Send a spelling or grammar correction to: Tracy Johnson
Back to Empire on the HPe3000 Home Page
The gnolls had beaten out a wide path from the old road through
the weeds to the forests edge. They had no concern about hiding their
camp, the giants hold on the lesser monsters below had slackened till
tribes often disappeared back into the woods or mountains that they had
called home.
"Well, we won't have to worry about them seeing our tracks." said
Turstin.
"Gnolls are surprising, they seem like the most careless and
inept woodsmen," said Jofrid. "but when they have a reason they can follow
the slightest trail, and are skilled at traps and ambush."
"It's their senses." said Turstin. "They have an uncanny sense of
smell and hearing."
"Then enough talk." Giannette whispered to them. "Lets get going.
I want to put some distance between us and those gnolls."
Turstin nodded in agreement.
There were woods along either side of the road, but with years of
little use the track had all but disappeared. Young saplings grew along
the verge and the forest sought to join together once more. Small groups
and lone travelers still took the western road into the mountains, they
kept a small trail alive, but with each passing season the grass and weeds
grew thick and strong, and passing feet did less and less to cut them
down.
The five humans moved single file with Giannette in the lead.
They walked with their shoulders bent trying to keep low, but there was
little cover to be found even though the weeds grew high around them.
"I don't like this." Turstin whispered to Giannette. "We are too
exposed out here on the road."
"It would be slower going in the wood." she said. "We could cross
over to the other side, but we will leave a trail through these weeds."
"There are some marks of deer and small game. When we come across
a likely trail we can follow that and hope our tracks are obscured." said
Turstin.
"Watch Fulbert then." Giannette looked back at the tall and
awkward mage. "He treats this like a city street, he'd be knocking off
weed heads like a little boy playing soldier with a stick as a sword if
given the chance."
"Alaric and I will carry him on our shoulders if we have to, but
I want to get off this road." Turstin said with conviction.
Some things when looked for become hard to find. They had seen
animal trails throughout the woods but on the road it took them a
half a mile before Giannette found signs that a creature had crossed the
road, moving from one edge of forest to another.
The Rhennee thief brought them to a halt and showed Turstin
the trail, though the broken stems of weeds was clear to anyone who
looked.
"That's no deer trail." said Turstin.
"No it looks like a mountain lions tracks." Giannette showed him a
muddy print still drying in the afternoon air.
"Very fresh." Turstin stooped and touched the damp spot on a
fallen leaf. "Too fresh," he stood up tall and peered into the woods
then whispered to Giannette. "It must have crossed just a few moments
ago."
"There." Giannette did not point but glanced a little to the right
of where Turstin had looked.
A pair of green-gold eyes glowed out at them from the underbrush.
A low vibrating growl could be heard, the lion took a step toward them,
its head appearing, short haired and tawny brown.
"Jofrid!" Turstin called. He had his sword drawn and shifted
slightly, preparing to meet the lions charge, if it came to that.
"I see." said Jofrid. "Don't any of you move. I will handle this."
the druidess walked forward she held a leaf of mistletoe in one hand and a
sprig of evergreen in the other. "Mother of Oerth, blind my enemies to my
path." she crushed them in her hands, rubbed them together, then
placed the fragrant remains within her belt. She turned to Alaric, "Quick,
give me that scrap of rabbit you kept from the morning meal."
Alaric quickly pulled out the stringy meat, burnt along its one
side, but half-cooked along the other, and handed it to Jofrid. She took
out another small twig of mistletoe and walked over to the growling beast.
"Let this true creature of nature know my intent," Jofrid intoned.
"O Mother of the Oerth, let it know my heart and my offer of friendship,
one kindred of the Oerth to another." She walked slowly to the lion as she
spoke and the growling stopped. It looked at her with calm eyes then stood
up and walked with feline grace over to the druidess. It sniffed at the
rabbit meat lying in her open hand and took it in its mouth then
turned and walked away into the wood.
"Whew!" said Fulbert. "That's a relief." the mage began to walk
through the weeds to the druidess's side. Alaric grabbed him by the
shoulder and pulled him back before he could leave the path.
"She left no trail." said Alaric. "Druid magic. Have you got the
same to cast?"
"Why no." said Fulbert surprised. He hadn't realized that Jofrid
had cast a spell.
"Quiet." Jofrid hissed. "The cat is returning."
From the woods the lioness returned. She carried in her mouth a
sadly still form, a cub, young but from what Jofrid knew, old enough to
walk and not be carried.
The large cat laid the cub at Jofrid's feet. She bent down and felt
its side, a heart beat within the little chest but there was a wound now
covered by a flap of skin held tight by dried blood. The lioness licked
the small head and looked up at the druidess.
"I will help," she told the cat. From her pouch she took a cloth,
within she had the silken strands of a spiders web. She spread it across
the wound and placed her hand atop, "As you gave life to the Oerth, dear
Mother, let your healing touch bring health back to this child of nature."
The wound glowed green and the webs disappeared. The little cat opened its
eyes and gave a toothy yawn.
* * *
(To Be Continued)