Elayra’s grip tightened around her sword at Ghent’s bold question, his words only whetting her anger. She watched as Ghent did as she told him. Or half of it, at least, the fabric-like sheaths still covering the blades.
	“Being [i]under attack[/i] isn’t something to joke about!” She swiped her sword through the air in emphasis to her heated words. “If it’s danger you want, I’ll give it to you.” Her chin tilted downward, her voice growing dangerously soft, “[i]Unsheathe your weapon,[/i] Humpty Dumpty!” she growled, assuming ‘Princess Mononoke’ was another of his Earth references. “Unless you’d… rather… I…”
	Her words trailed off. Her head cocked slightly, catching on to a sound she had failed to notice above her shouts. Or, rather, the [i]lack[/i] of sound. The forest had fallen quiet. Too quiet to have fled from her volume alone.
	It was the quiet of prey hiding from a predator.
	Elayra spun around, breath held and gaze searching. She groaned inwardly. There was no telling what had heard them. All because Ghent had decided to play a twisted joke. 
	“Unsheathe your weapon,” she repeated over her shoulder to Ghent. This time, soft urgency replaced her loud fury.
	Her gaze settled on a small mound of mossy rocks no more than three yards from her. It lurked between where the trees grew closer together, and where they became sparser nearer to the stream. A mound she was certain hadn’t been there before.
	Sensing it’d been seen, the pile of rocks came to life. Streaks of fiery red and onyx ignited to life between the stones of its body. It lifted its rocky head, dirt caked between each rock like glue keeping it together.
	Its glowing crimson eyes settled on Elayra. Black veins flashed through the ethereal light of its eyes like lightening. A deep hunger shown in their depths. Chunks of loose dirt fell to the ground from its body as it stood on four long legs made from hundreds of pebbles.
	Recognition dawned over Elayra as their eyes met. She didn’t dare look away from the creature’s gaze, the gesture seeming to keep them both locked in place.
	“Get in the water,” she commanded, not looking to Ghent and keeping her voice low. She stepped back to follow her own instructions without taking her eyes from the newcomer.
	At the first sign of movement toward the flowing stream, the rock of the beast’s head cracked opened into a round mouth. It let out a grinding roar. Jagged, crystalline teeth bared, it leapt at Elayra.
	Another stony growl rose from nearer to Ghent. The higher-pitched sound rang through the woods as a second, leaner-looking rock monster rushed at him. Two thorny, vine-like tongues unrolled from its mouth. They lashed out like a whip. One reached to latch on to the wrist of Ghent’s weapon-wielding hand, the other his throat, an attempt at disarming him before it’s hefty body could hit its mark.