by Karen Cossey
I looked at Crimson. I didn’t like the idea of Kolby joining us, but my near-misses with the bow and arrow made me think it might be good to have someone more experienced join us on this mysterious journey. Crimson wouldn’t tell me anything about it, except that I would manage. I didn’t feel so confident.
“Yes, Crimson. What about Kolby?” came a voice from high in a tree. Kolby swung down from branch to branch, landing lightly on his feet.
“There you are. I knew you’d be waiting for us. I hope you’ve got some of my favorite oats in those supplies back there,” Crimson said, as if she really had expected Kolby to be waiting for us.
I laughed out loud. If Kolby could teach me to shoot my arrows straight and swing from tree to tree like a monkey, it might not be such a bad journey after all.
Chapter 6. A Spy from Milonderland
Kolby, obviously relieved he didn’t have to argue with Crimson, was impatient to get going. He rode Vanquish, a black stallion that Crimson seemed unimpressed with. Mind you, it took a lot to impress Crimson.
Kolby rode ahead, pushing us hard. Crimson didn’t mind, and it was pretty easy for me sitting on her back. I’d become accustomed to riding long distances, and I enjoyed being outside, watching the landscape change around me. We passed through the rolling hills belonging to Sir Yearbury’s estate, and were headed towards Milonderland, ruled over by the evil Sir Monteith.
My father had told me I should never travel through Milonderland. He had been there many times on business as a horse trainer, but two years ago, when I was ten, he’d made a trip there and never returned. Master Ashton went to search for him, and came back with the news that my father had probably been killed by a band of robbers, but no one had ever found his body.
Master Ashton and his wife allowed me to work in his kitchen, and found a position for Liliana in Lord Hudson’s kitchen. They were always kind to me, but I’d felt miserable. I missed my father, all the more because my mother had died when I was six. He’d been a traveller, working with many different people’s horses, and I’d spent most of my childhood with him, helping outside with the animals.
Working in the kitchen was hard, tiring, and depressing work for me. I was happy now to be wandering the countryside with Crimson. Somehow I felt I was where I was meant to be, a feeling I hadn’t had since my father died. The thought of my father made me feel even more nervous about riding through Milonderland. Unknown evil had befallen him there, and I dreaded entering the area, let alone spending days travelling through it.
Crimson must have sensed my nervousness for she spoke kindly to me, letting me know when we were approaching the border of Milonderland. It was getting dark.
“I’ll not spend the night in Milonderland,” I said as she paused for a moment under a tree. I hopped off her back and stood still, arms folded across my chest. “I’ll go with you through Milonderland during the day, but I’ll not shut my eyes in that province.”
Thankfully Kolby, taking a signal from Crimson, agreed.
“Right lad,” he said. “We’ll camp here for the night. Milonderland is only a ten-minute ride from here, but this is still Greenfell. Tomorrow we’ll ride hard through Milonderland. We should get to the West Coast in a couple of days. I know somewhere safe to stay tomorrow night, so let’s get some rest now.”
Relieved, I relaxed and even started humming as we made camp. I tried not to think about tomorrow. After a rough meal, Kolby gave me some training in using the bow and arrow, an exercise which soaked up my thoughts until there was no room for anxiety. It was only when I lay down to sleep that I started to worry again.
I finally fell asleep but was woken in the middle of the night by a snorting, snuffling sound nearby. I sat up in time to see Kolby soothing Vanquish, before slinking out of the camp, leaving Vanquish tied up.
Without thinking, I yanked on my cloak, pulled the hood over my head and followed Kolby, keeping out of sight amongst the trees. He ducked behind a large tree and seemed to disappear. I raced over and was about to rush around the other side of the tree when I heard voices, so I scampered up the tree instead. I watched and listened to Kolby as he spoke with a black-hooded stranger—most likely a dwarf, judging from his height.
“You sure you weren’t followed?”
“No,” came Kolby’s confident reply. “What’s the news?”
“M’Lord’s changed his plans. He’s no longer landing on the Western shore. Says it’s too dangerous. Wants you to meet him on the Northern Shore, at Hunsters Bay. Don’t go through Milonderland. Snake’s got spies everywhere there. Looking for a lass, but they’ll slit the throats of any child, just for fun.”
“That’ll add days to the trip! Is he sure?”
“A couple of young’uns have been wounded and one killed in the last week in Milonderland. Don’t go that way.”
Shivers ran down my spine. Children killed! But why?
“When shall we meet him?”
“Go through the Elven forest—not around, it’ll be quicker. You need to move fast. He’ll be at Hunsters Bay in five days. Whatever you do though, keep that lad safe.”
And with that the stranger slipped away into the night, disappearing into the dark. Kolby muttered under his breath then made his way back to camp. I ran past him among the trees, somehow getting ahead of him. I just made it back before him and pretended to be asleep as he came past and lay down again.
However sleep eluded me. There was too much to think about. Who was the dwarf Kolby had met? I was the only ‘lad’ in our group, so the dwarf must have been talking about me. And who was Snake? Why was he after a lass? Now I was glad for the pretense of my being a boy, but I no longer felt as safe as I had before. And who was “M’lord?” It was all too mysterious, and I longed to talk it over with Crimson. It was a long time before I managed to fall into a fitful sleep.
It was still dawn when I woke. I opened my eyes and saw Kolby talking to Crimson. They both looked in my direction, then moved away. I pretended to still be asleep but inside I was angry. Crimson must know of the meeting last night—would she tell me about it?
I couldn’t bear it any longer, so I jumped out of my blanket and marched over to Kolby and Crimson.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Kolby said.
“Liar,” I said. “I followed you last night. I heard everything that dwarf said to you about staying clear of Milonderland.”
Crimson looked kind of relieved.
Kolby was furious.
“You shouldn’t have been spying on me!” he shouted.
“It’s not my fault if your tracking skills are so weak that you had no idea I was nearby!” I said, trying not to smirk.
Crimson laughed and said, “He’s learning from you already, Kolby.”
Kolby gave us both a dirty look and strode away, muttering under his breath.
“Please tell me what’s going on Crimson. I’m really worried.”
“There’s no need to be concerned,” Crimson said. “Everything is under control. It’s dangerous times right now to be travelling, which is why I’ve had contacts to keep us informed of what’s going on. The man you saw last night was one of Kolby’s friends who travels about, keeping his ear to the ground. It seems it’s too risky to travel through Milonderland because of an evil man called Snake. He’s keen to capture a young girl who’s the daughter of his enemy, Sir Eric. We don’t want them to mistake you for her and run you through with an arrow.”
“Who’s Sir Eric?” I asked.
“He’s a noble man who works on behalf of the King to keep peace in our land. He’s been keeping a close eye on the King’s enemies. The Snake is one of them—he longs to rule himself.” Crimson spat on the ground. She obviously loathed the Snake.
Another question came to mind. “Who are we going to meet on the Northern shore?”
Crimson hesitated a second, then replied as I’d already guessed, “Sir Eric.”
“Why?”
“Because he
needs our help to succeed in his plans for peace. Now that’s enough questions.”
“No, one more, please!” I asked. “Why is it so important that I come along, and that you keep me safe?”
Crimson rolled her eyes. “You came along by accident, remember. Well, it may be an accident that you’re in my care now, but it’s dangerous times and we all look out for each other. It’s only natural with a man running around attacking children that we’d be worried about keeping you safe. There’s no way we would leave you now, so you have to come along. You have no choice.”
Chapter 7. The Elves
We were heading away from Milonderland within the hour. I was so glad to be leaving that I sang myself a song my father had taught me. It felt good to know where we were heading, especially as the elves were known for their kindness. Because of this, it seemed strange to me that when we came to the edge of the Elven Forest, Crimson warned us to stay close to each other. More than that, she asked me to walk beside her with my cloak hood on so I wouldn’t be seen. We picked out a track amongst the trees rather than using the main path.
As we headed deeper into the forest, it became eerie, with shafts of light piercing through the canopy. It wasn’t a thick rooftop so it still was quite light, but it felt mysterious.
Crimson stopped and smelt the air. “Elves,” she whispered. “Hide behind that bush until I call you.”
I stepped lightly over to the bush she’d nodded at, so as not to leave imprints in the ground. I was just in time.
A band of elves appeared in front of Crimson, their silver bows strung with arrows pointing at Crimson and Kolby. Kolby sheathed his sword at Crimson’s command.
“What is the meaning of this, Jasperfield?” Crimson asked the leader. “I have always been allowed free passage through the Forest of the Elves, and now you greet me with drawn bows less than an hour from the border.”
Jasperfield lowered his bow and the other elves followed suit. “We are keeping an eye on our borders, Crimson. There are rumors of war. It seems the Snake is gathering his forces. And there has been a stranger, a woman, coming through the forest. She’s looking for children and threatening our people with death if we don’t surrender any human child to her.”
“How is it that she can threaten you in your own home, where you have always ruled?”
“She travels with two mungas, the largest I have ever seen. If you see any human child, take care. She may not be far away.”
“Thank you for the warning, Jasperfield. We will keep an eye out for this stranger and her mungas. Which direction are you heading next? Perhaps it would be better if we went separate ways and both looked out for her.”
“We are on our way to the border from where you came. Why are you travelling through our forest?”
“We are going to the North to check out these war rumors. If they are true, I hope we can rely on the elves to fight with us against the enemy.” She stared Jasperfield straight in the eyes.
“Of course. We would be pleased to see the last of the Snake and his allies,” Jasperfield said with heartfelt urgency. “But you need to move fast. Let me know your news on your return. Now I’m afraid we must be going. I want to find these mungas and see if we can’t kill them before they kill one of us. Would you like one of my elves to escort you through the forest?”
“Thank you for the offer, but no. We will be all right by ourselves. I will look for you when we return this way.”
Crimson nodded to Jasperfield, who bowed, then turned and went back the way we had come.
I tumbled out of my hiding place and ran over to Crimson, letting my hood fall down as I did.
“What’s a munga?” I asked.
“Like an oversized wolf, but worse. Something Taymin bred. It will tear you limb from limb if it catches you. Keep your hood on, and hop on my back. Mungas can’t climb, so if we come across any, get up the nearest tree.”
I jumped onto Crimson’s back where I usually felt safe, but as I listened to Kolby speak, I only became more frightened.
“It must be one of Taymin’s. He was the only one who was breeding mungas.”
“Taymin is in a deep dark hole, if the dwarves let him live at all,” Crimson said. “Even Taymin submits to someone. He cannot have gathered all his resources by himself.”
“I always considered Taymin to be alone in his treachery. Who would possibly help him?”
“The Snake of course,” Crimson said. “His mungas are some of the foulest creatures alive. If they are the Snake’s mungas, there’s only a few people who can control them.”
I shivered and Crimson fell silent.
We moved quietly through the forest for the next three or four hours. It was mid-afternoon when Crimson halted, sniffing the air.
“Munga,” she whispered. “Up that tree, quickly.”
I shot off her back and climbed up the tree as fast as I could.
Crimson and Kolby took a few steps forward, then with a loud crashing sound, they disappeared into the ground!
Chapter 8. Idla’s Mungas
A trap. They’d fallen into a pit! I was horrified. I was about to call out, but two tower-sized wolf-like creatures dashed out of the trees opposite me and started baying at the edge of the pit. They looked delirious, with wild eyes and frothing mouths. I felt terror cut through my body. It was a feeling I was getting used to, only this time it was Crimson who was in trouble, not me. Somehow that made the feeling worse.
A woman slipped out of the trees and stood at the edge of the pit. The mungas quietened down and sat calmly at her feet. She stared down into the pit.
“Well, well. What have we here?” she hissed. “If it isn’t Kolby, the friend of the dwarfs, and Crimson, Sir Eric’s spy. This is a fine feast for my boys tonight.”
“What are you doing here, Idla?” Crimson asked. There was no fear in Crimson’s voice—she sounded almost bored. “You are a long way from home.”
“Not that far, Crimson, not that far. My mungas can run fast and could overtake even you. It took but a day or two to reach this forest. Now where is the child travelling with you?”
“I have no child travelling with me, Idla.”
“Ah, my sources wouldn’t deceive me, Crimson. I know there is a child with you, apparently a boy. But I will decide for myself when I find him. Where is he?”
“You are mistaken.”
“Perhaps, but my mungas will soon find him if he’s near.”
With that, she issued a command to the monsters in a strange language, and they began sniffing the ground. Soon they would be under my tree. I needed to do something, and fast.
I could feel panic rising as the mungas headed my way, so I focused on what I could see of Crimson from my vantage point. She looked calm and in control. I felt her stillness surround me and my panic fled.
I knew what to do.
I reached to my belt and took out the dagger I’d used to kill the river monster the day I first met Crimson. Putting it between my teeth, I pulled out my bow and a few arrows from under my cloak. Kolby had taught me well, and I was sure I could hit both mungas straight in the chest from where I was. If I missed, I would grab the dagger and throw it with all my might.
I pulled back the string on the bow and let my arrow fly—straight to the chest. The munga fell with a yelp and writhed on the ground. I restrung my bow and let another arrow fly into the chest of the second munga.
Idla let out a cry and looked up into the tree, searching for me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Crimson put her front hooves up on the side of the pit and Kolby ran up her back, his sword drawn. Idla gasped in horror as Kolby came up behind her and slashed her shoulder. She let out a curse and swirled on him, her eyes blazing. Kolby sidestepped as she tried to thrust her sword into his chest.
It gleamed and sparked and I knew it was magic. My panic returned in full force—Kolby was in deadly danger! I threw my knife without pausing to think about where Idla was moving. She stepped aside and the knife only gr
azed her. She yelped but was so intent on stabbing Kolby she just kept going. I forgot my bow and arrows, deciding instead that if I could jump on her back from above, I might have a chance of stopping her.
I was about to launch myself into the air when a strong hand gripped me like iron bands and set me down on my branch.
“Don’t move. Stay there, and keep quiet!” a voice said from beside me.
My panic doubled in intensity—I thought I might explode! I could see no one, but the voice was as commanding as Crimson’s.
A woman appeared on the branch beside me. She was old, with long white hair tied back behind her head. Her face was creased with lines and her lips were thin and wide. The most striking thing about her was her clear, piercing, light blue eyes. They looked furious. She stared right at me, as if she could see me, and I made out that she had the same kind of cloak on that I had, but she had pulled back her hood and become visible. She turned her attention to the scene below.
“Idla,” she said with a firm voice. “Stop fighting. Throw down your sword.”
Idla stopped and turned to look up at the lady. Kolby grabbed Idla’s wrist and twisted her sword out of it, then stood with his sword pointed at her back.
“You,” she gasped. “You killed my mungas!”
“You are lucky I didn’t kill you,” the woman beside me said, not correcting Idla about who had killed the mungas. “Kolby, you put your sword down as well. It’s not your place to take Idla’s life. There are others, like Jasperfield, who would like to talk with her first.”
The strange woman climbed down from her perch next to me in the tree. As her feet touched the ground, another group of elves came out of the bushes, all with their bows and arrows pointed at Idla. The leader looked like Jasperfield, only younger—it was easy to see they were brothers.
“Thank you, Guardian, for ridding our forest of the mungas.”