As the Crow Falls | ✔

Chapter Thirty-Five

In all their exchanges thus far, Dinah had never shown a trace of fear. That had now changed.

"What deal did you make?" she hissed, stepping back so the stump and the lantern on it stood between them. She gripped her knife like she knew how to use it.

"That is for me to know and you to find out."

So far, it was an empty threat. Niccola's mind raced, and her heartbeat pounded like a war drum against the cage of her ribs. She had no weapon, and was not skilled at hand-to-hand combat like Dinah seemed to be. Ranged attacks had always been her preference: stones cast by hand or sling, or a bow and arrow for fun. She'd been slinging stones at would-be suitors from the time she was a child. She had no advantage against Dinah right now, except the fact that Dinah thought she did.

Only that wasn't true either. She did have another weapon at her disposal. For intimidation value, if nothing else.

Niccola threw back her head and loosed the harsh crackle of the language she used to speak with crows. Its half-human sound reverberated through the forest, and the whole canopy seemed to shift. The first few crows soon descended. They pulled up out of Talak range, perched on jagged bark and jutting fungi, or the snags of long-dead branches that still pierced the skins of these thick, old trees. After these few came more. Dozens, then scores.

"Call your kin," said Niccola. "Call them from all across the forest. There will be a battle here."

Crows at the edges of the flock scattered in all directions. It was only moments before more began to arrive. Niccola could not see them, but she felt their thoughts as hundreds massed into a swelling crowd. They would stay on the promise of even a bite of carrion, but there was more to this gathering. Crows were social birds, and inquisitive ones besides. Those from afar would come just for the interest of what was going on, if told about it by their companions.

From afar. This would benefit Niccola through more than just intimidation. She had eyes all across the forest through this flock.

Dinah had not moved. She had shrunk to a defensive posture, knife still ready and eyes fixed on the canopy as dead branches groaned in the darkness beneath the weight of birds. Niccola would have the upper hand for as long as she could keep Dinah on the defensive. She had to keep up this intimidation for as long as she could.

Then the first crow arrived with the vocal impression of the Calisian lowlands. Niccola reached out quickly. "What is happening at the forest's edge?"

What answered was a clamoring of mental voices so loud, she could not make out a single clear impression. Niccola switched her chant, calling for attention. The waves of low croaking that had rippled all the way up through the canopy went silent. Dinah took another step back. When Niccola had the flock eyes on her, she repeated the question, this time qualifying it for birds who'd come from the Talakova's edge.

"Humans running," was the immediate reply. Other impressions added a chorus of additional observations.

"Food dropped. Humans carry it, carry too much, drop it. Don't notice."

"Shiny humans make noise."

"Humans leaving their nests."

"Windows sometimes open. Fly inside."

"Lots of people."

"Shiny humans, shiny sticks."

"Food, food, food."

People leaving their houses? The shiny humans she knew: those were the City Guard in their leather armor with metal plating on the shoulders and chest. Shiny sticks were their spears. If they were making noise, they must be evacuating the lowlands—though on whose orders, she had no idea.