Part Nine of In The Search of Elves

Yikes! I hope I'm not hogging the blog with all my stuff!!! I'll try to slow down, hehehe! But here's another piece of In The Search of Elves. Here was the last part, so you know what's going on.

The Inarian solderers and Crelis jumped froward into the water. Elsa and Grandfather jumped off the raft into the freezing water. It was so cold it took Elsa's breath away.

Elsa could swim well, she had learned as a baby, but her shoes and packs weighed her down. But, she had to keep going. Sink or swim, swim or get caught. She was nearly half way across the river, one little bit at a time. Then, she saw her Grandfather slip under the surface.

There was nothing she could do to help him. The soldiers crowed around her, but Elsa had to keep going. Oh Grandfather!

The water made Elsa's legs and arms numb, but still she didn't stop. She had to reach the shore... Then Grandfather came up from under the water just ahead of her! Elsa breathed a sigh of relief.

Together they climbed up onto the shore. Coughing and staggering about, they ran into the thick dark forest. Two large Crelis were right behind them. Elsa saw them, and gave a cry, forcing herself to go even faster.

Out of breath and out of energy, Elsa went on through the dark, her Grandfather right ahead of her. There were times the Crelis were so close she could feel their hot ugly breath upon her back. But at other times, they were so far behind her, thy could barely be seen.

Then Elsa tripped, ramming into a huge tree. Shaken, but not hurt, she pulled herself back up. The tree didn't look that hard to clime, maybe it would be a good place to hide... "Grandfather! Over here!" Elsa swiftly made it to the top. Hidden in the large branches and thick leaves, Elsa and her Grandfather looked down upon the Crelis who were hunting for them.

Dreadful things the Crelis were. Ugly little creatures with blue-black skin, small piercing eyes, short stocky bodies, and huge curling horns on a few of them. Some of them at fur, and others not. Not all of them had teeth, and only a few had ears. They had pig-like snouts and huge black claws. Though short, they were stronger then most men and just as fast. Crelis were not intelligent, but they were wonderful in war.

Elsa watched as the pair of Crelis sniffed the sky and ground. Would they be found? Elsa held her breath, hoping that they'd just leave.