TimeNovelThe animals in the dense forest suddenly scattered in all directions, panicked and screeching as if something terrible had just happened.
Birds exploded out of the trees, wings flapping frantically as they shot up toward the sky.
It was like something monstrous had just crashed into the woods-a predator, a disaster, something that sent every living thing running.
Tarquin, Elliot, Evan, and Elijah all frowned in unison, tense and alert.
Even the big guy with the scarred face-usually impossible to rattle-was glancing around warily, brows knit.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtElysia pulled Emmett and Baby close, her whole body stiff with worry.
The air felt charged with danger, every shadow hiding a possible threat. Suddenly-thwup! A muffled gunshot echoed through the forest. Someone was using a silencer.
A flash of color tumbled from above-a brilliantly plumed bird dropped out of the sky and landed right at their feet.
Its feathers were stunning, all bright blues and reds and yellows, the kind you'd only see in rare nature documentaries. But its head... its head was just gone. A bloody mess, shot clean through.
Everyone stared, eyes wide with shock.
Baby whimpered and squeezed Tarquin's neck, burying her face so she didn't have to see. Elysia's jaw dropped, panic written all over her face.
There was more movement in the distance. Tarquin's eyes narrowed. "We need to hide. Now." If the bird had been shot, it meant someone else was close-and armed.
Behind them, a slope covered with tall, wild grass offered the perfect place to duck out of sight. Tarquin hustled Elysia and the kids behind the grass, keeping close.
The scar-faced guy moved like a ghost, scrambling up the nearest tree and vanishing into the leaves. Evan looked like he wanted to follow-higher ground meant a better view-but Tarquin placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Not yet." Then, in a low voice, Tarquin asked Elysia, "Do your grandparents hunt?" Elysia nodded, then immediately shook her head, anxious. "They'll shoot rabbits or wild boar to put food on the table, but a bird like that? Never. Grandpa would never hurt something so beautiful." Elliot's little face scrunched up. "And we're really close to their place. Strangers shouldn't be out here, not unless they got seriously lost." "Even if someone did wander in by accident, Grandpa and Grandma would find a way to send them back out. They'd never let outsiders hang around, much less hunt." Which meant whoever was here, with a gun, was here for all the wrong reasons. Elysia's voice trembled. "Do you think Grandpa and Grandma are okay?" Tarquin's face darkened, but before he could answer, a group of men in camo gear and baseball caps cstriding out of the trees, rifles slung lazily over their shoulders.
They marched right up to the dead bird, picked it up, and one of them grinned with pride.
"Told you I could shoot it in the head. Didn't touch the body. Con, admit it— you're impressed!" Another man chimed in, eager to please. "Man, you're the best shot I've ever seen. No wonder you're the boss!" The leader laughed. "Let's go find something bigger. I want to bag a bear before sunset!" He tossed the bird aside, ready to move on.
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Suddenly, one of the men lost his footing and slipped, tumbling down the slope until he crashed hard against a big rock at the bottom. He yelped in pain, clutching his groin, while the guys up top roared with laughter.
"Dude, you bust your balls? Gonna be singing soprano for the rest of your life?" they jeered.
"Hope you didn't break anything important! How you gonna keep the family line going now?" They laughed even harder.
The guy staggered to his feet, face twisted in pain. "Even with busted balls, I'd still last longer than any of you" He stopped dead, eyes widening as he spotted Tarquin, Elysia, and the others hidden nearby.
Evan tensed, ready to jump in, but Tarquin and Elliot moved fast-one grabbing the man's wrist, the other signaling to the group to stay calm and not make any sudden moves.
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