Something ripped through the scrub to her right. Another to her left and then another and two smaller things as well. There were loads and loads of legs everywhere, stamping, crushing, destroying. They howled and snarled and growled and roared and spat until Daisy was sure the hill would be rent asunder with the noise. One of the small things thrust a cold wet nose against her on passing. It smelt awful. Like the mice that stoat in the next field dragged by, it reeked of blood and sweat and decay.
They were headed to Coley’s house! It was Coley they wanted! Daisy knew she must warn her friend. She strained and tugged at her roots so she might break free and run to his aid. She wrapped her tiny petals around a broken stem beside her to help. But the soil would not let her go. And as she struggled she heard them tear and hack her friend’s home to pieces. Daisy screamed in desperation but her little voice was lost amid the snarl of these monsters.
The creatures bayed madly and tore away from her friend’s house. They sped past Daisy, kicking up a great clump of earth that nearly smothered her. The earth shook around her as she fought for breath.
She heard them scale the rocks that protected Coley’s house in one great leap and head down the mountain. And then, she heard Coley. His voice rose in a scream of anger and pain from behind the hill and Daisy knew they had found him.
The Burren and Beyond 