Welt rolled away, it was all he could before the thing reached the ground. The campsite exploded from a powerful impact. Welt jumped back from the debris of dirt clumps and wood chunks that burst outwards.
He got a few cuts on his body, and a splinter the size of a first punctured his left side. Creaking filled the air. Just as welt began to stand, he had to dive away from one of the trees falling atop him.
The black creature landed on their camp and fluttered with violent movement, pushing the tree to snap faster as it expanded its great, black wings. The faint light of the world was gone, blanketed and hidden beneath this thing that fell upon them.
Welt ducked down beneath the fallen tree, concealing himself in its snapped and muddled branches. He quickly pulled the wooden shrapnel out of his side, biting down on his arm to prevent a shout from the pain. He went to bandage it but a claw tore across his back before he could rip his sleeve.
Welt screamed as he fell forwards, tumbling onto the golden grass and painting it red with blood from his side and back. He could hear whistling, and now saw two sparkling white eyes that spun around the shadowed scene beneath its wingspan.
It smelled of moss, and smothered the fresh night air as it whistled. An aimless tune, with a simple set of notes that sounded out in sequence at random intervals.
Earth moved, torn and churning, with sounds like the tilling of a field by plough, as the thing's talon pulled itself free of the campsite.
Welt summoned the walking stick to his hand and pulled himself up. It took a lot of effort, given the extra weight on him, and he tried to look at the creature.
"Brother Welt!"
Welt heard rustling, and caught the smell of old alcohol on his left as Gahan scampered across the downhill toward him.
"Quiet, idiot!"
Welt jumped back as a beak of black punctured the space between the two - its white eyes illuminating each of the small humans in a blur of reflected moonlight.
"We must run, Welt! Into the Fog, we might lose it!"
"Go, then! I'll find you!"
The two scared humans shouted across the monster's head, and Welt could hear the sound of grass rustling down the valley behind him. The fog was to his back. A chance of death.
Welt wouldn't hesitate in this moment. Shrouded in the dark, bleeding from major wounds, he was pissed off. Scared, but angry.
This creature was forcing him to go and relive some awful memories.
Let's give it an awful memory of its own.
DUCK.
Welt listened to the voice without hesitation this time. The wind above his head whirled from the enormous creature pecking forward with the speed of an arrow in flight. If he hadn't ducked he'd be dead.
The whistling continued, eerie and unsettlingly calm in tone. Long notes were held and switched between with sliding pitches as it slashed forward with its talon again.
Welt only just blocked the talon with the walking stick. It stayed in one piece, but his arm shattered from the impact. He flew backwards and tumbled further down the valley.
The ground shook as the thing followed him on foot. It's wingspan encroached on him and blocked any moonlight that had peaked back into view. It's claws ripped and tore the ground beneath, scattering wild flowers and burying them under fresh dirt.
It was upon Welt in a moment, and lunged forward at him.
Welt rolled forwards, beneath the lunging beak of the monster and completely under its body. It felt soft on his skin, like feathers. Though, he could see absolutely nothing of the creature, it was as if light could not reach it.
Reminds me of that damned jackal.
A mighty claw raised itself from the ground, giving Welt a glimpse of the outside world from behind it. The trees were completely torn to shreds, and the fields were covered in dirt. He could barely make out his ruck in the shattered campsite, and his equipment, all irretrievable now.
At least he had his sword.
Welt pulled the stubby blade from its sheath on his back, and pushed it into the void of feathers above him. He felt the blade hit something, but not sink in - the feathers were like steel.
Welt chuckled to himself.
Of course it has steel feathers. Why wouldn't it? Not like its deadly enough!
He couldn't wound it with his blade, so he was pretty much out of options. He pulled at the feathers with his hand in frustration. He pulled some of them free from the skin, but was shoved back immediately afterwards, letting all but one free of his grasp.
Welt stuffed the feather into his pocket, considering his next move. The thing would attack him again in a moment.
Should I just run?
Before he could come to a decision, though, the bird was upon him. It charged at him with its pitch-black maw fully open, two moonlit eyes on either side.
Welt cursed and stuck his good arm out. He braced as the creature stabbed at him.
An impact sounded, calling to halt the whistles. The creature and Welt both stood still from the attack. Nobody looking from the outside would know what had happened.
Welt gasped and rolled backwards, holding his punctured side as he slipped into the Fog beneath him. The creature screeched loud enough to cause fear to shake Welt's heart. But, it couldn't overcome the feeling of satisfaction that burned within him.
He summoned the walking stick into his hand, a glowing white eye sank, impaled on its end.
He ran into the fog as fast as the pain would allow and started to bandage his wounds.
Awful memories resurfaced in Welt's mind as he walked into the familiar, milky mist. A small, metal lantern jingled on a chain in his shirt pocket.