against the rock just below it. She tried several more times, even backing up to the end of the rock on which she stood so she could take a running jump. No matter what she did, she couldn’t get enough height to get a solid grip.
The few times her fingers had grazed the ledge, it wasn’t enough to secure her grip before she dropped again. Charlie tried until she was panting, her muscles tiring and sweat slicking over her skin. Only then did she drop down onto her ass, staring off into the distance in the direction that Rhyst had disappeared.
Maybe he wouldn’t be long. He would get back, give her an impatient, disapproving look, and lift her back inside after chastising her in a language she couldn’t understand. She could deal with that. Anything was better than sitting there alone. She felt completely exposed out there in the open without any protection.
She sat there for a time, tossing pebbles down the mountainside from where she sat. She yawned and flopped on her back, staring up at the sky until she got bored and rolled back over. She didn’t attempt to sleep like she might have in the cave, but it made her all the more painfully aware of the slow passage of time.
Charlie had been lying there for a while when a shiver stole over her. She sat up and glanced around. Gods, not this again. She stilled. No, this was different. This wasn’t a startled animal teasing the edge of her awareness as it got closer. She was certain that she was being watched—hunted. She swallowed.
“Rhyst, is that you?” she called out.
A few pebbles fell from above, dislodged as a strong gust of wind swept through.
Her mouth went dry.
“Come on. If you’re playing with me, just stop. This isn’t funny. A real dick move, to be honest.” Silence, except for the muffled sound of what might have been claws on stone. She trembled with alarm. “It takes a real warped motherfucker to be entertained with scaring someone… I don’t find it funny. You know what—whatever. Just come out. Go ahead, scare the piss out of me and get your laughs in now.”
She scowled at the rocks at her feet. Whatever. She heard a tumble of rocks just off to the side as he must have decided to come out of hiding. She let out a sigh and smiled despite her irritation.
She didn’t wonder at her sense of relief. It was only natural. He had kept her safe thus far.
A growl sounded behind her, making her jump. She swallowed a nervous laugh as terror flooded her. Oh, that asshole was going to pay for intentionally scaring her. Grabbing a handful of dirt, she spun around to face him, her arm raised to attack.
But when she turned, Rhyst wasn’t standing behind her. Instead, she faced something that appeared to have walked right out of her worst nightmare. Her eyes widened, and her throat closed around a choked sound of dismay.
Although small compared to Rhyst, at her size the creature she faced was practically giant. From muzzle to tail, it was at least five feet—if not bigger. Coarse brown fur covered its body, fur that bristled as the canine-like beast bared its fangs. It flared five bony protrusions shaped like leaves around its neck, oozing green slime from the tips.
A rattle once again filled the air that had her backing away as she kept the creature within sight. It was still a considerable distance away, but the way it aggressively approached left little doubt in her mind that it wouldn’t take it long to gain on her.
It paced toward her on stiff legs, the rattling increasing in tempo with every step. A snarl erupted from its throat, and that was all it took to snap the tentative hold she had on her calm. Instinctive, driving fear surged within her. She knew it was fundamentally stupid to run from a predator, but that didn’t stop her from pivoting on one foot to run in the opposite direction, her feet slipping over mud and wet stone.
No way in hell she was staying around and hoping that thing was friendly. What was she going to do, invite it to take a load off? And oh, while it was at it, ask it to please not gnaw on her? It might have been the fear talking, or temporary insanity, but at that moment, running after Rhyst sounded like a better plan. There was a slim