“What are you doing?” demanded a surly woman who had watched them approach.
“Thorvyn wants apples for the horses,” Forest replied.
“Tell him to come get them himself. I don’t know you.”
“He’s busy saddling the horses for a balloon hunt. If you prefer to bring him the apples yourself, be my guest.”
“Okay, grab what you need, but take the bruised ones. The horses don’t care.”
“Thank you, ma’am. We will.” Forest cuffed the boy in the side of the head. “You heard the woman. Do as she says.”
Apples secured, they made for the horse pens.
“Sorry about hitting you,” Forest whispered.
“It’s okay. I’ve had worse,” Abdi replied.
They made it to the pens unmolested, and Forest guided them along the fence until they came across a wagon that they could hide beneath but still be adjacent to the fence.
“I figure that we can’t make our way south into the woods without being stopped, so that’s not an option. They don’t seem as vigilant on the north side of camp. I guess that’s because it’s open plain, and we would be easily seen and ridden down. I think that if we cause a distraction and make our move near dusk, we might be able to escape unnoticed.”
They waited under the wagon for time to pass. Abdi ate a few apples and Forest gave him some cheese that Jaron had packed for her. He devoured it like he hadn’t eaten such rich fare in ages. It finally grew dark enough to signal that night wasn’t far off. Forest checked that the stable-hands were nowhere to be seen, and a few horses milled about near the fence. She crept closer to the fence and staying low, pulled out her dagger, and sawed at the ropes that secured the rails to the posts. She slowly lowered them to the ground and created an opening in the fence.
She crawled back to the wagon and pulled out the bucket of apples. She carried it to the horse enclosure and waved an apple at the horses, enticing them. She fed an apple to the nearest horse and coaxed another through the opening. She edged backward out of the enclosure, guiding the horse with her. Once the lead horse was out, she rolled an apple for it to follow and guided a second horse out with another apple in hand. It wouldn’t take long for it to be discovered that the horses were loose, so she swung the bucket around, spilling the apples in a wide circle. Several horses left the enclosure following the apples. They nipped at each other as they fought over them.
Forest smacked a horse hard on its backside, careful to stay beside the animal and not behind it. It reared and moved off. She slapped several more horses and began shouting, “The horses are out! The horses are out!”
She grabbed Abdi and told him to follow her closely. She chased after the most skittish horse, yelling, “Come back!” The horse deftly avoided her approach, and she steered it toward the camp’s edge. Other horses wandered in different directions and shouts went up all around them. Forest chased her horse right out of camp, yelling after it, and once they were several hundred paces away, she grabbed Abdi and dove into a depression. They lay there for a moment listening for the sounds of pursuit. Gradually, the shouting subsided, and the night darkened.
She whispered to Abdi, “Hold onto my pant leg, and we’ll crawl away from camp. Do not let yourself get separated and do not make any noise.”
He nodded, and they set off. Once the firelight of the camp seemed adequately distant, she rose to her feet and pulled Abdi to his. “Now we walk,” she whispered. The light from the stars and crescent moon was faint, but it was enough to see the ground in front of them. By the time the sky started to lighten, they were far away from the camp but still on the open plain. Forest felt exposed. Judging which way was south by the position of the rising sun, she began to walk in that direction.
“We won’t be safe until we’re out of the open,” she told Abdi.
The boy was deliriously tired and stumbled repeatedly but kept close to her. They crested a gentle rise and saw a herd of enormous shaggy beasts that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Forest was shocked. She’d never seen so many animals in all her life. She feared getting too close to the herd, so she guided them along its edge. The nearest beasts eyed them warily but didn’t charge.
Looking over her shoulder to gauge the position of her shadow, she caught sight of a faint cloud of dust in the distance to the north. Riders! she thought in a panic. She glanced about for a place to hide but couldn’t find one. It occurred to her that she could start a stampede that might scare off the riders. She ran at the shaggy beasts waving her hands and shouting. The nearest of them ran away from her. Thank the gods, it’s working, she thought. Then the beasts wheeled into a circle around their young and stared her down.
No, no, no. This is much worse. They’re practically screaming that we’re here. Forest looked again, and the riders’ dust cloud had moved closer. We no longer have a choice, she thought and grabbed Abdi. She guided him straight toward the center of the herd. They dodged the beasts as they reacted to their presence and tried their best not to be trampled or gored. Gradually they made their way deeper and deeper into the herd. The dust kicked up by the herd obscured all traces of the riders, so she was unable to tell if they were still pursued. They moved through the herd for so long that she became numb to the animals. She could have walked right into one and neither noticed nor cared.
Gradually the herd thinned out, and she and Abdi found themselves alone again on the open plain by early evening. They both simply collapsed. Forest had enough presence of mind to detach her bow and quiver so they wouldn’t be damaged if she rolled over onto them in her sleep. She pulled off her pack and arranged it as a pillow. She pulled Abdi close, sheltered him with her body and they fell into a deep sleep. He cried for his mother in his sleep but didn’t wake.
Forest woke near dawn and thanked the gods that they hadn’t been attacked in the night by whatever predators likely stalked the great beasts of the plains. With no signs of pursuit, she judged which way was south again and guided them in that direction.
They made it to the tree line a day later and penetrated deep enough past it to hazard a fire. Forest wanted to take her bow and look for game, but she didn’t feel comfortable leaving Abdi alone in the woods, even though they seemed deserted. She had Abdi join her, but they found no game. They returned to the plain to try their luck with prairie dogs, but she found that they had an uncanny sense of when to stay hidden, and they returned to the woods frustrated.
Forest fed the fire so that it had enough mass to keep them warm deep into the night. They sat around it while she tended it. She asked Abdi, “Where are you from?”
“A mountain village. I don’t know where it is from here.”
“Where are your parents?”
“We were separated when my village was attacked. I hope they’re okay, but I haven’t seen them since I was taken from the village in a wagon.”
“I’m sure they’re fine and missing you too,” Forest lied. “Let’s keep you safe until they can find you again.”
Abdi brightened at the idea of being reunited with them.
“I don’t have parents myself, but I have a sister who would love to meet you, so I’ll take us to visit her while we wait for your parents to return.”
Abdi nodded and leaned into her. She put an arm around him, and they stayed like that until they fell asleep. The next day and for two more after that, Forest guided him along the tree line back in the direction of the camp. She needed to be closer to it before heading south or she’d never be able to retrace her path to her village.
Forest worried that by leaving the camp, she’d declared her disloyalty to Soren, to her peril and that of her village. Had she stayed, however, it might have kept herself safe, but not those she loved. The only way to keep them safe was to warn them and make herself believed.
Forest kept a lookout for scouts, but they didn’t encounter any. The woods were quieter than she’d known them to be, as though its denizens had been driven out or were hiding. She knew th
at they were nearing the camp when she began to see signs of wood collection by the camp’s captives. Forest headed a short distance onto the plain to see if she could judge the remaining distance to the camp.
She peeked out between the trees, but she couldn’t see the camp. She hazarded stepping farther out onto the plain, but still couldn’t see it. She thought that it was odd that wood would be collected from so far away. She returned to Abdi, and they continued. They came across more and more signs of wood clearing, and Forest grew convinced that they had to be near. She walked out onto the plain again, and this time, while she could see where the camp had been, it was currently simply gone. She saw the remains of fire pits and tamped-down grasses, but the camp itself had simply vanished.
No! thought Forest. Soren has already begun his march south. She grabbed Abdi’s shoulders and looked him square in the eyes. “Soren is on the move. This is a race that we have to win. Do you understand?”
“I’m tired,” he complained.
“There’s tired, and there’s dead, and right now, we’re going to have to accept being tired. Okay?”
The boy nodded reluctantly. Forest tightened the straps of her pack, turned back toward the woods, and made haste southward. Soren’s forces would have to move slower than she and Abdi could, but Soren would probably have sent out roving bands in front of it to clear the way. Who knows how far in advance of the main body they would venture? Would there be scouts patrolling the woods that might discover them? Forest put these thoughts aside and followed what she believed to be the straightest path to her village. She sacrificed caution for speed, knowing full well that she gambled with their lives.
They frequently encountered signs of the army’s passage and the signs became fresher as they went. Forest tried not to come too close to them, but it was Soren’s army’s path that kept intersecting hers, not the other way around. After several days’ walk with little time for rest or sleep, they began to hear distant sounds of the army marching south. Forest steered them along a slightly wider trajectory, and within days, as they crested hills, they sometimes caught glimpses of the army. Bands of warriors strode in front, undoubtedly led by Soren himself, followed by the bulk of his forces stretching out far behind. She was overtaking them, but they were both drawing closer and closer to her village with each day they marched.
Forest wondered whether Soren would deem the inhabitants of her village worthy of joining his cause, but she doubted it, knowing in her heart that her people weren’t warriors. She replayed their conversation again and again in her mind. He had a marked disdain for those who dwelt in the forest, leading insular lives. She feared the worse, and she knew that she should.
Over several days, the sounds of Soren’s army shifted to their rear and gradually faded altogether. They were now moving in parallel to the vanguard of Soren’s forces, his most hardened warriors. They were at the greatest risk of detection and Forest judged that they weren’t far from her village. They could already be too late. Forest tried to move faster, but she and Abdi were both dead tired and could only just manage to continue shuffling slowly forward. They went without sleep if they could and trudged along numbly. Abdi slowed them down, but she couldn’t abandon the boy.
It began to register in Forest’s subconscious that the hills were growing more familiar. They were passing near the place where Kala’s tree fort was situated, so they were no more than a day away from the village. If Soren’s forces stayed true to their path, they would come close enough to her village to undoubtedly become aware of it. She and Abdi pushed on. They’d run out of food, but Forest could spare no time to hunt, and their stomachs ached.
Near midday of the next day, they stumbled out of the woods and into the fields surrounding her village. Forest’s chest loosened as they broke the tree line, and she saw the village looking as it always had. She wanted to shout but lacked the energy. They simply trudged toward one of the village’s gates. Forest heard shouts of, “It’s Forest. She’s back. She’s got a boy with her.”
Lily raced up to her with tears of joy streaming from her eyes. “Forest!” she cried and threw her arms around her.
Forest gestured to her companion, “Lily, this is Abdi. Abdi, Lily. Lily is the sister I told you about.”
Abdi feebly lifted a hand in greeting but found himself too exhausted to say anything.
Forest gripped Lily’s shoulder, “We have to flee now – murder dogs our heels.”
“What’s this nonsense, and who is this boy?” Councilor Sayer interrupted, walking up.
“It’s not nonsense, and every moment we waste brings swords down on our heads.”
“Convene the Council. Bring the girl,” Sayer decided.
“No. We talk here and now, or we don’t talk at all.”
Sayer reddened at Forest’s insolence, but Councilor Fayre arrived and tried to smooth things over. “What is it you want to say?”
“I’m not here to convince you. I’m just here to warn you that at my back in the woods, headed this way, is the army of a madman who is going to burn this village to the ground and kill everyone in it.”
Silence hung in the air until Sayer broke it. “That’s preposterous,” he declared.
“I don’t care if you believe me. I’m not here for you. I’m here for my sister.” She turned to Lily. “Go gather only what you need to survive in the woods. Find Cera and tell her to do the same.”
Forest looked over Lily’s shoulder and spied Calix. “Thank the gods you’re here. Go to the stores and fill a cart with dried meat, berries, and nuts. Anything and everything that travels well.”
Lily and Calix hesitated slightly, and the rest of the assembled villagers looked at Forest as though she’d lost her mind. It took an effort, but she raised her hands to quiet them and addressed them, “I know that this village is all you’ve ever known, and you probably can’t imagine a world outside it, but warriors advance on us. I’m leaving. Anyone who wishes to join me is welcome to do so. If you prefer instead to place your lives in the hands of a man who knows no mercy, that’s your choice, but I advise against it. If you’re coming, meet me at the south gate. We leave immediately.”
The villagers simply stared at her. To their credit, Lily hurried toward the school to fetch Cera, and Calix turned and raced toward the village stores. Forest headed toward Kala’s grandfather’s cottage, Abdi in tow. Chaos erupted behind her, but it wasn’t her concern.
Kala’s grandfather met her at the door and gave her a big hug. “You’re as thin as a rail,” he exclaimed. “Let me find you something to eat.” He added to Abdi, “Hello. You too. I’ll find you some food.”
“No time,” Forest said. “Grab food to travel if you wish. We have to leave the village now. All of us.”
Kala’s grandfather sighed. “I feared it would come to that.” He walked into his room and emerged with several packs. “I’ve been ready since you warned us before. Do at least eat some bread,” he said. “I need a moment.” He switched his boots for a sturdier pair while Forest and Abdi ate some bread that was out on the counter. It returned a portion of their energy to them.
A moment later, Cera and Lily burst in. Cera hugged Forest and said hello to Abdi.
“Grab your things. Only what you can fit in a pack. Wear your most suitable clothes for a long walk – we’re not coming back here,” Forest told them.
The girls went to their room and began packing. Forest looked longingly at her bed and was sorely tempted to at least sit down on it, but she feared that if she did, she might not rise from it.
“We’re ready,” Cera declared, emerging from the room that she and Lily shared. The five of them left the cottage. Kala’s grandfather hesitated in the doorway, hand on the door frame.
Lily placed a hand on his shoulder. “She’s not coming back here. We’ll go to her.”
He sighed and released his hold on the door. He and Lily joined the others heading for the south gate. At the gate, a crowd had assembled, but Forest could tell
at a glance that very few were dressed for a journey. She took stock of her party. In addition to herself, Abdi, Lily, Cera, and Kala’s grandfather were Allie, the baker’s daughter, and her husband Oriel, a young hunter, and to Forest’s surprise, Councilor Fayre and Councilor Sayer’s scribe. Forest panicked that she didn’t see Calix, who had become like a brother to her, but relaxed when he appeared a moment later pulling a hand-cart laden with supplies.
Councilor Sayer rushed up and berated his scribe, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“With her,” the boy gestured at Forest.
“I forbid it.”
The scribe hesitated.
Fayre placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and addressed Sayer, “Please don’t speak to my scribe in that tone.”
“Your scribe?!” Sayer exploded.
“Want the job?” she asked the boy, who nodded. “Yes, my scribe,” Fayre replied to Sayer.
Sayer threw up his hands and marched off.
Calix’s father approached.
“Why aren’t you dressed to leave?” Calix asked him anxiously.
“I’m not leaving,” he replied.
“But you heard what Forest said,” he said, shocked.
“I did, and if what she says is true, someone has to stay and look after the village.”
“That’s madness.”
Emrys embraced his son. “Be safe. I’ll join you if I can.” And with that, he walked off, leaving Calix shaken. Lily put an arm around him and pulled him toward the gate.
With her tiny party assembled around her, Forest turned to the remaining villagers and said, “If you change your minds about joining us, follow us due south. Keep to valleys, and you’ll likely find us, but you have little time to decide.” She paused, but could think of nothing more to say, other than, “Best of luck.” With that, she turned and headed for the tree line. Oriel helped Calix with the cart, and the nine of them headed southward toward an uncertain fate.
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