by Barb Hendee
The surrounding oaks weren't homes, as they had no openings, though their trunks were large enough for such. Their lowest branches were half the diameter of the trunks. They reached out level to either side and appeared grown together, forming living bridges from one tree to the next and encircling the depression. Leesil couldn't guess the purpose of this place, and Sgaile pushed on around the encompassing oaks.
A shadow moved upon one bridge-branch nearest the open forest. Sgaile slowed, and Leesil moved up beside him.
Sgaile stood in silence and watched the silhouette with narrowed eyes. The shadow dropped to the ground as two more stepped out into view. The trio approached.
All three were dressed as Anmaglahk, but the one leading was shorter and slighter than the others.
Brot'an spoke in clear Belaskian. "Return to quarters. We have no need of your assistance."
"With respect, Greimasg'ah," the lead figure answered. "I join this pursuit at the request of the Covarleasa."
Her voice was thick with anElvish accent.
Brot'an exhaled harshly, and Sgaile's shoulders sagged just a bit.
The trio came closer, and Leesil clearly made out the sharp features of En’nish within her cowl. Her eyes remained on him as well.
Magiere inched forward. "What is she doing here?"
"No one can deny her," Sgaile admonished, with barely suppressed frustration in his voice.
"She acts on behalf of the Covarleasa," Brot'an added. "The 'selected and trusted adviser' of Most Aged Father… Frethfare."
"And you're going to let her come with us?" Magiere demanded.
Leesil didn't understand the bizarre command structure these Anmaglahk followed, but he was sick of it. Were they expected to hand over the search for Wynn to this vengeance-driven woman?
Brot'an's passive gaze remained on En’nish. "She will not interfere in a task not given to her."
En’nish looked up at Brot'an in hesitation. In spite of his calm tone, his words sounded like a pointed reminder of her place.
"Yes, these visitors are most certainly Sgailsheilleache's responsibility," En’nish answered.
She nodded to Brot'an with respect. Her two companions did likewise.Whatever their twisted rules, Brot'an appeared to hold sway over all present.
"Get rid of her," Magiere demanded.
"Remember your place… human," Brot'an replied quietly, the last word selected with care but spoken with no malice. "You are a guest here by exception. If not for your companion's imprudence, we would all be at peace this night."
"Let it go," Leesil whispered to Magiere."For now."
Privately, he wondered at how Freth, and likely Most Aged Father, had learned so quickly of Wynn's disappearance, and why En’nish was the one sent to intercept their search.
Brot'an stepped past Leesil and out ahead. En’nish and her companions moved from his path. Sgaile followed more slowly, ushering Leesil and Magiere forward, keeping himself between them and En’nish. They caught up to Brot'an, and Leesil looked over his shoulder as En’nish and her followers fell in behind Osha. The young elf breathed a bit too deeply for so little exertion, and his eyes wandered nervously.
Leesil heard a chirping whistle.
They reached the far side of the tree-ringed depression, and Brot'an stood before the forest proper with his hands cupped around his mouth. He let out a birdlike series of chirps, waited a moment, and then issued another shrill call.
A longer whistling chirp answered him from the forest.
"Urhkarasiferin has found a trail," Sgaile said, as Brot'an took off at a run into the trees. "Stay close, and do not wander."
Most Aged Father lingered in that place between consciousness and slumber. He had listened to Leshil and his companions in their quarters, but the effort wore him down. He withdrew his awareness as their conversation waned and Leshil went off to bathe. But he had learned things about each-their personalities, their fumbling grasps at plans, and their nature for deception. Magiere disturbed him in particular.
She was filled with a strange agitation. She warranted more consideration and observance until he was done with Leshil. So much complication arose from humans. The world was polluted with their chaos and frailty.
Most Aged Father was so weary he did not hear Frethfare's footfalls until she entered his private chamber in the great oak's heart-root. She bowed. As always, he was pleased by her presence.
Until she rose up with dark concern plain on her face.
"There is trouble with the humans," she said, settling upon one teal-dyed cushion of sheot'a cloth. "I do not believe Sgailsheilleache has firm control over them."
Her criticism of a fellow anmaglahk was disturbing. Most Aged Father valued all the Anmaglahk, but he took greater pride in a few, such as Freth-fare. Sgailsheilleache was another, with his fierce devotion to his people and his strict sense of justice. Most Aged Father had known from the first time he set eyes on Sgailsheillache that the boy was Anmaglahk. Barely thirteen years old,he was only two moons past his name taking when he submitted himself for acceptance to the caste. He showed no fear at the prospect of training.
Taking Frethfare as Covarleasa had been a choice of careful consideration, and Most Aged Father valued her counsel. But he still expected good reason for her words against Sgailsheilleache.
"One of the humans with Leshil-the small one-has gone missing," she said. "The majay-hi in their company has vanished as well. The human is believed to have gone into the forest, or so En’nish reported. Sgailsheilleache has gathered a hunting party to go after her, but he took Leshil and the pale woman with him. I have sent En’nish with two others to join them."
Most Aged Father could not speak. He tried to sit up and failed, and the effort cost him.
"How long?" he demanded.
"Sometime after nightfall.I am not certain."
He was too tired for this foolishness. Of all his children, Sgailsheilleache and Frethfare had done this.One unable to control the humans and the other compounding this new complication. En’nish, who grieved the loss of her future mate, was the last who should be given any purpose involving Leshil.
Most Aged Father had been concerned when Sgailsheilleache chose Urhkarasiferin to help escort Leshil. En’nish was under the elder anmaglahk's tutelage, and by caste law, the student always accompanied the teacher. Now that Urhkarasiferin had dismissed her, En’nish was best kept far from Leshil-until Most Aged Father was done with him.
"Father?" asked Frethfare. He had been silent too long.
"Do not speak," Most Aged Father admonished her. "The humans are devious beyond understanding. Give me a moment to seek anomalies in the thread of life."
He had so little strength left, but it was unavoidable. He closed his eyes, worming his awareness through the forest's roots in the earth and into brush and tree and flower wherever he passed.
Nothing came to him at first, and then he felt the majay-hi. A pack loped at a fast pace behind one of the Listeners, the great silver deer, sentinels of the forest. Outrage rose in Most Aged Father.
The little human woman rode upon the deer's back.
The pack traveled purposefully, on a steady course as they wove through the forest. He followed them, slipping ahead to tree or bush whenever they outdistanced the present place of his awareness. The line they ran began to seed him with fear.
How could they know of such a destination?
Among the pack was the one majay-hi who had entered his home with Leshil.
Most Aged Father's eyes snapped open, and he tried to sit up.
"North," he cried out. "Catch Sgailsheilleache and his charges at all costs. You will turn them back!Now!"
Frethfare spun up to her feet, startled by his tone.
Clan elders had been arriving for several days. Talk and rumor suggested they questioned his wisdom in allowing humans into the land for the first time. He could not let word of this wayward human's actions reach them as well.
And he could not allow any
to reach the place they were headed.
"Go!" he cried out, his voice scratching the air. "None of them must reach Cuirin'nen'a's glade."
Sgaile burned with shame as he led the others through the trees. The fault was his alone.
He would never blame another serving under him-not even the naпve and immature Osha. It had beenhis own choice to assign the young elf as watchguard.
Osha had come later to service than most Anmaglahk, and in the following five years, the young man had failed to attract the tutelage of a teacher among their caste. He remained a novice of only basic skills. Still, Osha wished to be of service, and Sgaile empathized with a desire that would not yield to any obstacle.
He had left Osha to watch over Leshil's quarters, and that decision resulted in the worst night of his life. En’nish had been sent by Frethfare before Sgaile could resolve the crisis-which meant Most Aged Father knew everything.
It took no great feat of intelligence to guess how word had reached Most Aged Father. En’nish must have been watching and waiting for an opportunity.
Sgaile grew sick to his stomach as they broke into a clearing where a large boulder protruded from a hillside. Halfway beyond the boulder's ledge top, Urhkarasiferin crouched upon the slope of thinly leafed elms.
"A pack was here," Brot'an'duive said, and Sgaile followed his gaze to the soft ground covered in paw prints. "And someone with small, human feet."
"Wynn?" Leshil asked.
Magiere stepped beyond Sgaile, pacing the ground with deep breaths.
"No blood," she said.
Sgaile was relieved, and then suspicious. Perhaps Chap had kept Wynn safe. But how, in the dark, had Magiere known no blood was spilled here? Leshil also watched her with wary concern. En’nish hung back by the tree with her companions.
"Come," Sgaile said, and headed upslope. As he approached Urhkarasiferin, the elder anmaglahk pointed through the elms to the northeast.
"At least seven… maybe eight majay-hi," he said."Along with the woman… all making speed."
"And following a clhuassas" Brot'an'duive added.
"What is that?" Magiere asked.
"One of the large silver-gray deer you have seen," Sgaile answered, and said no more. Theless humans knew of such things, the better.
Leesil knelt down by the split hoof prints, larger than any deer-sign in human lands.
Sgaile rarely saw even subtle distress in Urhkarasiferin's passive expression. But the man tightened his lips with a slight scowl and breathed sharply out through his nose.
"North by northeast," he said.
Brot'an'duive already stared off through the trees along the path the pack had taken.
"What's out there," Leshil asked, "and why would Chap or Wynn try to follow them?"
"They are not following," Brot'an'duive corrected. "They are traveling with the pack… being taken… to Cuirin'nen'a."
Such a blunt statement stunned Sgaile. But if Leshil came with them, he needed to know the truth of the situation. It was only right and fair to prepare him, as the shock could cause discord later.
Leshil rose quickly from the deer tracks, his eyes on the path ahead. He took off down the trail.
"No," Brot'an'duive shouted, grabbing for Leshil.
Magiere slapped Brot'an's hand aside with a menacing glare and followed in Leshil's footsteps.
Sgaile was at a loss. He could not allow anyone near Cuirin'nen'a, though he understood why Brot'an'duive had told Leshil where the pack headed.
He hoped they could catch the human woman before she and Chap reached Cuirin'nen'a.
It would be hard to turn Leshil aside, and harder still if he were in reach of his mother.
At least Brot'an'duive was with them-and that was some comfort. Sgaile would need his wisdom and calm counsel.
En’nish tried to step around and head up the trail. Before Sgaile intercepted her, Brot'an'duive cut her off.
"You may follow," he said, "but do not forget that guardianship belongs to Sgailsheilleache. Do not interfere."
Urhkarasiferin, about to head onward, cast only a passing glance at the woman. But Sgaile had another concern. He reached out to stop Urhkarasiferin, touching the elder's shoulder.
"I left Leanalham alone," Sgaile said. "Please stay with her, and tell her I will return when able."
Urhkarasiferin gave only the slightest cock of his head to betray his surprise. He was the elder of the two of them, yet only involved at Sgaile's request. The elder anmaglahk nodded and headed back toward Crijheaiche.
Sgaile turned to catch up with Osha close behind him. He heard En’nish and the other two following. For the first few steps, it struck him as odd that Frethfare or even Most Aged Father would send another trio of the caste to follow him in tracking down one small human.
He pushed the thought away and ran on.
Chap loped beside Lily, growing tired and sensing the same in her. At times, thickened brush between the trees made passage difficult. Wynn clung to the deer's back with nothing to grasp but the animal's coat of long hair. She bent forward against its shoulders and neck, trying to hang on.
The ink-shaded elder slowed without warning, and all of the pack pulled up around him. They dispersed among the undergrowth, and a few dropped to the ground panting, pink tongues lolling out of their mouths.
A rest had been called, and Chap was no less grateful than the others. Lily lay down on the forest floor, but Chap trotted over to Wynn and barked once. She still clung to the deer as it shifted from hoof to hoof.
Wynn looked so small upon the animal's back, no larger than a child might appear upon a full-grown horse. Her hair was tangled and her oval face smeared by clumps of kicked-up earth. She had no cloak and shivered in her light elven clothing.
Chap barked again, and Wynn lifted her head. She slid her far leg over the deer's haunches and tried to slide off its back. She ended up dropping to her rump when her feet hit the ground. Chap whined and pressed his head against her shoulder.
She was too weary and stiff to even put a hand on his head. Instead she crawled on hands and knees behind him as he returned to where Lily lay panting.
The pack lay in groups of two and three to share warmth. Wynn settled next to Lily, and Chap stretched out before both of them. Wynn reached out slowly and stroked Lily's back. Lily raised her ears once but did not object.
"She is beautiful," Wynn finally said. "All your kindare beautiful."
Chap looked into her weary face. He hoped for her sake-and his-they would not travel much farther in this manner.
"I thought that all of them would be like you-born-Fay," Wynn added as she closed her eyes and lay back. "I did not know they would be so far removed-yet still like you."
He belly-crawled over to press his body against her.Winters here were far milder than beyond the mountains, yet the nights could be cool.
Chap found a strange moment of peace, considering what was at stake in this swift journey. With Wynn nestled between Lily and himself, it was good to lie on the earth of his birthplace. His eyes began to droop.
The first long baying rang through the night.
Several majay-hi stirred and got up as Chap opened his eyes. The sound rang out again, and he recognized it. The deer that had carried Wynn was still among the pack, yet this bellow came from farther off.
The deer lifted its head and issued an answering call. It turned and stalked toward the pack elder as Lily climbed to her feet. She joined them as the deer bent down to touch heads with the elder. Chap was too tired to try dipping into the exchange of memory. But when Lily returned to press her head to his, she whined in agitation. The flash of memory snapped Chap fully awake.
Gray-green-clad elves ran through the forest.
He could not see their faces clearly, for the image Lily gave him was not specific.Just anmaglahk running in a line with purpose.
Why would she show him this? The answer came quickly to him. The Anmaglahk were coming after them.
Wynn was st
ill curled on the ground beside him. She had barely stirred at the deer's bellow. Chap ground his paws into the earth.
We are pursued.
Wynn thrashed over, grabbing her head. "Do not do that! Not unless I know it is coming!"
She sat up with a grimace and put a hand over her mouth. She looked at him as if he had poured a foul liquid in her mouth while she slept.
"What… what did you say?"
Chap repeated himself, and Wynn flinched slightly this time.
She looked back the way they had come."How far?"
He barked three times rather than send more words to assault her. He had no idea how close the Anmaglahk were.
He ran to the gray deer and barked once. Several of the majay-hi dashed on ahead, and if nothing else, Wynn knew they were on the move again. The deer stepped near a downed tree, and Wynn did not wait. She climbed onto its back and clutched its neck, and their race renewed. Chap took off beside Lily as the deer lunged ahead through the forest. The pace was now driven by urgency more than hope.
Chapter Eleven
Wynn clung to the deer's neck, gripping its coarse hair until her fingers ached. The majay-hiwere relentless, and the pack ran all night. Wynn did her best to endure, but her legs cramped from gripping the deer's too-wide body.
She hoped dawn was not far off and kept her eyes down as much as possible. Each time she looked up, something ahead seemed as if she had just seen it behind, or to the side, or as if she'd never seen it before. Everything appeared foreign and unfamiliar in the night.
The dark forest pressed confusion into Wynn's mind. Trees flashed by like shadows. The only constants were the deer beneath her and the pack around and ahead of her. She clung to the sight of them against being overwhelmed and lost.
Wynn had no idea what they would find at the journey's end. If she and Chap came upon some elven prison, how would they gain entrance? But if-when-they reached Nein'a, Chap would definitely need her. As far as Wynn knew, Leesil's mother was unaware of Chap's true nature. Wynn would be needed to speak with her. How else could Chap relate that Leesil was among the elves and intended to free her?
