Pepper shifted her weight onto the branch, hoping this would relieve the pressure on her bladder. The stone he had brought up tilted a little where it was balanced in front of him, and he nearly dropped it to the ground. He threw his arms around it, trying to slow his panicked breathing.
Down below, not ten paces from the tree, Koma bent over an arrow-turner, smoothing out several freshly dried arrow shafts. Its black horns and tail stand out against the pale ground, and the contrast all but eliminates the usual bluish tint of the Nightman's skin. The man took every step slowly and carefully, allowing Pepper to see how everything was done. It doesn't look difficult at all. Pepper believes that as long as he works hard, he can do it. It would take some time to get all the parts and tools, like antlers, flint and pitch, but he was sure he could do it.
The old scout didn't react to the mopping sound Pepper had just made. He worked hard. Pepper breathed a sigh of relief.
His pelvic bones hurt from sitting on a branch like this for a long time. The clouds made it difficult to tell the time, but it must have been several hours. Although he had peed before climbing up, his bladder now felt like it had been punched a hundred times. He was worried it would break open and leak out of his stomach.
But it was his fault and all he could do was wait. When Koma first came along the path and passed where Pepper was sitting, Pepper was too nervous to throw the stone at him. During this time, Koma stood up only once, and that was only to drink water, which he did on the edge of the outcrop. That's when Pepper had to go again.
Pepper wasn't too nervous now. Koma needed to get up and walk back down the path, that was it. Just a slight push here and the stone would slide down between the branches and hit the man's skull.
After all, Koma wanted to kill Pepper; he had been looking for him all day yesterday and had his bow at the ready. So Pepper has to kill him first. There was nothing he could do about it. Old Natak couldn't save him—old men didn't fight. Dad always said justice is treating your friends well and hurting your enemies. Kema and Fa
at is definitely his enemy.
So he had to kill Koma, and this was the best way to do it - a surprise attack. A trap. Dad made it very clear, don’t fight with adults. You will lose. Just leave. Run, bite, run again. Children cannot fight with adults and win. But if you have to, Dad said, there aren't many places where you can stab someone without them being able to stab you again. Neck, all the way to collarbone. Under the sternum, up to the lungs. Right on your belly button, but only if you can get it right in. If you miss, they'll trap their own entrails with one hand and kill you with the other. Other places can work, but are more difficult to do - the tendons above the heels, both eyes, armpits...
Pepper thought he heard something coming from the direction Koma was looking, but when he squinted his eyes, leaned down, and tried to peer through the trees, he saw nothing moving. Only the branches swayed in the early spring breeze. But looking up from here, there are piles of branches everywhere. Although there were no leaves, he could not see very far except up and down.
Koma peered down the road from his little perch on a rocky outcrop, but he didn't stand up, so nothing must have happened. Pepper noticed for the first time that one of the man's black pointed horns was longer than the other, at least as long as a finger. How could that be? It looks the same, just shorter.
As her uneasiness grew, Pepper shifted again. The muscles that controlled the water in Pepper's body suddenly twitched, and he only had a few seconds left. He frantically tried to pull his trousers down, but it was almost impossible to do so with his legs resting on the branches like that. He could only use one hand, otherwise the stone would fall. Fortunately, Patos pulled the rope the first time and the knot in the rope was untied.
As soon as he took out the stick, a strong wind blew up and shook all the trees, including the one he was sitting on. He squeezed the branches with his thighs and managed to stay in the tree, but he could no longer hold in the water. He didn't even have time to choose a target - it bent down and landed on a branch in the middle of the tree, unless a strong wind blew it into the fog and swept it away.
Pepper clung on in horror, trying her best not to let the stone fall. If he dropped it, Koma might find him. If he fell from such a high tree, he would die. His water took a long time to empty. It’s longer than dad’s longest time. His bladder and stomach muscles ached, and his legs ached from squeezing the branches.
On his perch, Koma set his things down to keep them from blowing away and looked around with what might have been confusion. The wind blowing from nowhere was so strong that the old scout looked around in surprise like Pepper. He kept looking around to see if something had happened.
Fortunately, Pepper finally completed the task before the wind died down. The wind kept blowing, howling through the thick, melting snow and shaking the last handfuls of dead leaves on the trees. The wind blew his water away; in fact, very little of it fell to the ground, at least he couldn't see it. There wasn't a big yellow puddle there to give him away. All that was left was a slight pain in his bladder, something he didn't think he'd ever felt before.
Still, Koma stood up and looked around as if he expected to see something interesting. But it was just a gust of wind, Pepper knew, just an ordinary wind. What could he find, a giant? Now he remembered, the first time Pepper was caught by the demon was because he had to mess up the water so bad it couldn't contain it. Why does this keep happening? It makes no sense. How can you have bad luck with making water? This is - - - - -
Kema walked towards the tree. He must have smelled it. From above, Pepper couldn't see his facial expression clearly, but the tip of his tail was swaying like a nervous sky-cracker. The old scout paused, then took up his bow again and fired an arrow.
Pepper's stomach dropped, fear gripping him. He could hide, but what about the rock? It just sat there, impossibly perched on a branch. What if Koma saw it? Then he would know that Pepper was here too and start shooting arrows until he hit him. It's impossible for Pepper to dodge the arrow while sitting down.
He reached out, picked up the stone with both hands, and lifted it to his chest. Could he have hidden what he was holding? What if Koma had seen the stone instead of him? It was the heaviest box he could carry, and he dropped it twice trying to lift it up, so it Not small.
Regardless, he had to give it a try. Otherwise I will kill you. He breathed deeply and slowly, ignoring all the little aches and pains in his body. He brought his presence and breathed in harder. The weight of the stone in his arms made it difficult for him to keep his balance, but he calmed down and concentrated.
Koma came to the tree and stood near its base, arrow ready. He kicked around in the snow for a while, then stopped and looked at the scenery again.
Pepper realized he was about to miss his chance. Still, it took a moment for his arms to obey his command and bend down. They don't want to throw stones. He doesn't want to do it. He was too scared.
The old scout leaned down, and Pepper felt the stone almost slipping from his arm. It tossed and turned as it fell. It falls very, very slowly.
Koma looked up too late. The rock hit him on the forehead with a thud that made Pepper feel sick. The old Scout slumped and plopped to the ground as if he were made of cloth.
It worked! Pepper was so shocked she could hardly believe it. Koma lay motionless, blood pooling in his head. The stone knocked off one of the man's horns, leaving a bloody red circle.
Now all he had to do was climb down. He had seen dead bodies before. There are many. Some were from being cut open, some were from being stabbed, and some were just from being too close to Dad when he was angry. But for some reason, the body below frightened him so much that he could hardly breathe.
Every time he tried to make himself move, he couldn't. His legs gave out and he, unable to shift his weight, began to slide down to the next branch. His whole chest hurt and his lungs couldn't work, even as they burned from lack of air. Then he thought he might pass out or die right here, which made it worse. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the branches, and was surprised to hear a whimper.
He cried bitterly for a long time. His whole body was filled with pain, or fear, or nausea, or something else; he couldn't tell. He didn't even understand why he was crying. His mind was clear, but he couldn't stop. It almost made him angry with himself. Every time he tried to hold his breath and stop, it only made things worse. He cried for so long that he didn't want to open his eyes. It was so long that his throat hurt.
Pepper only stopped when the wind picked up again, shaking the tree so hard that he had to hold on to the branches for a completely different reason. He blinked his eyes, held back the tears, gritted his teeth, and held on tightly with both arms and legs, which felt much safer than holding on with just his legs. The wind stopped again, almost as suddenly as it had come.
Below, he heard Kema sobbing in pain. The man wasn't dead! Pepper didn't have another stone. He hid in fear again, holding his breath and trying to calm his heartbeat.
The old scout shouted again and slowly got up from the ground. A small, short gust of wind shook the branch where Pepper was. Then another, fainter. Then still.
Pepper weighed her options, her mind racing. The old scout's horn still lay on the ground, and it was sharp. Sharp enough. If he could get down before Koma woke up, he could stab him with it. But he had to hurry, and
Koma stood up on his hands and knees, retching loudly. Pepper almost loses his breakfast when he hears it splattering on the floor. After a brief pause, the man vomited again. Then the pain returned. Then he said something vaguely that he might want to say.
Another small gust of wind tickled his ear hairs, but there was almost no movement, almost caressing him and him alone.
horn. He had to get it before Koma picked up the horn. Without it, Pepper can do nothing.
His body began to move almost before his mind was ready. He didn't even want to go down, really didn't, but he found himself sliding quietly to the next branch, and then the next, but trying to be quick and not hide. Then the next branch, then the lower one, then around the tree to the next one…
Pepper landed the last few feet on the ground, her feet crunching on the icy snow. Before Koma could react, Pepper jumped forward, grabbed the smooth black horn, and stepped back. The snow was still warm, and he held his hands in front of his chest like a sword, and a few drops of blood fell on the snow.
Koma didn't seem to notice him. The man was face down, barely moving. The bright red blood stood out against the demon's blue-black skin and dripped from his forehead, mixing with a puddle of vomit and melting into the hard snow on the road.
The old Scout whimpered and then began to cry, so softly that Pepper could only be certain it was true, because he saw the man's torso trembling inside the fur coat.
Just yesterday the old scout had been a tall, muscular man, but now he looked frail, old, and pathetic. Pepper moved her hand to the devil's horn, feeling that its smooth surface was harder than wood. He didn't know if it would slip out of his hand if he stabbed Koma with it, or if it would go in.
Pepper couldn't shake how this scene made him feel. He knew he had to kill him, but not like this. He was disgusted to see an adult treated so abjectly, and he didn't quite understand the intensity of pity. Koma is the enemy, but Pepper doesn't want to hurt him. no longer....... He cried and dripped blood into his own vomit.
Dad won't stab someone after hitting him. Or was it him? Pepper couldn't remember. He thought about almost nothing but the feel of the horn in his hand, how smooth it was, how warm it was, how disgusting it was.
Koma coughed and spit, but did not vomit again. He tried to speak, but the words that came out were jumbled and meaningless. He reached out and touched the hole where his horn was, hissing in pain. He makes a loud noise that could be speaking, but isn't; however, it does convey his pain quite well. The old scout's voice conveyed pain, and when he heard it, he froze inside.
Pepper sobbed in the cold, unaware of what she was doing, and Koma turned her head. He didn't look up, but he must have caught a glimpse of Pepper standing there, because he wanted to speak again. Only one word was spoken this time, but it came out like a groan. Pepper took a step back.
the old scout said over and over again, as if he were trying to figure out how to make his mouth work. It was an unnatural, almost inhuman sound. "Hwahhho...Hwahhho...rose..."
"Help?" Pepper asked.
"Help," Kema said to the ground. Another drop of blood was shed. Another place. "Informed. Pp-pehh..."
Pepper looked around to see what could be done. Of course, there was nothing or anyone around. There were no bandages, no help lifting the old Scout, and no place to put him. However, he was relieved that he didn't have to kill him anymore. Or maybe he just had a temporary excuse not to do it.
"Hel... up..." Kema said. He kept turning his head to look at Pepper, though his eyes were a little shaky as if they couldn't focus properly. The bright red blood drew distinct lines on the demon's face, gathering into a scar that flowed down to his chin. It makes him look scary. huge.
But Pepper had seen worse. He'd seen worse enough times that he could handle it. He tucked the horns into the drawstring of his pants, tied them hastily, then stepped forward and tried to help Koma up.
The old scout was too heavy for Pepper to lift, but he tried anyway. Mostly, when Koma used Pepper as a ladder to pull himself up, he was just trying not to fall down. Somehow they managed not to fall.
"Bring me back," Koma muttered. He seemed unsteady on his feet, so Pepper took his hand and put it on his shoulder.
"I think you should get some rest first. You'll feel better in a while," Pepper said nervously, but the old scout took a staggering step, then another, down the path in the direction of the camp. Pepper was always by his side, and more than once the man grabbed his shoulders so tightly that he almost lost his balance and hurt him.
They had only gone about fifty steps when Kema stumbled and fell forward. Pepper helped him sit down and then wiped the snow off his face. When he saw all the blood accompanying it, he hurriedly washed his hands in the snow to get rid of his nausea.
"Can you wait a minute? I can go find someone." "
"Kitty ghost," Koma said. "What are you doing here?"
Pepper freezes. He doesn't remember? The man's speech still doesn't sound right, but he seems to be doing better now. Koma crawled a little further and leaned back into the bushes, which looked uncomfortable. It might not be as cold and wet as snow, though.
"I'll be right back." Pepper said. "Don't go anywhere."
The old scout waved his hand feebly and told him to leave. Pepper felt excited and turned to leave. If Koma doesn't remember, maybe he didn't see Pepper at all - maybe he just thought a rock fell! Maybe Pepper didn't have to say what happened. He could say -
A branch from a bush caught his belt and pulled it free. It rolled over and fell headfirst to the ground. Little Pepper hadn't even taken five steps before she started dropping things.
He looked at the old scout again and noticed how his head was thrown back and his neck was exposed. Even though the man's skin was blue-black, Pepper could see the outline of the muscles in his throat and neck and knew where his father would have him stab him. Right here, in the space between the muscles and the larynx. The bloodstains are all there. Should I stab with a knife or cut with a knife?
Pepper bent down and picked up the horn, feeling again how smooth and hard it was. He tried it with his finger and found that it was not as sharp as a fresh thorn, but still sharp. Sharp enough. He looked again at Koma, who seemed to be awake even though his eyes were closed. Pepper could sneak up on him. He could stab him in the neck. this is very simple.
A breeze tugged at the hem of his shirt, gently pushing him in the direction of the old scout. It disappeared and calm returned to the area. silence.
A whisper tickled his ears, and he couldn't understand what was being said because it was so quiet. Pepper choked on a scream and jumped to the side, almost falling to the ground. There is nothing around. There was nothing in any direction—just scattered brush and rocky dirt sticking out of the snow, and bare black trees. Make your way through the noisy ground, although there are plenty of hiding places.
The whisper—perhaps just the wind—falls softly, almost imperceptibly, on his face. Fear welled up in his heart, choking his throat and locking his legs. He clutched the horn with both hands, ready to stab the first thing that moved. However, this thing is a bit strange, it doesn't seem to be entirely his. It's like someone else's emotions are intruding. anger. Hatred. fire.
dad. It felt a bit like Dad, underneath Pepper's own rising fear. A rush of hope ran through him, almost reigniting his courage. Is dad here? Really?
"Dad!" he yelled as loud as he could. But in the silence that followed, he knew he was wrong. Dad wasn't around. That was something else. There was something else here.
As soon as this idea entered Pepper's mind, he saw a shaking silhouette in the air next to him, the side from which the whisper came.
a shadow. It was the shadow of a dead man.
He ran unsteadily, arms flailing, trying to keep his balance on the icy trail. His throat was so tight that he couldn't even scream. He opened his eyes wide, piercingly cold, and the world in front of him became narrower.
Little Pepper ran until her legs were burned. Every step dug or slipped in the snow, slowing him down and exhausting him. He was going back to the village, but he didn't even know why. What if Farah finds him first?
He slowed and stopped, mostly because he couldn't run any further after sprinting as hard as he could. He looked around with wide eyes, searching for shadows, but his mind was so panicked that he couldn't process his surroundings until he calmed himself down. It was difficult, almost impossible, because there was a shadow chasing him.
But it disappeared. The air was quiet, everything was quiet, and he could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears. There was no movement around him. The snow didn't even sparkle because it was melting and it was wet.
Pepper touched the hard, smooth horn in his right hand and realized he was still holding it. The horns of a stoned man who held it like a stick. It wasn't so warm anymore, and there was no blood coming out anymore, but the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
He forced himself to start walking again. He still didn't know what to do. Just a few minutes ago, he had been sure: kill Koma and Farat and avoid getting caught. Dad would do it, and so should Pepper. In fact, if it hadn't been for the shade, Dad would have told him to go right back and kill him.
Pepper didn't know what her father thought about the shadows, but he knew that the old Philian tried his best to keep them out. If possible, you must bury a person on the same day so that the shadows do not wander. Then, you have to remember them. Engraving their names on tombstones and sometimes leaving offerings so they never forget who they are. So they can rest. Because once they forget, they can go anywhere. They may become disoriented and wander aimlessly until the ogre Raphael comes to take them away. Or enter a house and torture the people who live in that house.
Dad said sometimes when people die, the gods take them away and others go into Sewell's Hall. But some people just don't go anywhere and just stay with their body, and you never know if it's one way or the other. What Rafas did to the people he collected, Dad didn't know, but it was bad. That's not a god who likes humans.
Now, none of this information is useful. Shouldn't I pray to God or something? Is there a way to make them disappear? Maybe Mom knows one.
One thing is for sure: Pepper doesn't want Shadow to attack him or anything. He quickened his pace and walked a little faster, always feeling like someone was staring at him.
He just needed to find Natak first and tell him what happened. Farat and Koma said they were going to kill him, so he...no, no, he shouldn't have said that.
Pepper should lie. There's nothing wrong with lying to your enemies - it's just a sign of weakness, and Pepper is weak compared to adults. He would tell Natak that he was on an expedition and found Kema like that and he saw a shadow and ran away. Here's the horn as evidence, because there's no way Pepper could have pulled it out of Koma's head. But Koma is still alive, so they should come to save him and help him if they can.
A breeze blew up, tickling the hair on the tips of his ears. He quickened his pace and began to jog slowly down the icy path, trying to imagine that it was nothing—just ordinary wind.
After a while, the camp came into view, but something wasn't right—someone was supposed to be outside. It was noon and he couldn't see anyone.
He stopped, listened, and looked around. Several voices reached his ears, coming from near the center of the camp, out of sight from here. Sounds like Night Men, so they must be there.
His eyes flickered, but when he turned to look, there was nothing. Then another, to his right. Another, just ahead, something hiding behind the tent. Just a flicker of movement, so quick and subtle that he might have imagined it.
Then he heard whispers. Around him, something quiet and invisible whispered words he couldn't understand. The sounds might not be words at all, so faint and quiet that he had to hold his breath to hear them. The whispers themselves flickered like movement, a little here, a little there, here and there. All separated and disconnected. But it was the sound of the mouth, not the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves. There is no doubt about this.
Pepper stopped and couldn't walk any further. Move forward and it becomes a whisper. shadow. Behind him, on both sides. A whisper came from above, just out of reach. Then he was hit in the ankle from the ground. everywhere. They all gathered around.
Shapes rose and fell in the air, darker than the heat on the horizon. Weaker than Dad's anger. Around him, the whispers grew closer. Their breath tickled the invisible fuzz on the backs of his hands, neck, ears, and tail. The chill on his face was like a kiss.
A whimper escaped his fear-tightened throat. Fear came over him, paralyzing him. He couldn't even blink. He had no control over any part of his body, and his mind shrank until it was filled with fear.
Just ahead of him, a bolder shape emerged, rippling more intensely than any of the others. Still barely visible, Pepper could tell it was a stone man, tall and proud, with his hair braided like Dad sometimes did, and wearing a knee-length stone coat and sandals. It waved an arm ferociously, and all the whispering ceased.
Its eyes fell on him. It slid forward, now only a step away. Pepper had never been more naked or more scared. It can see him. It can see him!
Pepper turned her head hard to look somewhere else, or fell, or rolled, or got up, and ran, or whatever. Anything is possible, but he can't do it. His whole body was like lightning, burning him. Lightning is caused by fear.
Shadow raised his arm and placed his hand on top of Pepper's head. He didn't feel any fingers, just the coldest feeling he had ever imagined, so cold it almost burned his skin. He is dying. There was nothing he could do. The cold penetrated deep into his heart. The shadow would suck all the life out of him, and then it would...
Something inside Pepper was vibrating. It felt like a jar in his head had burst and all his fears were spilling out. Finally he couldn't take it anymore: he was too scared to be scared anymore, so he stopped being scared at all.
He waved his horn toward the shadows and passed directly through them. After a moment, the shadow disappeared completely. Even its existence disappeared. He is full of energy. He can move again!
All the fear and doubt ran out of his skin like sweat, or rushed over him like a cauldron of water and drained to the ground. What replaced it was calm. Confidence. His arms and legs felt strong instead of tired and unsteady.
He was not afraid of the whispers because he had no fear left. He had been afraid for so long that he had used up all his fear. He may never be afraid again in his life! Instead, now he feels like his dad is always watching him. Be bold, brave, confident, angry, but angry is good.
"Let me go!" he shouted to the whispers around him. He frowned and pointed his horn at me threateningly. His mind is open and free, as if everything is under his control. He saw the anger swirling inside him, but that was his strength now. He can think clearly. It's incredible.
Pepper paused, ignoring the shadow for the moment. He gripped the horn tightly, considering his options. Dad always thought things over before rushing in; at least, that's what he said. It's hard to say. What does Pepper want? What does he want to happen?
He needs them to protect him until daddy comes. Or wait until Dad is close enough so Pepper can go find him. He needs food and a warm place to sleep. This is one aspect. He also needs to find out if Natuk will protect him from Farat, or if he can protect him. After all, he is an old man, and Farat is the biggest night owl.
If he found Deanna first, he could ask her. She was a stranger to him—sometimes warm, sometimes cold. Flower or Garby would know why and know what to do, but how would Pepper know? He had thought he was good at talking to people until he saw Flower and Garby do it. They always hit the mark. Gabby didn't even have to speak, just smile, and everyone fell at her feet like the queen she was.
Can he trust Deanna? She cheated on Dad before, so why not? That's if he can find her.
The rustling wind tickled the fur on and even inside his ears, making him shiver. He ignored it. He ignored the feeling of the fur on his tail starting to stand up on its own as well. His thumb moved back and forth over the horn he held.
Natak... Natak didn't do it for honor or anything like that, Pepper remembered now. He does things because it's good for the tribe, or because it's a good deal. Those are the only two reasons. He's nothing like Dad. Dad always did things for honor, that was the main reason for everything.
The old devil is always talking about offering this or bartering for that, so what else can Pepper have to offer but eat all their food? They won't need a daddy to save their kids anymore, if that young woman actually remembers the fields If so.
The only thing Pepper could offer was where Koma was and that he was alive. He went over the lie again in his mind—Koma had been attacked by a ghost, and Pepper had helped him and knew where he was. All he can do now is see how safe he is in trade.
Pepper walked forward as usual, unhurried and unhurried, like a burden he never knew had been lifted from his heart. He didn't want to kill Koma - he'd been forcing himself to do so. The thought of that made him sick. He'd seen a lot of corpses, but he'd never caused one, and this was different. He didn't even like watching the damage his daddy caused.
He wasn't afraid anymore, but everything else was still there. He could still hear the impact of stones falling to the ground and picture Koma being crushed. And blood. But he didn't have to kill him anymore. It's not his fault that Koma won't die. He wouldn't have to look at his body to remember it forever.
He circled around one tent after another and finally saw them. The Night Men huddled together and stood in a large circle dug out in the center of the camp. Even the kids were there, and Pepper was surprised to see so many people. Children of all ages were hiding in adults' laps or holding hands with friends.
The whole tribe was huddled together like that and they looked weird, like they were one instead of many. Somehow the bright midday sun made their bluish charcoal skin less noticeable. They came together, forming a giant shape that looked a lot like the patch of dusk sky they claimed they came from, their dark brown leather coats losing definition as they moved. Their horns look like a thousand spikes sticking out of a large lump.
Pepper immediately understood why they were all in the circle - countless shadows rippled the air around the circle, and whispers seemed to come from or move in that direction. Ghosts came from all over the king's land, Pepper guessed, because there were so many of them. They gathered here, just outside the circle where the Night Men were.
Suddenly, people discovered him. The visual of hundreds of people turning to look at him simultaneously almost made him take a step back and lose his balance. Near the bow, a flash like the sun striking the water caught his attention. He blinked and looked again.
Sheth! They even brought Sheth out and he took the headband off so the light came through his eyes. Pepper's heart was filled with joy and she grinned. He walked forward, ignoring the shadows. They couldn't scare him anymore.
As he came closer and saw each person's face, they all stood back and whispered to each other, and he knew they were all afraid of him. He's not even hiding, so, oh, the horns. Well, it's too late to put it away now. He held it in his hand, and everyone had seen what it was.
Natak was the one holding Shays, even though her parents were right next to her. And Farat, who looked so surprised that his forehead was about to explode.
Sheth tried to break free from Natuk's arms, but the old devil held him tighter and threw him away. Sheth's shining eye was fixed on Pepper, but in daylight it wasn't as bright as it was in the tent.
Pepper stepped across the circle and immediately noticed the change. The air in the room was quiet, a little warm, and quiet. There was also a sense of relief that so many shadows had a feeling and he could no longer feel it.
"Hello, Sheth," Pepper said.
"Hi, Pepi," Sheila said. He looked nervous or scared, which made Pepper want to hug him.
The look in Natuk's eyes was something Pepper had never seen before. He couldn't tell what it was, but it felt dangerous and made him uneasy. "Pepper, whose horn is that? Where did you get it?"
Pepper met his gaze calmly, standing straight and unwavering. Deep down he knew he should be scared again by now, but he just wasn't. not at all. He crossed his arms and even kept his tail still.
"It's Koma's, I got it from Farah when he sent him to kill me." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he changed his mind about lying, but it felt right. He's not scared, so why would he pretend to be scared and lie?
Dozens of Night Men whispered to each other, making a rush of sound that reminded Pepper of the wind noise earlier. Suddenly, loudly, then suddenly gone.
However, Farat did not react, he just pursed his lips and lowered his eyebrows slightly. The man's hand reached for the hilt of a long knife on his belt.
Natak looked at the ground at Pepper's feet, glancing up at him only once or twice.
Anger boiled in Pepper's heart and exploded before he could stop it. "Do you know, Natuk?" Do you know, don't you? You know! "
Natak seemed to want to say something, but didn't say it. On the contrary, he just looked at Perper sadly. His skin on his wrinkled old face seemed to be drooping, as if he was ten years old overnight.
Farate pulled out a long knife from the belt and stepped forward. Natak grabbed his arm.
The big leader turned around and said, "Elder, you can stop me, but we all know the price. I won't change the idea, choose one. I am still him?"
"Why do you have to do such a stupid thing?" Natuk said, but Perper could see that he had given up. His words were not convincing. "You know, he is harmless."
"Do you think this is coincidental?" Look at your surroundings. Spirit? SHETH does not mean that some of them look like an old non -paddy? Let go of my arm, elder. "
"It's the king, Farate, not a little black tail. The king sent them. Look at him. Do you really think it was caused by him?"
"Let go of my arm."
Natuk moved away and let go of Farate's arm. He turned around to bring Xies to other places, and it may be to go behind, so he didn't need to see what Rat had to do. Hila looked at Pieper from the shoulder of the old devil and confused.
Fara pulled out another knife. Just as he was going forward and rushing towards him at the fastest speed, Pipper shouted: "Koma is still alive!"
Farate almost fell forward and was abolished halfway. He couldn't help asking: "Really?"
Natak turned around and walked towards small peppers. "You have to tell us where he is, kid!" Tell us now! "
"Why do I do this?" You plan to let him kill me, "Peroper said. He crossed his hands and looked at the two people who were only one step away from him.
Fara exposed her teeth, and crooked angle in the direction of Perper. "Child, you don't know at all-!"
"Oh, terrible! You will kill me, right? Anyway, you have to do this too. But you guess what? I don't be afraid of you. Look at me. I don't be afraid at all. Up ... "Perper said.
He jumped back a few steps and crossed the line where the shadow was. Suddenly, their whispering and wind surrounded him. This did not bother him. In fact, he feels as good as his memory. Vitality and life. "I bet you will not even cross this line. Why not? Why don't you come to pick me up, the ghost? Give me it, you go the wild goat!"
Farate took a step forward and gritted his teeth, but he stopped in front of the line.
Natuk stepped forward, just in front of Farate. He turned around so that the boy could see more clearly, and then said, "This is really a mess, isn't it? I am not happy at all. But please, dear child, you don’t understand how dangerous it is. Where is Kema? ? How serious is he hurt? Does he have ghosts around him? "
"Promise me not to kill me. Send an oath. You two. There are Tesvan. I saw him climbing like a mouse."
Natuk nodded and said, "I swear. I swear that I won't kill you. Now please tell me where you are-"
"He! And everyone! Perper shouted with a horn.
Farate is very angry. If he has his father's olive skin instead of charcoal skin, he will become red. Little pepper can even feel as angry as dad, but it is not as strong as dad.
Perper doesn't care. "Say!" He pretended to be impatiently knocking on his feet.
"I swear that I won't kill you," the big man said. Hearing this sentence, most of the night people spoke, and it sounded like the same vow, although the little peppers couldn't hear each word.
The little pepper nodded and said, "I leave him on the road halfway, and he monitor the road there. I accidentally heard Farate and said that he was going to kill me, so I threw a stone towards him, so he was so able to be able to be able to be He knocked him down, but he didn't die. After that, he could even walk, but I felt he forgot who I was. He was resting, but I bet that if we can ... what can we ... what are you seeing ... "
Then he felt it. A dark feeling that reminds him of the darkness of pus and disease caught his heart. Angry, violence, and stress are almost the same as the evil of Dad, but the condition is more serious. Pepper.
Koma stood less than ten steps away, and she just stepped out of the tent. The blood flowing from its lost corner was almost dry, leaving a bright red and black stain, flowing down its face, and soaking its collar. The man's eyes were wild and confused. He took a few steps forward, but his legs ... gone, as if he was not used to having legs.
The night walker behind the little pepper screamed, screamed and rushed back to escape, but he didn't hear the sound of them running. However, he couldn't look back; his eyes stared at Koma, like being nailed there. There's something wrong with him. To be precise, he did not show the injury; his movements were fierce and powerful, making him look not as painful. He just turned his head instead of turning his head, turning his eyes, not focusing on anything.
Somehow, the little peppers are still not afraid. He knew he should be like this. Everything else is, something must be happened. "Kema? He asked calmly.
The eyes of the old scout turned in his head, towards Pipper's voice until they found him. That man turned his head to cooperate with them. He laughed and revealed all his teeth. "Kitte
-Ghost. Come here, child. "
