I THOUGHT IT WAS AN insect, or maybe Butterfly coming out to play again, until it thwacked into the tree beside me. A quivering shaft protruded from the trunk. An arrow. I ducked and ran for cover, drawing my knife as I kept low. Two more arrows zipped by, each so close I could feel a breeze. The feathers of the third one skimmed my cheek. I dived behind a boulder and scanned the woods. My father stood still, looking around as though wondering where I’d gone. “Dad!” I said as loudly as I dared. “Get down!” He didn’t drop. He didn’t give any sign he’d heard me. He squinted into the woods ahead of him. “It’s all right, Vic,” he said at normal volume. “You can come out. The challenge has been issued.” “What challenge?” Dad cupped his hands around his mouth. “Rhudda Gawr! We acknowledge your challenge! Show yourself so we can discuss terms.” Rhudda Gawr. The Red Giant with the magic arrow. A chuckle rumbled through the woods, deep and menacing. It seemed to come from all directions, bouncing off the rocks and trees.
