The Sanctum Chapter Three

The second I heard Lia screaming, nothing else mattered except getting to her. I felt myself dart towards the sound, pulled to it. My strong legs pumping, the blood roaring in my ears.

"Lia!"I yelled, reaching back and pulling my twin swords out of their X- formation on my back.

"Arrow!" I heard her little voice call.

I burst through a bush, the branches slicing cuts into my face, and rolled onto the ground, jumping up to my feet.

I saw it. The large black and brown hairless beast towering over my little Lia, its glowing amber eyes looking so intense like they'd melt out of its eye sockets if it increased any more.

I got ready to pounce when a familiar, soft woosh of an arrow sounded in my right ear.

I turned and there was Buggy, poised tall and looking confident that her instrument would play its music.

It did, as always, the arrow went right to its target, piercing the beast in the back.

I watched as it shuddered, it's muscles wobbling.

"Lia! Move!" I yelled, diving under the body of the monster and grabbing my Lia, skidding away on the brush as the beast collapsed only an inch away frommy foot.

"Is everyone alright?" I heard Nadi ask, breathing heavily as she pounded out of the woods, Rhodes and June coming up behind.

"I'm okay!" Lia called, a little rattled, "Arrow saved me!"

I felt her bony, little arms come around my neck.

"And Buggy too," I reminded her, lifting her up.

"Thank-you, Buggy!" Lia said reaching out for her.

I gave her to Buggy, who craddledLia in her arms.

"No injuries?" Nadi asked, not taking her eyes off of mine.

"None." I answered and coughed a litte. Nadi and the others looked freaked, and like always, they looked to me thinking I'd have a snappity plan to fix it, make it all better, and every time it makes me uncomfortable having all that responsibility on my shoulders.

But this was my family, and I'd undergo any amount of uncomfortability to make it all better.

I smirked, coming up with an idea.

I gestured to the dead beast, "Looks like Lia found us dinner."

"Ewwwwww!!!!!!" came the immediate protest from Rhodes, "I don't want to eatMalbon for dinner!"

Yup. Those nasty things are called Malbons. They reminded me of hairless wolves on steriods, but instead of a long muzzle their faces were pinched up in an ugly grimase on a stumpy snout.

"Hey, it's food. It might be a little tough but it's fuel, guys." I said.

"Wait- You're serious?" Nadia asked, looking half grossed ut and half excited.

"Yup," I answered at exactly the same time Buggy looked over and gasped, "Oh Nadia, what happened to your hair?!"

Nadia groaned and looked up to the sky, "I'm guessing it's bad," she said.

I gave a little ashamed shrug as Buggy shot me a look of disapproval.

"I'll fix it later, hon." she said, reshifting Lia's position in her arms.

I turned to the Malbon, then looked up to ask Nadia for help.

Buggy was glaring at me.

"Eagle Arrow we are not eating Malbon for dinner, we'll go hunting later."

"Thank you lord for givin' us Buggy." I heard Rhodes exclaim throwing up her arms.

I rolled my eyes, but I wasn't complaining too much. If there's one thing I love- it's hunting.