Chapter 2
It was Merric who finally found the tracks. They had tried to hide them but had done a rough job of it using branches to only partially sweep their tracks away and later on openly leaving the rest. It looked as if close to a hundred scanrans had ambushed Dom's squad while they patrolled, taking them by surprise so they didn't have time to sound the alarm. They rode on, following the trail left by the scanrans.
It was a clear day, the sky was a light periwinkle blue and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. A light breeze played on Kel's face while the sun warmed the back of her neck as she sat comfortably on Peachblossom.
The squad were obviously not going quietly. Not far up ahead there were signs of a fight. The soil was churned and there was a small pool of blood underneath a tree, but whether it was Scanran or Tortallan, Kel couldn't tell. This gave Kel some hope as the blood was less than a day old and Dom's men weren't so badly hurt that they couldn't fight. They pushed on as fast as they could without tiring the war horses.
Whenever they needed a break Tobe let Kel know and they would discuss what they could do while the horses rested. They rode on late into the night, the darkness spreading like a curtain around them before they finally stopped for the night. Kel forced herself to eat a little bread and cheese before curling up in her bed roll and falling fast asleep.
The sky was the colour of old pewter when she woke just before dawn, telling Kel that they wouldn't have the perfect weather they enjoyed the day before. After another quick cold meal they packed up their bed rolls and mounted up.
Jump rode in a carrier behind Peachblossom while the sparrows clung to his mane and every free part of Kel they could find. The morning was cold and grey and didn't improve much as the day wore on. In fact it got darker.
"Great just what we need, a storm" murmured Kel
Judging by the tracks she guessed that they were now less than half a day's ride behind the scanrans and catching up fast. They had come to the conclusion the night before that Dom's squad would be used to gain information from. Therefore their lives were not in danger, yet. Kel knew Dom and his men wouldn't give out information freely and she hoped they wouldn't be tortured to much before she reached them. She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to Dom. Kel wasn't one of those pathetic woman that couldn't live without a man but she valued Dom's friendship, advice and support as well as his love.
"Oh goddess let them be alright" prayed Kel
They ate lunch while they rode, all the time looking for signs of the scanrans and the squad. Kel sent the sparrows to scout ahead and jump and a grey-and-orange marbled female cat that had adopted Dom as her master while they were in Scanra, to scout on either side of them. Kel looked at the sky which was now an icy grey and cursed. They wouldn't catch the scanrans before the storm started.
A few hours later, just as night was falling, the sparrows returned to Kel. By now Kel understood what each different chirp and action meant and everyday she thanked the gods for Daine who had made the animals so much smarter. Kel translated the sparrows report to the men, who listened intently.
"The sparrows said that the Scanrans and Dom's squad are camped in the next clearing not far ahead" Kel informed the others "Neal, Merric, and I will check it out while the rest of you set up camp before this rain starts. No arguments Tobe" she cut in as Tobe opened his mouth to protest.
Kel, Neal and Merric crept up on their camp site. It was a good one. There was a large tin shed directly opposite them on one edge of the clearing which would give them protection from the storm even if it would be a bit cramped. To Kel's right there were a number of steep rocks leading down into a valley, making it impossible for anyone to attack from that direction, and to the left was a thin forest with plenty of dry leaf litter on the ground making it easy to hear intruders. Kel surveyed the scene in front of her and frowned. Although there were plenty of Scanran soldiers there was no sign of Dom's squad. Hadn't the sparrows told her they were here? Kel called Nari, the head female to her and let the small bird sit on her palm.
"Nari where is Dom and the others?" Kel asked the bird
Nari and the rest of the flock took flight. They flew over the tin shed and proceeded to circle behind it. So that's where they are thought Kel. The Scanrans had tied them up out of sight behind the shed. Kel informed Neal and Merric what the sparrows had shown her and silently they melted back into the bush.
It was Merric who finally found the tracks. They had tried to hide them but had done a rough job of it using branches to only partially sweep their tracks away and later on openly leaving the rest. It looked as if close to a hundred scanrans had ambushed Dom's squad while they patrolled, taking them by surprise so they didn't have time to sound the alarm. They rode on, following the trail left by the scanrans.
It was a clear day, the sky was a light periwinkle blue and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. A light breeze played on Kel's face while the sun warmed the back of her neck as she sat comfortably on Peachblossom.
The squad were obviously not going quietly. Not far up ahead there were signs of a fight. The soil was churned and there was a small pool of blood underneath a tree, but whether it was Scanran or Tortallan, Kel couldn't tell. This gave Kel some hope as the blood was less than a day old and Dom's men weren't so badly hurt that they couldn't fight. They pushed on as fast as they could without tiring the war horses.
Whenever they needed a break Tobe let Kel know and they would discuss what they could do while the horses rested. They rode on late into the night, the darkness spreading like a curtain around them before they finally stopped for the night. Kel forced herself to eat a little bread and cheese before curling up in her bed roll and falling fast asleep.
The sky was the colour of old pewter when she woke just before dawn, telling Kel that they wouldn't have the perfect weather they enjoyed the day before. After another quick cold meal they packed up their bed rolls and mounted up.
Jump rode in a carrier behind Peachblossom while the sparrows clung to his mane and every free part of Kel they could find. The morning was cold and grey and didn't improve much as the day wore on. In fact it got darker.
"Great just what we need, a storm" murmured Kel
Judging by the tracks she guessed that they were now less than half a day's ride behind the scanrans and catching up fast. They had come to the conclusion the night before that Dom's squad would be used to gain information from. Therefore their lives were not in danger, yet. Kel knew Dom and his men wouldn't give out information freely and she hoped they wouldn't be tortured to much before she reached them. She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to Dom. Kel wasn't one of those pathetic woman that couldn't live without a man but she valued Dom's friendship, advice and support as well as his love.
"Oh goddess let them be alright" prayed Kel
They ate lunch while they rode, all the time looking for signs of the scanrans and the squad. Kel sent the sparrows to scout ahead and jump and a grey-and-orange marbled female cat that had adopted Dom as her master while they were in Scanra, to scout on either side of them. Kel looked at the sky which was now an icy grey and cursed. They wouldn't catch the scanrans before the storm started.
A few hours later, just as night was falling, the sparrows returned to Kel. By now Kel understood what each different chirp and action meant and everyday she thanked the gods for Daine who had made the animals so much smarter. Kel translated the sparrows report to the men, who listened intently.
"The sparrows said that the Scanrans and Dom's squad are camped in the next clearing not far ahead" Kel informed the others "Neal, Merric, and I will check it out while the rest of you set up camp before this rain starts. No arguments Tobe" she cut in as Tobe opened his mouth to protest.
Kel, Neal and Merric crept up on their camp site. It was a good one. There was a large tin shed directly opposite them on one edge of the clearing which would give them protection from the storm even if it would be a bit cramped. To Kel's right there were a number of steep rocks leading down into a valley, making it impossible for anyone to attack from that direction, and to the left was a thin forest with plenty of dry leaf litter on the ground making it easy to hear intruders. Kel surveyed the scene in front of her and frowned. Although there were plenty of Scanran soldiers there was no sign of Dom's squad. Hadn't the sparrows told her they were here? Kel called Nari, the head female to her and let the small bird sit on her palm.
"Nari where is Dom and the others?" Kel asked the bird
Nari and the rest of the flock took flight. They flew over the tin shed and proceeded to circle behind it. So that's where they are thought Kel. The Scanrans had tied them up out of sight behind the shed. Kel informed Neal and Merric what the sparrows had shown her and silently they melted back into the bush.