Free Heights of the Depths by Peter David Page A

steady trembling of the ground that made it seem as if an earthquake was approaching would have alerted him. The Piri were looking at each other in concern as trees were heard crashing in the near distance.
    I’ll be damned, thought Clarinda.
    With a roar of pure fury, Turkin smashed out of the underbrush.
    He had a bir in either hand. The birs were smaller than the one that Clarinda had attacked, but they were still wild and furious and looking for someone or something to attack.
    Turkin was perfectly happy to accommodate them. He hurled the animals at the Piri, first one and then the other. The first of the birs landed atop two of the Piri, crushing them beneath its paws and roaring so loudly and furiously that the other Piri immediately backpedalled. The second bir had not been quite as well aimed, thudding to the ground and spinning toward the nearest of the Piri. It opened its mouth and roared so loudly that the Piri were falling over each other to get out of its way.
    Bartolemayne looked annoyed. “A child, Clarinda? Your army consists of one Ocular child? Do you seriously…?”
    Then he heard them. More thundering of huge feet stampeding their way, and the noise of the approaching Ocular was combined with the bellowing of the birs and the terrified cries of the Piri. Piri were perfectly capable of bravery when they significantly outnumbered their prey and could overrun it with minimal risk to themselves. This was not the situation they were being faced with now, and they had little taste for it.
    Clarinda saw the concern in their faces, and cried out over the oncoming thundering, “And that is simply the first wave! Call them children if you wish, but how do you plan to stand up to a hundred of them!”
    “You are bluffing,” said Bartolemayne.
    “Try me.”
    Bartolemayne hesitated and then, with an angry snarl, threw her down. The Piri were busy trying to keep away from the two angry birs, both of whom were doing their best to take down whatever Piri they could get their teeth on.
    “If you fancy yourself the head of an army, Clarinda, know that I will raise up an army against you,” said Bartolemayne. He did not sound the least put out by this reversal of fortune. If anything, he seemed pleased, even excited by the prospect of having to rise to a challenge. “And we will take you and your children down, and feast on their carcasses for many months.”
    He called out a brisk command to the remaining Piri, who would happily have fled earlier if anyone save Bartolemayne had been leading them. But they were relieved to have the opportunity to vacate the area, and they did so without any further urging.
    As a result, more of the Ocular hunters came pouring into the clearing just as the Piri vanished into the shadows. Bellowing their anger over the disappearance of their intended victims, and wanting to have nothing to do with the Ocular if they could help it, the younger birs charged away into the shadows of the trees.
    Berola came running up behind Turkin, with several more Ocular behind her. “You’re letting them get away! Those birs were our dinner!”
    “They’re serving us well enough sending the Piri scattering,” said Clarinda firmly. “Let’s take advantage of it. Gather the others. We need to leave.”
    “But we haven’t eaten—”
    “Better that than being eaten!” Clarinda shouted at him, having no intention of discussing the matter at length. “We haven’t gotten far enough from my people!” She didn’t add that she wasn’t sure it was possible to get far enough. The reach of the Piri seemed very long indeed. “If you value your lives, then we need to distance ourselves!”
    “We were being trained to fight them,” said Turkin heatedly. “We’re not afraid.”
    “Nor are you ready. And you’re going to need time to get ready, and that’s what I need to provide you now. Not another word! We go or you die! Make your choice and be prepared to live with it, or