Ank narrowed his lids, feigning a deep sleep, as two more were-raptors emerged from the trees. He watched as they exchanged glances and crept forward across the lawn. There were six of them now, not counting whatever was creeping around on the other side. He glanced at the house in which the newcomers were staying and saw that whatever they'd been using for light had been snuffed out since last he'd looked. Which meant they were sleeping, as was Will, clearly. That or he was banging Miss Wonderful. Either way it meant he was alone, more alone even than he'd already felt, nor could he possibly hope to defeat them in his present condition. He remembered the ravine they'd passed before arriving in Lonepine and wondered: Could it work?

The raptors crept still closer, taking great care not to wake him, and three of them split off from the others. He lay perfectly still as the three passed him on both sides and, presumably, began stalking toward the houses.

The ravine. A stampede. It just might work, and it was the only thing that had any hope of success if he was to save the others as well as himself. The question was, could he do it in the shape he was in? Could he run fast enough to even reach the ravine before the bloodthirsty bastards caught up to him and tore him to pieces?