Cromwell pov:

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

We were in trouble. The plan had been risky in the first place, but we had all known that. None of us had expected it to go wrong like this though.

When Tawnie rushed up with the target I had almost chewed her out for leaving a trail… Fooling elvish trackers with trained lunatic wolves isn’t something that can be done easily after all. Even now, when the moon was barely a sliver and the wolves are weakest, they still retain their keen senses.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

My words died in my throat when I saw the look on her face. she was also alone. Tawnie is highly competent, I had worked with her before and found her intelligent and professional. Not really a surprise, female bandits who last long enough tend to be viciously good at it or else they get weeded out. That’s why it was so surprising seeing her almost hysterical.

Finding out that Derek and Langley got killed was a shock. I knew the Greenbul’s pets were dangerous, but the two hadn’t been pushovers. They were almost at the level of a nation’s knights even if they lacked the equipment. Specializing in speed and stealth, Tawnie and the two men were perfect for the mission.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

I had been trying to get Tawnie to explain in detail what had happened without demoralizing the others but it was hard going. That’s when the monster emerged from the trees and stared at us.

It was huge and horrifying; all black and alien, with spikes and jagged edges all over its multi legged body. Strange glossy eyes stared at us with a hungry sort of light. In its oversized claws were the mangled remains of Langley.

The thing that held him had obviously been eating him. Chunks were missing all over and the legs were almost totally gone.

I heard the others shouting and dry heaving. I want to as well, but I needed to get revenge for Derek and Langley first. I pulled out my bow, it was enchanted and I had owned it for years. pulling back, I drew the bow as far as I could and lined up a shot.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

When I got my shot ready the creature hadn’t moved. I had it dead to rights, but somehow it dodged while the arrow was in flight. It just casually leaned to the side and my arrow slid right past it.

After that it had disappeared into the trees and we didn’t see it for a bit.

Then without warning, a massive tree toppled towards the rearmost boat. I heard the yells turn into screams as the men were hit by the tree. With the exception of the mages all of us could take a beating, but being struck by a falling tree is too much for even men as tough as us.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

It was dark, only those like me with trained vision could make anything out. Still, we only barely managed to make out a flash of something speeding up the tree trunk towards my downed comrades.

The only thing we could do was shout a warning. The screams were horrible. I had been a bandit for well over a decade and killed many people but I had never anyone scream like that.

The branches shook as they struggled and shrieked. When the movement subsided there was a horrible, stifling silence for one long moment. Then that living nightmare emerged from the mess of branches.

After a second staring, the strange black monstrosity opened its terrible jaws and hissed. The noise was horrifying, the hair on the backs of our necks rose and and our skin crawled as the far too loud noise shook the water.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

Several of our bowmen including me tried to shoot it again, but it seemed to melt back into the fallen tree. We could only helplessly watch as we continued to retreat.

After a heated debate, we decided to use some of the repellant meant for the mother bees. There was no choice, if we wanted to survive until morning we needed to prevent that thing from getting too close. The drugs were made by a skilled alchemist, and should spread far enough to keep the bug monster from dropping more trees on us.

I could only thank my lucky stars that the monster had turned out to be insect based and therefore vulnerable to the repellant.

Ha! You Are Welcome.

Rationing the repellant to make sure it lasted till we escaped the forest was going to be difficult. There was no guarantee using the kid as a hostage would work as well on the mother bees as it would the elves.

We tried to make better time by having the rowers swapped out frequently, with no one sleeping yet. I said it was to go fast enough to ensure that the repellant lasted till we escaped the forest but everyone knew that we just wanted to escape that creature.

We had almost thought we were safe when Alex spoke out:

“Do you hear that?” (Alex)

That’s when we all noticed it.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

A creepy muttering was resounding out of the forest. Too quiet to be sure of but too loud to ignore, it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

Fast forward to now, and now we have been listening to it for over two hours. Nobody could figure out where it was coming from, and it wore at our minds. Every rustling branch and shaking bush felt like it held a monster.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

The only person who wasn’t driven insane with paranoia was the brat, who was in a drugged sleep. The rest of us were constantly peering into the black. Everyone was silently praying that the repellant held the monster at bay, that the morning light would somehow drive the creature away into some dark hole. Surely such a nightmare would abhor the sun.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

Those of us who could row did frequently, with the strength of a warrior we could keep up a gentle pace for hours. But right now, nobody wanted to go any speed other than as fast as possible. Rowing was actually a way of coping, anything was better than staring into the darkness and listening to the noise. So everyone but the mages got frequent turns at the oars.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

Tawnie was curled up at the back of the boat and staring at her feet. I thought I could hear her constantly muttering herself. She flinched each time that noise echoed out.

The mage we had in the middle boat was sitting and twitching. I had to tell him to stop trying to pace, the boat was far too small for something like that.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

“GYAAARG!”

Everyone jumped and turned towards the mage who had screamed and jumped up. He pulled out a wand and drew a symbol in the air. As soon as the symbol was complete he began firing lightning bolts into the forest.

*Zzkack*

“Shut up!” (mage)

*ZZzzksh*

“Shut up!” (mage)

*ZkzzZ*

“Shut up shut up shut up shut up!” (mage)

We wrestled the wand out of his hand and pulled him down into the boat. He nearly capsized the boat as he kept screaming at the woods while we struggled to restrain him. Finally we were forced to drug him like Tawnie had the kid.

As he fell unconscious there was a single moment of true silence before we heard it:

“Hha Hha Hha Hha! Hha! Hha! Hha! Hha!”

The wheezing laugh kept going echoing about for far too long, growing louder and quieter in turns. I turned and yelled at everyone.

“The repellant is working, ignore it. It’s almost dawn, we can kill it once there is light.” (Cromwell)

*Krcxk*

*Kreeeee*

*Smekashhh*

All of us looked forward to see yet another tree toppling over, splashing into the water ahead of us. It nearly struck the boat in front.

“Chih Chih Chih Hhha Hhha Hhha”

“We are all going to die.” (Tawnie)