Shawnrik slowly sat up, his body felt unfamiliar. He realized quickly, as the blanket fell to the floor, that he was also only wearing his under cloth. Quickly grabbing the blankets, he wrapped them about himself as he tried to stand. Shawnrik saw Dunnagan awaken at the noise he was making, and the old Dwarf rose quickly and moved to Shawnrik's side.
“Careful lad, don't move around too much.” Dunnagan said looking at Shawnrik as if he was made of glass.
Awakened by Dunnagan's voice, Ashur awoke suddenly. Quickly he jumped to his feet as Shawnrik swayed, the blood rushing to his head. He sat back down carefully with the help of his friends.
“I told ya lad,” Dunnagan said chidingly. He was however smiling as he said it.
Both men stood there looking at him as if they had not seen him in years.
“First question,” Shawnrik said slowly. “Where are my clothes.”
Both men let out a sigh of relief as if his speaking had been their cue.
“Lad,” Dunnagan began with a chuckle. “Ye've outgrown yer britches. We had ta cut 'em off of ye. They were restrictin' the blood flow through yer body.”
Shawnrik looked at his small friend as if he had gone insane, but continued on anyway. “Alright,” He said taking a deep breath. “Second question. What in the nine hells are you talking about.”
“Let me take this one Dunn.” Ashur said moving up beside Shawnrik. “Here, let me help you up lad.”
Taking his friends arm for the support, Shawnrik automatically felt that something was wrong. When he was fully erect he knew something was wrong. Standing shakily, his hands quivered as he looked down into Ashur's eyes.
*****
Deep Within Dracair Territory
“Everything is falling into place Temendri.” Yandarian said with a grin.
“Yes my brother, soon the trap will be sprung. It was ingenious to use bait to catch even bigger bait so that we could get him to come to us.”
Both of the men clothed in blood red robes laughed at their own deviousness.
“By tomorrow night, the boy will come to us, whether he wants to or not.” Yandarian intoned with sardonic amusement.
“Yes, I think he will enjoy what we have planned for him. If they only knew what they were riding into.” Temendri said in quiet glee as he looked into the pool of blood below him.
The image which was displayed over the pool was of a party of twenty three men on horseback. Quickly the image grew closer, and it became apparent that one of the party was a young boy. The image of the boy grew larger, and the boy in the pool looked around as if uncomfortable, and scratched the back of his neck. Later, the boy would learn to be wary of such feelings. For now, he rode on with a look of determination, not knowing what was in store for him, or his companions.
Chapter 20
Friends Found
Year 3043 AD
Month of Ragnós
Fourth First Day
Continent of Terroval
Southwest of Stalwart
West of Blood Orc Encampment
What is that thing?” Victor asked, as he and Elandria scouted the area on the western side of the ravine where the Blood Orcs were encamped.
Following the direction of Victor's pointing finger, the fair half-elf looked through some bushes at an animal in the distance. Elandria had been glad when Victor had asked if he could tag along with her. She always hated scouting, and she loathed scouting alone. There was something else though, and she had been trying to deny it for a long time. It was however undeniable anymore once Victor had asked to come. She knew now that she felt safer with Victor around. She couldn't figure out why, and for the longest time she had told herself it was foolish, but now, looking down at the young boy she knew, that as long as she was by his side she had nothing to fear, from anything.
“It's a long way away Victor. At least it's good to know those eyes of yours are for more than being pretty.” she laughed softly as Victor's face scrunched up in something somewhere between anger and suspicion. “I am pretty sure it's a Storm Ram, not many seen this far from the mountains, but it's not unheard of.”
“Why is it called a storm ram?” Victor asked softly, as he continued in the direction of the beast.
“Well, they say that a group of them sounds like thunder when they are on the run. I'm not quite sure how it works, you'll have to ask a Warden about that one. They are the ones who usually train those things for riding. Great animals for rocky terrain.”
Both of them continued to scan the area as they neared the great ram, and Elandria couldn't help herself from gaping at the ram they were approaching. She realized that it was bigger than any other she had heard of, and it's coat reminded her of a storm cloud, especially in the light breeze that was blowing through the trees. She watched as the grey and white fur rolled in the breeze. So wrapped up in her observations had she been, that she didn't notice the saddle and gear that was on the ground near the creature until they were about fifty yards from it. The creature looked up at their approach, but didn't seem to worry about it. It lowered its head and continued to graze on the moss at the base of one of the large fir trees.
“Is that a pack?” Victor asked pointing to the bundle near the Ram.
“Yes, this must be a Wardens mount.” She did a sweep of the area around the ram to see if she could find any signs that anyone else was around. After circling the beast twice, she could find no trace of anyone else going through. “Well, if anyone has gone through here they were very light and very good.”
Victor looked at her quizzically. “Very light?”
“Yes,” she said softly motioning for him to follow. “You see, his hoof prints are the same depth for as far as I want to go look. That tells us that if someone was riding this creature, they weren't heavy enough to make much of a difference once they got off, or that their was no one on the ram to begin with.” She loved the way that Victor carefully thought about everything that he was being taught. Most people she had explained such things to had absorbed the information as if that was all their was to the matter, and moved on. Victor however, would learn something new, and decide if their were other ways he could use the information in relation to the other things he knew. Looking at him now, with the look of concentration on his face, she felt a pang of sadness. He's one of the most serious people I have ever met. She thought softly. Someone that young shouldn't have to take things with such seriousness.
“Well, we can't learn anything from over here, let's see if the beast will let us near him to find out what information we can gather from the packs.” Elandria said aloud.
“Ok.” Victor replied.
As the two turned and moved within throwing distance of the creature, it stopped chewing and looked straight at the two. Both of them froze under the gaze of such a large beast. It seemed to consider the two, as it cocked its head sideways one way, and then the other. The ram raised its head into the air as if trying to catch their scents. After a moment it lowered its gaze back towards Victor. Another moment passed before it moved over towards the bags, and put it's mouth on the saddles pommel.
Elandria was surprised when the ram did this, and then it started toward the two. Immediately, her first reaction was to grab for her bow, but Victor's hand softly grabbed hers before she could move it a few inches. She looked down at the boy, and found that he was looking at the beast, in the same manner that it had been considering them only moments before. Without a word, Victor started forward slowly towards the approaching ram.
“What are you doing?” Elandria stated in a sharp whisper.
“It's fine, he won't hurt us.” Victor said in a manner that calmed her so much that after a moment she got mad at herself for listening.
Victor and the ram approached each other, and Elandria resisted the urge several times to pull the bow from her back and string it. Any thought she had about the animal being dangerous however was abated when it dropped the gear when it was only a few feet from Victor, and lowered its head,
in what appeared to her as a bow. Victor lowered his head in the same manner, and went over to the packs.
“Someday, you and I are going to have a talk on how you do things.” Elandria said accusingly, but when Victor looked up at her, it was apparent that he had no idea what she was talking about. He turned back towards the packs, and started rummaging through them. She decided that she would let Victor go through them first, while she kept her eyes on the ram who seemed to be watching the boy intently.
“I would say that no one has ridden this big boy in some time.” Victor stated with conviction. “From the looks of this strap, he undid it himself, and there are a few sets of teeth marks on the pommel. Which tells us that he has moved it around before. From the tracks you showed me, he came from the east.” Victor sat back on his heels, and started thinking. “Dunnagan Stormhammer was a Warden wasn't he?” He asked.
Elandria looked down at the boy as if he had just struck her in the face. Why didn't I think of that? “Yes, he is. You don't ever really stop being a Warden Victor, it's kind of like being a knight. You may not hold the job anymore, but you never lose the position. You think this is Dunnagan's mount?”
Victor shrugged at her in a non-committal manner, and walked towards the ram. He raised the saddle, and through it onto the creatures back, and began setting the bridle without complaint from the ram. In fact, as she watched, it appeared as if the ram was helping him with the setting of the gear. After he finished cinching the strap, he propelled himself upward into the stirrup, and into the saddle.
“I think we had better take him back to Nim, he will probably know for sure.” Victor said calmly.
With that the ram started at a slow walk towards where the troop had set up a base camp. Elandria only shook her head as she watched Victor continue on. She kept a trot along side the beast, and had trouble watching her surroundings. Who are you? She asked silently towards Victor. As if hearing the question Victor looked at her jogging beside him, and smiled softly before looking straight ahead once more.
*****
“Rider coming,” the druid named Warren called back to the camp. It was one of the only things Nim had heard from the man since taking command of McDowell's squad. He went over to the man who stood there with eyes that were an unnatural dark green, and hair as dark as dirt. Try as he might though, Nim couldn't see anyone approaching.
“Um, I don't see anyone Warren.” Nim said cautiously.
“Of course not, they won't be in sight for another minute or so.” The druid said in a tone that might have been condescending.
“Oh, yes of course. How silly of me. Why would I think they were in sight.” Sarcasm dripped from Nim, and his tone expressed that he was not amused.
Letting out a sigh, the man turned to Nim. “The trees told me.” He said flatly.
“Oh, why didn't you just say that to start?” Nim said quite seriously.
Taken aback by Nim's aloof manner Warren just stared at him. Nim knew that the man wasn't used to people accepting the fact that he communed with nature so intimately. In fact, Nim was quite sure that some openly scoffed such attachments. Nim knew however, that like the energies that a Mage, or a Priest might use, and bend to their wills, Druids could do something on that same level. After seeing some of the things that had happened 'naturally,' Nim wasn't sure if this man might harness more power than either the Mages or Priests.
“Do you know who it is?” Nim asked him a few seconds later.
“No Sir,” The man said with a new found respect. “All they say is that a large four legged beast treads upon their roots, and the creatures head, and that of its rider brush their branches. They also say that their may be another pair of feet walking next to the beast, masked by the vibrations of the creatures feet.”
Nim nodded to the man. It was only a few moments after the man had finished talking that Nim was able to see something moving in the distance. Whatever it was, it was large. The first thing he saw come out of brush was the head, quickly followed by the massive horns on the ram's head. The rider on the things back was small, nearly hidden, behind the thing's head, and in its shaggy coat. The person that trod beside the great creature however was unmistakable to Nim, even from this distance, he recognized the lithe figure of Elandria. The massive bow she carried with her also identified her well.
“That is Elandria on the right. So, I'm assuming that Victor is on the ram.” Nim laughed. “How he got up there I couldn't guess. How it didn't kill him when he did it confounds me even more so.” Shaking his head, he walked towards his companions followed closely by Warren.
“Hi Nim! Victor nearly yelled.” He stood up on the ram's back, and waved.
Nim heard Warren chuckle beside him. Everyone in the squad had taken to Victor, and he brought a brightness with him that they hadn't had in these bleak times. The boy had that effect on people. Nim wished he knew how Victor did it, but he had to admit that even he felt more comfortable when his young friend was around. Elandria looked up at Victor and shook her head.
“We came upon this brute when we were on patrol. It was the only thing we found the whole time except a few squirrels. Victor just walked up to the thing, and saddled it.” Elandria said in a tone that said she did not approve.
“Oh, he's nice.” Victor said defensively.
Warren walked past Nim, and went up to the ram. He put his hand on the creatures head, and bowed his own. Victor had to lean to see the man, and Nim nearly leapt to catch Victor. There was no need however. Victor was perfectly balanced in his precarious position.
“What's he doing?” Victor asked Nim. If the boy had noticed Nim's move as anything more than coming beside him, he didn't show it. Elandria however had a small smile on her face, as she stood only inches away, obviously she had thought Victor was bound to plummet also.
“My guess is that he is talking with the ram.” Nim said.
“Oh, ok.” Victor replied simply.
Nim looked at Victor and shook his head. He then looked at the druid, who now stood smiling up at the Victor.
“From all I can gather from Thunder he is Dunnagan's companion. He is also a very smart creature. It appears that whatever ability you have with people also works on animals.” Warren said. “Intelligent ones at least.” He added.
Victor of course just looked at the man confused. Nim knew that Victor had no idea of his effect on people. For now, he thought that was for the best.
“You two must be tired, go get something to eat. Did the ram…”
“Thunder,” Warren said.
“… did Thunder see the terrain where Dunnagan, Ashur, and Shawnrik were captured?” Nim remembered Thunder, and this couldn't be that beast. For one, it was bigger. It also seemed much more intelligent than Nim remembered the ram being. Their were some similarities however, so he conceded that it could be one of the original Thunder's offspring.
“Yes sir, he said that Dunnagan and his companions took a small trail up the side of the ravine west of here. I can take you to it. He also says that the ones who captured Dunnagan took their horses.” Warren stood their looking uncomfortable, and Nim raised an eyebrow giving the signal for him to continue. “From the images I gathered Sir, there are at least two Dracair Assassins in there.”
Nim whistled softly. “Great.” He mumbled under his breath, and turned towards the camp. Warren and Thunder followed him as he walked to the rest of the men who sat around a small campfire. “Put some dirt on that.” Nim said pointing to the fire. “Everyone look sharp.” The camp had all quieted, and now had their attention on Nim. “How many patrols do we have still out?”
“Four” The Dwarf Rundig answered quickly. “The one to the north that Zander took, and the one that is scouting the west.”
Nim swore, and everyone was now on their feet checking their gear.
“What's wrong Sir.” Zan'keth asked.
“We have reason to believe there are at least two Dracair Assassins in the ravine to the west.” Nim said flatly. He had
found that keeping information like this from people usually got them killed.
His statement brought even more cursing, and now everyone was pulling their extra weapons they kept in their packs. Soon the camp was bristling with more weapons than an armory. Half of which appeared to be on Rundig, and Corporal Jameson. Like Ashur, these men had only one job, and they did it well. While the rest of the squad had other duties, these two men were pure fighters. Every weapon on them would be used with precision, and they knew that, besides Nim, they would stand the best chance against a Dracairei.
“I want the watch doubled. Four hour shifts. Someone try to contact Zander.” Nim said as he equipped the rest of his weapons.
“Yes Sir.” Jameson said saluting. “Za'kereth…”
“On it.” The Grey Elf Wizard said quickly.
“Sir, may I ask where you are going?” Jameson said cautiously as Nim started at a quick walk out of the camp.
“West,” Nim said quickly. “And put out that damn fire!”
Victor and Elandria started to follow Nim on his way out, and he turned on them quickly. “Where do you think you are going?!”
“With you,” They both intoned at the same time.
“Oh, no you're not. You have both already been out for more than a few hours. I can't have you loosing focus halfway through. Stay here, and rest. You'll need your energy soon enough.” Nim half turned to go, and saw Elandria start to protest. “That's an order Private!”
Elandria stiffened and saluted. “Yes Sir!” One thing they instilled in every recruit was that you saluted your officers. Nim had never expected it of people, and he had always told the soldiers that he was retired when they tried. When he gave orders however it was clear that he was still a soldier. Victor thought about following Nim anyway, after all he wasn't officially in the knights. He realized however, that Nim was right. He was tired from the mornings outing, and he wouldn't be much use anyway.
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