Brandor intended for them to go hunting. He made his way over to the stables, where eight men were preparing their horses.
Bucephalus called to Alexander as he saw him approach, then pranced on the spot and shook his head, eager to be set free. Brandor grinned and handed Alexander his stallion's bridle, encouraging him to put it on, though Alexander only wanted to stay close to Hephaistion.
He fastened the bridle on, then led Bucephalus outside. The stallion bowed down, a trick that Alexander had taught him, and the men grunted their amusement. One of them handed Alexander a javelin, and then they headed off, through the snow.
Alexander had always loved to hunt, it always focussed his mind, but this time, as he watched the village disappear from sight, his thoughts were only with Hephaistion. He had even chances of surviving. To Alexander the odds were not good enough.
Brandor encouraged him on and they headed, at a gallop towards a distant valley. Alexander looked up at the pale sun and judged that they were heading towards the Glaucini territory once more. The Therici were obviously up to taking chances.
He began to study the men, like he would to any new recruits in the Vanguard. They rode well, and worked well together. Alexander heard the name Dalgon called, and remembered it as one that Hephaistion had said would be seeking to take over as chief.
Alexander looked to the man and smiled to see that he looked like Parmenion. The man's beard was grey, his eyes deep-set, seeming as if he smiled too little. He had a scar across his cheek and appeared to be attempting to lead the hunting party although he had to shout his orders two or three times before any of the others listened to him.
Grinning, Alexander turned Bucephalus to follow the group to a forest. He rode alongside Brandor who managed to signal that they would only be gone for the day, no longer. Alexander nodded his understanding. Talis was not with them, and Talis seemed to know what he was doing when it came to Hephaistion's care.
Coming through the forest, they came to an open area and spread out to look for tracks. Alexander was surprised that they had not brought dogs with them, then remembered that they were no doubt on land where the Glaucini hunted and there would be no point in announcing your arrival any earlier than you had to.
He looked over at Dalgon, seeing a mix of apprehension and pride on his face. If he could return to the village with some game then it would no doubt improve his standing in the tribe. As if giving up the idea of hunting in the open, Dalgon signalled for them to head back in to the forest, pushing his horse into a canter to make sure he led the way.
Alexander looked back, the open area they had been riding over seemed to be another frozen lake, he wondered for an instant at how it would look in the summer months, if this land ever saw the sun for long. Alexander reined in Bucephalus as his eye caught riders on the other side of the lake. Glaucini, a hunting party, who by the looks of it had been having more luck with finding game.
Giving a low whistle, to attract Brandor's attention, he pointed to the hunting party, then backed Bucephalus up and moved slowly so as not to attract any unnecessary attention. Apollo was favouring them and the sun would have shielded them from sight. He followed Brandor to the rest of the group.
Dalgon listened while Brandor explained, then shook his head and pointed in a direction that would lead them back to the village.
They needed the food and Alexander knew of a way they could get it. He reached over to get Brandor's notice and quickly signalled what needed to be done. Without waiting for Dalgon's acceptance, hearing Brandor relaying the instructions, Alexander pushed Bucephalus through the forest and into a gallop across the lake.
He rode towards the Glaucini as if he had not seen them, then when he judged the distance was right he looked up and halted sharply, reining Bucephalus around almost immediately he headed back in the direction he had just come, looking over his shoulder and laughing as he saw the Glaucini push their horses forward to follow.
As he had guessed, not one man chose to stay behind to protect the boar and deer they had killed. They dropped it and went in pursuit, each man eager to prove his worth.
"Come and get me for your god!" cried Alexander, swearing to Zeus and Apollo that this sacrifice, of the Glaucini, would be for them, if they would only save Hephaistion.
He reached the forest and looked ahead to find where he had to go. Pushing Bucephalus up a slope, proud that the black stallion was so easily outpacing the Glaucini, proving his worth.
There were seven Glaucini against ten of them, so when he span Bucephalus round to attack he found the Glaucini in the middle of the ambush, unprepared and shocked by it. They had no time to retaliate before they fell, victims to the javelins of the Therici.
Victory cries went up, a sense of revenge for the murder of their chief, they stripped the bodies of weapons and anything that could be used or sold. Alexander led the way back to the kill. It had been a good days hunting, but now they could return back to the village.
It began to snow. Zeus and Apollo had been with them on this day, and now the snow would hide their tracks and cover the bodies of the dead Glaucini.