Page 118 of Wind Rider

Laru grumbled again as Nik and Wilkes began stroking against the lake, aiming the boat for the island.

***

Just the thought of wide-mouthed, tentacled monsters lurking under the water had Nik’s nerves on edge, but the sight of land, closer than it had been for five whole days, steadied him.

A scream echoed around them, sounding exactly like a young woman being tortured.

“That is so disgusting,” Jenna said.

“It makes my skin shiver.” Spencer peered down into the water surrounding them. “It’s especially horrible that they’re trying to lure us to those giant Mouths.”

“Nik and Wilkes won’t let them get us,” Mason said. “And we have our slingshots for the snakes—don’t forget that.”

The girls nodded somberly, checking and rechecking their supply of rocks and being sure their slingshots were easily accessible.

“I see the dock! It’s straight ahead.” From his position in the front of the little boat, Nik squinted against the glare of the sun off the lake and could see the small wooden structure jutting off the side of the steep bank to the island.

Monkeys covered the dock. They were about the size of Terriers—had the canines walked upright. As they got closer Nik could see that except for their faces they were covered with fur that was a strange color—brown with a green tint.

“They look just like the water,” Jenna said.

“That’s why they’re that weird greenish-brown color,” Nik said. “Camouflage.”

“Mason, take my paddle,” Nik said, handing it to Mason, who was sitting directly behind him in the crowded canoe. Then Nik raised his crossbow, sighted, and let an arrow fly over their heads, so close to the Monkeys that it almost grazed three of them.

The creatures began screaming—this time they sounded like animals instead of terrorized girls. Most of them jumped into the water and disappeared under it. A few others waddled from the dock and awkwardly made for a grove of pines not far inland.

“Wilkes, steer us up to the dock. Mason, keep paddling for me. I’m going to watch the water—and what’s beneath it,” Nik said, reloading his bow.

The water was clear and deep. Nik estimated that he could see about ten feet below the surface, and then everything got dark. Shadows moved within shadows, and the sunlight captured strange shapes that Nik was sure were Mouths, though none rose to the surface.

They steered the boat easily to the dock, stopping beside it. The woodenstructure was small and, like Antreas had described, it jutted from the steep side of the island to rest along the surface of the water. It was only wide enough for a couple of people to stand side by side, and it was covered with Monkey excrement.

“Bloody beetle balls, that’s repulsive,” Nik said, wrinkling his nose at the smell.

“We’re going to do this fast,” Jenna said, looking from Spencer to Mason. “Are you two ready?”

Spencer and Mason nodded.

“Remember everything Antreas said,” Jenna continued. “We stay within eyesight of each other. We do not go into the trees. We look and listen for snakes. And we hurry.” As Jenna spoke, she and Spencer were wrapping their hands and getting out their little harvesting knives, which were really just sharpened flint set in wood, but worked perfectly for snipping clusters of blackberries from the thorny bushes.

“I’m ready,” Spencer said.

“Me, too,” Mason said.

Mason had one of the precious shovels the Clan had salvaged decades before—and all three of them had as many nesting baskets as they could carry. When they took the baskets apart to fill, there were straps attached to them so that they could be carried over their shoulders.

“Okay, don’t forget—if the Monkeys come too close give Wilkes and me a shout and we’ll shoot more arrows at them. Hell, if they won’t leave you alone, I’ll kill one of them,” Nik said grimly. “That’ll keep them away from you.”

“Thanks, Nik. We know we can count on you and Wilkes,” Jenna said.

Nik thought Jenna had grown up a lot in just a short time. She was proving to be a valuable member of the Pack. Actually, all three of them—Jenna, Spencer, and Mason—were Pack members Nik was proud of. Spencer had a gift for brewing and fermenting. She’d even managed to trade in the Saleesh villages for several bushels of apples, and had talked Mari and Sora into letting her keep a few of the bushels so she could create something called cider, which Nik was really looking forward to trying.

Mason was always willing to lend a hand to help any Pack member, and except for Third Nights, when Moon Fever had ahold of him, his face was rarely lacking a smile.

“I like them,” Wilkes said, and Nik realized the older Warrior was also staring after the three teenagers as they jogged up from the bank.

“I like them, too, but we need to watch the waterandthem,” Nik said.