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Frost clung to the ankles of two zombies as they shuffled across the icy slick near the southeastern edge of Elder Rise, their slow gait halting before they could escape. One remained caught, but the second one pulled itself free and lurched toward the troll standing, bow in hand, beside one of the tents near the edge.

"Pin, Buster!" shouted Tarjin.

The large blue crab at her side shot across the grass between his master and her attacker. Green ichor oozed from tears in the monster's leg as Buster dug both claws in the limb and sank the points of his own limbs into the earth. Once again the zombie was caught. It grunted in protest and turned to stike at the crab's shell, but Buster was undeterred. Tarjin's tongue tingled with adrenaline as she nocked three arrows in quick succession. With the third arrow, she released a burst of magical energy along the shaft. All three arrows hit true, and the monster fell with the squishing sound of sodden flesh.

As one enemy fell, the other was released as the ice of Tarjin's trap melted. With greater speed than its companion, it lurched upon her in an instant. Tarjin dodged to her right under the zombie's swinging claw, and fell to the ground beside the tent. As she fell, the hunter clumsily nocked another shaft. Her aim was off, but she managed fully to draw the string. A searing pain bit her left thumb as the fletching smacked into it, sending the arrow spinning. The shaft carromed off the zombie's head. With a hollow groan, the zombie staggered back several paces and stood holding its head, then began to stumble about with Buster scampering behind. Tarjin slowly nocked another arrow and took careful aim. As the zombie turned toward her, she launched the arrow into its chest. With a wet, cracking noise, the second monster tumbled to the ground in two pieces, its spine severed by the shot.

Buster scuttled over to her side. Catching her breath, Tarjin looked around for Gohir. He was no longer anywhere to be seen.

"Brothah Gohir! Where you at?!?" she called, "Brothah Gohir!" But there was no answer. Looking over at her crab, she said, "We gotta clean you up, Buster. You's a right mess."

Tarjin pulled a cloth from her bag and began to wipe away the ichor from his shell, careful not to touch the infected fluid herself. With Buster's shell polished, Tarjin threw the cloth onto one of the diseased corpses nearby and scanned the rise around her. There was no one to be seen. All the tauren had either fled or were hiding in the backs of their tents. Or....

She winced and pressed her right fist to her cheek. Who had she killed? Her knees drew up as her stomach flipped over, threatening to empty itself.

Tarjin looked up at her loyal hunting companion and said in her native tongue, "They gave us a home, Buster, and we promised to help defend it. But it doesn't make any sense when what you're defending and what you're killing might be the same thing. When the threat comes from inside, what's going to be left, Buster? What's going to be left?"

Steeling herself, she rose and picked up her bow. "C'mon, Buster. It don' be safe here what wit' just us two."

Hunter and crab picked their way across the charnel heap toward the bridge leading down to Middle Rise. Just as Tarjin started onto the bridge, Buster darted off the path. Swiftly, the crab lept upon a large roach, scooped up the insect with one claw, and sliced off its head with the other. Tossing the roach to the ground, he scampered back, rubbing his claws together and cleaning them.

Tarjin put her hand on his shell and said in Trollish again, "Brave heart!" Buster waved his eyestalks happily. "At least I know one who'll never turn. And the family is doing all it can. With folks around us falling to the plague, we can't let fear get us, too. Even if we have to defend the Bluff from itself, there'll be enough left to build on. I'm sure Por Ah won't let us down."

Shots rang out from the rise below. Tarjin looked up to see Gohir, smoke rising from the barrel of his gun as he fired at a small pack of zombies pursuing him. Hunter and crab raced across the bridge, leaping over bodies, and burst from the door of the lodge into the open. Pointing to one of the monsters, Tarjin nocked an arrow and called out to her loyal hunting companion.

"Pin, Buster!"