Nyla Woethief

The thunder of marching interrupted their endearment. In silent understanding, we each snatched up our weapons and donned rucksacks with a small quantity of supplies. They had found us.

To escape our pursuers, we crawled into a narrow shaft and covered the entrance with a material which sounded and looked like the stone of the cavern.

We traveled no more than two hundred throses before we encountered enemy troops. Terror seized me. We backtracked into our cavern. Every tunnel contained enemy soldiers so we fortified every entrance. Each of us focused a scatter-gun at an entrance. I wished for Theila's armor and it appeared around Den and I. Perhaps, we might survive.

Enemies all around us swung battering rams at the barricades. They would not last.

bang.

I glanced at my abdomen and whispered sweet words to Crystal's mind.

bang!

Den turned to Thee'.

Bang!

Their lips met for an instant which they wished was an eternity.

CRASH!

The barrier at the main entrance shattered.

Thwoom. Thwoom. Thwoom.

My gun spat pellets into the bodies of my foes.

Another barrier burst.

Pellets bounced off my carapace.

Our rifles cut them down like sheers cut hair.

They retreated to regroup.

“We might hold them off,” Thee' panted.

“How can we, our ammunition will not last forever,” Den countered.

Reload this, I handed my gun to Den.

While he reloaded, I used my starlet to melt the stone at each entrance. It flickered out before I secured the main entrance.

That will slow them for a time, I said.

Den returned my rifle just as the enemy attack resumed. I waited for my starlet to rekindle. No shots accompanied this attack, but we shot anyway. A woman's agonized shriek gave pause to our assault.

Cease shooting, I mentally yelled to the others.

Our guns ceased their delivery of death.

A priestess of Natia held a stone dagger to Silver's throat.

“Lay down your weapons or she dies.

“It's a trick; that's not really Silver,” Den warned us.

It is her. Do as the priestess says, we set our rifles on the floor and kicked them away from us.

“Put your hands on your head” the priestess ordered.

Members of the temple guard frisked us and removed our concealed weapons. After the guards manacled our hands, Natia entered the cavern. By the force of her will, our armor disappeared.

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