When the roars came, Elly's back went ramrod straight. She stared ahead of her, a brief moment of fear shooting through her. Vierge was a good ten paces ahead of them, as a forward scout -- which meant she could not get back and help -- and that meant that they had to work with what they had. She turned to the left, then the right. All her training told her that this was precisely what they wanted to not have happen: be surrounded, inside of a closed space. That was how good Rangers got killed.

Her heart nearly leaped into her chest. She took a deep breath, then she made herself calm down. She worked with Jade Curtiss enough to know that she had to keep her wits about her. Elly pulled her rod off her belt, then snapped it out to the side, and it telescoped out to its full length.

"Keep calm," she said, voice quiet.