Jaydee shifted his cold feet in the snow and tried not to notice Chris' angry pacing off to the side. He knew he had gotten the last marker right, he was positive. Well, pretty sure. Maybe. Now Buck was talking to Chris, trying to calm his friend down and get him to be a little more patient. Jaydee sniffed and blamed his runny nose on the cold; the same cold that was making his eyes sting and water.
Snow crunched behind him and Jaydee felt a large, comforting hand squeeze his shoulder. He looked up to see Nathan's dark face smiling down at him.
"You're doing fine Jaydee. Just take your time and we'll back track again if we need to."
Jaydee sighed. "It's the snow Nathan. I know there ain't much of it but things just look so different. When we lived in the cave, we didn't have warm cloaks so Vin made me stay inside when it snowed. I've never seen the trail like this. I'm sure that last fallen oak tree was the right one but …."
Nathan's hand rubbed across the boy's shoulders. "Easy Jaydee. Just take a moment to think. What marker should we be looking for next? Maybe we can help you find it."
"But that's just it! There's not another marker until after the meadow." Jaydee looked up at Nathan and the desperation was plain in his voice and on his face. "There's supposed to be a really big meadow! How can I miss a big hole in the forest? I must have gotten the wrong tree."
Nathan looked up and caught Buck's eye making sure he'd heard. The dark haired fighter nodded and turned to Chris who was standing with his eyes closed, obviously picturing the terrain in his mind. Glancing around, the healer caught sight of the last two members of their hunting party and he couldn't help the broad grin that curled his lips. It was obvious that the only thing keeping Ezra on his feet was Josiah's hand beneath his arm. If Nathan didn't know better, he'd swear that the boy had been walking in his sleep the entire morning.
"This way." Chris' voice cut through the silence as he started marching in a direction just slightly off from where Jaydee had been headed. The others fell in behind the mercenary without a word. The three adults trusted his knowledge and didn't even think about questioning his choice of direction. Jaydee was relieved to have the burden of leadership taken off his shoulders even if only temporarily, while Ezra seemed to be totally oblivious to the world around him.
Chris gritted his teeth as he stalked through the trees. Delays. Nothing but delays all morning. First Buck had insisted that they wait for Josiah and Ezra, then Jaydee couldn't find one of his gloves. How the Pits had it gotten in the pantry? Nathan had insisted on dosing them all with some vile concoction given to him by Mistress Nettie that had to be heated first. Of course. And then just when he thought they were finally on their way and nothing else could go wrong, Jaydee had announced that he'd never followed the path when there was snow on the ground.
So here they were, the morning half gone… well, one third gone, and he had no idea if they were anywhere near the cave. At least Jaydee had kept them heading up hill. Chris felt his cheeks burn with a hint of shame as he thought about the boy. He'd have to apologize to him after it was all over. When they found Vin. If they found Vin. The snow covered any traces he might have left and would make it difficult for even hound dogs to track him. Not that he had seriously considered using dogs. Not seriously.
Chris jerked to a sudden stop as he took note of a strange sound. Or rather, the lack of a sound. Behind him the others stumbled to a halt and looked around in confusion. Buck's instincts told him to remain silent and he quickly waived the others to stillness. He'd seen that look of concentration before and it never boded well.
"Buck, what do you hear?"
"Well, I think that sawing noise is Ezra snoring… other than that, nothing."
"No birds? No squirrels?"
"Now that you mention it, no. Nary a peep. What do you think…?"
This time it was Chris that lifted his hand for silence as he cocked his head to one side. Was that someone shouting? A cold chill ran down his spine and a sudden sense of foreboding started him jogging through the trees. He didn't have to look back to know the others were following him. He could hear the crunch of the snow beneath their boots and rustle of their clothing; all the sounds seemingly magnified in the unnatural stillness of the forest.
"Will your thoughts need a silver for the boat ride home?"
Vin blinked and focused his eyes on his companion. "What?"
"You had the look of one whose thoughts were a long way from your body."
"Oh."
"Want to share?" Danil spoke while using his knife to carefully peel the bark from a branch he planned to use as a walking stick. He knew that he'd need the support if he was going to make it to Four Corners on his own, especially through the snow. As the morning had progressed, he'd noticed Vin becoming more and more withdrawn, which could only mean that he was having doubts about returning to the town. "Most burdens are made lighter with two pairs of shoulders."
Vin frowned as he finished packing his kit. No, he didn't really want to talk about what he was thinking but Danil needed to see a healer, which meant he had to go to Four Corners. And the only healer in town was Nathan, who was a good friend of Chris and who probably knew by now that Vin had left. Would he care? Did any of them? What kind of reception would he get if he saw them in town? Smiles? Frowns?
"When I was just a few years older than you, I had a run in with a group of young full-bloods who took it upon themselves to point out how ugly I was and how no girl, elf or human would ever exchange promises with me."
"Ugly?" Vin found the sudden change in topics strange but also a relief and he studied his companion trying to find something wrong with his face.
"Oh yes. Hideous. My chin is too square. My eyes are too round. My hair is coarse and this awful reddish brown color. And all of these features I got from my father. My 'human' father."
"What did you do?"
"I put on a brave appearance of not caring until I was out of their sight and then I ran all the way back to my house where I confronted my mother. After all, it was her fault that she had married a human and not a fine, upstanding full-blooded elf."
Vin's eyes widened in shock. "What happened?"
"She put me to work chopping wood."
Vin's mouth fell open. "She punished you?"
Danil smiled. "So it appeared to me as well. But I did as commanded and chopped wood until my shirt clung to my wet skin and the muscles in my arms were protesting every lift of the ax. As you might have guessed, my anger had calmed quite a bit by the time my mother appeared with two cups in her hands. I was ready to apologize but before I could speak, she held out the cups and offered me my choice. One of them was completely empty and the other was only half filled with water. Naturally I chose the one with water in it."
"Why did she offer you an empty cup?"
"Actually, the question my mother asked me was, 'Why did you take the cup that was only half filled?' And I answered, 'Because half is better than none.' And then my mother smiled and gave me a hug and said that while I was stacking the wood, I should think about what my life might be like if I had been born all human."
In the silence that followed Vin thought about his own situation, so similar and yet so different from Danil's. Where as Danil might have once wished to be a full elf, Vin had wanted to be nothing more than human. But what if he had been born to a pair of elven parents? Well, he wouldn't have Jaydee as a cousin for one thing. And if Jaydee wasn't his cousin, he wouldn't have had to live in a cave or fight in a real war. And he wouldn't have met Chris or Buck or Ezra or any of the others. And being away from them for just one night had made Vin realize that he didn't want to lose them, that he'd be willing to endure the holiday if he could have them the rest of the year.
"So… your mother was telling you that you should be happy that at least one of your parents was an elf because otherwise you'd be a full human and you wouldn't know the same people or have the same family."
"Either that or she had found a very cleaver way of getting enough firewood to last for the winter." Shrugging his shoulders, Danil grinned and laid his knife aside. "There, that should do just fine. Help me up and I'll check it for length."
Vin hesitated before rising slowly to his feet. The muscles in his stomach protested even that simple a movement and that was from just one strike of the boar. Danil's legs had taken multiple hits and Vin didn't think that walking was such a good idea. "Are you sure? You could stay here while I bring back help."
"And do what? Tell myself stories all morning? No thanks, I've heard them all before." Danil smiled to take the sting from his words. "I'm fine little brother; a few bruises and a couple of scrapes. I may walk like an old man but I can at least walk."
As he struggled to his feet, Danil bit his lower lip and did manage to keep from crying out but he could do nothing about the loss of color to his cheeks which Vin noticed immediately.
"Danil, I really think…"
"Ah, now see that's the problem. Far too much thinking. More action, that's what's called for." Danil leaned heavily on his staff and managed to take a few, staggering steps across the shack. Breathlessly he turned to smile triumphantly at his young companion. "There. See? No problem."
Vin scowled and threw his hands up in the air. "Oh sure. No problem. At that pace you should reach Four Corners sometime tomorrow morning."
Now it was Danil's turn to frown as he forced his right leg to move and support his weight. "I'm just stiff from having slept so long in one position. And on a hard floor as well. I merely need a chance to limber up."
Seeing that there was no way he could win the argument, Vin snatched up his pack as well as Danil's and stalked to the door. "Fine. We'll both go. But I'm carrying this."
Vin yanked the door of the shack open and then stood back with a stubborn lift of his chin. Danil merely grinned as he hobbled over. Just before stepping across the threshold, he reached over and playfully scrubbed his hand across the top of Vin's head. "Uppity little half-breed, aren't you?"
"Was the meadow… this wide… when we first … crossed it?"
"Yes, but there wasn't any snow yesterday."
"Ah, yes. That would … explain it."
Danil paused to wrap both hands around his staff and lean heavily against its support. The ache in the shin bones of his legs was actually bearable compared to the fire that burned in his right hip. He knew that it was bleeding again because he could feel a small trickle of blood working its way down his leg and into his boot. He didn't say anything to Vin because he did not want to worry his young friend. Well, better to say he did not want to add to his worries.
"We're almost to the trees. There will probably be a log or stump that you can sit on to rest. Or we could turn back…."
"No. No turning back. Just… give me a moment." That was all he needed. Just a moment to catch his breath. Just a moment to take control of the pain. Just a moment to find his balance so that he wouldn't topple face down into the snow with his next step.
Vin frowned and shifted the two packs on his shoulders. Neither was very heavy but their combined weight was starting to aggravate his weak back. Still, his slight aches and pains were nothing compared to what Danil was enduring so he didn't even consider complaining. Taking a moment to look around, a spot of movement at the far edge of the field caught his attention. Squinting his eyes against the glare of the white snow, Vin studied the approaching figure with growing alarm.
"Da…Danil." His voice came out in a harsh gasp as he lifted a shaking hand to point across the meadow. "It's…it's back."
Danil's felt his heart lurch with an icy bolt of fear. Whipping his head around, he too spotted the slowly moving blot of evil that was coming across the snow. "Iey cojillium! And no, I won't translate that. Vin, get to the trees. Find one you can climb. The limb doesn't have to be far off the ground but make sure it's sturdy. Hurry! Go!"
It couldn't be happening. Not again. Vin took one step back and then another, his eyes never leaving the approaching boar.
Danil turned his body and braced himself with his weight on his left leg and his walking stick in his left hand for balance. He drew his sword though he knew how useless it would be if the boar attacked. Looking over his shoulder he saw that Vin had barely moved. Glancing quickly at the steadily approaching animal, he hissed in frustration.
"Drop the packs and run! I can't fight it this time! Vin! Listen to me! It's only after you!"
Still, Vin remained frozen, his mind struggling to reach a decision. Run? Just leave Danil standing alone? Defenseless? But his arrows couldn't kill it. Danil's dagger in its side seemed to have slowed it but it still kept coming. If he didn't run, if he stayed and tried to fight, Danil would try to defend him and be injured again. Maybe even killed. And if the boar really was only interested in him …
Vin dropped the packs but made sure he had his bow and arrows. Turning his back on his new friend was the hardest thing he had yet to do but he knew it was necessary to save both their lives. Quickly scanning the tree line, he spotted an oak with one limb that might be within his reach.
Danil gave a silent sigh of relief as he saw Vin sprint for the woods. Turning to face the boar again he felt another surge of hope as the thing paused to watch its intended victim make good his escape. Excellent. And hopefully the injuries it had taken the evening before had left it in a condition similar to his own.
"Danil! I'm safe. What should we do now?"
"Nothing. Just stay put and see what it does." Obviously it was no ordinary boar so maybe it had the intelligence to finally admit defeat. Danil prayed that it was so but kept his sword ready, just in case.
Vin kept his eyes on the black creature that stood out starkly against the white of the snow. In crossing the meadow it had left a trail of blood from several injuries, wounds that should have killed or at least crippled an ordinary animal. But not only was the thing still moving and still a threat, the blood that stained the snow was an unnaturally dark, rust color. The color of very old dried blood and it made Vin shiver with dread to see it.
Several long moments passed in silence as the two youths waited for something to happen. Danil gritted his teeth against the growing pain in his hip and the numbing cold of his feet. Vin fared little better as he clung to the slippery, snow-wet branch while trying to ignore the ache in his gut. The boar remained motionless as it stood, staring at its prey perched out of reach of its deadly tusks.
Finally the animal lowered its massive head and began turning away. Danil breathed a sigh of relief and eased the cramping grip of his fingers on the hilt of his sword. It had worked. They would watch for a while longer to make sure the beast truly left and then…
"Danil! Look out!"
The half-elf gasped in surprise as the boar whipped back around and suddenly hurtled in his direction! Danil had no choice but to throw his body to the side to dodge the ripping blow of the animal's tusks.
"Nooo!" Vin screamed as he watched his friend hit the ground hard, his body plowing into the soft packed snow. He shifted on the branch and saw the boar pause and look in his direction, an evil intelligence in its red, shining eyes. The boy swallowed thickly as he realized what the creature was doing. It was going to attack Danil in an attempt to draw its real prey down from the security of the tree.
As Danil rolled to his back he reached the same conclusion as Vin and called out in desperation. "Vin! No matter what, don't come down. Stay there! Stay safe!"
Danil pushed himself up on his elbows and knew there was no way he could stand in time to meet the next charge. Releasing his walking stick he sat up straight and gripped his sword with both hands. From this position the boar seemed even larger as it turned to face him once more and lowered its head for what would surely be its final attack. Drawing a shaking breath as he managed to get his left knee under him, Danil whispered a quiet prayer to the goddess to thank her for the good life he'd had and to take care of his family, which included his new brother Vin. His only regret was that he had not had a chance to make peace with Cais before the end. But surely there would be time during their next journey together.
"Danil! No!" Gripping the branch with his legs, Vin drew an arrow and frantically sighted on the one eye of the boar that he could clearly see. He pulled the string back as far as he could and released, all in the single beat of his pounding heart. But the creature began moving even as the arrow started its desperate flight. Vin reached for another arrow and cried out as he felt his body slip to one side. He was forced to drop his bow as he grabbed for the branch but sore muscles, cold fingers and a thin layer of ice all proved his undoing. It wasn't far to fall but he was overbalanced toward his head and that was the part of his body that struck the ground first. He actually heard the sickening crack as the back of his skull hit something a lot harder than snow or fallen leaves. The sharp, overwhelming flare of pain that followed the sound was a blessedly short experience, as his thoughts seemed to fall anew into a dark and featureless void.
The boar began its next charge and Danil fought the urge to close his eyes and duck. Instead he leaned his body forward and braced himself for the blow. He held the point of his sword level and prayed that he might at least be able to hurt the creature enough to give Vin a chance to escape. A flash of red caught his eye and the shaft of one of Vin's arrows suddenly appeared in the animal's neck. The boar staggered and Danil gathered the last of his strength to take advantage of the sudden opportunity. With a wordless cry of pain and anger, the young half-elf pushed his body forward and drove his sword deep into the animal's chest. The boar responded with its own piercing cry as it managed to hook one of its tusks in Danil's shoulder and throw the youth with a savage toss of its head before collapsing into the rust stained snow.
It was pain that kept Danil lying on his back in the snow, looking up at the gray clouds that covered the sky. Now the entire right side of his body hurt from his neck down to his ankle. His lips actually twitched into something between a smile and a grimace as his thoughts whirled chaotically and for some reason came up with the words, 'half is good enough.' He couldn't help thinking that if he had to be hurt in several places, maybe it was a good thing that the worst of it was all on one side of his body. At least the pain was proof that he was still alive. But for how much longer?
Turning his head to the side, Danil immediately spotted the body of the boar, the hilt of his sword and just a few bare inches of steel protruding from its chest. The creature lay unmoving and Danil felt a growing surge of hope that at last the nightmare was over. Then a new and terrifying thought struck him. What if it was playing possum? What if it was just waiting for Vin to climb down and …?
"Vin! Don't come…" His sudden movement and attempt to yell doubled the pain in his ripped shoulder and his words broke off with a gasp and a choking cough that left him dazed and breathless. His vision blurred and darkened and for a frightening moment Danil was afraid that he would pass out. As his breathing settled it occurred to him that he had not heard anything from Vin. He remembered distinctly Vin's warning cry just before the boar's first charge and then it seemed that he had called out again just before the second attack. Why was there only silence now?
"Vin? Vin, are you all right?" Fear for his friend's safety gave Danil the strength to roll to his left side and lift his head from the snow. "Vin? Kerish beyen? Little brother? Please, answer me."
Danil scanned the branches above but saw no sign of his brother. Growing more frantic, he ignored the fire in his shoulder and pushed himself up on his elbow for a better look. From his new position he immediately spotted the small, motionless body lying beneath the trees. "Nai!"
Standing was impossible as Danil quickly and painfully discovered. It was a long moment before the darkness receded from his sight allowing him to see once more. Realizing that he had no choice if he wished to reach Vin, the young half-elf began slowly pulling himself across the snow-covered ground using his left arm while pushing with his left leg. He kept his teeth clenched the whole time and his eyes never wavered from his goal. His entire left side was soaked by the time his fingers brushed the very edge of Vin's cloak and he couldn't tell if the harsh shivering in his body was from the cold or a reaction to his injuries.
"V…Vin? N…n…not a g…good time to…b…be sleeping. Sssstill have… ways…t…to g..go. Vin?"
Reaching Vin's head at last, Danil moaned in anguish as he saw the bright red blood staining the snow beneath his brother's pale cheek. The tears ran scalding hot down his own cheeks as he collapsed beside Vin's body, too spent physically and emotionally to deal with this newest tragedy. But while Danil's thoughts were awash with despair, he was not so lost in his misery that he failed to hear a noise that made his heart suddenly thump madly in his chest.
"Co…cojillium! Nai! Nai!."
Danil turned his head and stared in horror as the evil creature shaped like a boar struggled to its hooves. Blood so dark it was almost black dripped from the blade of his sword, which protruded from the animal's chest. It staggered badly then righted itself and took a halting step forward. Danil sucked in his breath and moaned deep in his throat. Using the very last of his energy, the young half-elf managed to push himself up into a near sitting position, once more putting his own body between Vin and the approaching evil. But that was all he could do. Weaponless and defenseless he could only wait for the inevitable. Anger overcame despair but could only give him enough strength for one last cry of defiance.
"Why! Won't! You! Die!"
"It is dead. It just doesn't know it yet."
Danil gasped and jerked his head back in surprise at the quiet words spoken in a very controlled, level voice. Past his right side strode a light haired man in a dark cloak, a gleaming sword in his gloved hand.
"Animal's just too stupid to know when to give up. Ain't that right, Josiah?"
Another man walked by to the left; dark haired with a thick mustache. From beneath his green cape he drew a double bladed ax as he flanked the now motionless boar.
"Not stupid, Buck, cursed." A third man; older and with a much deeper voice joined the two warriors as they took up attack positions on either side of the animal. In place of an edged weapon he held a wooden staff inset with a multitude of sparkling gems that seemed to glow brighter as he held it aloft.
As if sensing the end of its unnatural life, the enraged boar let out a shrill scream as it attempted once more to charge forward. The grim faced swordsman and his mustached partner struck simultaneously from opposite sides. The beast crashed to ground but continued to twitch and spasm even as the blades were pulled free of its mangled body.
"Enough. Move back now and let me finish it. Ezra, pay attention." Stepping forward, the older man pointed with the crystal tip of his staff and uttered just three words. A flash of blue and white light, like a miniature bolt of lightning, struck the boar and crackled across its body. Black, smokeless flames rose up and within moments the animal was reduced to nothing more than a pile of greasy ash. Moving closer as if to check his handy work, the staff welder bent down and retrieved the sword that had been lodged in the boar's chest. The once gleaming blade was obsidian black with tiny veins of red running down its length.
"I'll need to study this to make sure it is not cursed. If it is sound spiritually, I will give it to Chris or Buck to let them check the integrity of the metal."
Danil blinked as he slowly realized that the man was talking to him. Dazed by the sudden turn of events and succumbing quickly to the effects of his ordeal, he could only nod his head in numb agreement.
The sudden silence was broken by a child's worried voice. "Nathan, is Vin going to be all right?"
As soon as he heard those words Danil realized that there were others behind him and that the question was being asked of a dark skinned stranger who was kneeling over Vin with his hands cupped lightly around the boy's face.
"I believe so Jaydee. It looks like he cracked his skull on a rock. Give me a moment to concentrate."
Nathan. Jaydee. Ezra. Chris. Buck. Josiah.
Danil frowned as he tried to concentrate. Why were those names so familiar? And why was the world suddenly tilting at such an odd angle. Was the sun setting already? Didn't he have some place he was supposed to go?
"Catch him. He's going down."
"Easy, watch that shoulder."
"I've got him. Jaydee, bring me that blanket."
"Who is he? Did the boar attack him?"
"I think we'll have to wait a while for answers to any questions."
"See if you can get him to drink a little water while I finish with Vin. Ezra, bring that other blanket…"
The words faded with the light as Danil closed his eyes and gave himself over to the painless void that beckoned so enticingly.
