Troll Brother
Page 59
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“So…what are we doing, Mr. Johannson?” Marissa asked, struggling to keep her breath as she kept up with the fast moving soldier.
“I need you to do some reconnaissance.”
“Oh…” she puffed clambering up the boulders they’d come across.
Once Rick Jr. crested the small ridge of boulders he quickly turned back and motioned with his index finger to be quiet. Marissa made the rest of the climb much more slowly and quietly and joined him at his side. He was lying low with his eyes just peering over. She tried to mimic him, carefully setting the water bottle down next to her.
As she settled into position she could not see why it was that Mr. Johansson had stopped. He turned slowly and noticed the child’s blank stare. He pointed higher up and to the left, towards a very tall mountain rift that rose up higher than the other rises in the area and shadowed the section of the forest directly ahead of them underneath it. If one could manage to negotiate the narrow ridgeback leading to it, it would be the most direct route to the area of the springs and the troll cave where they were headed. There, slowly rising out from the forests probably a quarter mile up the ridge, a lazy column of smoke moved gently in the breeze. Mr. Johansson knew the area was already into national forest land, and though it was possible to get special permits for this area to camp or to start a fire, it was more likely to be something devious, since the hunters frequented this mountain face in the Fall and did not like much in the way of human indicators near their deer tracks. He needed a better understanding of what was going on.
“I need your help, if you are up to it.”
“Okay. I think I am,” Marissa whispered back.
“I want you to get down in that valley there and trace that small stream up closer to where that fire is coming from.”
“Yes, sir!” Marissa was happy to be of service since she hadn’t been too sure how she’d fit in the group initially and was therefore also happy to be the soldier Mr. Johansson needed right then.
“I understand you could probably use that water in your bottle there and a tree to disguise yourself pretty well and just watch for me, right?”
“Yes sir. I can do that, easy,” Marissa replied, positively enough to hide her fear even from Mr. Johansson relatively well.
“But I have to admit, I’m a little worried about you.”
“About what? If they’re goblins?”
“Well,” the father figure answered. “Yes, that too. But I’m worried I don’t know how well you can navigate the forest and get back to us safely. How well do you know the way? Does your…magic stuff, sort of give you an edge?”
“Oh, yes sir! I know exactly where I am. And if I get stuck I can just ask the trees!” she replied.
“Good. Then I need you to get up that valley and get as close as you can but stay at a safe distance. Then get disguised. I want you to sit and listen to what’s going on there. Tell me what’s the deal with the cougar and who it is that’s up there. That big cat sounds like it’s in pain or something, and that would not be good to run into.”
“Yes, sir!” She responded again and gave a quick nod.
“Don’t say that. I’m not your commanding officer.”
Marissa looked at Rick Junior with a puzzled expression trying to work it out. “What should I call you then? Mr. Johansson?”
“Hmmm…” He mulled. He’d always had a problem with young people calling their elders by their first name, and she had a good point; he didn’t like being called “mister” anything either. “Never mind. You call me whatever you want.”
“Yes, sir!”
And with that she was off.
“Marissa!” He rasped and she turned just enough to listen. “I’ll wait twenty minutes. If you can’t get back safely, stay there until you can. Then meet us back at the house as soon as it’s safe to get away.”
She gave him a cocked eyebrow as if to question the command to go home. But he just shook his head slightly and she nodded hers.
Rick backed down the rocks and waited for a few minutes, listening for any further noises but didn’t hear much, although there were occasionally twigs breaking and some guttural noises. He presumed those were whoever was on the mountain lighting a fire, and not a young faerie girl who should be better skilled at sneaking around among the trees.
He turned and headed back to the rest of the group.