The Wind's Call (The Broken Lands #4) - T.A. White Page 0,146
Eva moved slowly and carefully out of the way so the new mother could check on the newborn, conscious that while Kyren resembled their equine cousins they were not equine themselves. At least not entirely. They were predators with a predator's instincts.
Eva had gotten bitten, kicked and a whole host of other things when delivering foals before. The Kyren would likely make all of that pale in comparison to what she’d do if Eva stepped out of line.
The mare stretched her nose out, nuzzling the small creature who blinked up at them with wide, innocent eyes. The baby's legs were folded under him, and as she watched he stretched his neck to touch noses with his mother, the two sharing a moment so sweet it made Eva's heart clench.
A thunderous shout and the sound of collapsing rock resounded through the cenote.
Eva jerked toward the source of the clamor.
"We're out of time," she said, already moving to the newborn.
One thing she hadn't considered before this was how to get the newborn out of this place once it was born. It hadn't even found its legs yet and she doubted its wings would be strong enough to carry it to safety.
It was an oversight. A huge one.
Her mind raced as she tried to think of a solution.
Maybe if the mother flew off, she could hide the foal in the trees and then draw-off the hunting party. If they thought the Kyren were gone they might not look too hard for any left behind.
The foal was struggling to its feet as Eva considered her options, its legs wobbly as it gamboled about the grove awkwardly. His mother was a shadow at his side, nudging him anytime he faltered.
A rustle in the trees had Eva and the Kyren freezing.
A small nose poked out of the bushes, followed by a familiar reddish-gold head and ears. The fire fox looked quizzical as he took in the three of them.
He disappeared back into the bushes when he noticed Eva looking at him.
“I know you’re there,” Eva called, careful not to speak too loudly in case the enemy was close. “You might as well come out.”
The fox’s head appeared again. Seeing her eyes on him, he stepped out. His three tails waved around him. With the greenery of the forest surrounding him, he looked like something out of a storybook.
“I thought I told you to stay with Caden,” she said, resigned. She should have known the fox would do what it wanted.
You know this creature? the mare asked.
Eva nodded. “You could say that.” To the fox, she said, “You’re here now. There’s no pretending you aren’t. You might as well do what you can to help.”
She had a feeling chasing him away wouldn’t do a lick of good. He’d just come back and the shouting would likely draw their enemies right to them.
“We need to get you two out of here,” Eva told the mare.
How? The mare asked.
Eva shook her head. She didn’t know. No ideas were forth coming and all the while desperation and the feeling of a noose closing around her neck filled her.
The fire fox sat at Eva’s feet and tilted its head.
She bent down and petted the surprisingly soft fur there.
He tilted his head again, rising on his back paws, his tongue swiping across her cheeks and cleaning away the tears she hadn’t realized she’d shed. It was all too much. Laurell’s death, walking away from Caden, the delivery. Now this. She didn’t know what to do.
The fox bit her chin, his teeth unexpectedly sharp, jarring her out of her self-pity.
“Ouch.”
The fire fox dropped to all four paws and padded to the Kyren mare. Eva rose to her feet. He was right. She could feel pity for herself when she was dead. Right now, she had two Kyren to see to safety.
She opened her mouth to speak then closed it when she noted the intent expression on the Kyren and fire fox’s faces. They stood nose to nose, almost touching, the mare’s neck outstretched. It almost looked like they were conversing, and there was the faintest buzzing sensation in Eva’s mind.
The fox leapt into the air, fire sparking under his feet as he raced across it. He disappeared abruptly.
The mare raised her head and looked at Eva. We won’t forget this, human.
Eva's lips parted to ask what she meant when a bright light flared, the fox racing toward them, mist boiling from above the cenote as it chased him.