#post 21

With that, they were prepared. Sadie had her flint and striker out and they began walking deep into the forest. Deep enough the webs were sticking to their feet. They continued until the ettercaps and the giant spiders began crawling out of the trees to attack them when Sadie lit the arrow and K’lai’a’la fired. The arrow hit a tree with a solid thwack; the web caught just a moment later. Flames spread out from the arrow blindingly fast, consuming half a dozen square feet of web in seconds and in all directions. There was a slow motion moment where Sadie looked at her feet, stuck to a thick mat of web, looked at the trees around her, web covering their leaves. “RUN” Sadie yelled and turned on her heel, not even waiting to make sure the others knew what was happening.

Being only three feet tall, her legs were significantly shorter than the others and they quickly overtook her. No one could even spare a moment to help her because one hesitation and the fire would be upon them. It dawned on Sadie, just then, that perhaps walking into the webs they were about to burn was a life-ending idea.

Sadie could hear the flames speeding up behind her. She saw Kireen and K’lai’a’la start to veer off in front of her. They must have spotted something but Donar kept going straight. Soon she spotted what they were running toward. A fallen tree had created a crevice of sorts beneath its upturned roots. The two of them knew that they could not outrun the fire and that shelter was their best chance. Sadie knew the creek was up ahead and if Donar was still going that direction, she would rather take her chances making for the water than hoping a small crevice would protect from the vicious flame that was now scorching her back.

It was just her and Donar now, he was strides ahead but she didn’t stop. Her tiny feet pounded the ground, willing herself not to trip. She could smell her hair starting to burn and as her arms pumped she could see her sleeves starting to smolder. The pain was everywhere, not just her back. The fire that she could once control with such grace, beginning to consume her. She cried out as she ran through the blisters that were appearing on any exposed skin. Smoke stung her eyes, making it hard to see but she heard a splash. Donar had made it to the creek so she could too. By the time she splashed into the shockingly cold water, she could barely stand on her feet as she gasped and coughed through the burning air. From what she could hear, Donar wasn't faring much better.

The air was still hot but the edge of the creek held the flames at bay. They did it. They made it alive but she was not sure if the same could be said for Kireen and K’lai’a’la. Sadie was about to voice her concerns when there was a sharp pain in her leg. With a yelp she reached down and pulled a leech the size of her arm off her skin. She felt another bite and then another. “Donar! Pick me up!” Sadie reached her arms up toward him but he was being attacked as well. He was trying to swat the leeches away and pick up Sadie when she felt her consciousness fading. The world began to swirl from pain and then it all went black.

Donar saw Sadie collapse and scooped her up into his arms. He wasn’t quick enough to prevent her from passing out but he could still keep her from becoming leech food as long as he could say the same about himself. More and more leeches began attacking and he felt his own strength waning. He began to attempt to cross the creek but holding Sadie out of the water was not making the task any easier. He looked down at Sadie and checked her breathing. It was erratic. She was not doing well. He did not have the time to attempt to stabilize her wounds, it was all he could do to keep his footing while supporting the unconscious halfling. Then, he glanced down to Sadie when he felt her body jerk in his arms. He saw her little chest flutter, her mouth gasp one last time, and he watched as the last bit of life left her.

This was no longer his problem. He dropped the body of the dead halfling into the water unceremoniously and with his arms free he was quickly able to make it to the other shore where he waited for the fire to burn itself out. Then he could go find the emerald.