by Logan Jacobs
Lavinia's mouth quirked up in a proud smile, and a few other guards walked over to give their thanks also.
At that moment, I caught sight of Clay and Lena near the line of wagons, and the silhouettes of the rest of our party behind them, and I looked around for the first time to survey the damage that had been done to our camp. Corpses, mostly those of bandits but some caravanners as well, were littered across the ground, and I knew there were others besides them that had fallen into the sinkhole when it had opened up. A few of the mules and other beasts of burden that were hitched to the wagons had been killed in the bandit attack, and several of the wagons themselves had been damaged. Torn canvas fluttered in the cold wind, and strained axles groaned where some of the wagons' wheels had broken, and I could hear someone crying softly.
The old man who'd first thanked Lavinia scratched his stubbly chin as he surveyed the wreckage of the camp with sorrowful brown eyes. "Damn," he said quietly as he shook his head.
Then he gathered himself up and announced, "Alright now, we need to get everyone away from this sinkhole." He turned to Clay, Lena, and the rest of the guards. "Take whichever of the wagons are still functional, leave the rest for now, and go a few miles out from here."
Aerin had been tending to the wounded guard, but then she stood. "We still have some injured people here," she said. "They're not fit to travel yet."
"Right." The man rubbed his hand down his face. "Right, of course. I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself." He stooped and took a branch from one of the campfires that still burned to use as a torch. "Let's start with a headcount, figure out who we still have."
We moved out of the circle of the wagons to where the rest of the company was waiting, huddled nervously together in the silvery moonlight. They whispered amongst themselves, and I saw a few people crying. The old man produced a list from his shirt pocket and began to read off names and mark out the deceased and the survivors while Aerin and another healer moved among the group and tended to the wounded. The other caravan guard who had fought the dragon alongside us went to check which of the wagons were still travel-worthy and how many animals remained to pull them.
When he had finished checking off the list, the old man sighed wearily. I had kept count as he made his tallies and found that of the five dozen or so people who had started this journey, we had lost six to the bandits, and of course, the captain had been killed by the dragon, bringing the total death toll up to seven.
Merlin rubbed up against my leg, and I picked him up just as the guard returned from having checked the wagons and approached the old man.
"Four mules are dead, so that's two teams lost," he reported, "and we got about five wagons with wheels or axles broken that aren't going anywhere without repairs."
His voice and expression were grim as he said, "One was the water wagon. I'd bet the bandits targeted it on purpose, probably meant to steal the water after they'd killed us."
The old man was silent for a moment, then he ran his hand over his chin stubble again. "Get the wagons moving that'll still move and get these people away from this sinkhole, could be more dragons that decide to come to investigate."
"You want us to leave the water?" the guard asked with a frown. "We have four more days before we reach the mountain pass at least, Uriel. No one here can make it that far without water."
"We'll just go a few miles," Uriel replied. "Just far enough to be safe. Then we'll come back for the water and other essentials. Now get going."
The guard nodded, and as he turned away, Uriel turned back to me, Lavinia, and Maruk.
"I gotta thank you again for what you all did back there," he said seriously. "In all my years leading these caravans through the desert, I've never seen a burrowing dragon that big or that tough, and to have it come up right after we were attacked by bandits--"
Uriel broke off with a sigh and shook his head. "That was some real bad luck. Maybe a curse. Either way, we'd have been in a lot more trouble if it weren't for you folks. Thank you."
He held out his hand, and I shook it.
"Of course," I said. "We're happy to help." I was also relieved that Uriel hadn't mentioned anything about how we'd been able to overcome the bandits. It seemed that my illusion had gone unnoticed.
"Might need to enlist your help again," the old man admitted with a sheepish smile. "We lost a couple of guards to those bandits, and a lot of these merchants aren't cut out for fighting. We could use some strong and resourceful people like you to help us clean up here and keep an eye out until we reach the mountain pass."
"We'll do what we can," I told him, and I saw some of the tension leave his shoulders.
"Thank you," Uriel said. "If you don't mind helping Liam and the others get the wagons in order, we need to move these people to a safer location before we do anything else. I'm going to go make sure the rest of the company knows what the plan is."
With that, we split off, and Maruk, Lavinia, and I went to help the rest of the caravan guards with the wagons. Aerin and Lena were still with the rest of the survivors, treating minor wounds and comforting them, and I caught Aerin's eye and nodded to her as we passed so she would know that we were alright.
All in all, it took about an hour to get the wagons sorted out, to calm and hitch up the animals again, and to convince the merchants whose wagons we were leaving behind that we would come back for them. After that, we were on our way out again, with the smoldering remains of our campfires shining like fallen stars against the desert ground.
Chapter 5
After consulting the maps again, one of the caravan guards discovered a marker on the map for an oasis that wasn't too far off from our original campsite. It was about a quarter-day's journey south from our original trail and had been looked over as a rest stop previously due to the threat of bandits in the area. Now, since the bandits had already come to us and we'd defeated them, Uriel and the others decided that the oasis would be a safe place to rest for a few days while we salvaged what we could of the damaged wagons and went about the necessary repairs.
As we traveled, the barren flats that I'd grown accustomed to gave way to rocky hills and, though far in the distance still, mountains. Here, the desert was broken up more and more by low-lying scrub and cacti, and I began to catch glimpses of birds and other small creatures. After our run-in with the bandits and the dragon, I wasn't sure whether I should find that comforting or not. The more hospitable terrain meant more animals, but it also meant more monsters and other threats.
I sat up a little straighter on the wagon seat and made sure to stay alert.
The oasis was impossible to miss, which was probably the first mercy this desert had shown us. The low hills closed in and sloped up on either side as if to direct us into the fertile valley between them. The scrub brush grew denser and taller, and finally, I could see trees in the distance. Not the low, red-barked and scale-leafed junipers and pinyon pines that clung to the stony hillsides, but a forest of fan palms at least thirty feet tall. They stood almost protectively over the stream that ran between them, and as soon as we passed beneath their shade, the air felt about twenty degrees cooler.
Just looking at the scene, some of the tension I'd carried over the last few days left my shoulders. At Uriel's request, Maruk, Aerin, Lavinia, Lena, and I had stayed with the wagons, but a few of the other caravan guards had already scouted ahead on horses and confirmed that we wouldn't be running into any more bandits once we got here. When I'd asked about the dragons, the old man told me the creatures had a distinct aversion to water, and we could expect them to stay away from the oasis. Any other creatures that might come by shouldn't provide too much trouble to a group the size of ours. We couldn't stay in the oasis forever, of course, but we should have at least one peaceful night ahead of us to regroup and lick our wounds.
Some of the caravanners didn't even wait for the wagons to stop before they jumped to the ground and started to splash through the water. I caught sight of the guard Uriel had been directing
earlier, Liam, as he directed a disapproving look at the people playing in the stream, but I couldn't really blame them. It had been a hard night for all of us, they deserved to have a little fun if they could.
When we'd pulled up all the wagons and arranged our new camp around the stream, Uriel approached me. I expected he was going to ask us to travel back to the old camp to see about transporting the water barrels back, but as it turned out, he had a somewhat different job in mind for our guild.
"We're going to need wood to fix the wagons and a certain type of sap to use as a temporary fastener until we can get 'em repaired properly," the old man said. "There's a tree that grows around these parts with sturdy wood and a good, sticky sap that we can use, but it's rare. Most of the guards working here are hired by private merchants who won't let 'em leave the caravan to look for it, so I was hoping your guild could help us out. You're a skilled group, so I figured you all are the best suited for the job, anyway."
"Sure, we'll look for the tree," I said. "Can you describe it?"
"It has gray bark that you could peel off in strips," Uriel answered, "but the wood is still strong. It'll be good for our repairs. The easiest way to find it, though, will be to look for the leaves. They'll be dark red, and small, about the size of your thumbnail." He held out two bottles with cork stoppers to me. "You'll need to tap the tree and fill these up with sap, too."
"Got it." I took the bottle with a nod. "Any idea in particular where we should start looking?"
"They tend to grow in windy places with a lot of sunlight, so I'm afraid you probably won't find any in this valley," Uriel replied. "But here, I marked a spot on this map where an old friend of mine said he'd seen one before. Well, it was a friend of a friend, but it'll give you a place to start, anyway."
My gaze traveled upward to the windswept hills that baked beneath the morning sun and sighed. Our oasis vacation hadn't lasted very long. At least this tree should be pretty easy to spot.
"We'll get right on that," I told him as I took the map that he offered to me.
The old man nodded and gave me an appreciative smile before he turned back to the camp, and I went to tell the rest of the Foxes about our mission. I found them all sitting together in the shade by the stream and watching as Merlin tried and failed to catch the little minnows that darted through the clear water. The puca was already soaking wet, and every time he made a leap for another of the tiny fish he landed with a crash and splashed the others, but for once, no one seemed to mind, not even Maruk.
"Break time's over," I announced as I walked up. "Uriel needs us to get some wood and sap to repair the wagons from a specific tree we need to find."
"Right now?" Aerin asked with a yawn. The healer was stretched out on her back with her hands behind her head. She must have been feeling hopeful that we could delay our mission for a few more minutes, at least, because she didn't even open her eyes when she spoke.
"The sooner we get what we need, the sooner we can get back," Lavinia said as she stood and nudged the redheaded elf in the ribs with the toe of her boot. "You can nap then."
Aerin opened one eye as Maruk and Lena stood as well, and when she realized no one else was going to argue, she sighed and got up.
"So where is this tree?" Aerin asked.
"Uriel gave me a map with a place to start looking," I replied. "It doesn't seem too far, only a couple of miles."
"Great." Aerin yawned again and stretched. "Let's get going, then, I have an appointment with my pillow."
We gathered our gear from the wagons, refilled our canteens in the stream, and set off. Lavinia picked out some narrow animal trails on the hillside and led the way up out of the valley. Even though it was still fairly early in the morning, the desert beyond the oasis was already sweltering, and within a few minutes, I felt the sweat as it trickled down the back of my neck. Lavinia's sharp eye found the best paths, but what was good for deer and goats wasn't necessarily good for a band of tired adventurers. We were forced to slow our pace considerably as we navigated the ascent in order to avoid the loose stones and clumps of cacti with two-inch long spines that grew along the narrow trail. When we finally reached the crest of the hill above the valley, the decision to stop for a few minutes to rest was unanimous.
"Aerin," Maruk called pitifully as he staggered up the trail, the last of our group, "I need your help."
When I turned back, I saw that the orc wasn't exaggerating. Fist-sized clumps of yellowish cacti stuck to his skin, clothes, and boots all along the left side of his body.
"Gods of the Vales!" Aerin exclaimed as she rushed forward.
"Oh, this is quite painful,” Maruk groaned. “Aerin, please do something.” He held his left arm out at an angle away from his torso, and I saw that the cacti had even stuck to the leather strap of his shield.
"Hang on, I'll need to find something to pry these off with," the elf said.
Lavinia snickered, and Maruk shot her a glare.
"We'll see how much you're laughing when it happens to you," he said through gritted teeth.
"It's not going to happen to me because I actually look where I'm going," the ranger replied as she crossed her arms. "What did you do, walk right into one?"
"I tripped," Maruk explained. He shook his arm experimentally and winced. "Ow, ow, ow, shaking them off doesn't work. Shaking them off does not work."
“Listen, guys,” I sighed as I glanced between the archer and shield-warrior, “would it be too hard for you both to be nicer to each other. You are always--”
“Nicer to each other?” Lavinia asked as she raised a perfect eyebrow.
“Yeah,” I said. “We are teammates, and family. I’m not saying we have to get along all the time, but you both should try to be--”
“Oh dear,” Maruk sighed. “It appears that we have confused poor Gabriel with our antics.”
“Yep,” Lavinia laughed, and the orc warrior’s lips curved up into a wide smile before he joined the archer in laughing.
“What am I missing?” I asked.
“They are best friends,” Aerin said as she patted me on the shoulder. “They just make fun of each other all the time.”
“Tis true,” Maruk laughed. “My dear Lavinia and I have much in common, although we are quite different. We are kindred spirits, and our friendship runs deep and true.”
“Don’t tell anyone,” the dragon-woman huffed. “I have a reputation of being a bitch.”
“Oh, I get it,” I laughed. “Carry on with the teasing then.”
“You got it,” Lavinia said as she winked at me. “Someone should help that dumbass get those spines off him.”
"These are very interesting plants," Lena giggled as she stepped forward and peered at the clumps of cacti that covered Maruk's body. "Do you think they have a toxin? I wonder if they'd be useful in alchemy."
"That's not helping," I laughed and guided Lena back as Maruk rolled his eyes.
Aerin retrieved a fork from her pack and approached the orc again. "Alright, I'm going to comb them off with this," she said in her calm healer's voice. "Just try to stay still, okay?"
"I'm not going anywhere," Maruk answered moodily.
Aerin bit her lip as she slid the fork beneath one of the clumps on Maruk's boot and pried it off.
"Those aren't hurting as much," he complained. "Do my arm first."
"I'm trying to help," Aerin replied, her tone tinged with annoyance. She moved up to Maruk's arm and tried to pry off one of the clumps on his bicep, but as she did, her hand brushed another on his forearm, and she leapt back with a yelp, the cactus stuck to her hand. "Evarun, that hurts!"
"That's what I've been telling you!" Maruk insisted.
"Here, give me the fork," I offered while Lavinia tried not to laugh behind me.
Aerin passed it over and held out her hand so that I could pry the cactus off. Carefully, so that I didn't accidentally fling it at anyone, I slid the fork against her knuckles and pushed the cactus free. Beads of blood stood out on her
finger where the spines had stuck.
"Ugh, let me get my kit or Maruk's going to be all bloody," the healer groaned as she stuck her finger in her mouth and went to get the rest of her supplies from her pack.
"He's going to look like a raspberry bush," Lavinia teased as I started to pry the rest of the cacti off Maruk.
By now, he must have been in too much pain to bother with a retort, because he just glared at Lavinia, though he hissed whenever I pulled another of the cacti free.
When I'd finished, Aerin came over to clean off the blood where the cacti had broken skin and laid her hands on Maruk's arm. I heard the chime of bells that accompanied her healing magic, and Maruk let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank you, Aerin," he said when the elf stepped back. "Those are ghastly. What a horrid little plant. This is why I hate the desert."
"You've never been to the desert before now," Lavinia said, one brow arched.
"Well, I hate it now," Maruk retorted. "Don't touch that!"
Lena froze, wide-eyed, as she crouched over one of the fallen clumps of cacti. "I think it might be useful--" she started.
"Don't touch it," Maruk repeated. "Just. Don't."
"If Maruk falls into another cactus, you can keep whatever he collects then," Lavinia said with a grin.
"Come on," I said quickly before Maruk could respond. "Let's get going, we still need to find that tree."
We packed up our things again and proceeded, slowly and carefully, toward the spot Uriel had marked on the map he'd given me. What had looked like a short trip of a few miles on the map ended up being a long and strenuous hike through the desert. As the morning wore into the afternoon and we picked our way across the rocks and ducked around more cacti and other thorny desert plants, I only hoped that the tree Uriel's friend had found was still there.
"What did you say this tree was supposed to look like, Gabriel?" Lavinia asked when we reached the top of another hill, the fifth by my count.
"Gray bark and red leaves," I panted as I dumped water from my canteen into my hand and splashed it on the back of my neck.