Page 39 of Fall

Screaming again, she kicked out at him with both feet as he started tolean over her to grab her thighs.

She hit his groin, and he roared and doubled over. Before the other mancould come to help, she scrambled to her feet and started running.

She couldn’t see or think or even breathe, but she tried to run in thedirection they’d come from. She hadn’t made it very far when one of them wasknocking her down, hitting her again across the face.

Her whole body went limp in response to the blow. There was nothing shecould do after that—except throb with fear and pain.

The man over her was growling viciously. He was angry. He was going tohurt her so badly.

She’d been independent all her life. Self-sufficient. She’d always pridedherself on depending on no one except herself. She’d wanted it that way.

But there was absolutely nothing she could do right now to stop this fromhappening.

The man had grabbed her legs and pulled off her trousers when she foundanother surge of strength. She started to kick and claw again, even if it meantshe’d get hit another time.

It held him off for a minute, since he had to get control of her limbsbefore he could do anything. She knew it wouldn’t hold him off forever.

Then something else happened. Lenna had no idea what it was, butsomething changed. The man let her go.

She realized why when she was able to open her eyes. There was anotherman in the clearing, and both of the Hosh had turned on him.

There was noise, motion, intensity shuddering in the air.

Before she could register any specific movements, both of the Hosh hadslumped to the ground.

She could smell blood, and it wasn’t her own. Both of those horrible menwere dead.

And Rone was leaning over her, reaching down to pick her up.

She sobbed into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, muttering,“Lenna, Lenna, safe” over and over in a hoarse voice.

After a minute, he loosened his arms and looked over his shoulder in thedirection the Hosh had been going. “Lenna wait.”

She nodded mutely, wiping away the tears and blood on her face as he sether gently on the ground. She found her trousers and pulled them back on.

One by one, he dragged the two dead men away, and she realized after aminute what he was doing. He had to get the bodies back onto no-man’s landbefore any of the other Hosh found them, so there wouldn’t be a war.

It was important. The good of his tribe depended on it.

But his tribe wasn’t the only thing that was important to Rone.

When he returned, he was using a branch to scrape up the dirt, hidingtracks and blood from anyone who might be investigating.

Then he picked up Lenna in his arms and carried her away.

When they were clear of Hosh territory, had crossed no-man’s land, and hadentered Kroo territory but hadn’t yet reached the cave, he put her down againon a soft pile of leaves. There, he started to sniff and nuzzle at her. Hewhimpered at the cuts and bruises on her face, making her cry again.

“Lenna hurt,” he muttered, “Lenna hurt.”

“Desh!” she gasped, trying to straighten up but completely incapable ofit. “Desh hurt!”

“Desh no dead. Desh cave. Rone search Lenna. Find Desh. Desh tell. Ronesave Lenna.” He was still wiping away the mess on her face and sniffing now ather arms and belly.

Lenna exhaled in relief at this news. Rone must have found an injuredDesh, gotten the story, and come after her. Desh wouldn’t have had time to returnto the cave to find Rone, since he’d caught up to her so quickly. Rone hadobviously been already looking.

Her head was still spinning and her stomach churning from pain and frightand disorientation.

Rone was now snuffling at her groin. “Hosh hurt Lenna?”