Chapter 8

The Trail

Alan awoke to Tobias's arm roughly shaking him awake. "I'm up." Alan said groggily. "Finally. You sleep like a rock." Tobias complained good-naturedly. As Alan pulled himself up to a sitting position, he caught sight of Stormy standing near the fire, collecting her whetstone and placing it in her bag. She looked over and smiled at him. Alan got to his feet and wandered over to the fire. He warmed his hands as he glanced up at the sky. There was some lightening of the clouds, which indicated that the sun had risen, but beneath the trees the gloom of night held sway.

"We should leave as soon as we can." Jerome said from the wagon. He was pulling the horses from the hitch line and bringing them over to the wagon. Stormy walked over and grabbed the second draft horse and placed it on the other hitch. Alan began gathering his bedroll and blanket while Tobias saddled Red. Stormy and Jerome finished hitching up the wagon and began turning the horses around towards the road. Alan finished packing his bag and then gestured towards Stormy. Stormy released the horses so that Alan could place the saddle blanket on her back. Once he was satisfied with its position, he placed the saddle on the blanket and cinched it down. Once Stormy was saddled, he finished attaching the saddlebags.

"I'll be over in a minute." He told her. She watched him with interest as he proceeded to bury the ashes from the fire. He placed needles and leaf litter around the fire to erase the trace, before continuing to where the three had lain. He worked for thirty minutes, simply erasing any trace that they had ever been in the clearing. The others had finished their tasks and sat at the edge of the clearing, waiting for him to finish. Alan pointed towards the road. "Meet me on the road. I'll erase the tracks of the wagon and will meet you there." Tobias waved in understanding and they left. Alan followed behind, filling in the tracks as best he could.

At the road, he mounted Stormy and the group set off. The pace they set was somewhere between a fast walk and a trot. The heavy draft horses snorted as they protested the strenuous pace, but Alan refused to slow down. His thoughts were focused on getting to Hell's Gate and finding that healer. Jerome's were on escaping his past and paying off his debt to the boys. Every time the horses slowed down, he whipped and whistled them up. Tobias easily kept pace. Red Lightning frisked at the pace, wishing to race the horses or Stormy. Tobias kept a firm hand on the reigns as he continuously monitored their backtrail for pursuit. The road continued to wind under the massive trees of the Great Forest. Ancient pines and redwoods towered above the party, green creepers crawling on their trunks. Massive ferns, as tall as Stormy crowded the edge of the road, reaching for the pitiful amount of sunlight that could be offered by the break in the trees. Birdcalls filled the air as their owners dart between branches or hide in the underbrush. Occasionally, the grunt or growl of larger animals could be heard in the distance.

About mid-afternoon, Alan called a halt to the procession in the center of a rare clearing. He slid off of Stormy's back and stretched while Stormy sighed wearily. He placed his hand comfortingly on her flank and she smiled. "J…just need to c…catch my breath and I'll be ready to go, Master." She said. Alan looked at her sweaty face and the flecks foam that had started to crowd around her withers. He was pushing too hard, he realized. This pace could kill Stormy or the other horses. He wasn't as fussed as the other horses as he was upset over his bad judgment on Stormy. He nodded gratefully to Stormy while inside he was cursing his stupidity. "We'll rest for a half-hour, so you can regain your strength, and then we'll go slowly so you can rest on the road." Alan decided. "I don't want you over-exerting yourself. You could cause yourself harm if we don't slow down." He said. Meanwhile, Jerome had pulled his wagon off to the side of the road slightly and hopped down. He knuckled his back to work out the kinks as he disappeared around the back of his wagon. Tobias had swung off of Red and picketed him where he could get some fresh grass. Alan reached down next to him and grabbed a handful of grass. Bending and folding until he had a mass of green in his hand, he began scrubbing some of the foam off. He concentrated around her withers and saddle, getting rid of much of the thick white mess there. The green juice of the grass dribbled onto his hand and stained part of Stormy's coat, but he didn't care. When he finished, he was surprised to find Jerome offering him a loaf of bread and a thick hunk of cheese. Accepting the food, he bit into the wedge of cheese and felt the tangy taste explode in his mouth. He smiled in appreciation, having his mouth full at the time. Jerome nodded and moved to give Stormy her loaf and wedge. She snatched them from his hands so fast that he jumped backwards in surprise and checked his fingers. She wolfed down the cheese and voraciously tore into the loaf of bread. Alan was alarmed, she could hurt herself eating that fast! She quickly finished off the bread and licked the last few crumbs of food from her mouth. Jerome stood with his mouth slightly agape. "If I tried to eat that fast, I think my stomach would rebel!" he finally managed. He turned around, shaking his head in disbelief. "She ate that faster than a starving dog on a bone!" Alan heard him mutter as he walked away. Alan knew that the food that would stuff a human would barely even scratch the hunger of a centaur, so he quickly broke his loaf in half and offered it to her. "Oh, no, Master." Stormy protested, "I can't eat your meal." Alan pressed the half-loaf into her hands. "I insist. You need it more than I do and I'm really not all that hungry." He lied. Stormy still hesitated for a moment, but hunger eventually won out, and she quickly ate the piece. She sighed in content. Alan finished his scrap and went to find Jerome.

He found Jerome munching his share at the back of his wagon. He waved his hand in greeting, but continued to eat the loaf of bread. Alan paused near him, "Do you have a couple of canteens of water in your wagon?" he asked. "Stormy is going to need a lot of water before we continue on, and I want to make sure she gets it." Jerome quickly swallowed what was in his mouth. "There are about four canteens inside the wagon on the left hand side. There is a cabinet there. The canteens are on the third shelf." He said, gesturing behind him. "Thanks." Alan said before jumping heavily on the back of the wagon. The wagon shuddered and groaned in protest, but held. "Sorry," Alan apologized, before opening the door. As it closed, he heard Jerome mutter, "Fool blacksmiths, can't figure how to walk softly. Probably damaged the wagon with that fool stunt." The door closed before Alan could hear the rest.

The inside of the wagon was surprisingly spacious. There was a small square table about half-way in with a pair of small chairs set at it. A large map hung against the far wall, with the various towns and trading routes marked on it. The rest of the space was devoted to storage. Cabinets filled the rest of the wagon. Opening one, he saw a brightly colored cloth carefully folded. There was a lot of it tightly folded into the space. This puzzled Alan a moment until he spotted the gleam of a tent stake beneath the cloth. It was the Trader's tent that he could pitch anywhere he was to display his goods for people. Closing the cabinet, he opened another, looking for the canteens. This one was filled with vases and urns carefully packed against the back wall and secured with a leather strap that ran around the outside edge and cinched backwards. Alan opened a third and found the canteens laying where Jerome had said they would be. On the shelf above and below were additional foodstuffs. Alan grabbed another hunk of cheese for Stormy before closing the doors and refastening them.

"Thanks for the canteens. I wish you had specified which cabinet, however." Alan said as he stepped out. "You have dozens of them in there!" Jerome nodded apologetically. "Sorry, didn't think of that when you went in." Alan shrugged. "Well, I found them anyway. I also grabbed another hunk of cheese for Stormy. I hope you don't mind." "Not at all, just be careful. We don't want to run out of food before we get to Hell's Gate." Jerome warned. Alan nodded before hopping off the back of the wagon. He strode off to find Stormy.

She was at the edge of the clearing, trying use a tree to scratch an itch on her hindquarters. "Ugh" she growled as she moved her hinny back and forth against the unlucky tree. She sighed as the itch was defeated and turned back to Alan. "I got you some water," he said holding up the canteens, "and also some more cheese." Stormy gratefully accepted the wedge and ate it more slowly. Then she took one of the canteens and drained it. Alan gave her the second and third ones as well and took them back empty. "Thank you, Master." Stormy said as she passed back the last one. She used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth clean. "You're welcome Stormy." Alan said as he took the canteens away. There was still one more, and he took a few mouthfuls of water before sealing it. He then went in search of Tobias.

He found him sitting on a rock whittling on a thick branch. He grabbed the offered canteen and tilted the canteen up. He took a good swig before passing it back to Alan. "Thanks. I needed that." Tobias said. Alan sat down next to him sighing as he got of his feet. "How are you holding up?" Alan asked. Tobias shrugged in response. "About as well as can be expected. I mean, I'm worried about Mary, of course, but I'm also worried about meeting the Gleeds. I remember my grandmother telling stories of their slyness and treachery." "What do you think they could be treacherous about?" Alan asked curiously. Tobias shrugged again. "What if they take the money and then tell us that there is nothing that they can do to save her?" Alan shifted uncomfortably. He hadn't thought about that when he had come up with the idea. Now it was his turn to shrug. "I guess we'll have to see. They have the ability, that's what everyone says. We'll have to trust that they will honor their word." Tobias shook his head minutely, but said nothing more, and Alan soon got up and left. Inside, Alan's mind was churning as he thought about what Tobias had said. He turned the problem around and around in his mind, trying to think of every angle that could possibly happen. Scenarios ran through, ranging from the Gleed living up to its word, to outright rejection, to betrayal. Each of them seemed frighteningly plausible. For the first time, he was completely unsure of his quest. Should he continue on and hope for the best, or should he turn around right now and hope that Mary pulled through. No. The chances of Mary pulling through were long, and the odds that the Gleed would betray them would be small. What did it have to gain by not doing the work? Nothing as far as Alan could see. His resolution firmed, he went to return Jerome's canteens.

Jerome had long finished his meal and was currently smoking his pipe on the top step of the wagon. The smoke curled from the bowl around his white head and then up into the sky. "Here are your canteens." Alan said, bringing his load up before him. "Where would you like me to place them?" Jerome pulled the pipe out from between his lips and exhaled a cloud of sweet smelling smoke. "Anywhere in the wagon is fine. We'll need to find them again when we find a source of fresh water." Alan nodded. Jerome pulled himself off his seat, so Alan could get into the wagon with no difficulty. Choosing the small table, Alan placed his burden down and left the wagon. Jerome had already tapped the dottle from his pipe and was in the process of putting it away when he caught a look at Alan's face. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You look as if you were denied your Wintersnight Gift." Alan was touched at the concern in the Traders voice, so he related what Tobias had told him. When he had finished, the Trader looked grim. "Your friend is right." He said seriously. "Dealing with a Gleed can be treacherous. They do what they please, and take little notice in the goings of you or I." Alan felt despair grip him, but the Trader saw and hurried to finish. "However, they have been known to come through on their deals that they do make. However, they often word the deal so that it benefits them more than you might expect. Sly and cunning is their race. While it may be the best chance to save your sister, you will have to be on your guard. That is all I can suggest." Jerome saw the indecision wrestling on Alan's face. He clapped a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Do not despair. Those jewels you are carrying are worth a great deal. Perhaps the Gleed will simply be willing to settle for healing your sister for the gems." He said encouragingly.

Alan was still unsure, but he thanked the Trader for his kind words and told him he was planning to leave in ten minutes. Jerome promised to be ready, and hurried off to check his horses. Alan spotted Stormy near the road, so he quickly made his way over. "Stormy, we're getting ready to leave." He called to her. Stormy acknowledged with a smile and began stretching her legs a little to work the blood back into them. Alan asked her to hold on a moment, he wanted to check her hooves for rocks or anything. "I should have checked when we got here, but I didn't think about it." He said apologetically. "It's all right." Stormy said. "I'm fine. I don't think we should hold up the others just to check my feet." Alan said stubbornly, "Stormy, this is important. I want to make sure there is nothing there that could cause injury later." Stormy looked about ready to argue when she abruptly gave over with a sigh. Turning around so her hindquarters faced him, she lifted her right rear leg straight back. Alan easily caught it and supported it with his hands as he checked the frog for damage and the shoes for missing nails. Not spotting anything, he grunted in satisfaction and set the one hoof down. Stormy's tail swished idly in an "I told you so" manner. Still, Alan was having none of it, and Stormy obediently lifted the other hoof. In this one, Alan spotted a rock that had caught on the shoe and was starting to work its way between the hoof and the shoe. He took out his hunting knife and used it to knock the rock free. After that, Stormy was eager to have him check her other feet. Not seeing anything else he got up and stretched. He was surprised to see the wagon already on the road and Tobias on Red starting up the trail. Alan quickly swung up on Stormy and they trotted to catch up to the others.

While they were walking, Alan told Stormy about Tobias's worry. She was quiet for a moment, and asked. "What do you think, Master?" Alan shrugged his shoulders before remembering that Stormy couldn't see that. "I think Tobias has raised a point and that we should be on guard for Gleed treachery. However, I still don't see any alternative to the Gleed right now." Alan said honestly. Stormy nodded as she continually watched the road ahead. "You are very wise, Master." She murmured. Alan felt a surge of affection for his friend, and gave her a gentle hug from the saddle. She started in surprise, but quickly settled down and continued on the path. Her hand came back though and gave Alan's a squeeze.

Tobias Granger was several yards ahead of Alan and Stormy, and he was not happy right now. He knew the quest was necessary, knew there was no other hope than the Gleed, but he couldn't shake a lingering dread that this was a terrible mistake. He couldn't quite put his finger on the reason of his fear, and that made him upset. Normally, he was glad of any excuse to get out of work, and a trip to the Great Wall would have been a great adventure indeed. But his doubts continued to grow. And then there was the newcomer to the group, the Trader Jerome. Tobias didn't know what to make of him. The Trader had discovered they were carrying around highly valuable jewels, and now had found a way to join their group that very night? Something about that just didn't add up. And the story that Jerome had told of his life. While it had the ring of truth to it, that didn't explain why he looked so much older. Was his story just a fake? Tobias didn't know that either, and it was driving him half mad. His suspicions were like itchweed in the saddle, you could go mad if you didn't address them and quickly. But how to do that.

While he was pondering, he chanced to turn back to check the backtrail, and was surprised to find a very thin plume of dust behind them. Someone was following! Tobias turned Red's head and had the horse trot back towards the wagon that was moving up the trail. The wagon was moving a lot slower this time to rest the horses. As Tobias came abreast of Jerome, he re-turned Red so that he was now riding beside the wagon. The Trader was leaning back on the bench with the reigns held firmly in one hand. "We're being followed." Tobias said in answer to Jerome's inquiring glance. Jerome nodded and leaned out the other side and motioned with his arm. Alan and Stormy came trotting up on the other side. "Tobias says someone's behind us." Jerome told them. Alan immediate looked back and spotted the plume. "What are we going to do about it?" he asked. Tobias already had an answer to that. "We'll surprise him. You guys ride ahead around the bend up ahead. I'll get off in the bushes and climb up that ridge up there. When he comes by I'll get the drop on him." He said. He tossed Jerome his reigns and prepared to do slide off Red. I hope I know what I'm doing, he thought. However, the time for self-doubts was over. The bend was there. Tobias quickly hopped off into the bushes, which cracked and gave around him with a lot of noise. Once he was settled, he stealthily ran up the hill that the trail bent around. Near the top, he hid behind a thick cluster of vine maple. He pulled his cloak up and around him to break up his silhouette and lower the chances that he would be spotted.

The others had gone on, chatting loudly to convince their follower that they hadn't seen him. Soon, the sounds of their passage faded in the distance. Tobias felt the sweat pouring off his brow from nervousness. His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he waited. He remembered vividly the man in the tavern that had accosted him. He was a big man, who looked very capable of turning Tobias into a knot and tossing him away. His only chance was in surprise. Knock him off his horse and pin him before he realized what had happened. If he couldn't do that, then Tobias would be in very big trouble.

The soft clink of a hoof striking rock brought him out of his reverie. Tensing, he listened as the sound of hooves got closer to his hiding place. The rider was nearly upon him. He gripped his bow stave in sweaty hands. He wished he had thought about stringing the bow when he had suggested his bold plan, but it hadn't even crossed his mind. So he simply gripped the sturdy staff and prepared to dash. Right. About. Now! Tobias leapt from his hiding place, hurtling towards the road. He let out a fierce warcry that startled birds from the surrounding the trees, causing them to take wing. He had a fleeting image of the startled rider, turning towards him in shock when he barreled into him. The two hit the dusty ground while the horse whinnied in surprise. Tobias struggled to pin the figure, its fists broke free and aimed a blow at his head. Tobias dodged out of the way and thudded his fist on the side of the persons head. That seemed to take most of the fight out of…HER?! Tobias blinked. The cowl had been knocked off in the struggle to reveal long black hair and the soft features of a woman. He also realized the figure was smaller than that of a man.

Horrified at his mistake, Tobias quickly jumped off the figure. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else!" he cried. The figure stirred groggily. Thundering hoofbeats announced the arrival of Alan and Stormy. Alan took one look at the scene and said, "uh-oh." Stormy rushed to the fallen woman, causing Alan to grab her human middle to keep from falling off. "Stormy, what are you…" his voice trailed off as Stormy flexed her front legs and kneeled next to the woman. Patting her face and hands, Stormy coaxed the figure awake. The girl shakily sat up and shook her head drunkenly from side to side. "What happened?" came the high pitched voice of a girl. Tobias felt guilt wash over him as he stuttered to find the right words. "Ummm… I'm afraid that I mistook you for someone else and sapped you on the side of the head. I'm terribly sorry." Tobias apologized. The girl looked at him with eyes narrowed. "And just what were you doing waylaying honest travelers on the Trader's Road, Brigand?" She demanded. Tobias felt his face turn hot as he protested. "We're not brigands, we're fellow travelers like you. It's just that we had a run in with some folks and we were afraid you were one of them following us. So I fell back to take care of you." The young lady rubbed the side of her head ruefully. "That you most certainly did." She said. "If it's not too much to ask miss, why are you following us?" Alan asked. The girl picked herself off the ground and stood up. "My name is Raven Farlight from Rivertown. I am on my way to Hell's Gate to pick up goods for my uncle when you attacked me." She said.

As she dusted herself off, Tobias finally got a good look at his victim. She was tall, nearly as tall as him. Her long black hair fell down her back and was done in a long pony tail. Her face was small. Her nose stuck out just a bit too far, giving her a rakish appearance. Her mouth looked like it was made for smiling, with the full red lips that were right now clamped in an angry grimace. Her eyes though, really captivated him. They were bright pools of blue that he felt he could easily fall into and be lost forever. They gazed at the world with intelligence and assurance, both warming and frightening him at the same time. It took him a moment to realize that the conversation had shifted to him.

"What was that?" he asked as he pulled himself from those eyes. "I said," she told him testily, "That I think an apology is in order." Tobias quickly stepped forward, causing her to jump back in alarm. However, he simply reached for her hand and took it, feeling the small fingers grip his hand with surprising strength. "I, Tobias Granger, beg your forgiveness for hitting you." Tobias said, painfully aware of how much of an ass he sounded. He heard soft snorts from Alan and Stormy from behind him, however, his eyes were on the young woman in front of him. She seemed taken aback for a moment before she quickly collected herself for a moment. "I, Raven Farlight, do hereby accept your apology and forgive you." She announced formally. The ritual over, she paused for a moment and looked at him. "I would not have expected a high court apology to be found in a farmboy such as yourself." She said. Tobias shrugged uneasily. "It simply seemed the right thing to do." He replied.

"Well, now that that's all settled," Alan interrupted, causing them to look over at them, "Why don't you join us on our journey? We are heading to Hell's Gate ourselves and would welcome an additional group member." Raven looked at Alan for a moment, then Tobias, then Stormy. Slowly, her shoulders lifted in a half-shrug. "Sure, why not." She said. "Just let me collect Kingsfire and I'll meet you up the road.

Tobias watched as she went to fetch her horse who was standing near the side of the road where his reigns had fallen. "So, what do you think?" Alan asked from behind him, causing Tobias to jump slightly. "What do you mean?" he asked quickly. "Well, do you think it's possible that she could be working for that man from the tavern?" Alan whispered. Tobias looked at his friend in surprise. "If you suspect her, then why did you invite her to join us?" he whispered back, shocked. "It's best to keep your enemies where you can see them. Besides, I don't really think that she is working for Jones. From what Jerome told us, it isn't his style to send anyone else out to do his work for him." Alan gave Tobias's arm a reassuring pat and then mounted Stormy. Tobias took the proffered hand and slid on her back behind the saddle. Raven was waiting for them, already on her roan stallion. Together the group made their way back to Jerome, who was delighted to meet the daughter of a merchant. The two seemed to hit it off, and they were soon in deep conversation about tax laws and merchant guilds and the best goods on the market right now. Tobias rode beside Raven, once again on Red. The two horses eyed each other and grimaced. It took a firm hand on Raven and Tobias's part to keep them from going at it.

Finally, the light began to dwindle from the day, and Alan called a halt. As the humans bustled around making camp, Stormy gratefully rested near the fire Tobias was building, glad for the rest. The horses were hobbled and placed where they could find grass to fill their bellies. Jerome pulled out some salted venison to boil over the fire. He had a large iron pot that he set on the flames. The nearby stream supplied water for the pot and to refill all the canteens that they had drunk earlier in the day. As the fire warmed the food, Alan sat next to Stormy, staring into the flames. He was tired from the day and so simply held his friend who soon fell fast asleep. Her rhythmic breathing told him what had happened, so he went to his saddlebags and pulled out his blanket. He placed it around her shoulders to keep her warm while she slept. Tobias pulled the meat off the fire and cut a small piece to check that it was done. He swallowed and nodded to the others, who quietly accepted their shares and ate in silence. After the meal, they pulled out their bedrolls and laid them on the ground. Alan pointed to himself first, and then Tobias, followed by Jerome and finally Raven, indicating the order the watches would be done. The others laid on the bedrolls while Alan gripped his spear.

Alan's watch passed quietly. He paced just outside the circle of light cast by the fire, his eyes focused outward. He dared not look at the fire directly, lest he lose his night vision. The gloom of the night was broken only by the occasional wail of a loon or the mournful call of the owl. As the moon passed on its journey through the night sky, Alan kept track of it to tell time. When three hours had passed, he woke Tobias for his watch. As Tobias went out of the circle of light, Alan went to his bedroll next to Stormy and laid down. As he closed his eyes, the welcome darkness of unconsciousness bore him away