by Mary Coffin
Jon looked up and said, “It’s good to see you too, old friend.”
Fynn quietly asked, “Did you just call that hawk?”
Jon smiled and nodded. “I call her Misha. She’s helped us on many occasions.”
“She’s the help?” asked Tibby.
“Uh huh. She’ll be an extra pair of eyes.”
“Cool!”
Just then, the hawk made some more chatter and took flight. They crossed the road and headed into the hills.
~~~
After hiking for a couple hours, Jon noticed the weight of the cat taking its toll on Fynn. She hadn’t said anything, and he admired her determination, but he decided she could use a break. Mel was in the lead and he followed behind the kids.
“Mel, let’s hold up for a bit.”
Fynn put the cat down and sat on the ground next to her. Tibby joined them. Mel took some water and snacks out of her pack and gave them to the kids. Jon walked a few feet away and held out his arm for Misha to land. He spoke to the bird and then raised his arm and the hawk flew off.
“Where did she go?” asked Tibby.
“I sent her ahead to scout the area.”
Just then, the clatter of horse hooves could be heard coming from the opposite direction. They weren’t near any trails so it took them by surprise. They jumped to their feet but there wasn’t time to hide.
“No one move!” said Jon. He swung his hand over the group. “Trēow.”
Fynn felt strange all of a sudden. Even if she had wanted to move, she couldn’t. Her feet were stuck and her body felt heavy and stiff. She realized her eyes were closed so she opened one, slightly. A group of four men on horses trotted through the woods and were headed in their direction.
She looked down and was startled by what she saw. Where her legs used to be there was a tree trunk, covered in dark bark with deep crevices. This is weird! She looked to the side and saw branches covered in leaves. This is an illusion, right?
Something tickled and her first impulse was to reach over and scratch it but Jon told them not to move. She snuck a peek at the men. They looked down as they rode, like they were searching for something. The itch was getting stronger. It was hard to resist scratching.
She looked in the direction of the sensation and saw a bird on a branch – one of her branches. It was cleaning itself and rubbed its beak against the branch. With her partially opened eye, she saw that the men were closing in but they had angled to cross in front of them. Fynn told herself not to move; just hold on a bit longer. The men on horses were about five feet away, passing to the right.
Just...a little...bit longer. The men had just passed, heading away from them. Fynn glanced back at the bird. She had to scratch. She couldn’t resist it any longer. She willed the branch next to the bird to move. It scared the bird away. She rubbed the two branches together. Oh, that feels good.
Jon saw, and heard, Fynn’s movement. He extended one of his branches and slapped hers. The last horseman stopped at the sound of rustling trees and looked around. There was no breeze that would have caused the sound.
Fynn closed her eye and listened. The whole area was unusually quiet. One of the other men turned his horse around and saw that the last one remained behind. He trotted back to check on the man.
“What is it?”
The first man said nothing at first but kept looking around. Finally, he spoke. “I heard something. It feels like we’re being watched.”
The second man scanned the area as well. “We haven’t found any human tracks yet so maybe it was an animal. There’s mountain lion up here. Maybe you look tasty to one of them, eh?” His horse was restless and he had to maneuver it back in place. “You’re the one whose senses we’re following. What do you want to do?”
The man thought for a moment. He took off his hat and scratched his forehead. Fynn barely raised an eyelid and watched. The one with his hat off was the younger of the two and looked like he had barely reached twenty years of age. As she studied him, there was an odd sense of familiarity. She couldn’t pinpoint why and, since the only people she knew in Tungate were with her – except for Ben – she dismissed it.
The man put his hat back on. He continued scanning the area while he spoke. “What makes the Sheriff think Boc is involved with those kids anyway?”
“Jon Hieran was seen with them the other day. Hieran, Boc and Craft are all friends. All three of their businesses are closed and no one has seen them, except that Boc’s car was spotted this morning heading into the mountains but they lost him. They don’t know for certain that he’s involved but it all looks suspicious. They have no other leads. Besides, you’re the one who is so hot and bothered by this feeling that they’re up here somewhere. I’ll be darned if I know how you do it but it’s your so-called feelings that get us all our tracking work so, come on. Let’s do our job.”
They kicked their horses into a gallop to catch up with the other trackers.
Chapter 29
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As dusk slipped into blackness, the cave felt even more chilly and damp. Fynn, Tibby and Mel shared a blanket across their shoulders, huddling close for warmth. Cnāwan curled up with them.
No one wanted to sleep and Jon paced back and forth from the cave’s entrance to where they sat, farther inside. They saw his silhouette from the moonlight outside the cave and certainly heard his continuous footsteps. He was concerned, after overhearing the conversation that morning, and realized that he had underestimated the Sheriff’s persistence. Knowing that trackers were hired was disturbing, especially since one of them was following a sense that he had. Jon had a strange feeling about it and couldn’t quite put his finger on the exact reason for it.
Since learning that Ben had left home that morning, they expected him to arrive by now. Jon worried that he may have been caught. Misha was perched in a tree outside the cave. The hawk had flown a great distance that day but wasn’t able to locate Ben’s car.
The kids were exhausted but had difficulty relaxing, especially since Jon refused to sit still. As he paced, he considered how long they should wait for Ben when he had the sudden realization that he wasn’t doing a very good job of trusting the Gädweg. For all the times I’ve reminded the kids to trust, I’m not heeding my own words, am I?
Mel finally spoke up. “Jon, get a grip! He’ll get here as soon as he can. Maybe it just took a while to throw them off our trail.”
“I hope you’re right,” he mumbled. He walked away from the cave entrance to join them.
Mel stood to give Jon her spot. “Try to get some rest – all of you. I’ll keep an eye out.”
Jon planted himself in between Fynn and Tibby. He wrapped the blanket around his arms and draped it around the three of them like a cape. He leaned back against the wall and they rested against his shoulders and closed their eyes.
Mel stood at the cave opening and stared out into the night. She thought about Elione and wouldn’t allow herself to entertain doubtful thoughts about making it back home. She envisioned them each taking that first step through the gate and onto the bridge. Once they reached that point, they weren’t home free, by any means...but they were closer.
Wærs don’t think of things as good or bad. To them, everything is simply an experience from which to learn. In spite of that, she still wondered how they would be received after so much time away. She thought about her mother and how she had always, unquestionably, supported Mel’s adventures but none had kept her from home for this long. They had been in Tungate for two hundred thirty one years, which was the equivalent of about seven of Elione’s years, called gears.
She was imagining the rejuvenating feel of soaking in Elione’s hot springs and was so caught up in it that she didn’t hear the sound of rustling bushes. Suddenly a light cut through the cave opening. It momentarily shone on her face and she knew she had been seen. Still, reaction took over and
she dropped to the ground and rolled off to the side of the entrance.
A figure, carrying a flashlight, stepped into the cave. Judging from the size of the person it appeared to be a man. Mel was just about to pass her hand through the air and give the command to freeze the intruder when she heard her name.
“Mel. Where’d you go?” He shone the light around the cave, looking for her. “Mel?”
She recognized the voice. “Ben?”
He shone the light on his own face so she could see it was him. Without warning, footsteps ran across the cave floor and before he could pinpoint what was coming at him, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He moved the light and saw that it was Fynn hugging him.
“You made it!” She squeezed harder and he involuntarily grunted.
Jon and Tibby also approached. Ben put his hand on Fynn’s back. “Easy there. Of course I made it.”
Mel thought she saw something when the light was on Ben’s face. She took the flashlight and cast it on him. “You’re bleeding!”
Ben felt their concerned stares. His face and hands had cuts all over, many of which were caked in dried blood. His shirt and a pant leg were torn.
Jon took him by the arm. “Come and sit down. You look exhausted.” He lifted Ben’s pack off of his back and set it on the cave floor.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” said Ben. “I’m okay.”
Mel took a bandana and poured some water on it and started dabbing at his face. He winced at her light touch. “What happened?” she asked.
“The Sheriff is smarter than I thought. When I got home this morning, I loaded our stuff into my car. I left shortly after sunup. It didn’t take long to see that they have people posted everywhere – not just uniformed officers either. I couldn’t come directly here so I drove for a while until I was fairly certain that I had thrown them off.”
Jon interjected, “Early on, we came across plain clothed men on horseback that were tracking us.”
“Did they see you?”
Jon shook his head.
“Trackers...unbelievable!” replied Ben. “Well, since they know my car, I had to find a replacement. You remember that old jeep that Marty Johnson had for sale...you know, that old codger outside of town?”
Jon nodded.
“I hitched a ride out to his place, bought the jeep, drove it to where I hid my car, transferred all the gear and set out again. I wasn’t sure whether the jeep was going to make it. The only place that bucket of bolts belongs is in an antique museum.”
Mel rummaged through Ben’s pack for one of the Wær tonics. She found it and lit a small stove to heat it.
Ben continued. “Anyway, it still took a while to make sure I wasn’t followed. I parked a couple miles from here. It’s well hidden and I put the shield around it so that if they get close, they won’t see it – as long as they don’t run into it. Shortly after I left the vehicle, I heard horses and dogs.” He looked down. “They picked up my scent right away. I had to invoke the shield around myself so I could hike invisibly. But, as you can imagine, that didn’t contain my scent. The dogs were hot on my trail. I ran but it was getting dark. I misjudged my location and went right over the side of a steep hill. I tumbled down it until I hit the bottom of a ravine.”
“So that’s how you got all cut up,” said Mel.
Ben tilted his head. “Mmmm...partially. Then there was the encounter with the owl.”
“An owl did this?”
Ben nodded. “It wasn’t its fault though. The dogs were on my heels so I called the owl to help divert them. I forgot, however, that it couldn’t see me since I was inside the shield. It dove toward the dogs but I was in the way. The owl was as startled as I was and we were in a tangled mess before it broke free and chased them away.”
Mel handed Ben a cup of the tonic and he gulped it without even flinching at the hideous taste.
“Thanks.” He handed her the empty cup. “Thought I was out of danger at that point but then I encountered a porcupine. I couldn’t see very well in the darkness and didn’t want to use a flashlight until I was farther away from the men on horseback. I heard quills flying past me through the air. I was closer to some rocks than I realized when I dodged the quills. That added to this mess,” he said as looked at his arms.
“Thank goodness you don’t have any serious injuries.” She eyed the long gash in his sleeve.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s been a long day. There’s something I don’t understand, though. We knew there would be resistance to our leaving but it’s like these guys are a couple steps ahead of us. How’s that possible?” He looked down at the cave floor, as though he could find the answer there.
Jon said, “I’ve been trying to understand that myself. We overheard the trackers talking. They’re being led by a guy who can sense us. They said he has a feeling that we’re in these mountains.”
Mel asked, “How can that be possible for someone who isn’t a Wær?”
“That’s what I’d like to know,” replied Jon. “Anyway, he seems to be the key to their successful work as trackers. He’s not much more than a kid!”
Fynn thought back to how the guy seemed familiar to her. She wondered if she should say something but figured it was pointless. Lots of people seem familiar at times and it’s often just because they remind us of someone else that we know...or so she tried to convince herself.
“We’ll tell Misha to keep an eye out for them,” offered Jon.
“Definitely.”
Mel said, “We can’t very well hide in the shield the whole way there. It would take too much of our energy. We’ll have to use it sparingly. For now, though, we should get some rest before light comes.”
Chapter 30
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They were almost to the jeep. The stillness of the early morning provided no sounds to block out their footsteps. They walked as gingerly as possible, carefully choosing the spot for every step, knowing the hike would take longer than was planned. Getting to the gate was one objective but the more immediate goal was to avoid the trackers.
They cut straight through the forest, staying clear of trails and roads. Through the trees ahead, they glimpsed the dirt road they needed to cross. Ben said there was a cluster of huge boulders on the other side with trees and bushes around it. That’s where the jeep was hidden, inside the shield.
Before leaving the cave, it was decided what signal Jon would give if they needed to invoke the shield around themselves, as well. He would raise his arms over his head and cross his arms at the wrists.
The screech of Misha’s warning cut through the quiet and Jon instantly halted them with his hand. They froze in their tracks and listened. Fynn watched as Jon turned his head in different directions until he found a particular spot, like an antenna honing in on a signal. He sensed something. Shortly after, she heard footsteps on the dirt road coming from the direction in which he looked. It sounded like several people but, after a moment, she realized there were people and horses.
Jon raised his arms and crossed his wrists. They each whispered, “Scield,” and became invisible where they stood, including Jon. As a precaution, each person moved next to a tree for extra cover. Jon took a couple steps forward. On the dirt road, between them and the jeep, were two men he recognized as trackers; one was the guy who was able to sense them along with a second man. Jon tiptoed a couple more steps to get closer yet. The men stopped.
He heard the second man whisper, “I don’t see them.”
The sensitive guy held his finger to his mouth for the other man to be still. Then he whispered back, “They’re here. I know it.”
The second man looked at him like he thought he was losing it and spoke louder when he said, “C’mon Jimmy! No one’s here.”
Jimmy ignored the other man’s comment.
Jon looked up and spotted Misha circling over the area. He whi
spered, “Hafoc,” and held out his arm. Misha couldn’t see him but felt from where the call came. She allowed herself to glide through the trees. When she reached him, Jon raised his arm to meet her talons and she grabbed hold.
Jon whispered to the hawk. He didn’t realize that the man called Jimmy had watched the hawk land, in mid air. Jimmy stepped into the trees where he could get a better look at Misha and his footsteps caught Jon’s attention. Jon raised his arm and whispered, “Fleoge!” Misha took flight. She turned on a dime and flew toward the tracker. She let out a piercing screech and went for his face. Jimmy dropped to the ground and avoided the sharp talons. Misha continued past him and went for the other tracker, still standing on the road holding the reins of both horses.
The bird was so quick that the man hardly had time to cover his head with his hands as he bent down. He cried out as claws scratched at his hands and shoulders. “Ouch! Geez! Help!!”
The horses reared up on hind legs, pulling the reins from the man’s hands, and ran off. Their frightful whinnies and the cries of the man didn’t deter Jimmy. He knew something was going on and continued staring in the direction where, just moments before, the hawk had landed on something in mid air. He studied the empty space.
Jon watched Jimmy. He could tell that the man detected something. Jon knew that when the shield was invoked, it made them invisible, but to Wærs, when one was paying close attention, a slight ripple across the very fabric of space could be detected when there was movement. Jon couldn’t help but think that Jimmy saw it, so he stood perfectly still...for the moment.
Then, as if a signal had gone off, the whole group moved as one. Cnāwan was at Jimmy’s feet. First she hissed, which startled him into realizing that something was nearby. He turned in several directions to see what made the animal sound. Next she clawed at his shin.
He reached for it with his hand. “Ow!” He looked down at his raised leg and saw his pants were torn and he had a small cut that was bleeding. He was off balance, on one leg, so Tibby knelt on the ground behind him while Fynn gave a hefty shove into his chest and he tumbled over backwards.