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RTH 2484.08.05 We should be sleeping but the air Feels wrong, like the world is waiting Holding its breath, expecting something. Then comes the crack of distant thunder. surprise, anticipation Rain? We don’t dare hope. There are no clouds. We hear them coming first, Screeching their alarm. Birds blacken The sky. A whiff of smoke comes with them. worry, hurry Four become eight as our two Hunt parties become one to share The load of success, bear it home on Hastened feet as the haze deepens. blinding, choking All tired from the night’s hunt, We run together with our bonds. But this fire moves so fast. Grey smoke turns hot and black. eyes leaking, legs aching The gloom separates us, divides us Two from the rest. Birdcatcher and I Go on alone up the steep embankment. can’t scent, can’t see I chase Birdcatcher’s tall shadow, Moving fast, looking for Remembered water. Can't slow down. running, trusting Blocked by flame in a ravine, We have to climb out, leaving The wolves to find their own way. arms shaking, tears welling The stream, shrunken by drought to a trickle barely ankle deep, Provides no cool cover. panic, coughing The small expanse of sand gives Scant safety from fire. We run. throat burning, can’t breathe The nearly dry river bed is a narrowing tunnel Through the blaze, leading to a small lake. can’t breathe! Fire speeds ahead on both sides of us. The forest roars, snaps, …shrieks. wood? kin? We can’t hear the thunder coming Until it surrounds us. Stampede! twisting, dodging Fear-frothed branch-horns surge forward. stay up The branch-horn bull shoves past us, leading his cows. keep moving Birdcatcher goes down beneath their hooves... wet splatter across the sand Chest a mangle... head seeping blood. dragging, yanking too heavy, no time bad shoulder tearing, giving way cheeks wet, feet wet, wading He led me to safety.
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