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troll was thrown off balance giving both boys enough time to turn and run. The troll bellowed in anger at the loss of his easy prey before regaining his balance and resuming the chase.
                  Thane glanced at Dor’s ashy pale face. “On the count of three you split to the right and I will head off to the left. That way at least one of us will get away.”
                  Dor looked at him with blank eyes and then nodded, finally realizing that he may escape what was clearly certain death. Thane gave the count and the boys split. At first the troll slowed in confusion unsure of which path to follow. Then, with another cry of anger, he turned right and continued after Dor. Dor looked back and screamed, his thoughts of escape dashed by the massive body that loomed after him. Quickening his pace he made a desperate attempt to outrun his attacker.
                  Thane quickly felt himself alone and turned for a brief look. He was at once relieved to find that the troll was not following him but was quickly overcome with dread at the peril now placed on his friend’s life. Ashamed of himself for abandoning Tam in the first place and now with Dor in imminent danger he immediately turned back and sprinted after the troll. While he ran he pulled an arrow from his quiver and set it to his bow in the slightest chance he would be able to get off another shot and penetrate the rock troll’s tough skin. It was easy to follow their trail by the broken brush and twigs not to mention the occasional growl or scream.
                  Pushing himself with all the strength he could gather, Thane soon caught sight of the troll’s back as it weaved clumsily in and out of the trees just ahead. With renewed effort, he pushed himself forward desperate to close the gap quickly and hopefully get off another shot.
                  Dor was running out of breath from the exertion and tears began to stream down his face with the certainty that he soon would be dead. He tried to lose the troll by weaving through the trees but he knew it wouldn’t give up until one of them was dead and Dor was sure he would be the one to die. Resigning himself to ultimate destruction, Dor turned away from the village hoping that once the troll had killed him it would then be satisfied and return to the mountains leaving the rest of the villagers alone.    
    With the acceptance of his inevitable doom, Dor suddenly felt a strange inner peace envelope him and he immediately stopped crying. The fear left him and he knew that his death would not be in vain. With this new feeling of calm, he almost welcomed the mysteries of death that would soon be his to discover. What was it going to be like? Where would he go? Would he come back? He suddenly found himself anxious to find the answers. He decided then that he was not going to die running away but that he would face death bravely and with open arms as a true Chufa warrior.
    He knew that in mere moments he would be through the thick growth of trees and at the small clearing found at the foot of the Shadow Mountains. It was there he would stop and rush eagerly into death’s warm embrace.
                  Ahead of him, Thane could now see Dor as he darted through the trees with the troll trailing closely behind. If not for his young age, Thane knew Dor would have easily outdistanced the clumsy troll by now. Thane felt he was close enough now to take another shot. Stopping quickly he pulled back on the bow with all his strength and let go another arrow. Just then, the troll stumbled forward over a fallen log and the arrow flew just above him striking a tree a few yards beyond. Thane cursed his luck and quickly reloaded hoping for one more shot but the troll was already up and back after Dor weaving through the cover of the dense forest.
                  Dor burst from the trees with a smile and slid to a stop at the foot of the Shadow