The Wind's Call (The Broken Lands #4) - T.A. White Page 0,76

would gladly have traded the stark beauty for easily traversed flat ground. A road would have been nice.

Her leg muscles already throbbed at what she knew she must do.

"Best get to walking," she told herself.

Speaking aloud had become a habit when tending the herd, one she found comfort in even now.

She looked to her right at the ridge with evidence of a small game path leading up its side. She groaned before setting her feet to it. Finding her way up was going to be a pain, but she'd heard something about beasts sticking to the valleys and the plains. At least that was the excuse she gave herself as she followed the small game trail as it dipped and twisted during its climb.

As she drew closer to the top, wind whipped past, bringing with it a hint of chill. Spring might have landed, but winter was not giving up her grip so easily.

Birds nested in the craggy reaches of the ridge. One dive-bombed Eva, sending her scurrying past at a fast clip as she tried to protect her head from its wicked beak.

Blood dotted her hands and her cheek stung when the bird finally peeled away, circling back to the spot Eva had just torn through. It must have had a nest there for it to be so territorial.

Irritation at being assaulted by a damn bird carried her through the next hour.

Her stomach was rumbling angrily by the time she stopped for a break. The sun was high overhead as she looked back over the distance she'd already come. Her progress so far was pitifully small, the ridge hard to navigate with its constant up and downs.

Her shoulders bowed. It was going to take forever for her to find the others at this rate.

A pitiful mewing interrupted Eva’s self-pity. Curious, she glanced around, only to find the sound coming from behind her. Eva peered over the small clump of grass she'd taken as a seat to find where the ridge fell away in a steep drop.

Just below it, the mewing came again.

She peered over the edge to find green eyes peering up at her from an adorably cuddly face. The animal was small, a little bigger than a cat. Its body was long, its fur fluffy and it had a triangular face, reminding her of a fox. Further reinforcing that image was the cream and orange colored fur that covered its body, with darker oranges in rings around its legs. Spots of cream broke up the pattern as it stared up at her with a pitiful expression. Its two tails wagged slightly

"Hello," she told it.

The same wow wow wow wail came again as it struggled weakly.

Roots wrapped around its body, covering its left front paw up to its shoulder. The small creature yapped at her and then looked at its paw.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

There was a disgruntled bark before the fox tried to pull its foot back. The roots tightened, blood running out from between them. It squeaked with pain before stilling, giving her another soulful look. Eva hissed as she realized the roots had burrowed into the skin beneath the fox’s fur.

"I take it you want help."

Of course, he did. That's what all animals who came to her wanted. Because she was who she was, and they sensed she’d give it unquestioningly.

"Very well, little one, I'll see what I can do," Eva said.

She'd have to be quick and precise. She didn't know what kind of roots dove beneath flesh and soaked up blood instead of water, but there was no question they'd try for her.

She reached for her dagger. A fearful whimper escaped him as he cringed away as far as the roots would let him. She made a soothing sound. "Don't worry. I have no intention of hurting you."

The next time she reached for him, he held still, his sides quivering under her touch as she used one hand to poke and prod at what was holding him in place.

He was either very unlucky to fall afoul of the roots—or he'd been up to something. Given his resemblance to a fox, she was willing to guess it was the latter. Either way, the roots refused to give up their victim so easily.

Bright red sap clung to Eva's hands as she wiggled her front half further over the edge. The sap stung, leaving behind a tingling, burning sensation. Worry filled her as the ground beneath started to shift, dirt cascading down. It was soft from