Broken Forest: Book One of the Daath Chronicles Read Online Free PDF Page A

eat loads of meat.
    I wanted to tell Derrick we’d find her and that she was all right, but I lost my voice. My thoughts drifted to Jimri then to Jeslyn. Childhood memories flooded my mind. I pushed the images away. Thinking about them only made it worse.
    Derrick said goodnight, and I watched him fall asleep. I could never fully relax. Most nights I passed out from exhaustion. Raking manure all day under the suns not only tanned my skin but drained my every emotion. By nighttime, I’d fall onto my feathered cot and into a deep sleep. But sleep brought the nightmares. Visions of drowning. Screams of terror. And everything I deserved.
    I rubbed the sides of my head, hoping the pain would dissolve and I could think clearly. It wasn’t working. How was I going to scout full of anxiety? Only one thing would help me focus. I slipped out the old leather book I had snuck in while packing. Inside the pages of this journal were laid the anguish and fear of the past two years. No one knew about it, and I’d die before anyone read it. Avikar the Poet is not the title I wanted.
    Words flowed out, scripting all the guilt and sorrow I kept inside. The thin piece of red clay I used was shrinking. Once gone, it would be awhile before I could find more. Writing utensils were rare in my village and asking Mother to buy one wasn’t an option. With my head a bit clearer, I snuck the journal back in its hiding place.
    The fire had trickled to a low pulsating glow. Warmth emanated from it, touching my cheeks and spreading across my body. I listened to the pops of the dying wood. The melodic symphony relaxed me, and I rubbed my eyes. I rolled out my shoulders and cracked my neck. Derrick lay flat on his back, mouth slightly open, snoring nasally. I decided I’d better start my rounds before the wolves decided to brave the fire.
    The horses whinnied. A twig snapped in the distance.
    Reaching for my bow, I slowly stood. To my left and right were yellow eyes and low growls.
    “Derrick.”
    The massive creatures stalked towards me. I strung my bow, raised it, and pointed it at the closest wolf. “Derrick!”
    Derrick groaned. I hoped he was getting up, because in a few seconds we’d be surrounded.
    The first wolf stepped forward. Two more wolves appeared on either side. The one in the center growled, revealing rows of pointy teeth. Winter wolves were bigger than the small brown bears that lived near our home. Their ears pointed straight up like a jack rabbit and their eyes glowed a sickly yellow. In a white flash, the center wolf sprang forward. I released the arrow and it sunk into furry flesh, but still the wolf came and fast. It pounced and I stumbled back, trying to switch to my sword. Before the beast’s teeth closed, Derrick’s claymore sliced into its side.
    “Aren’t you supposed to have first watch?” he said, turning to face the other wolves.
    “I was getting bored,” I shouted. “We need to drive them away from the horses.”
    Derrick yelled out a war cry before charging ahead. Letting out my own war cry, hardly as menacing, I ran at the snowy white creature. I sidestepped to the left, sweeping my sword, hitting one in the chest. The wolf whimpered, then fell.
    Derrick yelled again and I spun in his direction. The distraction almost cost me my arm. Claws raked against me as a wolf jumped, trying to knock me down. I backtracked to the fire and, using my sword as a poker, pulled out a flaming timber.
    “Ya, ya!” I waved the torch back and forth, pushing the remaining animals away. When the last set of glowing eyes retreated into the dark, I exhaled. “That was close.” I expected Derrick to make another snide remark, but he didn’t. I turned around and saw him running straight for me with his sword drawn and eyes wild.
    “Behind you!” he screamed.
    I whirled with my sword out, thinking a ball of fur would be the last thing I’d ever see; instead, it was a man, about two hundred stones heavier than I.
    With the flat of