Holve and Ealrin held their lanterns high in one hand and their weapons ready in the other.
“I swear if she's fallen asleep out here I'll make sure she never hears the end of it,” Ealrin said in the light of his oil lamp. The lanterns they carried were small brass lights that hung on a pole as long as Ealrin's arm. A burning wick protruded from a metal sphere, casting light all around them. It allowed him to hold it up high and see the terrain around him more clearly.
Lone Peak was one of many cliffs and hills that started on the eastern side of Irradan. Their rocky faces all pointed west, towards the sea. On most of the flat land areas farmers worked the ground and planted crops to feed the city. Along each of these fields ran a tree line to protect the crops from the harsh winds that often swept up and down the cliffs.
Along each tree line was a road that wound itself in and along the farms and up to the city. Ealrin had seen Blume riding her horse up and down these roads several times. He had gotten into the habit of watching her from on top of the walls until she finally rode out of sight. It was along these roads now that Holve and Ealrin walked, lanterns held high, looking for the very late Blume.
"She's always come back before sundown," Ealrin said as he looked down the road towards the lower hills. "I know she was feeling more and more familiar with the place, but to come back after dark is dangerous."
Another howl filled the evening air with its low and piercing tone.
"Tell me a bit again about those foxes?" Ealrin asked as the note held heavy in the air.
"Wrents," Holve replied. “As vicious as a goblin and just as cunning as a wolf. Most of them won't stand any higher then Jurgon. They travel in packs and mostly live up north."
Holve was calm on the outside and Ealrin was thankful for his company. He was also extremely grateful because he knew how well the man wielded the spear beside him.
"People in Darrion say that they will travel down south every couple of years when their population grows too much or they run out of food to hunt. They claim right to all these lands because, apparently, they were here first. The elves and human drove them north hundreds of years ago.”
He held his lantern high. Ealrin could see down a fork in the road. Trees and fields ran down each side. A small marking post pointed out the way to Lone Peak and the names of the roads they traveled.
“Not many of them have said that they travel down this far south," Holve finished saying after he looked at the signs.
He stooped down and cast the light of his lantern on the ground.
Though the path they walked on was packed dirt, the ground beside it had been freshly plowed and planted in anticipation of a better harvest later in the year. In the dirt were tracks like dogs, but much larger and in twos instead of fours.
"But people have been wrong before," Holve said standing up and again surveying the circle of lamplight that surrounded them.
Ealrin's sword suddenly felt quite warm in his hand, though the night air was cool.
"There!" Ealrin said softly pointing with his sword at several points of flickering red. Just off to the side of the road, down a newer and shorter tree lane, were faces.
Many sets of eyes were watching them. Another earsplitting howl fill the night air along with several wild barks. The red lights began charging at them with uncanny speed.
Holve stuck his lantern pole into the soft ground beside the road, its lamp swaying with the force of impact. Taking his spear in both hands, he ran toward the nearest wrent and vaulted into the beast. Holve's foot connected with it's snout and Ealrin heard a yelp of pain.
Ealrin wielded his sword in one hand and the lantern in the other, swinging in at the two foxes that were encircling him. They snarled and wielding their own weapons of wood and stone. One of them made a stab at Ealrin with his spear. He knocked the spear from its hand with his lantern. With another swipe of his sword he cut off the beasts right paw.
Though it went howling away in pain, its companion took the opportunity to launch itself on Ealrin, knocking him down. The lantern pole fell from his hand as he attempted to keep the beast's jaws away from his neck. With his other hand he swung wildly with the sword but the wrent's legs kicked his arm away.
The fox bit into his shoulder and sunk its teeth deep into his muscles. With a yell of fury and pain Ealrin thrust his sword into the side of the beast, causing it to recoil and retreat.
Adrenaline flowed through Ealrin as he stood back to his feet. His left shoulder was bleeding and every movement of his arm was like torture. His lantern's oil was spilling out onto the road and, with a slight shift of wind, the wick brushed the fuel. It burned in a large swath on the dirt road, illuminating what Ealrin had been fearful of.
Three of the creatures lay dead at Holve's feet, but ten or fifteen more circled around them, growling and shaking their weapons at the pair.
Seeing Ealrin's injury and then looking at the foxes that surrounded them, Holve furrowed his eyebrows and yelled words Ealrin did not understand.
With a forceful jab at the ground, white light exploded from Holve's spear tip. Rocks and all manner of stone and gravel flew out at the foxes. The pack retreated yelping in pain and snarling with anger.
Holve picked up his lantern. Ealrin's had gone out.
"Come on," he said as he dragged Ealrin back up the road and in the direction of Lone Peak.
Ealrin noticed a large scratch on one of Holve's legs. It didn't look serious, but he was bleeding enough to soak down to his boot.
"We need to get that bite looked at," Holve said as he led the way up the path.
"What about you? And Blume?" Ealrin asked as his head swayed and pain throbbed in his shoulder. Every step sent a pulse of anguish up his arm and to his shoulder. If Holve was hurt in the same way he was, Ealrin didn't know how the man walked.
"I'll manage. Let's hope those foxes won't be attacking anyone again soon," Holve said with grim determination in his voice. “Plus she's got Jurgon with her.”
Silently, the pair made their way back to the safety of the wall, injured, and without the girl they had left to find.
"And it's time she learned to take responsibility for her own actions."