Hanor listened to the faint chime blending harmoniously with the gentle draughts of wind, and thought nothing of it. Conjuring up the idea of a reunion with Lara when returning home, the delicate unruffled sound merged with the scenery, soothing any subtle doubts he initially had. Rustling of the treetops, like a chorus of countless tiny clapping hands, added to the enchanting setting. 'Stay next to me,' Nole said comfortingly, a hint of sarcasm present as Hanor pulled alongside. 'Remember…, that is why I am here.' Hanor looked at him questioningly, but grinned at his cheekiness. 'In some ways…, I think mother would be glad that at least we are together,' he said, not entirely convinced. A few steps further, Hanor stopped and turned his head. 'What is it?' Nole asked. 'Is that me… or can you hear that?' 'Hear what?' 'That sound.' Nole listened, but only the occasional whistling of the wind was apparent. 'Just the breeze and the treetops.' Hanor shut his eyes to block out any distractions. The faint chime that he had barely registered before now sounded different, far more prominent and noticeable. 'That quiet, ringing sound…, like tiny bells?' 'I cannot hear anything,' Nole repeated, presuming his brother was teasing him. 'Why have you stopped?' inquired an impatient Hallen from behind, Hites preferring solid ground to walking over water. The last thing he wanted was for the bridge to give way. 'Hanor says he can hear something,' Nole explained, standing beside his older brother. 'I still cannot hear anything. Perhaps it is the ringing of the wind swirling around inside there,' he joked, tapping Hanor’s head humorously. Kifter and Bane were nearly across the other side. 'Come on,' urged Hallen edgily. 'Let us just get moving.' Hanor and Nole continued, the former looking up river whilst the younger started humming merrily, lost to his daydreaming in the early evening sunlight. Arcing to the right, the river meandered down towards them, but nothing stirred or revealed where the strange hypnotic sound was coming from. Verging on dismissing the chimes as a freak of his senses, halfway across, a shudder suddenly ran down Hanor’s back. In support of that chilling reaction, hairs stood on end forewarning something awful was about to happen. Halting abruptly, eyes instantly searching the water, he could feel invisible, leering eyes glaring up from beneath the surface. Wanting to run, to hide, to warn the others, it was too late. From the flowing calm of the river, an explosion of noise erupted to his side as a huge hideous head came lurching out of the water directly at him. Two massive unblinking eyes had only one thing in mind. Penetrating, the glare momentarily froze Hanor, the shock stalling his breathing. Slimy, dark olive skin, caked with boils and swelling ulcers, glinted as the creature’s long willowy body catapulted through the air. With a head the size of a man, Its gaping jaws exposed heavily stained, dagger-like teeth, each one longer than his hand. A slathering tongue flickered and slapped, eagerly awaiting an inevitable meal. Instinctively reacting before his thoughts took control, Hanor dropped like a stone. Virtually flying from Its own propulsion, the foul Creature’s thick oily tail trailed behind as it slapped across his back, leaving a cold gel-like substance as a result. To his utter relief, The Monster’s momentum carried It over and away from his position towards the other side of the bridge. Calls from behind and to the front went unheard as the scream to his left wailed with fright and sudden panic. A despairing, shrilling cry that ripped into the silence, lasted but for a petrifying moment. Terrified beyond measure, falling silent as the invading Beast crashed violently back into the water beyond, an eerie disquiet replaced the commotion. Creatures modelled by my good friend AndreElias. Another scene from the coming book. Thanks for looking. Cheers, Steve.