She was drifting off to sleep when she heard the shrieks.

She jerked up, sure she was dreaming.

She knew those shrieks. They still filled her nightmares.

When Jeid sat up, eyes wide, she knew it was no dream.

"They're here," she whispered. She leaped to her feet and grabbed a burning stick from the fire.

A shadow darted and Eranor rushed into the cave, gasping.

"Rocs!" the old man said. "Rocs outside!"

Laira ran. She bolted past Eranor, raced out into the canyon, and looked up into the night sky. A hundred of the foul vultures flew above, larger than dragons, their riders bearing torches and bows.

The Goldtusk tribe attacked.

JEID

 
JEID

He allowed himself only an instant of fear.

My brother attacks.

The rocs no longer fear us.

We will die under stone.

The thoughts pounded through Jeid. His fingers shook and his heart thrashed. Then he took a deep breath. He clenched his fists. He turned toward his companions.

"Laira, you stay in this cave. When I give the signal, blow fire through the exit. The rocs won't be able to enter." He unclasped his sword from his belt and handed it to her. "And take this blade. If you must race into the tunnels, you'll only fit in human form; you'll need a sword."

His voice was soft, and he worried that Laira would tremble, that her fear would overcome her. But the young woman nodded firmly. She took the short, broad sword and held it steadily. She raised her chin and stared back. "They will not enter."

This one has been fighting all her life, Jeid realized. She is perhaps the strongest among us.

He nodded and turned toward his father. The old man stared back grimly, eyes dark beneath his white brows.

"Father, hurry down the tunnel to the pantry," Jeid said. "Wait for my signal, then blow your fire too."

Jeid pointed to the two tunnels at the back of the cave. The left one led to the pantry, a hidden chamber full of their nuts, dried meats, fruits, mushrooms, and other foods for winter. The right tunnel gaped open beside it; that one dived underground, twisted under the canyon floor, and emerged into a chamber in the opposite cliff.

Eranor nodded, tossed his beard across his shoulder, and raced into the left tunnel. He vanished in the darkness.

The shrieks rose outside, louder now; the rocs were descending into the canyon. Men shouted too, crying out to find the weredragons, to flay and bugger and disembowel the creatures until they begged for death.

Damn it, Jeid thought. Stars damn it! I need Tanin and Maev here for this. Just when we need to fight, the two little buggers are away.

"Where will you go, Grizzly?" Laira asked, voice quiet.

Jeid managed a wry smile. "To cook some birds." He touched her cheek, leaned forward, and kissed her forehead. "Be strong, Laira. We will defeat them."