Read Online Breakaway: Clan of the Ice Mountains by C.S. Bills - Free Book Online
Authors: C.S. Bills
Tags: childrens adventure
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What’s wrong?
Attu scanned the horizon, listened hard. Nothing. No sound of ice cracking, no movement other than Meavu walking with little Shunut back toward the group. They were only a couple of spear throws away, when suddenly, one of the smaller ice mounds, which had been partially hidden by the others, moved. It detached itself from the ground and rose up. Attu saw four legs, a head, and wicked black claws as the mound leaped toward Meavu and Shunut, a spray of snow flying off it as it ran.
“Meavu!” Attu shouted, and grabbing his spear tightly, he raced toward his sister and little cousin.
Shunut, sensing the movement behind him, turned. The wall of white was coming at him, claws ripping into the ice. Shunut screamed.
Meavu turned as the beast roared, and Attu knew she saw the mouthful of dagger-like yellow teeth that showed as the white mound leaped across the ground, bellowing. It was huge, and still it moved fast.
Meavu did not scream. She grabbed Shunut up like he was a light pack and began to run toward Attu. But it was obvious they could not outrun the beast. And even if they did, where could they hide? There was no place safe from such a monster...
Attu raced toward the animal, for that must be what it was, a white wall of fur, with claws and teeth, just like he’d dreamed it would be. It was real, not a spirit, and if it was real he could kill it. He had to. His spear alone was not going to stop the beast, however; this Attu knew instinctively. It was far too large to be killed with one spear, but he kept running and pulled his knife from his belt also, glad he had worked the evening before to sharpen both his weapons.
Attu had almost reached his sister when the monster swept one massive paw as it ran, knocking Shunut out of Meavu’s grip. She fell backward in the snow, clutching her shoulder where she had been struck. Shunut tumbled across the ice and came to a stop. He lay there, unmoving.
The animal turned toward Shunut, and Attu knew this would be his only chance. He screamed a cry to give him strength, a cry from his very spirit, a cry of defiance toward this mad monster, and with his cry, he plunged his spear into the side of the creature where he guessed its heart to be.
The beast roared in pain. Turning to face Attu, it reared up on its hind legs, easily twice Attu’s height. His spear dangled from its side where a large red stain was growing against the white fur.
Attu leaped to the other side of the animal, drawing it away from the children. It swatted at him, roaring and rearing again and again as Attu barely kept out of its reach. Then it dropped to all fours and lunged. Attu dodged to the left, escaping the black curving claws as they flashed across his face. But the blow struck his shoulder. He felt his parka tear, and the force of the swiping paw spun him off balance. He fell, but leaped up again, his hands now red from the bloody snow.
The beast should be tiring, but even though blood spouted from its side, it came at Attu again, roaring and raging. It was too close. He was going to die. He was going to be caught in the grip of that dripping mouth of teeth as long as his fingers, and he was going to be ripped to pieces.
Suddenly, a stillness came over Attu. It was as if his spirit left his body, rising above the fight, and he looked down at himself, facing this monster with only a knife in his hand. And he knew what to do.
His spirit slammed back into his body as Attu leaped at the monster, catching it by surprise. Its claws raked the air where Attu had been standing just a moment before. Attu reached up, as high as he could, and as the creature came down on him, he sliced his knife across the animal’s throat, not just once, but three quick slashes, each one carving deeper into the beast’s neck. Blood spewed from the animal’s throat and the massive beast fell on him like a huge fur-covered boulder. Attu was swept under its body as the creature took one last swipe at him,
Attu scanned the horizon, listened hard. Nothing. No sound of ice cracking, no movement other than Meavu walking with little Shunut back toward the group. They were only a couple of spear throws away, when suddenly, one of the smaller ice mounds, which had been partially hidden by the others, moved. It detached itself from the ground and rose up. Attu saw four legs, a head, and wicked black claws as the mound leaped toward Meavu and Shunut, a spray of snow flying off it as it ran.
“Meavu!” Attu shouted, and grabbing his spear tightly, he raced toward his sister and little cousin.
Shunut, sensing the movement behind him, turned. The wall of white was coming at him, claws ripping into the ice. Shunut screamed.
Meavu turned as the beast roared, and Attu knew she saw the mouthful of dagger-like yellow teeth that showed as the white mound leaped across the ground, bellowing. It was huge, and still it moved fast.
Meavu did not scream. She grabbed Shunut up like he was a light pack and began to run toward Attu. But it was obvious they could not outrun the beast. And even if they did, where could they hide? There was no place safe from such a monster...
Attu raced toward the animal, for that must be what it was, a white wall of fur, with claws and teeth, just like he’d dreamed it would be. It was real, not a spirit, and if it was real he could kill it. He had to. His spear alone was not going to stop the beast, however; this Attu knew instinctively. It was far too large to be killed with one spear, but he kept running and pulled his knife from his belt also, glad he had worked the evening before to sharpen both his weapons.
Attu had almost reached his sister when the monster swept one massive paw as it ran, knocking Shunut out of Meavu’s grip. She fell backward in the snow, clutching her shoulder where she had been struck. Shunut tumbled across the ice and came to a stop. He lay there, unmoving.
The animal turned toward Shunut, and Attu knew this would be his only chance. He screamed a cry to give him strength, a cry from his very spirit, a cry of defiance toward this mad monster, and with his cry, he plunged his spear into the side of the creature where he guessed its heart to be.
The beast roared in pain. Turning to face Attu, it reared up on its hind legs, easily twice Attu’s height. His spear dangled from its side where a large red stain was growing against the white fur.
Attu leaped to the other side of the animal, drawing it away from the children. It swatted at him, roaring and rearing again and again as Attu barely kept out of its reach. Then it dropped to all fours and lunged. Attu dodged to the left, escaping the black curving claws as they flashed across his face. But the blow struck his shoulder. He felt his parka tear, and the force of the swiping paw spun him off balance. He fell, but leaped up again, his hands now red from the bloody snow.
The beast should be tiring, but even though blood spouted from its side, it came at Attu again, roaring and raging. It was too close. He was going to die. He was going to be caught in the grip of that dripping mouth of teeth as long as his fingers, and he was going to be ripped to pieces.
Suddenly, a stillness came over Attu. It was as if his spirit left his body, rising above the fight, and he looked down at himself, facing this monster with only a knife in his hand. And he knew what to do.
His spirit slammed back into his body as Attu leaped at the monster, catching it by surprise. Its claws raked the air where Attu had been standing just a moment before. Attu reached up, as high as he could, and as the creature came down on him, he sliced his knife across the animal’s throat, not just once, but three quick slashes, each one carving deeper into the beast’s neck. Blood spewed from the animal’s throat and the massive beast fell on him like a huge fur-covered boulder. Attu was swept under its body as the creature took one last swipe at him,
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