Hawkmoon (The Hawkmoon Chronicles) by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page A

from the west. Mira slept on, undisturbed. The creatures of the forest abandoned their gambols and ran to the safety of burrows.
    The glider moved  south. The animals filtered back. After a time the forest  was a playground of wild  and magic creatures. Small shapes came out in the moonlight . They  danced   on the   lawn at the river’s edge. They  scuttled in the trees. They whispered, they talked,  they giggled, they hummed and sang. They played music and the animals stopped to listen. Everyone scattered when the Goblin came.
    It was low sized, muscular; it’s skin covered with fine fur,  deep brown mixed with green. The pupils of its eyes were black, the surrounds red, thin hair receding from a pointed forehead. It’s ears ended in narrow tips, pointed   teeth in a perpetually leering grin. There was glee in the smile but no joy. It sat by the sleeping girl watching her breasts rise and fall. It felt the pulse in her neck tracing  the skin with fingers tipped long, razor sharp nails.... Her leg jerked kicking the covers away. Heat rose carrying her scent Reaching it lifted her clothing…
    Movement  came from behind. It whirled about, ready to punish the interloper. A white wolf emerged from cover. Recognising a deadly  enemy it spat hate, scuttling  to the trees at the other side. More wolves came to the clearing. The pack leader crossed to  Mira He lowered himself by her sleeping form. His brethren faded back to cover.
    The first moon was down, the second about to lose itself behind a cloudbank. At the edge of the treeline, where it overlooked the river, the goblin waited .  It ducked as  water splashed below. Eyes used to darkness it peered from cover. Reivers this far south.... For big men they moved quiet.… It followed.
    They were standing at a raised plinth with   standing stones  behind. It watched as they bound  a prisoner. Saliva dripped from fangs as it  understood what was about to take place.. Another broke free and ran. They went to follow but came back when they were called. The one who ran went by the spot where it was hidden, close enough to rip his throat. It let him go.  Once they got through with their business, there would be plenty to eat...
    One of them lifted a blade and cut.  For a moment the prisoner struggled against the bindings. The Magicker started chanting. Nothing happened for a while.  After a time the air between  the stones started to  darken. Air came out of it. From where he watched he could smell it. When the darkness was solid they gathered their packs and went through. They had left their weapons.
    He  stood by the victim,torn between hunger and curiosity. The stars were  beginning to pierce the darkness between the stones. Driving a clawed  fist, it ripped the heart out  and  ran  jumping through the moment before it closed.
     
     
    On her fourth naming day a Ranger brought her a wolf cub.  A strange gift for a child, it had been accepted with reservations. Gifts from Rangers were never returned. Her mother wanted it in the kennels but Mira spotted the cub before it could be taken away. It was love at first sight. Nothing would do but the cub would sleep in her room. She called him Wolf. She said she had another name but it was secret. Every night Wolf  lay  on the rug  at the foot of her bed while her Amah read her to sleep. When Amah left Wolf would climb onto the bed. In the morning he was back on the rug. Her mother and Wolf died in the same week…
    Turning in her sleep she  caught a grip in his fur. She murmured softly. The wolves left as dawn crept among the trees.

 
     
                                                                   Kerris and Enoch
     
    Kerris opened her door knowing that she should have locked it. The notebook was gone from the desk. Fear coursed through her body
    “Are you looking for this? …A mite careless old girl, don’t you think?”