“It is,” Thegdol said. “They could also have passed by before we arrived, or . . . .”
“They might know we’re here,” Logath finished unhappily. “If they do, it could spell trouble for us.”
“We should follow the tracks,” Jodin suggested, “see where they go and also where they’ve been.”
“We should,” Logath said, stressing the word should, “report and let the lieutenant decide what to do. There’s only a couple of hours of light left.”
“Bah, you are too cautious. We need to know what we are facing.” Jodin turned to the sergeant. “Thegdol, we could do both. Let me take Tovak and my squad. You and the rest can go back to camp and report.”
Tovak felt a sudden thrill of excitement at the prospect of following the orc and goblin tracks.
“That’s foolish. There’s no telling if you will find anything,” Logath said, “and even if you do, you will be coming back in the dark. I imagine at night it’s quite easy to get turned around in this forest. You might even blunder into the enemy and with no ready help at hand.”
“Not with an Academy-trained scout,” Jodin countered.
“He’s just fresh off the yuggernok,” Logath hissed. “You’re putting too much faith in him.”
“I don’t like the idea of splitting up,” Thegdol said. “Orcs and goblins can see a lot better at night than we can.”
“Thegdol,” Jodin protested, clearly prepared to continue his case for scouting.
The sergeant held up a hand and Jodin fell silent.
“Normally,” Thegdol said, “I would be in favor of doing what you are suggesting. As much as I would like to track this bunch down, our orders are clear. We’re not far from camp. We will report what we’ve found. The lieutenant will make the decision on what to do next. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sergeant,” Jodin said.
“All right,” Thegdol said. “We go slow and keep our eyes open.”
“Do you still want me on point, Sergeant?” Tovak asked.
“Yes,” Thegdol said, then turned back to both corporals and gestured at the tracks. “Spread the word about potential company being in these woods.”
Logath and Jodin moved off. Thegdol remained a moment.
“You’re doing good work,” Thegdol said.
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
Thegdol glanced over at the two squads and was apparently satisfied that they were ready. “Now, get going.”
Pleased with the compliment, Tovak nodded once and started forward again, heading in the direction of camp. After he’d gone a few yards, he glanced back to make sure both squads were following. Satisfied, he continued onward. The rest of their hike back proceeded without incident. As Tovak cleared the forest, he came to a stop at the edge of the field and breathed out a breath of relief.
Thegdol clapped him on the shoulder and strode by, leading them across the field to the camp. The bodies were gone and so too was the other cart. Only Shrike’s cart remained, and it was full of heratta. Tovak could smell the cooking fire and, with it, his stomach grumbled. The sergeant stopped at the bridge, then turned back to both squads.
“Fall out,” Thegdol said. “Corporals with me. You too, Tovak, should the lieutenant have questions for you.”
Tovak suddenly felt uncomfortable, but followed as Thegdol made his way into camp and up to the lieutenant. Benthok had been speaking with Corporal Karn, from Third Section. Thegdol offered the lieutenant a salute as both turned to face the sergeant.
“What’s wrong?” Benthok asked. “What happened?”
“Sir,” Thegdol said, “orcs beat us to it. They took down the murinok about two miles from here, sometime within the last couple days. We’re thinking there were more than fifty of them, as, judging from the shell, it was one big beast. We also observed wagon tracks and found the remains of a funeral pyre, complete with priestly offerings.”
“A dark priest?” Karn said quietly. “Just what we need.”
Benthok scowled slightly at the corporal’s words.
“We came back straightaway,” Thegdol said. “I don’t think we were discovered, sir.”
“There’s more,” Benthok said, “isn’t there?”
“Yes, sir. On the way back to camp, Tovak found tracks about a mile from here. We believe them to be made by goblins and orcs, possibly humans too.”
Benthok’s expression went grim.
“Not good news,” the lieutenant said.
“No, sir,” Thegdol said. “Not good news at bloody all.”
Benthok’s gaze drifted up towards the mountains, a calculating look upon his face.
“How old were the tracks?” Benthok asked. “Were you able to tell?”
“Tovak felt they were fairly recent,” Thegdol said.
Benthok turned his gaze to Tovak. “What was your assessment?”
“No more than two days, three at the most, sir,” Tovak replied, feeling suddenly incredibly nervous at being the subject of the lieutenant’s attention and stating his opinion. “I think, sir.”
“It might be a scouting party, sir,” Logath said.
“You did not follow the tracks?” the lieutenant asked.
“No, sir,” Thegdol said. “With enemy operating in the area, I did not want to split up, especially with the tracks being so close to camp. With sunset only a couple of hours away, I did not want to take the chance of a squad becoming lost in the darkness.”
“You made the correct decision,” Benthok said.
“Sir, I respectfully request permission to take my squad and follow the tracks back to their source, sir,” Jodin said. “I have confidence Tovak could lead us right to them, day or night.”
Tovak wasn’t sure about Jodin’s faith in his nighttime skills, but he felt a return of the excitement.
“Denied,” Benthok said curtly, fixing his attention on the corporal. “It’s far too late in the day for that. I won’t send you out into that forest in the dark. Our purpose here is not to engage the enemy, but forage. That said, I may take a look myself later, but I will not be venturing far from camp.”
“Yes, sir,” Jodin said, sounding disappointed. Tovak keenly felt the same.
“Shouldn’t we march back to the warband, sir?” Logath asked. “Especially considering what happened to Third.”
“That is the prudent course of action and I agree we should go,” Benthok said. “Unfortunately, we must remain. The captain is due in the morning with Second Section. I do not know where they are at the moment, which means we have no way to reach him.” The lieutenant let a hint of frustration show in his expression. It vanished in a heartbeat. “We must stay. If needed, we will hold this position until the captain arrives.”
The lieutenant fell silent for a long moment and glanced back up towards the mountains. Tovak felt something was bothering him. Benthok turned abruptly back and looked across the camp.
“Corporal Hilla,” Benthok called, “kindly join us.”
“Sir.” Hilla stepped over to them.
“Who are your best runners?”
“Gulda and myself, sir.”
“I am going to send you back to the encampment,” Benthok said, “with a report.”
“Yes, sir,” Hilla said.
“I will send one of my own with you,” Benthok said. “I am thinking three is better than two, especially with the enemy operating in the area.”
“A third would be most welcome, sir,” Hilla said.
“Karr,” Benthok called, looking around. “Front and center.”
A young, slim warrior from Corporal Gamok’s squad stepped over. He looked to be not too much older than Tovak, but he had chiseled features and a hardened countenance.
“Sir?” he said, standing to attention.
“I’m sending Corporal Hilla and Gulda back to the warband with a dispatch. You will accompany them.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Leave your packs here.” Benthok turned his attention back to Gulda. “I figure y
ou’ll have a little under two hours to make it down to the plateau before the suns completely set. You will be traveling much of the way in the dark, but it will be open terrain. Do you think you can manage it?”
“Yes, sir,” Hilla replied. “I will see that we get there and report. Once we’re on the plateau, with all those campfires, there is no missing the warband.”
“Excellent,” Benthok said. “Now, kindly ready yourselves. I will have a dispatch for you shortly.”
She saluted and moved off.
“Shrike,” Benthok said.
“Sir?”
“How long ‘til your cooking is done?” Benthok said. “I want that fire out.”
“If I put it out now, sir,” Shrike said, “the meat will be a little underdone, but it should be edible and not make anyone sick. It just won’t taste as good.”
“Put it out,” Benthok ordered, then looked at Thegdol. “We will have no fires tonight, Sergeant. And I want the watch doubled.”
“Yes, sir,” Thegdol said.
With that, Benthok turned away and moved over to his pack. He sat down and pulled out a dispatch pad, along with a charcoal pencil. He took a moment to sharpen the point with his dagger and then began writing.
“Go take a break,” Jodin told Tovak. “You did good today.”
“Thank you,” Tovak said. He stepped over to his bedroll a few feet away and sat down next to it. He was weary from all the marching. The tension of the day had also taken its toll on him. On top of that, his body still ached and hurt. Life in the army was proving to be more taxing than he’d ever suspected. Yet, not once had he yet reconsidered his decision to join. He had finally begun to build his own Legend and felt satisfaction at that.
As he pulled out his waterskin, Gorabor sat down next to him. With Third Section, the camp was full. Most of the Third were asleep, though one squad was standing sentry duty.
“So, what do you think we’re going to do now?” Gorabor asked. “Head back to the warband?”
“The lieutenant decided to stay.”
“Why?” Gorabor asked.
“Captain Struugar and Second are due in the morning,” Tovak said. “He has no way to reach them. So, we stay.”
“Makes sense,” Gorabor said. He pulled out a waterskin and took a drink. Tovak took a pull from his waterskin as well.
“Gulda is being sent back to the warband with a dispatch. Corporal Hilla and Karr are going too,” Tovak said. “They will be leaving shortly.”
“What? Now? Just before dark?” Gorabor appeared suddenly alarmed.
“He’s writing out the dispatch,” Tovak said and gestured at the lieutenant.
Gorabor’s eyes went from the lieutenant to Gulda, who was with Hilla on the other side of the camp. They were getting themselves ready to depart.
“I’ll be back,” Gorabor said and made his way over to her.
Tovak was tired. He gave a yawn, took a drink, and then stopped the skin closed. He stifled another yawn.
A short while later, the lieutenant stood and stepped over to Corporal Hilla. A few feet away, Gulda was speaking with Gorabor. She detached herself and came to stand with her corporal. Karr joined them. He carried only his spear and a small waterskin tied to his belt. The archers had their bows and a leather-wrapped bundle of arrows tied to their backs. They also carried a waterskin each.
Benthok handed the dispatch to Hilla, then said a few words Tovak could not hear. It looked like he was giving further instruction. She took the dispatch, gave a firm nod, and tucked it into a pocket. The corporal offered a salute before leaving the camp with Gulda and Karr. Gorabor climbed the berm and watched them go.
“Good luck,” Tovak said under his breath, “and Thulla keep you safe.”
Tovak leaned back on his pack and closed his eyes, prepared to take a nap. A few moments later, he heard footsteps. Opening his eyes, he discovered Benthok standing over him.
“Do you think you’ve got more in you?” Benthok asked. He turned away, not waiting for an answer. “Come on, we’re gonna have a look around. Leave your spear. You won’t need it.”
Tovak blinked as the lieutenant strode off for the bridge. Fatigue forgotten and feeling a sudden return of the excitement, he pulled himself to his feet and scrambled to catch up.
“Sergeant Thegdol?” Benthok called with one foot on the bridge over the trench as Tovak caught up to him.
“Sir?” Thegdol hurried over.
“Tovak and I are going to have a look around,” the lieutenant informed the sergeant.
Thegdol’s eyes flicked to Tovak before returning to the lieutenant. “Yes, sir.”
“We should be back around sunset, maybe after.” Benthok glanced at the suns, which had begun to sink in the sky.
“And when should I begin to worry, sir?” Thegdol asked.
Tovak wondered if the sergeant was joking, but Benthok took the question seriously.
“If we don’t return,” Benthok said, “then there is trouble out there. Under no circumstances are you to send a search party. Instead, prepare for an attack on the camp. Though I think that possibility unlikely. But, then again, that’s why we build defenses when out in the field.”
“Yes, sir,” the sergeant said.
“Come on,” Benthok said to Tovak and led him out of camp. “We will consider this excursion our daily training,” he said as they walked out into the field.
“Yes, sir,” Tovak said. The previous day had seen the challenge and Circle. Tovak had been in no shape for extra training.
“First,” Benthok said, “we’ll perform a circuit around the camp at about fifty yards out, looking for orc and goblin tracks. Though that will likely prove a difficult undertaking, what with all of the tracks the section has made in and out of camp. To compensate, we shall do a second circuit around one hundred yards out and a third at five hundred. If the enemy has come to take a look at our camp, we should know.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Questions?”
“Has anyone been looking for tracks, sir?” Tovak asked. “Before now, that is?”
“I have,” Benthok said. “I make it a habit of scouting the perimeter at least twice a day, at every camp we make. The first time, just before dawn, and then again before nightfall. Corporal Gamok, also.”
Tovak was surprised by this news. He’d had no idea.
“Any more questions?”
“Not at the moment, sir,” Tovak said.
“Good. Let’s pick up the pace.”
They found nothing on their first and second circuits about the camp. On the third, Benthok stopped to examine a track amongst the pine needles in the forest floor. He motioned Tovak over.
“What do you think?”
Tovak looked at the spot where the lieutenant was pointing. It appeared as if someone had dragged a stick about four inches through the needles. There was no telling what had made the mark.
“It could be an animal track, sir,” Tovak said, looking around for more tracks. He could not see the needles disturbed in any other places. “A hopper landing here, perhaps. If it was an orc or goblin, wouldn’t there be more evidence of passage?”
“That’s a good question,” Benthok said in a quiet tone of voice. The lieutenant’s eyes were intense. “You tell me. Look around. Study your surroundings. Be sure before you next speak.”
Tovak tried not to scowl but began scanning the nearest trees. At first, he didn’t see anything. Then his gaze settled upon a sapling five feet away. He moved over to it. One of the branches had been partially broken and was dangling at an odd angle.
“There is some hope for you,” Benthok said, moving over to him and reaching out to touch the branch. “Most of the rest of the company would have missed this.”
“Someone came through here,” Tovak said.
“Something anyway,” Benthok said. “Which way was it going?”
Tovak thought about it and then examined the branch. “It was pushed this way, so to the north.”
/> “Again, correct,” Benthok said, then pointed to the track in the needles. “When you see a track like this, you should stop and carefully study the surroundings. If you can’t find anything more, move outward in a circle. There is a strong likelihood whatever came this way left more evidence of their passage.”
“I see, sir,” Tovak said.
“Let’s look around and see what we can find,” Benthok said.
They looked for more tracks but found nothing.
“If it wasn’t an animal, whoever it was,” Benthok said, “knows how to move through the forest.” The lieutenant paused to take a drink from his waterskin. “Which way were those tracks you found?”
“To the north, sir,” Tovak said, “though it did not look like those who made them were worrying about concealment.”
“Interesting,” Benthok said. “Show me.”
Tovak led the lieutenant back to the small clearing with the tracks. Benthok spent some time studying the tracks and the surrounding area.
“How old do you think the tracks are?” Benthok asked.
“At least two days,” Tovak said.
“That is my assessment too,” the lieutenant said. “Well, they appear to be traveling towards that canyon with the murinok, and if their path is true, they passed south of our camp by several hundred yards.”
“Do you think there is anything to worry about, sir?” Tovak asked.
“There is always something to worry about,” Benthok said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Let me do the worrying, okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
“If I had my way,” Benthok said, “we would head back to the warband tonight. But as you know, we can’t leave the captain and Second Section alone out here.” The lieutenant blew out a breath. “Besides, if I started us back, we’d be marching back down to the plateau in darkness. We might walk into an ambush. I don’t think we want that, do we?”
“No, sir,” Tovak said.
The lieutenant suddenly squatted down next to a tree at the edge of the clearing. He pulled something off the bark.
“What have you found?” Tovak asked, moving over.
“Fur,” Benthok said and showed Tovak. “Dain fur if I am not mistaken. There is also some blood here, on the ground.”
Reclaiming Honor Page 31