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.This time Wren washed her face and hands in the shockingly cold water.Just before sunset Wren and Connor started acting their way through The Questof Eren Beyond-Stars, Wren saying her heroine s lines with great energy and feeling,and Connor doing the rest of the parts in a variety of voices and accents.Tyronlistened in silence, looking at the same time for a likely spot for them to spend thenight. Something with at least one solid wall to lean against, he muttered out loud ashe peered ahead in the long mountain shadows.Wren handed him the water bag andhe drank thirstily.Passing it back to Connor, he continued: It ll be dark soon, andwe won t see any cliff edges.The rocks we sit down on we ll have to sleep on. My quest carries me far, from a world with silver sun what? Wrenstopped, tapping Tyron on the shoulder.They were walking in single file, Tyronleading and Connor last. I was just muttering to myself.I think Tyron stopped speaking when from far below them came a long, echoing cry.Another followed, starting low and rising to a screech that made Wren press herback against a stone outcropping.Both boys stood still and unbreathing as the last fearsome echoes died away.Silence followed.Wren whispered, What was that? Warrie beasts, Connor said in a low voice. Tyron s shoulders hunched tightly. Right.Of course they might just be after& Found our track, Connor answered softly. Warries& they re like wolves, aren t they? But they run on two legs, andthey Hunt and eat humans, Tyron finished grimly. I thought they didn t live anywhere near this part of the world, Wren said,suddenly feeling cold again. Andreus, Tyron said shortly. I d heard rumors about the possibility that he d brought some here and turnedthem loose in the mountains, but I didn t want to believe it, Connor murmured. We d better move. Wren clenched her teeth as Tyron turned about, put his head down, and startedstalking at a vigorous pace up the trail.No one said anything for a long time.Wren was soon panting.Behind her sheheard Connor s breathing, short and harsh, and she knew he must be lookingcontinually this way and that.The last red rim of the sun disappeared behind themnot that Wren dared to glance back and there were no more warm splashes ofgolden light.The blue shadows began melting into darkness.Tyron kept up the fast pace even after Wren heard his breath beginning towheeze.She was on the point of asking if they might stop and just listen when thesound came again: a long, wavering cry trembling on the air and growing closer. Hunting cry, Tyron gasped. That s got to be.Described it perfectly& in therecords& That s it.Look. Connor pointed above them as rocks skittered down andtapped the narrow path about them.Up the steep slope, a frightened shape blurredpast. Goat, he said. They know.Everything alive is on the run now. The warries& eat goats& ? Wren coughed as Tyron started up the trail again. Anything. Tyron jerked around briefly. S long as they can chase it first. Tyron, Connor murmured, do you see that cliff on that next slope? Tyron turned his head sharply and scanned the trail ahead.Without abating hispace, he glanced back and said abruptly, Chraucan nest? I think so, Connor said. But what good will that do? I don t think chraucans will scare off warries.Idon t know if even gryphs would scare off warries. Shall we try? At least in a chraucan cave, we might be able to fight thesecreatures better. With our luck both sets of creatures will attack us. Tyron coughed hoarsely,and as if in answer, the warries hunting cry came again, closer still. Let s run, Connor said, taking Wren s hand.He started ahead, pulling Wren sothat she could move faster.She did not protest; that cry made the back of her spineache as though a thousand stinger bees crawled on her.They ran uphill for what seemed an agonizingly long while and soon werestumbling over shadow-hidden rocks.One by one they fell, tumbling to knees andelbows, but the other two always helped the stumbler up.They ran on.Suddenly Tyron gave a cry
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