Byren felt the impact in the pit of his stomach. That could so easily have been him.
'Who would have thought there'd be a second one?' Lence muttered.
'It was the female,' Byren said as he made the connection. 'Leogryfs mate for life. The male must have been bringing back its kills to share. We were lucky this time.'
Lence sat up on his heels, careful not to look towards the ledge's edge. 'You saved my life. Again!'
'Then you saved mine. That makes us even.' Byren grinned.
'No. Not even. There was that time when — '
'Doesn't count. You would have saved yourself.'
Lence rolled to his feet, backing away from the drop. 'I owe you.'
Byren would have argued but the others arrived. They came shouting and marvelling over the fallen leogryf. Seeing both brothers alive and well they cheered.
Monk Autumnwind approached the beast to say the chants over it. The Affinity that had been released when it died had to be settled. It was best to be sure with matters of power. Before he could start, Nun Springdawn hurried over to join him. Her manner made it clear she thought it her business to make sure he went about this correctly.
Byren hid a smile and turned to find the hunt-master inspecting the beast. He checked where the hunting knife was wedged then shook his head and laughed. Retrieving it, he wiped it clean and strode over to Byren. As if it was an honoured sword, he presented it to him, hilt first across his forearm. Byren took it and slid the knife into its sheath.
Garzik bounded over to Byren demanding to know exactly what had happened.
'Watch what you're doing.' Lence grabbed the youngster's arm, pulling him away from the edge. He caught Byren's eye with a shake of his head. Were they ever so heedless? 'Come over here, Garza.'
Byren and Lence returned to the place where the others crowded around the leogryf. They were perched on rocks or struggling to get a glimpse of it, impeding each other on the narrow path.
'Byren killed it with a single blow of a hunting knife,' the hunt-master announced.
They cheered. Orrade clapped him on the back saying something but his words were drowned out as the others all shouted at once, demanding to know how he'd managed it.
Lence raised his arms. 'He leapt on its back to save m'life.'
They cheered again.
'That's right,' Byren agreed. 'Then the beastie's mate would have killed me but for Lence's quick thinking!'
'We heard the second one's scream,' the hunt-master said, shaking his head. 'I missed it. I — '
'I should have suspected,' Autumnwind muttered, rising and dusting snow off his hands.
'Yes. Leogryfs mate for life,' Springdawn said, as if this was obvious.
'Don't worry,' Byren spoke quickly. 'The villagers missed it too.'
While the others discussed this, the hunt-master turned to Byren. 'I've never seen a leogryf slain with a hunting knife. King Rolen the Third was the last man to kill one with a spear!'
Byren shrugged. 'It was that or end up in the beast's belly.'
'Trust Byren. He always has to go one better.' Lence slung an arm around Byren's shoulders, but his voice held a tinge of bitterness, reminding Byren that his twin had wanted the honour.
As the men cheered he turned to Lence, worried. His brother's black eyes gleamed with laughter and rueful admiration.
Relief eased the knot in Byren's belly. Today had proven the old seer wrong. Nothing would come between him and his twin. Nothing could. He caught Cobalt watching them and grinned. His older cousin returned the smile with a shake of his head which Byren took to mean that he and his twin were lucky to be alive. And didn't he know it.
One of the hunt-master's apprentices returned Lence's spears and they set about tying the beast across them to carry it back to the village.
'Now we know what your symbol should be,' Garzik told Byren, his eyes glowing.
'What symbol?'
'Your honour guard's,' Garzik explained. 'A foenix facing a leogryf!'
Byren laughed. The men lifted him off his feet, onto their shoulders. Their cheers drowned all thought. Blood rushed through his veins. He'd faced death and come out the other side. Throwing back his head, he felt a great shout of laughter roaring up through him and let it out.
Life sung in his veins.
'Byren Leogryfslayer!' the men chanted. 'Byren Leogryfbane!'
At that moment he looked over to Lence, willing him to share this. Cobalt leant close to his twin, to make a comment. For a heartbeat his brother's eyes glittered strangely. Then the men spun Byren around so that he lost sight of Lence. He demanded to be let down and they released him, still shouting and laughing. Disoriented and disconcerted, he staggered a little.
'One blow, straight to the heart!' Garzik crowed. 'With only a hunting knife!'
'A lucky strike,' Byren protested. The men laughed and refused to believe him. Though he tried to contain the grin, he felt his lips pull back. After all, it was an achievement. Then Byren remembered his twin's odd expression. If Lence's spear had been thrown true it would have been him they lauded as the leogryf slayer. 'Enough of that.'
But his protests fell on deaf ears. The rest of them, the sons of the kingdom's first families and the hunt-master's apprentices, congratulated him.
'We'll take the leogryf back to the village to celebrate tonight,' the hunt-master announced. The Affinity warders would lead the village in making atonement to Halcyon, for they had killed one of her creatures. 'Then tomorrow, we head down to Rolenhold. Don't want to miss the midwinter feast!'
The men agreed.
Soon they were trudging back to the high mountain village, where the others told the story of how Byren had killed the leogryf with nothing but his hunting knife. The villagers were in awe of him and very relieved to be free of the beast. When they learnt that the male's mate had been hidden in the lair, they were horrified and apologetic. Byren assured them no harm was done and it too, was dead. They insisted on honouring the hunters with a feast and set about preparing it.
All the while Lence's smile got tighter and tighter. No one but Byren seemed to notice and there was nothing he could do, for to turn down the villagers' feast would have been churlish. He had saved his brother's life and Lence had returned the favour. This should have been enough to settle his fears, but Byren was aware of a small kernel of worry growing within him, planted by the old seer.
It wasn't as if he'd meant to steal Lence's glory. He could hardly have let the beast kill him. Halcyon forbid it, that would make him the kingsheir!
When the others went out to the feasting fire Byren remained in the village council hall to think. The building had been dug into the mountain side for protection from the winter's cold so one wall and half the roof were made of natural stone. With a chimney at each end and a series of narrow shuttered windows tucked under the steep roof, it could house all the adults of the village. Right now it held the hunting party's belongings. He rolled his bow in oiled cloth and tucked it away with his pack. You had to look after your weapons. It might mean the difference between life and death. It nearly had today when the bow string broke.
It was strange. As twins he and Lence were very similar, yet so different. Sometimes Byren felt closer to Fyn. Almost midwinter. Fyn would be coming to the castle for the ceremonies and celebrations. It would be good to see his serious younger brother again and Fyn's arrival was sure to make Piro's face light up.
Just then, the hunters broke into a drinking song and Byren glanced through the open door to see the others sitting around the feasting fire, eyes alight with laughter, cheeks reddened by the flames. Lence was in the midst of them, drinking and laughing loudest of all.