The Fur Trader

by Sam Ferguson

  “I’ll crush the traitor.”

  “Just be sure not to hurt the child,” Bolgrif put in. “We’ll be dead if anything happens to the child.”

  Seidrif nodded and then motioned for his brothers to keep up. He turned and led them through a winding maze of hallways. Had it not been for the notes in the book, it would have taken hours, perhaps even days to explore the vast system of corridors and storage areas below the ground. Thanks to the notes in the book, it took only twenty minutes to find the chamber they searched for.

  A great archway opened into a large chamber that was thirty feet across and forty feet long. In the center of the massive room was a platform. Upon the platform was a vast map of the Dryden Mountains. Small sapphires sat in the map, representing other Kossin ruins. Of course, the structures had not been in ruin when the platform was originally built, but rather they had been massive fortresses of the mighty Kossin people. Rubies also dotted the map. Those were the Punjak settlements.

  Seidrif doubted whether there had ever been a mechanism of teleporting directly into a Punjak settlement, but he had heard rumors and legends that the Kossin had been trying to do exactly that in order to gain an advantage in their war against the Punjak.

  Whatever had happened those many years ago, it mattered little now. Seidrif was focused only upon the task at hand. He brought the book up to his nose and read the notes while calling out instructions to his brothers.

  “Hagrif, there should be a pedestal in the back of the chamber with a large, green stone in it. Go and find it.”

  Hagrif nodded and moved quickly across the chamber.

  “Bolgrif, do you see the four columns at the corners of the platform?”

  Bolgrif nodded and said, “I do.”

  “There should be thin, long emeralds on the interior of each column. They should be resting vertically. Turn them horizontal.”

  Bolgrif moved to the first column. “Found it!” he shouted as he reached up and turned the first gem.

  Seidrif moved onto the platform and inspected it. As the first emerald was turned, he felt a charge build up in the air and the gem began to glow. Bolgrif moved to the next and turned it. The static charge in the air intensified, causing Seidrif’s hair to rise on end slightly. He smiled when he saw a line of green light extend from the first horizontal gem to the second. He closed the book and took out a red stone from his pocket. He bent down, and with the stone drew a star upon the platform. It didn’t leave a lasting mark, but rather a figure made of lines drawn with magical light.

  Seidrif then set the red stone in the middle and called out to Bolgrif.

  “Don’t turn the fourth one yet,” he cautioned.

  Bolgrif paused, having just turned the third gem.

  Hagrif called out them. “I found a large emerald. It is sticking out of a hole in the pedestal. What do I do with it?”

  “When I tell you, you will spin it clock-wise, and then push it into the hole,” Seidrif replied. The bearded wizard motioned to Bolgrif to leave the platform. He wasn’t sure this teleportation pad would work, and he didn’t want to chance his brother getting injured from it.

  Seidrif moved to the fourth and final emerald spinner. He reached up and turned it to a horizontal position. It glowed brightly and connected a line in both directions, completing a rectangle around the perimeter of the platform.

  The bearded wizard then tested the perimeter, half expecting a shock or other unpleasant experience. Fortunately, he was freely able to cross the line. He stepped off the platform and pulled Bolgrif away gently.

  “Stay here,” he warned.

  Seidrif walked back to the star he had drawn with his red stone. The stone was now vibrating and spinning on the platform. The bearded wizard smiled as he saw each of the sapphires were now glowing. He looked up and shouted to Hagrif. “Is your emerald glowing yet?”

  Hagrif shook his head. “Not yet.”

  Seidrif nodded and bent down to one of the sapphires. He consulted his book once more, checking that this was the next furthest ruin along the trail. He then stretched a finger and pressed the sapphire in. A glowing column of azure light beamed up to the ceiling and the charge in the air became so strong that Seidrif could taste the bitter, metallic energy building up.

  “It’s glowing now!” Hagrif called out.

  “Wait until I am clear!” Seidrif shouted back. The bearded wizard went off the nearest edge of the platform and then turned back and gave the signal. “Turn it now!”

  Hagrif grunted as he spun the gem into place and then pushed it down.

  The four green lines between the pillars spread from floor to ceiling, creating a wall of magical energy. Once the walls encased the platform, the blue column of light from the sapphire spread and filled the space inside the magical walls. Then, the red stone vanished and the blue light faded with the crack of thunder. Moments after that, the green walls disappeared and the emeralds spun back into their vertical positions.

  Seidrif finished his scrying spell, calling out to the red stone. The air opened up over the magical figure he had drawn upon the platform and showed him a nearly identical platform in another ruin. The red stone spun around in the air, illuminating the other chamber with red light.

  “It works,” Seidrif said.

  “We can follow it then?” Bolgrif asked.

  Seidrif nodded. “Let us pick a ruin that is beyond where the traitor should be. Then, we can send my scrying orb ahead of ourselves to ensure that the landing platform is unobstructed, like it has done in this case. If all is well, we should be upon the traitor before dinner.”

  *****

  The trio traveled through a light snow storm for another day, winding through the forest and making their way uphill. To Garrin’s surprise, Richard and William had become much better at setting up camp compared to the first night. It didn’t take nearly as long, and William was sure to keep the bear hangs the proper distance from the tents.

  As Richard and William finished their chores, Garrin built a large fire. The yellow flames licked and scratched at the logs. Bits of bark popped and sparked as the fire grew. Garrin took the last of the bear meat and offered it to Rux and Kiska. The two split-tails took it eagerly, devouring it within only a couple of minutes. Garrin knew the two animals were still hungry, but they were staying close to camp. Ever since the strange cave, the two animals had been reluctant to go more than fifty yards away from Garrin at any time. Rux had even taken to sleeping in his tent.

  The change in behavior was enough to unnerve him. William noticed as well, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

  After Richard and William had food to eat, Garrin went for his spear and grabbed a few traps. William looked up to him questioningly.

  “You leaving?” William asked.

  “Only setting a few traps. If they won’t hunt, then perhaps I can catch a few hares for them while we sleep. If I see something out there worth hunting, I’ll try to bring it back. Otherwise, I should return within an hour or two at most.”

  “You won’t go far, will you?” Richard asked as he rubbed his shoulders.

  Garrin shook his head. “I’ll be close by.” He pointed up over a snowy hill to the north. “There is a stream just over there. I’ll set the traps there and then return. I’ll be close enough to hear you if you need help, just yell.”

  That seemed to calm Richard. The boy nodded and stared back at the fire.

  Garrin looked up to the sun. It was still more than a hand’s span above the mountains. There was time enough to set the traps and return before dark.

  He trudged up the gentle slope, his feet pushing through the knee-deep snow and struggling to find solid purchase below with each step. Rux and Kiska flanked him, walking slowly and sticking near to him.

  “It would help if the two of you just went out and caught your own food,” Garrin grumbled near the top of the hill. Neither of the animals seemed to hear his words. Garrin sighed and shook his head, pushing on until he reached the pinnacle
. There was a large stone atop the hill, with a single flower growing beside it, defying the winter and blooming brightly. The tall stem rose nearly two feet into the air above the rock, which itself was several inches above the snow. The purple petals were long and thin, fully open and pointed toward the sun. Garrin knew the flower well. It was rare, but highly prized for its medicinal properties.

  “Kyra’s Kiss,” he said as he neared the plant. It was named for Icadion’s daughter, who had been tricked by Hatmul and imprisoned in Hammenfein for a time. Garrin smiled at the irony of a medicinal flower being named for someone who was now known for tricking and harassing humans throughout history. Still, he thanked the gods for his fortune as he propped his spear against the rock and set the traps down as well. His hands moved to a small pouch on the back of his belt. He pulled it around and opened the leather flap. Garrin pulled his right mitten free from his hand. The bitter cold bit his skin instantly, chilling him down to the bones in his hand. He knew he would have to hurry. He reached out with his left hand and grabbed the stem. He pinched the bottom of the blossom between his right thumb and forefinger as hard as he could, then he gave it a half-twist before pulling the bloom free. He smiled as he set the purple flower into the pouch, carefully wrapping it in a small bit of cloth he kept for such occasions.

  He then turned back to the stem. A bit of foamy, white liquid was oozing out from the top. He bent down and set the stem between his lips and then sucked the nectar out from inside. It had a mild, honey-like flavor, but it was not the taste he desired. The juice from the stem was well known for its near-magical effects. Just a taste of the nectar fought infection, relieved headaches, cured sour stomachs, and, most beneficial in Garrin’s current situation, helped raise the body’s core temperature enough that it helped stave off frostbite.

  Once he pulled all the liquid out of the stem, he dug away the snow with his spear and then stabbed the point of the weapon into the ground. The steel head of the spear screeched and scraped through the frost layer, but Garrin knew it was worth it. Once he had the spear in deep enough, he pulled back on the end like a lever. It took some effort, but the bulb beneath the ground eventually popped up.

  The trapper severed the stem from the round, white bulb, and then shook the dirt away before wrapping the bulb and placing it in the pouch with the blossom.

  Now that he had what he wanted, he quickly wiped the snow from his bare hand, noting that his skin was nearly purple already from the cold, even despite the flower’s aid. He replaced his mitten and then secured the pouch onto his belt.

  “Right then, shall we go place the traps?” Garrin asked.

  At that moment, Kaspar burst out from the canister he was in, teeth chattering wildly and his nose poking high into the air. Garrin jumped at the surprise, Kiska and Rux crouched low to the ground and began to growl.

  Garrin watch Kaspar for a moment, then the white creature scurried up and sat on Garrin’s right shoulder, face locked on the northern horizon. The chattering stopped and even Kaspar bared his teeth and made a throaty snarl. The trapper followed Kaspar’s gaze up to the trees. He couldn’t see anything there, so he looked down to the base of the hill where the stream was. Nothing was there either. Kaspar clicked his jaw, eyes still dead set on the horizon. Garrin looked back to the trees and then scanned upward, searching for any sign of what might have spooked his little friend. It wasn’t until he focused his eyes on the top of the tall mountain that he saw the danger.

  In a small clearing, standing upon a high ridge, three men sat upon horseback, cloaks blowing in the wind. No sooner had Garrin spotted them than chills ran down his spine. The trapper crouched low to the rock, hoping that perhaps the riders wouldn’t see him if he wasn’t standing so obviously atop the hill.

  “We need to move,” Garrin told the animals.

  He turned back, keeping low to the ground. Kiska and Rux followed. Kaspar scampered onto Garrin’s back and began chattering loudly.

  “Quiet!” Garrin whispered harshly.

  Kaspar clicked his jaws and then leapt from Garrin’s back.

  The trapper turned around to get Kaspar back into the canister, but then he saw what was happening. The riders must have seen him. A silent streak of lightning was snaking through the air toward them. It happened so quickly that the trapper couldn’t react.

  Fortunately, Kaspar had more than enough time to counter the attack. The little white animal stood on its hind legs upon the rock and shouted in a high pitched voice, “Rikki-wikki-tikki!” A golden shield rose up in the air in front of Garrin like a great wall. The lightning blasted into it, showering sparks and flames out to the side. Then, both the lightning and the wall were gone.

  “Let’s go!” Garrin ordered.

  Kaspar jumped onto Garrin’s outstretched arm and scampered into the canister. Garrin, Rux, and Kiska tore down the hill. The trapper glanced back a couple of times, seeing another bolt of lightning strike the rock, followed by a tremendous gust of wind that ripped all the snow from the ground and pushed it over the back of the hill.

  Garrin was thankful for that last spell, as it effectively created a screen of snow. By the time the crystalline powder settled once more, Garrin was well hidden in the trees and sprinting for the camp.

  He found Richard and William at the fire, where he had left them. Richard’s expression was dull, but William’s casual smile disappeared and was replaced by a set jaw and fierce blue eyes that told Garrin he knew what was coming.

  “How many?” William asked as he rose to his feet.

  “Three,” Garrin said breathlessly, but they have magic, and horses. It won’t take them long to reach us.”

  “Magic?” William echoed. “That doesn’t bode well.” William glanced to Richard, and then to the horse. “Where can we go?”

  Garrin shook his head as he tried to think. There were no caves or defensible structures that he knew of nearby. The closest shelter was miles away. If they stopped to load their supplies, the riders would be upon them before they could escape. “We have to leave our camp,” he said finally. “We can outrun them if Richard rides on the sled and you take the horse. It’s the only way.”

  “What about shelter to sleep in? What about our bedrolls?” William countered.

  “Grab what you can in the time it takes me to hitch Rux and Kiska to the sled. Start with blankets and weapons. Everything else we can make do without.”

  “Are you sure?” William pressed.

  “We have no choice!” Garrin countered. “Go, NOW!”

  The trapper sprang into action, whistling and running for the sled. Rux and Kiska hurried into position. Garrin latched the harnesses, ripping his mittens off so his fingers could more easily work the straps and buckles. To his surprise, when he finished, the bedrolls were on the sled, along with Richard and one of the bear hang bags of food. William had a pack on his back and was leaping onto his horse.

  The trapper pulled his mittens back on and moved into position. “Keep close, William!”

  He whistled and Rux and Kiska jolted the sled into motion. They sped out toward the west. Garrin knew of a sizeable cave there that, if void of predators, might give them a place to hide, or, if necessary, a better place to fend off the attackers.

  The only problem was that it was several miles away, which meant either there was going to be a long chase, or that the riders might be able to catch them before they could prepare the cave.

  They raced through the forest. Trees whizzed by as the rails on the sled slid over the snow. Garrin could hear the galloping hooves of William’s horse behind him, but he couldn’t turn back to check on the nobleman. He had to keep his eyes forward. Steering the sled was tricky business, more so when done at breakneck speeds. Richard was lying flat as possible upon the sled, gripping the sides tightly and whimpering whenever Garrin pulled the sled into a sharp turn.

  The wind made his eyes tear up slightly, and the skin on his cheeks burned, then went numb to the cold. That was never a good sign,
but he couldn’t chance slowing down. If possible, he had to maintain the small lead he had over the three riders.

  Light was beginning to fade, and the trees seemed to loom larger, as if their branches were reaching out toward Garrin and swiping at him. He ducked low under one limb that almost looked as though it split in two as Garrin approached. He knew that was impossible though, it must have been the speed playing tricks on his mind as the light of the sun diminished.

  A terrible shriek went up in the air behind Garrin, followed by William calling out for help.

  Garrin pulled the sled to a halt and looked back. He didn’t see the fall, but he knew what had happened. The horse had failed to make the last turn. The animal must have flipped over, for its neck and head were under the bulk of its body. It was struggling to turn over. For a moment, Garrin feared that William had been crushed beneath the horse. That fear was dispelled when William came out from behind a large tree, shaking the snow from his clothes.

  “I think its leg is broken,” William called out as he stepped toward the horse.

  Garrin looked to the right foreleg as the animal finally managed to roll over and indeed, the limb was broken, badly. The trapper grunted and grabbed his spear. He jogged back toward the horse while William hurried to gather what he could back into the badly damaged backpack he had been wearing.

  “Are you hurt?” Garrin asked.

  William shook his head. “I’m okay. I was able to direct my fall well enough.”

  Garrin nodded. “We can’t save him.”

  William sighed. “Can you make it quick?” he asked.

  Garrin slowly stepped into place, carefully studying the horse’s body as he flipped the spear so the point was directed down toward the heart. “I’ll do what I can, either way, it will be faster than leaving a lame horse to be discovered by the welks or other predators out here.”

  Garrin raised the spear up, arching his back slightly at the top and then he came down with his full body, pouring all of his strength into the spear as he pierced through the animal’s flesh. The horse snorted and groaned just for a moment before it went limp and its steaming breath left its nostrils for the last time.