Incident at the Corral

 

Fallon rushed around the schoolhouse, following the bellowing trumpet of the animal. Alithea was lying prone on the back of a young elephant. Fallon stared at the two-tailed beast, then realized that she was facing the skinny tail at the rear of the animal, digging in her foot claws to prevent her falling off. The pain of her claws only enraged the beast, causing it to rear up on its hind legs and throw Alithea off.

Fallon vaulted over the two-rail corral fence, then paused in the soft dirt to find his balance. As soon as Alithea turned her head to him, he launched forward toward to the side of the animal. Knees flexed, he somersaulted high over the beast, gathered Alithea close to his chest and pulled her free. He hit the dirt hard, her weight pressing into him. He rolled sideways, letting the dirt take her momentum, then turned to keep her close.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the beast turn toward them. “Get up!” he yelled at Alithea, scrambling backwards on the dirt to put distance between them and the elephant. The Fae rider leapt on the beast, reached into the ear flaps, and stilled the shaking head.

Fallon clutched Alithea to his side as he stood. The Fae teacher motioned them out of the corral with an impatient gesture of her arm and Fallon hurried toward the schoolhouse with Alithea. Erupting out of the group of children, Erthen rushed to their side and Alithea reached down to pick him up. “Dig!” he cried as she hugged him.

The Fae teacher sat comfortably on the young elephant, staring hard at the family. “You are not from the queen!” she accused. Turning to the guard, she yelled in Cawth, “Kill them!”

Fallon glanced at the spiked weapon at the side of the guard. Too risky. He grabbed Erthen and yelled, “Run!”