Ignoring the sting of the cold, I turned in a circle, searching for any sign of Avian or the creature that took her. At first glance, the surface of the stream looked uninterrupted. Then noticed the bubbles off to the right.

  Mossy emerged, his arms flexed, holding Avian under the water. Her arms broke through the surface, splashing and clawing at the creature. But its hold didn’t falter. While holding her under, his red eyes glared at me.

  Kiri landed in the water, splashing as she rushed toward Avian. I took off from my spot, heading in the same direction and planning as we moved. “Grab one arm. I’ll grab the other.”

  She nodded and lunged forward, trying to get a grip on its arm. My hand slipped as I tried to grip his slimy skin. Its beady eyes locked with mine as a belly laugh echoed from his mildew-smelling mouth.

  Finally, keeping a grip with my left hand, I lifted my sword above my head. Before I could bring it down, it jerked its arm out of the water, sending me flying above the surface and landing on my back, sinking again.

  By the time I reemerged, Mossy had released Avian and was pushing Kiri under. Avian floated on her belly, her face submerged. I pushed through the water, trying to get to Kiri in time. As I grew near, the brush to my left shook violently, as if something was coming through fast.

  The sasquatch burst from between the trees and sprinted across our camp. Sani moved out of the way as it leaped into the water. I threw my sword at it, but missed.

  A moment later, the sasquatch was on Mossy, wrapping its legs around the green creature as it pummeled fists into the beast’s head.

  Mossy released Kiri. Her arms and feet flapped, kicking up water as she broke the surface.

  Mossy pivoted, turning until he faced the now charging Sani.

  The sasquatch landed more blows, until Mossy reached behind, grasped the creature, and pulled him over his head and down into the water. Mossy held the sasquatch under as it kicked and punched.

  Sani jumped in the air, thrusting his spear forward as he moved. As it arched toward mossy, he released the handle.

  Mossy screeched as the spear stuck into his shoulder, but it didn’t release the sasquatch. Hairy legs kicked out of the water when I finally reached Avian. I pulled two daggers from her belt and surged forward, throwing the first one at the beast.

  The dagger stuck in Mossy’s neck. It let go of the sasquatch with one of its hands as it reached for the dagger.

  The sasquatch wiggled itself free, splashing out of the water. It landed punch after punch into Mossy’s face. Mossy grabbed one of his arms and twisted. A dry snap echoed over the water. The sasquatch cried out. Mossy disappeared under the water, bringing the sasquatch with him.

  Suddenly, everything was calm. I flipped Avian over. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn’t breathing. “Help me get her to shore.” I tugged on her, dragging her toward our camp. Sani helped, grabbing her arm and pulling.

  “Where is the sasquatch?” Kiri asked in a frantic voice.

  As if answering, the hairy beast floated to the surface. Like Avian, he was belly down with his face in the water.

  We dragged Avian to shore as Kiri struggled to flip the sasquatch over.

  Kiri stared at my face. “Your skin is turning green.” He glanced back at the water. “You aren’t turning into that, are you?”

  I shook my head. “Just getting very cold. We’ll worry about that later.” I focused on Kiri. “Is she dead?”

  He put his hands on her and shook his head. “Nearly, but not yet.” Closing his eyes, he sat as still as a statue. If it weren’t for a slight tremble in his cheeks, I would think he had fallen into a trance.

  Avian spat out a mouthful of water. Her eyes widened as she sucked in a labored breath.

  I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Are you alright?”

  “I’ll live.” Her eyes flickered to our hands. “Release me.”

  I pulled my hand back.

  “A little help!” Kiri shouted from the stream.

  My limbs bent slower than normal as I turned to face her. My joints started to stiffen as the cold took effect. I needed to warm myself soon.

  Kiri struggled to pull the sasquatch to the shore. I started moving forward to help, but Sani pushed past me, grabbing the creature’s arm and pulling him onto the shore.

  “Can you heal him too?” Kiri asked.

  “The beast that killed my grandfather?” Sani’s eyes widened. “The stalker who wants me dead?”

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “He saved my life.” Kiri peered at him with pleading eyes.

  Sani hesitated, glancing at me for approval.

  I nodded.

  Avian moved onto her hands and knees, still breathing heavily.

  “I’ll do what I can. But my holdzilei is fading.” He put his hands on the creature’s hairy chest. This time, Sani’s body slumped as he continued. Before I asked him if he was harming himself, the sasquatch coughed up water.

  Avian pulled two daggers from her belt and held them out, as if waiting to see how the beast responds to its life being saved.

  The sasquatch’s eyes popped open. To me, its face conveyed a sense of fear until its gaze fell on Kiri. Then I could have sworn it smiled. It stared at her until the moment became uncomfortable, then its eyes flicked to the right and left, noticing Sani and Avian standing above him, both in stances that suggested they were prepared to fight. It grabbed his arm

  Its long, hairy arm sprang faster than we could react, snatching Sani’s wrist. As it got to its feet, it twisted his arm and pulled him closer, moving Sani’s body between itself and Avian.

  Sani grasped at the sasquatch’s thick fingers. I moved forward, trying to find a good way to separate the two.

  The beast growled.

  “He saved your life,” Kiri said. She gently laid her hand on its arm. “Please don’t hurt him.”

  The Sasquatch loosened its grip as it peered down at Kiri’s hand. It howled softly.

  “I know,” she said, trying to lock eyes with the sasquatch. “But he wasn’t with his people when they did that.”

  It dropped Sani’s arm and took a step back.

  Kiri moved toward it. “We are not your enemy.” She smiled. “You saved my life, and he saved yours.” Her eyebrows raised. “I think that makes us friends.”

  The sasquatch howled, surged forward, and lifted Kiri off the ground.

  I lunged toward the beast as it sprinted, but it zoomed past all of us.

  “Shit,” I muttered as I rushed behind it. I expected the wind to sting my already frozen face as I moved. But I felt nothing. Perhaps the excitement warmed me, I thought as I attempted to keep up with the creature.

  It outpaced me easily and continued to pull away as my legs slowed. The edges of my vision became cloudy as I staggered. The fog spread, limiting my vision to a speck before complete darkness took over.

  I woke up lying next to the fire. Sani and Avian sat near me, scanning the perimeter every few moments, likely half expecting Joklo’s dad to re-emerge and start the fight again.

  “Kiri. Did we get her back?” I asked.

  Sani shook his head.

  “We must go after her.”

  Avian flicked her tongue, then pointed into the forest. “They went much deeper than it’s safe to venture.”

  “What about her safety?”

  “The sasquatch listened to her when she told him to let me go,” Sani said. “It also saved her from Joklo.”

  “That wasn’t Joklo,” I said. My defense of the annoying man surprised both of them. I don’t know what had come over me. I didn’t really like him. But something inside me said that he wasn’t in control when he acted as he did. Perhaps his mind had become corrupted, or he is under some type of spell.

  “We need to see the wigon first. He will become irate if we are late.” She paused, “or I should say more irate than normal.”

  I glanced back at the stream, remembering how quickly Mossy moved through the water and Joklo’s stories about his father drowning men. “Should we move camp away from the water?” I asked.

  “Petra will be up soon,” Avian said. “We will be safer moving in the light.” Her eyes locked with mine. “You pulled me from the water?”

  I nodded.

  She glanced at Sani. “And you used your wizard power to heal me?”

  “Not a wizard,” Sani said.

  “For someone who isn’t a wizard, you seem to know how to use their power.” She pursed her lips and hung her head. “I owe you both a life debt.”

  “We’re a team.” I smiled. “We only did what everyone would have done.”

  “Layla paid you to escort me,” Avian said.

  “That doesn’t make you any less a member of the team.” I thought for a moment. “What do you mean by saying that Sani used wizard powers? He said he was trained as a healer by his grandfather.”

  “Did you see how he seemed out of energy after healing us both?”

  I nodded.

  Sani said, “That is because I tap into my holdzilei when I use my ability.”

  Avian nodded, “The wizards do the same. They call it their life-force or their soul.” She peered at Sani. “Do you know what happens if you use too much?”

  “My holdzilei repairs itself over time, but if I use all of it, I will cease to live.”

  “Being a wizard means studying how to tap into your life-force to do magical things. While your tribe uses another name, you’re a wizard.” She shrugged. “They limit themselves to healing, but you don’t need to.”

  “And taking control of animals,” I said.

  Avian’s eyes widened. “You’re a skinwalker?”

  “I’m not familiar with that name, but my grandfather taught me how to take control of the minds of beasts. He could hold bears for days, but I can only handle small animals for a short amount of time.”

  “For now.” Avian grinned. “You will become strong. And if you wish, you could learn much more from a trained wizard.”

  Sani grew quiet. I wasn’t sure if his memories of his grandfather made him not want to take on additional abilities, or if it was part of his religion, but I got the impression he disliked the idea.

  We packed up our camp, staying by the fire until Patra peaked over the horizon. I lashed Kiri’s pack to the back of mine. Carrying both would tire me quicker, but we didn’t have far to go.

  Avian led the way, with me and Sani trailing directly behind her. Without turning around, she said, “I should tell you about Dante.” She paused. “I haven’t met him, so I only know what Layla had told me.”

  “Is he a Naser Wigon?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “He was like you, living in Mallma and following the laws of the royals. But as a spell master, he had more freedom to experiment with recipes.”

  My stomach tingled. I’d heard of spell masters, but haven't met one. The royals were protective of the few Wigon who were authorized to research new potions. “What do you mean was? The royals wouldn’t allow one of their spell masters to quit.”

  “He escaped. From what I understand, he was tasked with developing a spell that would be a significant improvement for Mallma’s armies. Just as he got close to the discovery, he vanished from his room. The royals thought he was kidnapped by their enemies. But somehow Layla discovered him.”

  “Why did he leave?” Even as I asked the question, I wondered if he feared the strength of whatever weapon they had asked him to create.

  Avian shrugged. “He won’t say. Nor do I suggest asking the question.” She hesitated. “There is one thing Layla wanted you to know before we got there.”

  My mind scrambled to figure out what Layla didn’t want to tell me herself. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  She stopped walking, turned, and faced me. “He has tested a lot of spells on himself. He’s very skilled in mixing potions, but he may not be as right in the head as he once was.” She spun around and continued walking.

  Just as my legs and back tired from carrying the extra weight, a building came into view in the distance.

  “Dante,” Avian called as we approached the structure. She glanced at me. “We don’t want to startle him.”

  “You wouldn’t.” A deep voice said from behind us.