes up from here and Im going to go higher. She felt the wings catch air and they went up quickly. She saw from under the cape that trees were far below.
Vring, we need to make a stop.
Why?
I stopped our passenger from finishing what she came in the woods to do.
Thats ok. I dont think Ill be able to do that for a week.
Vring started laughing.
Scotty tried not to, but started shaking with his suppressed laughter.
Julie felt the one she was holding on to laughing. She shook her head and said, Who are you?
My name is Scotty Robbins. The one we are riding is Vring. And you are?
My name is Juliette Larson. You pack a mean right hand.
Im sorry. I couldnt think of any other way to get you out of the trees without being seen.
You could have asked.
Would you have come with an invisible voice?