The shot was not true and merely scratched the lead cat, grazing the great, feral beast. The glancing blow sliced across its spotted golden pelt near the shoulder. It was enough to divert the dire-jaguar's attention, though, and the massive cat leaped and twisted in midair, spinning around to snap at its new perceived threat, the third creature behind it. When it landed, legs splayed and tail twitching, it let out a great, screaming roar, a challenge to its counterpart.

Xaphira never stopped to see what effect her shot had had, though. Discarding the crossbow, she leaped free of Dancer before the horse could follow its frightened mate back up the streambed and landed in a dead run to join her niece. Emriana was struggling to her feet, watching the first of the three dire-jaguars with an ashen face. Xaphira noted that the dire-cat watched the girl warily, waiting its chance to leap in and attack. She moved between the girl and the beast, settling onto the balls of her feet.

"Stay close to me, and keep low," Xaphira commanded the younger girl, never taking her eyes from the cat, while the other two began to circle to either side, prowling on huge padded paws the size of sun-melons. "If one gets too close, try to hit it somewhere on the face. But don't let it bite you."

"You're kidding, right?" Emriana asked, her voice tremulous. "Look at the size of them!"

Xaphira had to admit that the beasts were beautiful, in a deadly, savage way. They were was as large as mastiffs and just as muscular. Their golden eyes glittered dangerously in the morning sunlight, and the mercenary officer could sense a baleful intelligence there, something primal and dark, old like the land itself. One of them opened its mouth wide and issued an ear-splitting scream, a bold challenge to the two women. Its fangs were as long as Xaphira's fingers.

Beside her, she could feel Emriana shudder.

Suddenly, one of the three opposing Xaphira darted in, rearing up on its haunches and swiping at the woman with thick, black claws extended. Xaphira shifted her weight just enough to avoid the deadly talons, while at the same time flicking one fist out to snap against the cat's nose. As if that were some kind of signal, the other two rushed in simultaneously, and Xaphira dropped low, into a crouch, pushing Emriana down into the dirt as she twisted back to face the two of them.

The second dire-jaguar struck low, lunging at Xaphira's ankle, forcing her to kick at it with her booted heel, while the third came in higher, launching itself at her head. Rather than block that third attack, Xaphira sagged backward, over Emriana's prone form. She landed with her hands outstretched behind her as if she wanted to crabwalk, but as soon as the cat shot past, its raking claws whisking past her nose, she was upright again, jabbing a rapid punch inside at the great beast's ribs.

Almost in the same motion, Xaphira jumped and spun around, snapping another kick at the first feral cat, which had shaken off her punch and was darting in close again. She could not completely stop the dire-jaguar from its lunge, but she used leverage and its own momentum to redirect the beast, causing it to collide with the second cat, which was coming at Xaphira again in a leaping blur, fangs bared. The blocking maneuver was effective and the two huge felines collided, spat, and howled at one another. For a moment, the two creatures were a blur of claws, fangs, and flying fur; then they parted and retreated, slinking out of harm's way. The three dire-jaguars separated themselves from Xaphira and Emriana and once more began to circle the two women, tails twitching, waiting to spot a true opening in the mercenary officer's defenses.

Suddenly, all three dire-jaguars rushed Xaphira at once. As quick as she was, she knew she would never be able to fend off three simultaneously. As she snapped another kick in the direction of the closest beast's head, a flash of motion caught her eye from down low, near the ground. She landed her kick solidly, slamming the dire-jaguar's jaw shut, but the great cat managed to swipe at her leg with one paw. She almost bit her tongue in pain as she felt the talons cut through her boot and rake her leg.

Xaphira nearly stumbled off balance as she completed the motion of her kick, and the dire-jaguar she had struck twisted in midair from the force of her blow. It landed with a shriek and darted off, disappearing into the undergrowth. In the same heartbeat, Xaphira followed through and snapped an elbow into the second beast's face, expecting to have her arm mangled for her troubles, but the huge beast collided with her, its motion strangely dull and heavy. The collision knocked Xaphira off her feet, piling both her and the dire-jaguar on top of Emriana. The blow knocked the wind from Xaphira's lungs as the huge cat rolled on top of her, feeling like dead weight.

The third beast mistimed its leap and sailed over the top of the pile, but Xaphira felt its hind claws rake her across one hip, and she would have cried out in pain had she any breath. As it was, the dire-cat on top of her flopped over and lay still across her face, blinding her and cutting off her air. The mercenary officer felt Emriana struggling beneath her legs, trying to shift so that she could get up.

In a panic, Xaphira began struggling to get out from underneath the obviously dead dire-jaguar that was atop her face. All the while, she was desperately thinking, this is it. They're going to rip Em to shreds, and I'm next.

Despite her pain and fear, or perhaps because of them, Xaphira found the strength to shove the carcass away from her head. She scrambled out and up, bringing her fists up, expecting an attack. But the remaining dire-jaguar was several paces away, limping as it paced back and forth. Blood leaked from a wound along its foreleg, saturating the sandy ground. It screamed a defiant challenge at the two women then turned and slunk off into the forest.

Panting, Xaphira peered in every direction warily, looking for signs of the third cat, which she had chased off with her powerful kick. She could not see either one, but she feared that one or both had circled around, hoping to sneak back in close for another attack. Finally, when it was obvious that the two remaining dire-jaguars were gone, she allowed her shoulders to slump in relief, letting down her guard.

Emriana, who was seated near Xaphira's feet and breathing just as heavily, was holding one of her new throwing daggers, its blade bloody. Her eyes, which were big and full of fear, looked back and forth between Xaphira and the dead cat lying next to them.

Slowly, Xaphira rose to a kneeling position, resting her hands on her knees. She grinned at her niece. "I guess you found a use for them," she said between breaths, nodding at the weapon. "But you're supposed to throw them."

Emriana looked at the blade in her hand, dropping it as though it were white hot. "I did, the first time," she said, pointing at the dead cat beside the two of them. Xaphira turned to gaze at the creature and spotted the thin wound piercing its chest, just between its front legs. A steady flow of blood was just subsiding. "It was within reach, though, so I grabbed it again." Then the girl shuddered. "I thought we were finished," she added, swallowing hard.

"So did I," Xaphira confessed, grimacing and examining her wounds. The cuts on her leg were not deep, for her boot had absorbed the majority of the damage. Her hip, however, was bleeding freely, soaking her trousers in crimson. "Thanks to you, though, we're still here," she added, reaching into her shirt for the medallion dedicated to Waukeen.

Suddenly, Emriana was beside Xaphira. "You're bleeding!" she exclaimed. "It looks bad," she said, tentatively touching the slash marks with one finger.

"It is," Xaphira replied, wincing. "Give me a moment." Closing her eyes, she began to pray. The pain was making her light-headed, but she pushed the discomfort out of her mind for the moment and concentrated on the orison of healing. Pressing her palm against the wound, she muttered the final words and felt cool, soothing energy radiate into her hip.