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. What the hell do you think? Gramm said. Where wereyou? Indigo spit into her hand and rubbed her face. We need tofind a way to escape. Our suits protect us, Rico said quickly, breathing heavily. Not our heads, Indigo said. What the hell are they? Gramm said.He twirled theflashlight in his hands nervously.He was almost crying.Hopefully he would be able to fight.Hitomi was crying, but she still clutched her meagerweapon.No one moved for an eternity.An eerie silence fell over thestalemate.Then, loud roars filled the clearing.The sound filled Davewith dread, and all five of them huddled closer with terror.Two saddled, blood-red jaguars pounced from the darkness.Each held a weasel man carrying a lance.They were muchmore impressive than the others with iridescent bug armorthat covered their chests, arms, and legs.As helmets theywore the skulls of some unrecognizable animal.Like evilknights in full regalia.They lined up parallel with each other,lowering their lances. If you're gonna do it, then do it, Indigo said, her voice agrowl.46 The Shivered Skyby Matt DinnimanA demon behind Dave cried in pain.He swirled to look, andhalf its face and arm were gone! It screamed like a cat stuckin a lawn mower, clawing at itself frantically.Then it collapsedin a heap, its comrades quickly moving away in surprise.Then another exploded in a burst of red, its breastplatefalling. What's happening? Rico muttered.A third weasel cried out in pain, its arm completely gone.Then Dave realized what was doing it.Hitomi's flashlight! Sheheld it backwards, and it occasionally flashed on.Her bodyblocked most the beam, but what did shine through killed theweasel men! Not just killed, though.It erased them.Rico saw it too. Hitomi, he yelled. Your flashlight ishurting them! Use it, like a gun! She looked at him in confusion.The jaguars charged. Shoot them, Dave screamed.Hitomi swung the light toward the two knights, cutting anarc of carnage through the weasels.The beam hit the knights,removing their faces at the speed of light.The armoredbodies jerked, then plunged from their saddles, the lancesflying.She swung the light up and down at them like ahammer.The jaguars, uninjured by the ray, bounded pastthem; one came so close it knocked Rico down.Their oily,feral scent was overpowering.The animals bounded over thecreek and into the forest out of sight.The weasel men cried, shaking with fear.A few had tearson their faces.47 The Shivered Skyby Matt DinnimanGramm stepped forward. Leave us alone, he said loudly,his voice surprisingly powerful and threatening. We don'twant to hurt you, but we will. Smoke the little bastards, Rico said, standing up.Heappeared shaken, but uninjured.His knuckles were utterlywhite from clutching his flashlight. No, Dave said. If we leave, maybe they won't botherus. Okay, Indigo said, the war-glaze gone from her eyes.The trident-shaped injury to her face was practically glowing.It looked like it hurt, a lot. Let's back away slowly and seewhat they do.Hitomi, be ready with the light. They moved through a hole Hitomi had cut with the beam,slowly stepping over the remains of a dozen of the weaselmen.The blood oozing from the untouched body parts sizzledagainst the grass. I say we kill them, Rico grumbled. What if they followus? They can catch us by surprise. Shut up, Indigo said.They stepped into the freezing creek.Apparently, the weasel men didn't like them touching theirwater.After they waded in a few feet, the weasel menshrieked in rage and charged.Several spears were hurled.They whined like bullets toward them. Turn your back and cover your face, Indigo yelled.Dave plunged into the water, his arms over his head.Hefelt several of the spears bounce off him.One nicked his leftear, and he cried out in pain.An inch to the right, and itwould have slipped past his arms and into his skull.48 The Shivered Skyby Matt DinnimanRico was screaming.Dave jumped up to see he was on hisback in the shallow water, his hand pinned to the creek bedwith a spear.The water rushed red with his blood
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