So at Podo's guidance, they traversed through the tunnels. They briefly run into a Strander, who congratulated Tink for beating Claxton Weaver. The family, Elisheva and Oskar sneak exit the tunnels.
Out they emerged from what felt like a manhole under a flower stand.
"Looks clear, keep to the shadows." Podo instructed.
They stood in front of a nondescript wooden house, if it could be called that. It was a wooden, two-story structure, not filthy but far from clean.
The houses on either side of the road were similar. Narrow walkways were all that stood between each dwelling. No plants hung from the eaves, no paint adorned the walls; just gray building after gray building. The road was rutted and muddy. Rats and hackerels skittered in the shadows, trying in vain to avoid patches of orange torchlight.
Elisheva took a quick glance at the nearest of the torch towers. Far above, a figure squatted on the platform beside the iron bowl where the bonfire raged. He hunkered like a vulture at the edge of the stand, peering down at the streets, a black shade against the whirl of flame.
Not far away stood another tower with another fire and another figure, this one pacing. The figure on the nearer tower straightened and turned. The silhouette on the tower had a tail and the unmistakable stooped posture of a Fang of Dang.
"Aye, lad. I see 'im," Podo whispered. "Everyone stay here until he turns the corner. Then follow me."
They stood with their backs to the house, where the shadow of the roof's overhang hid all but the outermost tip of Oskar's belly. When the Fang made his way to the far side of the blaze, Podo burst into a run. He kept close to the houses, careful to stay under the cover of the overhangs while the others did their best to follow. Podo skidded to a halt at a wide cross street.
At the corner of the cobbled street stood a sign that read GREEN BLOSSOM AVENUE. The buildings here were brick and stone, three and four stories tall, with wide windows displaying meats and cheeses and tools for sale.
Oskar wiped his brow and looked up and down Green Blossom Avenue. "We turn left here. Toward the river." But before Podo took his first step, a company of Fangs marched around a corner two streets away. "Back! Back!" he rasped.
In the bustle of seven people—one of them quite large—trying to reverse direc-tion, Leeli lost her footing and fell. Both Elisheva and Janner tugged her to her feet and dragged her back.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Leeli whispered.
"Shh, honey! It's not yer fault!" Podo said.
At each cross street, Podo checked the towers, and then they sprinted out of the shadows from one side to the other. It seemed that any moment another regiment of Fangs would leap from behind a building.
"It's spooky to be out after curfew." Janner commented, looking around uneasily.
"that's what makes it fun!" Tink said.
Nia gave him a look, "Hmm?"
"O-or so I've heard." Tink backtracked.
They heard voices and the group pressed themselves against the shadowed part of of a store as two Fangs began casually walking in their direction.
A perplexed Leeli then knelt down to pick up a stone and looked at something. And she turned to Tink, "Kal, do you think you can hit that green gutter down the street?"
"Leeli, what are you thinking?" Nia whispered.
"Noise, to distract them." Leeli pointed out.
Tink didn't need telling twice, he grabbed ahold of a rake and placed the stone on it before throwing it. "Easy as eggs."
The stone hit the gutter with a clang, getting the fangs attention away from the group long enough for the family Oskar and Elisheva to scurry past.
They all make their way to Riverside Road and are not far from the Roundish Widow. They overhear two Fangs from the watchtower talking about 'The Florid Sword'. One of the Fangs comes down from the watchtower, and the family and Oskar prepare for him to spot them when they suddenly hear him cry out "The Florid Sword!"
The Florid Sword kills Sneem and proceeds to kill Glag as the family and Oskar watch on. The Florid Sword notices them and asks for their names, and Podo introduces himself and the others, and the Florid Sword does the same before leaving to deal with more Fangs.
Just as Oskar said, between the tavern and the next building by a narrow alleyway. Janner was first into the shadows. Old crates were strewn here and there, along with a pile of cracked dishes and a bucket of rusty nails.
As soon as they were all inside the tavern, Oskar looked left and right nervously. "McHiggins!"
"Hello." Ronchy was a small thin man, much smaller than his voice suggested. He wore an apron covered with grease and handprints. It was too dark to see much about his face other than that his hair was slicked back and his moustache, wider than his head, curled out like the antennae of a grasshopper.
Oskar was so startled from his abruptly showing up out of now where that he fell back.
Rochy shrugged. "Just brushin' up after ours." Then he raised his eyes to see them fully, "Now bless my boots and buckles."
Oskar got up and cleared his throat. "McHiggins. Meet Janner, Kalmar, Leeli and Nia Igiby. Joined by Miss Elisheva Bennet."
The Igibys stared awkwardly, Elisheva had her hand on her sidebag, feeling just as self-conscious.
It was one thing to talk to new people for safe passage in a place you know almost next to nothing about. It was whole another story for someone know more about what else you were than you did.
"Erm, hi...?" Elisheva greeted unsurely.
Ronchy stared at them, "Anything I have is yours."
The offer made the children smile in relief.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Nia nodded.
"So what's your plan?" Podo questioned with folded arms. "Is your man showing up?"
"I'll head home directly, so it looks like any other night." Ronchy said, "But soon as I'm clear, Gammon's fellow'll slip in. He's called...Migg."
"He's survived the Ice before, eh?"
"A dozen times. He knows the way North like his own toes."
Oskar hurried up to his friend before he left.
"Keep them all safe. Maker help you." Ronchy said. He opened the side door to the Roundish Widow and stepped through. The door lock clicked into place behind him.
Ronchy meant what he said, now all the others had to do was wait for their guide for safe passage to the Ice Prairies.
Elisheva pondered how she will be able to tell the group they'll have to split up. The children will be horribly disappointed and the others will insist they have to stick together.
Yet, inevitably she wasn't truly happy with Podo's grim words about her father and brother. She wasn't certain how, but finding her family remained a priority.
Tink was already bored with the waiting. "Can we play sling darts?"
"Not now, son." Podo replied.
Tink slumped down in frustration.
"Lie low."
Tink leaned back further until his feet were up on the table.
Nia scolded quietly, "Kalmar, feet off the table. That's not how a King comports."
"A king does what?" Tink sat up.
"Let the boy breathe a bit, Nia." Podo said, "He'll be saddled with a heap of new responsibilities once we reach the Ice prairies."
Tink slumped back. "Great."
Elisheva rolled her eyes. "Relax, you'll probably just have to get used to shoveling snow or making dioramas out of ice for school projects."
"Why would we shovel snow?"
"To clear the passage for dog sleds, probably." Elisheva shrugged.
The door was heard opening make the children jump and the adults spin around. A man had walked inside the tavern. He was bearded, balding grey hair with a scar over his right eye. was nearly as tall as Podo and at least as strong.
"I expect you're the Igibys." He said.
"Give or take." Podo grunted. "So you're, Migg?"
"Mm-hmm."
"You can guarantee these youngin's safe passage to the Ice Prairies."
The man had been checking around warily the door and all. "I'm sorry, did someone lead you to believe there's a safe passage to the Ice Prairies? But yeah if anyone can get you there old man, it'll be me. Been there many times myself, and I can't imagine why you'd want to go. You got the coin?" His voice was smooth and careful; something about it felt off.
Oskar handed a pouch to Podo, who opened it without taking his eyes from Migg Landers.
The man looked over the coinage, "Unless one of you is planning on staying behind..."
"Now that you mention it, I've been meaning to tell..." Elisheva began.
But Podo grumbled added an extra coin.
Migg poured a few of the coins into his hand and inspected them, then nodded and tucked the pouch away. "Right now here's the rules: You do what I say, when I say. Otherwise, you'll be... what's the word? Dead."
"Dead, how?" Tink questioned cheekily.
"It's a veritable buffet of mortality out on the ice, boy. Take your pick," Migg began counting down the dangers. "Snickbuzzard, blizzard, bomknumble, rockslide, frostbite, ice chasm... want me to go on?"
Tink replied, "Kind of..."
Migg huffed. "And that's just the first few days. A week in, it gets even worse."
"That's quite enough, Mister...Mister Migg." Nia interrupted. "You don't have to scare us into following you, we hired you, remember?"
Migg was amused, "My, my. A bit of fire, I like that."
"Ayo!" Elisheva interrupted, making herself sound as sassy as possible. "They're here so you can take 'em past the barrier, a'ight? You better recognize or else I'm gonna smack the pomp outta your circumstances. So we leavin' or what?"
Migg chuckled. "Sure, as soon as these lizards vacate." And he peered through the window.
"Keep a sharp lookout." Podo warned cautiously. "This bee's whiff is a little foul. If anything goes wrong, meet me at the Strander burrow."
Nia nodded.
Oskar sat up warily. "You don't trust him?"
"I dunno. But I sure do wanna slug him every time he opens his mouth." Podo replied.
"I don't like the idea of traveling all the way to the Ice Prairies with someone as mean as him," said Leeli.
"Yeah, I'm getting a bad vibe from him." Elisheva admitted.
Something wasn't right. Migg Landers wasn't an admirable man, but from what Oskar said, Dugtown had a great shortage of admirable men. Ronchy said he could be trusted, so what else could they do?
"Mama, I'm thirsty." Tink said, then his stomach growled. "And hungry."
"We're not unpacking our stores," Nia said sternly. "You'll just have to wait."
"Mr. McHiggins said we could have anything here..." Janner suggested.
Nia sighed. "So he did. Alright, see what you can find."
The children's faces lit up. Janner and Tink immediately headed to the main table to look.
"But don't make a mess." Nia said.
"I'll keep an eye on them." Elisheva volunteered, she might as well break it to the boys first.
The boys went behind the counter where Tink found a green bottle full of liquid.
"Is that blueberry juice? I want blueberry juice!" He began to try to open it.
Janner the suggested, "Hold on, find a mug."
And the boys dcked down to search.
"Do people really die out in the Ice Prairies?" Leeli asked her grandfather uncertainly.
"Not when they're with me." Podo said, gently lifting Leeli's face with his left hand.
This made the little girl smile a little.
Outside came the steady clop-clop-clop of marching, the bark of commands, and the crack of whips in the distance. Was Dugtown always this way or only when the Florid Sword was up to his mischief? It would've been better if the caped hero hadn't chosen this particular night to carouse but it was kinda cool to have seen him in action. Elisheva mused.
Who woulda thought an average joe Dugtowner—a cook or a woodsmith—donning his disguise in some secret cellar chamber and then creeping into the streets to fight the Fangs of Dang.
"I don't like the idea of traveling all the way to the Ice Prairies with someone as mean as him," said Leeli as she settled herself on the ground.
"Yeah, I'm getting a bad vibe from him." Elisheva admitted.
And that was when Elisheva noticed. The streets have gone as quiet as a graveyard. The drone of marching Fangs, the pop of the whips—all gone.
Migg had briefly glanced over the group, then began walking to the main door.
"Time to go?" Podo questioned.
"Sorta." Migg replied then opened the door… only for two Fangs to walk right in!
"You backstabbing bilgerat!" Podo bellowed.
Leeli screamed so long and loud that every Fang and Dugtowner within five mile radius must have heard.
"You're gonna get yours, you big jerk!" Elisheva prepared her sling.
"Calm down, we're taking you alive!" One of the Fangs snapped.
Podo had begun flipping over chairs and one of the tables to keep the two fangs from getting closer.
" You should be thanking for saving your lives, you fat geezers and snotty brats wouldn't survie an hour on the ice." Migg sneered.
Then a burly fang in armor and a helmet stepped into the tavern.
"You got my payment?" Migg demanded.
"Yeah." The Fang responded, raising a curled claw.
Then, a Fang leapt forward and sank its teeth into Migg Landers's shoulder. The big man screamed, shuddered, and crumpled to the ground in a heap.
Janner and Tink peeked out from behind the counter with Elisheva, who began loading her sling with smooth stones.
"No, stay down!" Nia shouted.
"Better do as she says!" Elisheva said, pulling Janner and Tink down by their sleeves.
Nia had then attempted to reach the counter only for a Fang to jump up on a table and throw a spear at her. Nia stumbled backwards just in time.
Leeli had been trying to open the back door to no avail. "It's locked, grandpa!"
Nia tried opening it herself, not knowing that on the other side of the door, two Fangs had barricaded it with two wooden bars.
"Come on, we've got to help!" Tink whispered.
"No, Mama said to stay down!" Janner whispered back, pulling his brother back down.
Elisheva whispered to them. "Leave this to me!"
At that moment, Oskar tried charging the door only to bounce backwards.
"Grandpa!" Leeli cried.
"I'm coming Leeli girl!" He said keeping a Fang at bay.
Elisheva let fly one of the stones and kncoked out the Fang.
Podod then looked at Elisheva and addressed both her and the boys, "You know what to do!"
Then he picked up a table and threw it at the fangs. Next, Podo slammed his shoulder into the thick side door of the Roundish Widow. The door broke into pieces, and the sound of splintering wood mingled with the sound of splintering bone as Podo's shoulder and ribs cracked. He tumbled to the floor with a cry of pain, but in one motion he rolled over, grabbed the nearest backpack—which happened to be his own. "Go!" He urged, Nia, Leeli and Oskar.
Nia swept Leeli into her arms and rushed through the door after him.
And they hurried into the alleyway, only to find at least ten fangs.
There's too many!" Nia cried.
"Then let us even the odds!" crowed a man's voice.
The group glanced up and saw Dugtown's masked vigilante for the second time that evening.
The Florid Sword had pale skin, blue eyes, black hair and a mustache and goatee. He wears mostly black clothing, including a mask over his face, a large hat and a short cape.
"Aha! Thou smelly snakish brutes! Beware the steely shine of the Florid Sword's, er, sword!"
Leaping from wall to wall, the Florid Sword came to their rescue and fought off many of the Fangs before telling the family to flee.
"Nia, now!" Podo urged.
"Not without...!" Nia said.
"What about Elisheva?" Leeli asked.
"They all know where to meet us!" Podo replied. "This is what we trained them for."
Elisheva could see the outline of Janner's pale face, the glint of Tink's wide, frightened eyes looking to Janner and Elisheva for help.
Janner grabbed Tink by the arm and rushed through the door, skidding on bits of broken wood. Then Elisheva reached to take both boys by the back of their shirts out of harm's way.
Claws scraped at their back and legs. They could hear clacking of Fang teeth and the squeak of Fang armor, and felt the heat of Fang breath on their necks.
Elisheva knew with a chill that Gnag still wanted her and the children alive, because it would have been an easy thing in that moment for the Fangs to run the three through. But in their scramble to seize the boys and young woman, the beasts slammed into the doorway as one and jammed.
Janner crashed into a table and nearly fell. As he ran, he strained to see where the rest of his family had gone, but the tavern was pitch black. All he knew was that he still had Tink's elbow in his grip and Elisheva's hand on his shoulder.
Two large windows that looked out on Riverside Road faintly illuminated the tables and chairs spaced throughout the room.
"Come on!" Elisheva said to the boys.
But she and the brothers never made it to the side door.
From the street came the sound of battle. Podo appeared beyond the doorway, a white-haired terror swinging his sword even as he hugged his wounded side with his other arm. The shadows of the battle stretched long across the room. Elisheva intended to rush forward to Podo's aid, but the boys pulled her back. As of the moment, she was the nearest thing to a trusted grown up in the vicinity.
They were stuck. If they ran outside, they'd find themselves in the thick of the fight, and they had no weapons-Oskar had their packs.
Nia stod right in front of the window briefly, she looked through right into the faces of her two sons, and then into Elisheva's.
"Stay put." Tears welled into Nia's eyes. "Stay together. All of you."
Janner nodded. Then Elisheva met Nia's gaze, the other woman looked her her eyes meaningfully. "Stay together."
"I promise." Elisheva mouthed.
Witha sob Nia turned away and hurried ot the others. And so, Nia, Podo, Leeli and Oskar fled into Dugtown.
"Oho, what thee scaly buffoons lack in brain matter, you make up for in numbers!" The Florid Sword laughed. "Too many numbers!"
And with a swing of his blade he cut a rope he held onto making a grand escape to the rooftops.
Elisheva, Janner and Tink scrambled under the counter once more. The Fangs sped toward the open front door, crashing through tables and chairs as they ran. On hands and knees, the young woman and the two boys held their breath and watched the scaly legs of at least thirty Fangs rush past.
The clash of swords ceased. Elisheva listened carefully for any sign of the others, but she heard nothing except the mutter and moan of tired and wounded Fangs.
Janner, Tink and Elisheva looked at each other in the darkness.
"They got away," Tink whispered.
"I hope so," Janner said.
"But what about us?"
"I don't know."
"What will we do?"
"I don't know."
"We'll think of something tomorrow morning." Elisheva whispered gently.
Long after the last Fang disappeared, Elisheva and the two Wingfeather boys hid under the table and held tight to each other, more alone than they had ever been.
To be continued…