The Walls of Westernfort

by Jane Fletcher

  A touch on her arm made Natasha jump. Rohanna had returned and beckoned her away. When they had gone far enough to be out of earshot of the two heretics, Rohanna started speaking. “I know what you’re feeling, and I understand, but you must remember our mission.”

  Natasha took a deep breath. She had not realized that she was being so obvious, but before she could talk, Rohanna continued. “It’s something I’ve had to contend with in the past. You feel revolted by the heretics, but you have to keep up the pretence of being one of them. You were staring at the faithless slut as if you wanted to throw up. Your response does you credit, but you have to act as if you like her.”

  “I didn’t...just now...with Dani...” Natasha’s words died. Rohanna did not understand at all, and Natasha could not bring herself to explain.

  The senior Guard continued to misconstrue Natasha’s response. “I know. Now that you’ve got time to think, you must be hating yourself for saving her life back there. But you acted on impulse, and the Goddess will forgive you. You can be sure Celaeno will take her revenge on every last heretic when they come to her halls of judgment.”

  Rohanna slipped her arm through Natasha’s and led her on, still talking. “And as for eating the horses, Ash was right. Their souls are with Celaeno. If we have to eat them to fulfill our mission for her glory, we will. The best that we can do is assassinate the corrupt Imprinter and prevent the creation of any more abominations.”

  Chapter Eight—A Dangerous Game

  The descent from the high pass was miserable. Natasha was permanently cold, and the weight of her backpack chafed sores on her shoulders. The glare off the snow gave her a headache. Traveling became a little easier once they reached the lowlands and left the snow behind, but it was only a temporary respite. With the year passing, it would not be long before winter crept down from the heights and even the plains were snowbound. Ash pushed the pace hard. The loss of the horses had slowed them, which could prove fatal if blizzards struck early that year.

  The forest on this side of the mountains was noticeably different in character from the one they had left. The trees belonged to a type that even Cal did not recognize. Ash called them yellow cedar. The trunks of the largest were so broad that it would take eight women to link hands around them. The branches fanned out high overhead in layers, home to troops of long-tailed skirrales. The black-and-white-striped nut eaters were familiar to Natasha from the parks around Landfall, although somewhat bigger than their city-living cousins. The ground beneath the trees was thick with dead needles. Little grew apart from fungus and creeping bramble. Dozens of icy streams flowed down from the mountains, easily jumped as long as they found a spot where the banks were free of mud.

  On the third day after leaving the mountains, they came to a far wider waterway, a good twenty-five meters across. The river was flowing briskly, its surface rippling with a dull metallic luster. Under the right conditions, it might have been pretty, but the day was cold, and it had been drizzling since dawn. The thick canopy had shielded them from the rain, but the forest floor was soggy. Natasha felt damp to the core, as if the moisture had seeped in through her pores.

  Ash marched confidently up to the river. In the sullen gray light, the water looked as hard as the rounded rocks lining the bed. She slipped her pack off her back and turned to the others. “Well, girls, the good news is that the river isn’t very deep here—less than knee high. We’ll have no trouble fording it. The bad news is we’ll have to do it barefoot. Our skin will dry a lot quicker than our boots.”

  Dani groaned dramatically and then said to Natasha, “I don’t suppose I could talk you into giving me a piggyback ride across?”

  “I was just about to ask you the same thing,” Natasha joked in reply, although the image of Dani’s arms wrapped around her neck was not without its appeal.

  Ash had already rolled the legs of her pants above her knees and removed her boots and socks. She tied the laces together and slung them over her shoulder; then she reclaimed her backpack. The rest soon copied her lead, and they carefully trod over the pine needles to the riverside.

  Dani put one experimental toe into the water and yelped. “Shit! It’s cold enough to freeze Himoti’s tits off.”

  “And any other part of her anatomy you’d care to name,” Ash agreed dourly before stepping into the river.

  “Why is the water so cold?” Dani asked.

  “Melted snow from the mountains.” Ash threw the answer back over her shoulder.

  The shock of the icy temperature when she entered the water was enough to make Natasha agree with Dani’s assessment, but then she noticed Cal’s face out of the corner of her eye. The older woman’s expression was guarded, yet Natasha could sense her outrage. Of course, the reference to Himoti had been blasphemous. Natasha wondered why she had not also been shocked by the vulgar profanity. Maybe I’ve been out of the temple too long. It was a disconcerting thought, but she could not devote much attention to resolving it. All her concentration was taken with the search for safe footing. The water was so cold that tingling darts of pain shot up her thighs, and the soles of her feet soon lost their feeling.

  Ash led the way, with Natasha immediately behind. They were two-thirds across when Ash stumbled and lurched sideways. Instinctively, Natasha put out a hand and grabbed her. For a second they swayed, both in danger of falling. Then Natasha managed to get her balance, and they steadied.

  “Watch out for the hole here.” Ash’s voice was strained as she called back to those behind.

  “Are you all right?” Natasha asked, still holding on to the guide.

  “I banged my instep. I think I’m okay. My feet are too numb to feel anything.”

  The same could be said for them all. The only reason Natasha was certain that her own feet were still attached to her legs was because logic said she had to be standing on something. They no longer hurt, but it did not mean that they were uninjured. She hesitated a second before slipping Ash’s arm over her shoulder and supporting the guide for the rest of the crossing. That Ash did not object to the assistance was worrying, and even before they had left the water, Natasha noted a ribbon of red swirling away.

  Once they were on the bank, it became apparent that Ash had come down hard on something sharp, probably a broken splinter of rock. The elderly Ranger hopped to a dryish patch of ground, leaving a splattered trail of blood, and sat down heavily. Dani knelt to examine the injury, while the others dried their feet on leaves, replaced their socks and boots, and then stood around with grim expressions.

  Dani sat back. “We aren’t going any farther today.”

  “I...” Ash opened her mouth to protest.

  “You can’t walk on that foot, and at the moment, I’m too cold to concentrate enough to use the healer sense,” Dani said firmly. “We need to make camp and get a fire going.”

  “I’ll see to the fire,” Cal volunteered and immediately trotted off into the trees.

  Ash was moved a little farther into the shelter of the forest. From her expression, it was obvious that the guide was angry at the delay but far too experienced to indulge herself in ill-judged heroics. The wound was not merely a scratch. She winced as Dani pressed the heel of her hand hard over the cut to halt the flow of blood. Rohanna and Natasha went back for the packs.

  “The blasphemer punished,” Rohanna murmured under her breath after they had gone a few meters.

  “We’ve certainly had our share of bad luck,” Natasha said, loudly enough for the two heretics to hear.

  Rohanna nodded faintly to show that she took Natasha’s point, or what she thought was Natasha’s point. It had been one of Rohanna’s own injunctions to stay in character and not give way to the temptation to make unnecessary asides, regardless of whether they could be overheard.

  Cal returned shortly, carrying some dead branches. All the available kindling was damp, but Cal did not appear to be concerned. After dropping the wood, she reached into a pocket and pulled out a large seed case and a few
nuts. With deft movements, she slit the seed case in half and then cracked open the nuts, using the handle of her knife as a hammer. The inside of the seed case was packed with fibrous strands that she smeared with an oily residue from the nuts. At the first spark from the flint, the fibers burst into flames.

  Ash was propped against a tree trunk. She watched the fire making with interest. “That’s a classic Ranger trick,” she said once the wood was alight.

  “It certainly is,” Cal agreed easily. “I learned it from my aunt.”

  “She was a Ranger?”

  “She used to be.”

  Ash closed her eyes and settled back. “Which squadron?”

  From her tone, it was impossible to tell whether Ash was expressing anything other than a mild professional interest to distract herself from her injury. Cal acted deliberately casual. She frowned thoughtfully for a moment and then said, “I’m not sure...the 14th, I think. Or maybe the 18th. It was a long time ago. I was just a young kid when she took me camping, but I remember a lot of the bits she taught me.”

  “And you were working as a fur trapper when I met you. I’m always amazed at the things you picked up there,” Rohanna added affectionately.

  Ash asked no more questions. Attention shifted to the fire and food. Dani had managed to stop the bleeding by the application of pressure, but she would not be able to use her talent with the healer sense until she was rested and warm. Even those who lacked the gift knew that it took immense concentration to step beyond the boundaries of the ordinary and use the healer sense. Mild discomfort was enough to block those who had the talent from using it. A sick healer could not heal herself.

  As she helped around the campsite, Natasha was caught in an internal battle. The questions about Cal’s fire-lighting skill had reminded her that she was not on the same side as Ash and Dani. They’re enemies. I’ve sworn to execute their leaders, and if they knew who I am, they’d kill me. Natasha repeated the words over and over in her head. The only people she could trust were Rohanna and Cal. They were her true comrades and would stand by her. Rohanna’s quick-witted invention about Cal’s working as a fur trapper was an example. No mention of any such profession had existed in the notes about the real family, but the intelligence agent had clearly realized that Cal’s knowledge of the wildlands needed more explanation and had stepped in to cover for her. She, Cal, and Rohanna were a team, working together against the heretics. But nothing seemed quite as simple here as it had in Landfall.

  She could not even be sure of her reasons for making the remark about bad luck. She had felt an instant rejection of Rohanna’s pious assertion. It had been Dani, not Ash, who had uttered the original blasphemy, and from her experience in the Militia, Natasha knew that the Goddess routinely ignored far greater sacrilege. However, Rohanna was her commanding officer. Natasha should not even think of offering implied criticism. I have been out of the temple for too long.

  Natasha knew that she must tighten her mental discipline. She had been letting her emotions get out of control, and not just with regard to Dani. Before going to sleep that night, she would take extra time for silent prayer. If she could clear her mind of every feeling except love of the Goddess and obedience to her will, perhaps she would recover her certainties. Their mission was far too important to risk failure, and the chances of success would be better if she were not in the grip of doubt.

  *

  The injury to Ash’s foot cost them yet more time, but once she was halfway healed, Ash drove them on with even greater determination. Eventually, the forest of cedars gave way to open moorland, covered with coarse bracken and spindly, wind-torn bushes. The land was raw and broken. Sweeping hills were crowned with eroded buttresses of granite. The wind was colder, and now there was nothing to shield them from its force. November was drawing to a close. For several days, the clouds hung low, blanketing the hilltops. The rain fell as sleet. Twice, it snowed, but the white flurries did not settle.

  At the end of another long, cold day, they climbed to the brow of a hill. The clouds had lifted slightly to unveil a range of mountains lining the western horizon. Judging their height or distance was impossible, but in the dull evening light, the mountains loomed gray and inhospitable.

  “You aren’t going to tell us we have to get over them?” Cal asked with a sigh.

  “No.” Ash smiled. “I’m going to tell you that, though they look solid from here, the mountains are split by a wide plain, like the range is being pulled in half. It runs up behind there.” She held out a finger to point. “And Westernfort is in the middle, overlooking the plain.”

  “How far?” Natasha asked eagerly.

  “Seven days.”

  “I hope they’re cooking something nice when we arrive,” Dani chipped in.

  The wish was one they could all agree with. Despite careful rationing, the food had run very low, and everyone had been willing to eat the horse meat, imprinted or not. At most, the remaining supplies were enough for three more days. Thereafter, they would be walking on empty stomachs. So long as nothing else happened to delay them, they should make it, but the weather was a critical factor.

  Dusk was falling, and it was time to select a campsite for the night. But instead of heading down to the shelter of the valley, Ash turned to walk up the hill toward the granite outcrop on their left. These rocks looked much like the other formations they had passed, although more extensive than most. The etched stone pillars huddled together like the towers of a town. Only when they got close did Natasha spot a natural passageway disappearing between two of the columns. The path twisted through the outcrop until, deep in the heart of the rocks, Ash led them to the door of a rough building of drystone walls, sandwiched between the faces of ancient granite. To her surprise, Natasha even spotted a pile of firewood, stacked to one side.

  “A Ranger outpost?” Cal guessed.

  “One of many,” Ash agreed as she pushed open the door. “We have a ring of them around Westernfort.”

  Inside was an irregularly shaped room, more natural cave than man-made building. A fireplace was built under a fissure at one side. In another corner stood a wooden chest. Ash threw back the lid. “Could be worse,” she said after rummaging through the contents. “Enough dried food for another two days, some waterproof canvas, a lantern, and a bottle of wine.”

  “A surprise birthday party for me! You shouldn’t have.” Dani mimicked delight.

  “We couldn’t forget your birthday.” Natasha went along with the joke.

  “But it’s not my birthday. That’s why I’m so surprised.”

  Ash laughed and said, “I didn’t mention this outpost before, in case we were disappointed. With the way our luck’s been running, the stores might have been empty. They’re kept stocked for emergencies. I’m not sure what sort of emergency the bottle is intended for, but I’m going to open it anyway, birthday or not.”

  Before long, there was a blazing fire in the hearth, and food was cooking. Natasha felt warm for the first time in weeks. The spirits of the group rose, although they all knew that they were not yet safe. A blizzard could pin them down for days, and then starvation would be a real threat.

  After the meal, Rohanna and Cal went to bed early. They took advantage of the warmth to move away from the fireside into the relative privacy of a dark alcove at the far end. Possibly they wanted to make plans for Westernfort, or they were reinforcing their pretence of being lovers. Or maybe they genuinely wanted to be together. Natasha could hardly go ask them.

  Ash wrapped a blanket around her as a cloak and said, “I’m just going out to take a quick check on the weather.” She slipped out into the dark.

  Natasha and Dani sat in front of the fire and listened to the crackle of the wood and the wind whistling over the rocks.

  “I don’t know why Ash needs to go outside. I could tell her that it’s cold and miserable,” Natasha said.

  Dani propped her chin on her knees. “She feels responsible because the journey has gone so badly.” />
  “It’s hardly her fault. And without her, there’s no way we’d have gotten this far.”

  “I know...like I said, she’s the best. And she’s really pushed herself with the injury to her foot.”

  “I just hope I’m that tough when I reach fifty-five,” Natasha said, and then bit her tongue. Little chance existed that she would live long enough even to make twenty-two.

  The silence dragged out while both of them stared into the fire. Natasha reached for the empty bottle and held it up to the firelight. One tiny mouthful was left at the bottom. She was about to drain it when Dani spoke. “You can tell me to mind my own business, if you want, but you haven’t said much about your life back in the Homelands.”

  Natasha lowered the bottle. Her pulse leapt. She was not in the mood for lying, but she managed to ask, “What do you want to know?”

  Dani shrugged. “Oh, just general things. What your home was like; what you miss about it.”

  “That’s hardly a cheerful subject for conversation.” Natasha tossed back the last of the wine.

  “True.” Dani paused. “Well, how about something happier? When did you last get laid?”

  Natasha nearly choked on the wine. When she had recovered her composure, she looked across at Dani. The expression on her companion’s face assured Natasha that she had not misheard the question. Dani’s eyes danced with amusement.

  Natasha turned back to the fire and pulled the corners of her mouth down in a wry grimace. “And what makes you think that would be a happier subject?”

  Dani laughed. “I see. It didn’t go too well.”

  “I think a better description would be ‘utter disaster.’”

  “So it wouldn’t be a hard act to follow?”

  Despite herself, Natasha could not help grinning. Dani was cheerfully, and quite deliberately, flirting with her, and it was a dangerous game to play along with. She should try to distance herself, but she did not know what to say. Fortunately, the door opened, and Ash returned with a report on the weather. They continued to chat while the fire burned down and then went to bed, but Natasha lay awake a long time.