I was dozing off when I heard the scream. I suddenly sat up straight on the floor atop of my tree, any dream I might have had along with my drowsiness struck clean from me. At early morning, I was almost always up here in the tree - a straight to the sky poplar with full towering branches forming a continuous layer of foliage. Thirty small boards nailed to the trunk was the only passage up. Seven large, splintered boars constituted the floor when you finally got up there. And a stretch of waterproof cloth that I had oiled myself draped over the branches and tied down tight with scavenged rope represented the roof. But I was not thinking about that, for a scream was ringing in my ears.

A scream that came from down below.

I dashed to the edge of the planks and looked down to the ground. Another scream heard once more. This time the cry was joined by the baying of hounds. The sounds shattered what had been a peaceful morning.

Humans, dwarfs, and elves in Dror did not usually scream so early or at any other time of the day or night. I scampered down the boards. My feet hit the dirt as I looked first left and then right. It was not easy to tell where the source of the scream and baying came. Sounds bounced back and forth echoing among the trees confusingly.

When I first saw what approach I realized I would not be able to climb the boards fast enough to escape what was coming towards me. I turned and ran as quickly as I could. The hound had dashed out from the trees; it's sharp fangs, looking like broken glass, displayed. The massive body drenched in sweat.

A testament to the effort it was putting in.

I was rather fast on foot for a female elf, but there was no creature on two legs, male or female, that could outrun a hound. Being rather short-sighted, it's the efficient nose and sharp ears, replacing the lack of sight, which makes them excellent trackers. I didn't know what would be worst it's deadly fangs or the sharp pointed horns atop of the revolting head.

None who were hunted by a hound lived to tell the tale.