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Herr.
Kalle struck it one last time. Again the scream moved through my body. Why me? Why did their death cries affect me like that? Why did they call me Herr?
Kara turned to Kalle then. “Why did they say that to him?” she asked. “Can his blood be recognized here in the Schwarzwald?”
I had no idea what she was talking about. My teeth chattered. My whole body shook. I needed to sit down. I sank to my knees instead, closed my eyes and fell to the ground. I so wanted to sleep, even here, covered in blood, and so cold, on this frozen ground.
“He’s weak, Kara. He’s used himself up getting here and killing that keiler.”
“I doubt he’s ever killed before.”
“He fought like a warrior,” Kalle said.
“But look how he’s trembling now,” Kara replied.
“Let’s get him out of here,” Kalle said. “Before they come for us, again.”
Four hands were pulling me up then. I opened my eyes and my vision swam, then slowly came into focus.
My legs felt loose and disobedient but Kara steadied me.
“We must flee now,” she said. “The keiler always travel in packs. They will soon be here in numbers we could never hope to overcome. Eat the nuts — they must be cool by now — and drink this water, and then, we run, as kin.”
Kara popped nuts into my mouth. I focused all my remaining energy on chewing. Warmth spread slowly from my mouth through the rest of my body. She held up water, and I drank.
Water had never before tasted so sweet.
Finally I stopped shivering, and pulled away from her.
I looked at them, watching them quickly eat and drink. Then it was time.
Kara kissed me on the forehead, and whispered a word: anima.
More energy flowed into me, through her kiss, through the word. I felt warmer and lighter, and firmer of foot.
Kalle looked off into the darkness, and then he pointed. In the distance I could almost see the glow of the keiler hoard. There must have been dozens of them, but they were still far off.
Approaching quickly, but there was time to flee, if we ran now.
Maybe.
I looked down at the wild boar creature beneath me. Why had it called me Herr?
There were so many questions.
But there was no
time.
Far off in the distance, came a squeal that was a scream, echoed by another, and another. I felt the hair on my arms and neck stand up straight.
“They’re in a rage,” I said. I don’t know how, but somehow, I knew this.
Kalle nodded. “Run,” he said. “Run as if your feet were feathers, and they blew in a gust of wind.”
And we ran.
Chapter VII
