Bowtothedrow

“You claim to be a ranger…” Aaron turned, a hand instinctively reaching for the bow on his back. His eyes snapped to the far side of the small clearing, piercing through the shadowy haze at the edge of the firelight. The speaker lingered there, her slim frame half-concealed between the trees. At some fifteen feet she was well out of arm’s reach. If the need called, she was not out of range for an arrow. “My, aren’t we on edge tonight?” she asked, taking a step forward to fully enter the makeshift camp. Aaron’s hand fully closed around the shaft of his bow; and, to put his mind at rest, the ne

(Part 37) Tree limbs parted before Sterling as he dashed along the snowy forest floor. Behind him massive trunks cracked as a great weight split them, sending them crashing to the ground. He knew the predator was gaining on him but he refused to give up, pushing his tired body to its limits as he darted to and fro in an attempt to evade the huntress. He emerged in a small clearing and tried to sprint across it. He heard the sounds of a spring in the distance and knew, where there was water, there was mud; with mud he could hide his scent. It was also a good sign that he could hear the brook since that meant it wasn't frozen; with any luck i

“You claim to be a ranger…” Aaron turned, a hand instinctively reaching for the bow on his back. His eyes snapped to the far side of the small clearing, piercing through the shadowy haze at the edge of the firelight. The speaker lingered there, her slim frame half-concealed between the trees. At some fifteen feet she was well out of arm’s reach. If the need called, she was not out of range for an arrow. “My, aren’t we on edge tonight?” she asked, taking a step forward to fully enter the makeshift camp. Aaron’s hand fully closed around the shaft of his bow; and, to put his mind at rest, the ne

(Part 34 of Shadowdale) Pain lanced up Blaze's arm, dropping the dragon to her knees. Her lips quivered as she tried to form words – a cry for help, a wail of anguish – but her mouth only bobbed up and down soundlessly. Beside her Razor could only glance back at her with concern, his mind focused on the more pressing matter of the twin naga advancing on them. * * * * * The scythe's blade caught the Eye of the Storm on its broad side, allowing the Shadow Blade to throw the weapon out wide. Sterling was thrown off balance by the move, staggering beside the edge of the walkway in his off balanced state. The demon completed a spin w

(Part 55 of the Final Stand) (Part 3 of the Battle for Fantasia Trilogy) Embyr touched down lightly, her claws sinking deep into the recently thawed ground. Her form was shaking as her claws parted, allowing Sterling to gaze out into the forest around them – yet the quivering was not from the cold, but from the anxiety racing through her blood. “I’ll walk.” Sterling offered. “It will give you more of a chance to gather your thoughts.” “Yeah… thanks.” She said, gratefully lowering the boy to the ground. Together, at a casual human pace, they started down the forested path that Sterling

Anna ducked low behind the bushes, keeping her head down. Ever so carefully she reached up one hand, parting the leaves to peek out at the house’s front door. It took her several tense seconds to ensure the coast was clear. Only then did she open her cupped fist to address the creature curled within it. That creature was me. Admittedly, there wasn’t much to being a human: we were small and fragile, easily (and often) overlooked. On Anna’s world we were something of vermin. Some people swatted us and chased us out like rats. Others ate us like exotic delicacies. No one wanted us around. But I had found a home with a kind-he

(Part 91 of Twilight’s Edge) (Book 4 of the Fantasian Series) The night wind was laced with the smell of blood, the ominous yet profound aroma of a successful hunt. The same haze seemed to paint the sky itself, dripping a crimson hue around the distant moon and dimming the once-jovial array of twinkling stars. And at the red storm’s heart was one who, seemingly, had lost her own. For Crystal, the notions of promise and excitement were distant and alien things: even with the whole of the village of Elwind at her feet, lost to fang and hunger, satisfaction was an unfathomable prospect. For in every man she saw Sterling’s fa

(Part 106 of Eternity’s Eclipse) (Book 5 of the Fantasian Series) “There’s something you should know.” Tundra or not, it was unnatural for a dragon to feel so cold. They were creatures of fire. That fact didn’t spare Rose. The shiver shooting down her spine could only be described as icy. It came from something internal, not from the forest or the snow. That was something else dragons weren’t supposed to feel: fear. “I should have been expecting you.” The red dragon mused, dropping to a crouch at the clearing’s edge. She didn’t approach the large white stone – didn’t

(Part 3 of The Infected Trilogy) Luke wished he had room to pace. The tent was too confined to permit dramatic movement, nevertheless walking. It was like a prison during the day: leaving its thick walls would expose him to sunlight, an all but fatal confrontation. So he was forced to sit and wait. For the first few hours it wasn’t so bad. Being alone with his thoughts was as close to sleeping as he could be, given his vampirism. But when the interior of the tent began to dark and the day began to wane, he began to worry. He had to. Cautiously Luke pushed the tips of his fingers through the tent flap. The air outside was cool, pleasa

“You… mentioned that your magic was at my disposal?” “Yes. What do you want, a bigger ego? Perhaps some more of that stupid hair?” she asks sarcastically. “I am quite talented when it comes to magic – and, for now, I’ll stoop low enough to grant whatever idiotic request you have concerning it.” “Can you… teach it to me?” She stops, suddenly far more interested. It takes her a moment to process the request; then her bitterness vanishes in place of a beaming smile. “You want to learn magic from me!?” “I’m sorry – I can ask for something