Free Elf Killers by Carol Marrs Phipps, Tom Phipps Page A

reckon it to be a good twenty rod long." He caught his breath for a moment and shook his head. "There's no better way up than right here."
    Kieran came 'round the other way, shaking his head. "I'd get to climbing," he said. "There's one other place, but this one looks 'way better from down here."
    "Let's pair up with the little ones," said Oisin. "Some of that up there looks like it needs long legs. Let's get off the ground, out of shawkyn spooghey reach. Once we've done that, we can take all the time we need for the ones above us to climb out of our way."
    "Let's grab a kid and move!" cried Doona.
    Soon, nearly everyone had clambered onto the rock. Oisin waited at the bottom, ready to carry little Sorcha as soon as he had helped each one of the others reach the first good foothold. As he was helping lift the last of them, Sorcha spied a purple cone flower in the grass and dashed off to get it.
    Oisin heard her squeals of terror and wheeled about, drawing his bow to find the young strike falcon, bounding out of the grass, nearly upon her. He loosed his arrow and immediately dropped the huge bird. He raced out to where it lay, kicking, flapping and straining for breath. He chopped off its head with his claymore, scooped up Sorcha and sprinted for all he was worth, back to the foot of Carraig Faire. When he had climbed to well beyond the reach of any sort of beast or terror bird that he could think of, Sorcha wriggled free. "I'm big enough to walk," she said, remembering to give him a fleeting hug as she planted her feet on the sandstone. "And, oh yea. Thank you for saving my life, Oisin."
    "Are you all right?"
    "I had you put me down, didn't I?"
    "Well yes, but I'm still..."
    "You know what, Oisin?"
    "What?"
    "That big shock spoofy is bigger than Vorona's big old rooster. And you know what? I know we were in a great big hurry, but I didn't get to put my hands in his feathers, Oisin. Did you want to?"
    "What?"
    "You know what, Oisin? I don't think you're listening very well."
    "Well I'm sorry, but I'm a-watching where you're walking, and it's a very long way down..."
    "Yea?" she said, swinging her arms. "Well this is fun, 'way up here. And you know what? You grown-ups sometimes don't see that we little people can..." Suddenly she let out another squeal as her feet went out from under her on the crumbly sandstone.
    Oisin grabbed her wrist in a panic, nearly losing his balance.
    "Oh thank you, thank you for saving my life!" she cried as she got her footing. "I'll love you forever. Here. You need a hug." She threw her arms around his neck. "You know what, Oisin? That's two whole times you saved my life this morning."
    "You know what, Sorcha?" he said, watery-eyed in spite of his youth. "You're one tough young lady."
    Sorcha smiled serenely but no longer pranced about. She held his hand tightly, staying faithfully by his side the rest of the way to the top. Once aloft, she was a very sober young miss, staying quietly by his side, speaking only when spoken to.
    Oisin gave Sorcha a quick hug about the shoulders and sat down with a sigh to look out over the vast countryside. He felt guilty for doing so. " With all that we have to get done, there's surely something I'm neglecting, " he thought. An upland plover landed on its customary spot at the far end of the rock, stopped in the middle of its first call and flew away.
    "Look how far away the mountains are," said Sorcha, squinting at the distance. "That's the longest I've ever, ever, ever walked, I think. Must be."
    "I'm sure it's the furthest I've ever walked."
    "Well," said Doona with a smile as she came over with Lilee and sat, "now all we have to do is plan out the first things we need to do to rebuild our lives."
    "It sounds so simple put like that," said Oisin, "but who knows what it's going to turn out to be."
    "Are you having doubts?" she said, brushing aside her flaming red hair.
    " My word she's gorgeous! " he thought. Sorcha gave him a nudge. "Oh!" he said. "I beg your