The Arrival (Birthright Trilogy #1) by Nicole MacDonald Page B

useless with lack of sleep. We’re digging our packs out of the shelter we’d been sleeping in when those things attacked.'
    She indicated to Loi who’d just retrieved a bag and tossed it over.
    Packs. Attacked. Right.
    Nodding my head, I got a grip on myself and turned back to help. Alek walked back to the men and they spoke rapidly to one another in a foreign tongue. Our packs now retrieved, I rummaged through mine until I located the loaf of bread and tore it into chunks. I wasn’t about to use the daggers to cut until I’d boiled them. I grimaced in disgust at the muck that coated the once silvery blades.
    I passed the bread along to the others and we slumped to the ground, leaning on each other. Exhausted, we chewed while watching the men set up the shelter.
    Lucky crept down the trunk of the tree then flew across the site to Kassie, startling one of the men. Audi got up from Cat’s side to examine her friend and gently rolled her over, snuffling her to see that she was okay. The cat started to purr as the dog settled down to clean her.
    ‘That cat nearly gave me a heart attack,’ Gredel thought to Phroma, she chuckled.
    ‘Yes, cats are vicious scary creatures, you should be grateful you still have your feet.’
    Gredel gave her a narrow look and removed the tent poles from her harness, while Rumal, Sabyn, and Daron set out the large tent.
    Rumal had to reassure Kerak that he was safe. The young griffon varied between bravado and pride at being a member of the Guard and then nervousness about the storm. As a pup he’d been struck by lightning and his tail bore the white mark. Rumal distracted him with suggestions of how impressed the women were by him, which had him fluffing his newly grown (and truth be told still a little sparse) mane.
    Gredel picked up flickers of the conversation in his head and chuckled at it, exchanging an amused look with Phroma.
    ‘Am glad you’ve never been inclined to vanity,’ he thought.
    ‘Oh give me time,’ she smirked at him. ‘I’m sure I can work on it.’
    Alek left the other men to set up the tent and ducked out of sight behind some trees. Leaning back against one, he relaxed his mind then threw out a thought to her.
    ‘Elena, can you hear me?’
    A few seconds passed then her voice came to his mind.
    ‘Loud and clear, Alek, are they okay? I saw some serious fighting in my vision and we need them safe and whole.’
    He peeked around the tree, showing Elena the image of the four women and two animals slumped against one another in exhaustion.
    ‘They’re fine Elena, just exhausted.’
    ‘Good. Get them to bed; there are clean robes in one of the bags that will fit. Keep them healthy, Alek. If they’re the ones I hope, then they’ll need all their strength for the months ahead.’
    ‘Certainly. We’ll begin the journey home tomorrow, I expect it’ll take us a week. The griffons found the leap hard work.’
    ‘Of course, Alek, keep everyone healthy. Tell the women as much as is necessary. I’ll clarify the rest with them when you arrive.’
    Alek bowed his head in farewell and felt Elena’s presence vanish from his mind. As he stood to move back to the camp Loushka’s thought came to him.
    ‘What did she say, Alek? Are they the ones?’
    ‘She hopes so, Loushka, we must make sure they get their strength back. You and the others too, I know leaping like that is hard work but you did well. Elena is delighted.’
    Alek could feel Loushka beam with pride and in a moment he picked up the same emotions from the other griffons.
    As he walked back into the campsite he noticed Catherine and the one called Kassandra had nodded off, slumped against each other.
    Daron approached him to let him know that the tent was set up and the cot beds ready. Alek turned to Sabyn and asked him to look for the robes Elena had mentioned.
    I was stuck in a dream where horrible little creatures tried to chew my legs as I attempted to beat them off, but my arms were too heavy. I tensed,