howling. That's when I sent Stanis to get you." Myr's hands flexed on the hilt of his sword, and then gripped it white-knuckled. "I've brought all the rest of us to this cave, as it's furthest from the outside. The opening is narrow enough that they can only come in one or two at a time."
Aralorn broke in, ignoring Wolf. "If we stack the bodies back in the opening, we'll buy ourselves some time. If won't take many to block the entrance, and then they'll have to eat their way through before any more can attack." There was a horrified gasp from someone in the huddled masses and she realized belatedly that "force" would have been a better choice than "eat," if less accurate.
Wolf, apparently saving his lecture for later, spoke. "It's interesting that they haven't already come in. By the sound of it, they are standing right outside the entrance and howling. They are not notorious for their patience. The ward on the entrance that I've reinforced would not be enough to keep them out, only make it difficult for them to find."
"Edom couldn't go into the caves," Aralorn commented.
"But that was just fear of closed-in spaces." Myr's tone grew less assured as he talked.
"Perhaps." Wolf's tone was thoughtful. "There are wards that will keep out specific animals - such a spell could be altered to keep out beings who exhibited certain emotions or types of magic. There is another explanation as well. Aralorn said that one of the Uriah talked to her - the Uriah that I have seen were not capable of it. The ae'Magi must have altered them in some way. If he has made them more intelligent, it is possible that they are waiting for something before they attack."
"Wolf, do you know of any exit from the caves that opens to another side of the mountain?" Myr asked.
Wolf nodded. "Yes, I've thought of that. We could send most of the people through and leave a few fighters to slow the pack. Once across the river they would be safe, at least until the Uriah found a place to cross."
"It's better than nothing," agreed Aralorn. She waited until they were engrossed in the planning before she slithered around them. Once in the tunnel she drew her sword and held it in a fighter's grip. Someone had painted signs on the walls of the tunnels to facilitate travel, and it was a simple matter to follow the arrows to the outside by the magelight she held cupped in one hand.
The howls were louder as she turned into a cave marked "Door to Outside" over the top. She smiled at the awkward lettering even as the cold sweat of fear gathered on her forehead. Cautiously she crept forward through the twisted narrow channel.
The Uriah were there, howling with frustrated rage at the wall of flame that covered the entrance. Someone, Aralorn noted with absent approval, had also set up the wood for a bonfire where the tunnel narrowed - it sat unlit, a good ten feet behind the fire that blocked the entrance. Aralorn couldn't feel the heat from the first fire, but toasted bodies of Uriah lay twitching feebly just outside the cave as evidence to its effectiveness.
Shaking with the aftermath of adrenaline, Aralorn leaned against the side of the cave and watched as another Uriah, incited by her presence just inside the barrier, dove into the flames. Nausea touched even her hardened stomach as she watched the hungry flames engulf it.
"Aralorn!" If the unexpectedness of his voice hadn't made her jump, the underlying anger in it would have. It was only bad luck that there was a low spot in the ceiling.
"Plague take you, Wolf! I was supposed to hurt you the next time you startled me like that, not myself," she hissed, putting her hand to her head where the rock had cut it.
After evaluating the flaming entrance in one quick glance, he steered her away and set his staff upright on its clawed feet. With a hand on her chin, he used the other to explore the damaged area despite the fact that she squirmed and batted at his hand. In clipped tones he said, "You need a plaguing bodyguard. It seems like every time I've turned my back on you lately, you are getting hurt one way or another."
To her surprise he bent down and pressed his cheek against hers. She hadn't experienced the healing of a green magic-user very often, barring her