“We’re trying to. Jaylocke and Bor’ve’tai were off on a job while I stayed in the office until your father approached me about coming here.”
“So Jaylocke and Bor’ve’tai are watching the office now?”
“I suppose so, unless they’re on another job. I haven’t heard from them in a while.”
“Then perhaps you should consider having someone who isn’t one of your hunters working in the office. That way you could have all of your hunters out hunting or searching for work without sacrificing any potential jobs that come to you.”
Keltin shook his head. “I can’t see the sense of hiring an employee just to sit around and wait in case a customer comes by.”
“Perhaps you don’t need them full-time, but it seems to me that you lose the benefit of having an office if there isn’t someone there a few times a week for potential customers to come and speak with. Besides, you wouldn’t have to pay someone just to sit around and wait. They could spend their time doing things like balancing the books, searching newspapers for work, or handling correspondence for the business and placing advertisements. Have you ever considered writing letters to past customers to thank them for their business?”
“I... no, I hadn’t. I hadn’t considered much of any of this. I suppose I don’t have a head for business.”
“Don’t say that. You’ve managed to support yourself and still send help to your family for years. I only asked about those things because they were the sort of things that my father would talk about with the companies that he worked for as a solicitor. I was always fascinated by the workings of business. Come to think of it, I’m sure that he’d be willing to advise you when we get back to Riltvin, if you asked him.”
“Perhaps. Or maybe I’ll just ask his daughter.”
Elaine didn’t reply, but Keltin swore that if he could ever have felt someone smile without actually seeing it, then he certainly would have at that moment.
False dawn came steadily upon them. Inky blackness gave way to the dim outline of blue-tinged farmlands around them. Once he could make out the outline of his hand against the ground, Keltin put out the call for everyone to start looking for a likely place to lay low during the day. They found an apple orchard that had already been picked clean of the year’s harvest and showed more leaves on the ground than on its branches. Still, the neat rows and columns were dense enough to keep the wagonette out of sight of the road or any nearby farmhouses.
Finding a suitable place to make camp, Keltin helped Mrs. Destov and her sons out of the carriage, pausing for a moment to crouch down and check the long, thin wooden crate that had been stowed underneath the driver’s seat of the wagonette. Petrov had said that it contained several paintings, some hardy metal figurines, and an ancient, ceremonial costume worn by a Sky Talker more than six centuries ago. Finding the precious cargo still safely secured, he stepped aside to allow the Destovs to climb under the cover of the wagonette to make their makeshift bed. Turning and making sure all was in order, he placed Ross and Kuff on the first watch and crawled into his own tent, trying to will his tired body into relaxation.
He woke without realizing that he’d been sleeping. He debated trying to go back to sleep, but was roused by the smell of salt pork cooking. Crawling from his tent, he found Wendi sitting by a fire with a large pan of the crackling strips of meat. Once the pork was crisp, she poured in some water and added dried beans and a few sprigs of cuth spice, mixing it all together into a stew that immediately made Keltin’s mouth water. Retrieving his battered kettle, he settled in across from her, filling the kettle with water from their supply and setting it by the fire to heat.
“You still aren’t much of a sleeper, are you?”
Keltin looked up to see Elaine rubbing her eyes and taking a seat next to Wendi. Keltin shrugged.
“I suppose not. Too many nights spent alone hunting. It takes quite a lot to get me to have a fair night’s sleep.”
Once he judged the water to be hot enough, Keltin flipped up the top and poured in a small portion of the contents from a fabric bag in his pocket.
“What’s that?” asked Elaine.
“Sweet broth. I got a taste for it in Lost Trap. It warms you on the inside and is more pleasant than just heated water.”
Elaine nodded and turned her attention to Wendi as she sliced some small potatoes into the salt pork-and-bean stew.
“That smells positively intoxicating, Wendi.”
The farm-girl blushed. “It was a favorite of my father’s. He called it throw-together stew. It was one of the first things I learned to cook.”
“Do you enjoy cooking?”
Wendi nodded. “It reminds me of my mother. She was always cooking. I learned all I could from her. I... still miss her sometimes.”
“I’m sure she’d be very proud of how well you learned your lessons from her,” said Mrs. Destov as she joined them. “This does smell wonderful, dear.”
“Thank you, Ma’am. It’s nearly ready.”
Soon Wendi was scooping out generous portions of the stew into everyone’s dishes. Keltin took his travel kettle from the fire and poured himself a cup of steaming broth.
“May I have some?” asked Elaine.
Keltin obligingly took her cup and poured for her. She cradled the broth between her hands and inhaled the steam for a moment before taking a sip and humming deep contentment.
“Mmm, that is good.”
Keltin smiled, feeling a warmth that came from more than the broth and stew. Despite all their current hardships and what was still likely to come upon their journey, for the moment, sitting together by the campfire, it seemed that everyone was content, if not outright happy. Keltin finished his meal and scraped his pan clean before crawling back into his tent in another attempt to get some sleep, trying to focus on the good feelings of the moment and put from his mind what may yet be ahead of them.
* * *
Velef was little more than a village on the northern edge of Pike Forest. Seeing it from afar, Keltin immediately realized that their company would draw far too much attention in the small hamlet and decided that he and Harper would go on ahead to try to find Petrov’s contact. Following the directions the Brother of Kerrtow had given them, they easily smelled the man’s home long before they reaching it. Topping a rise, they saw the small hut completely surrounded by pig pens, each one stocked with the loud, smelly animals.
“Well, I’ll say one thing about this fellow,” said Harper as they made their way down a narrow track between two fences through the churned up mud. “He keeps a low profile.”
“Just so long as he can help us.”
Keltin spied a large man with a shock of greasy hair that may have been blond when it was clean. The man was carrying two slop buckets that had likely never been rinsed out since they had been made. Despite the man’s soiled coveralls, Keltin could discern a powerful, barrel chested frame underneath the rough, dirty clothing. The man emptied the two pails into a pair of troughs before looking up and spying Keltin and Harper approaching. He paused, watching them approach with a laconic, almost lethargic bearing.
“Are you Wulp?” Keltin asked when he had gotten within earshot.
“That’s right,” said the man, his voice slightly slurry. “You in the market for sleevak bait? You don’t seem the type. Maybe you want something to be eating yourself?”
“Maybe, but the crows have flown, and there are more important things to worry about first.”
Keltin held out Petrov’s letter. Wulp wiped his hands on his coveralls and took it. He read slowly, his bottom lip twitching as his eyes crawled slowly across the page. He looked up after a moment.
“So Petrov says I’m supposed to help you. What do you need? I could hide you here for a time if you want.”
Keltin had a brief image of Mrs. Destov hiding amongst Wulp’s hogs and shook his head.
“Thank you, but we’re trying to get out of the country as quickly as possible. Petrov mentioned that you know a
way through Pike Forest to the border.”
Wulp shrugged. “That I do. There’s a cart-trail that goes through the whole forest, but you wouldn’t want to use that. Pike Forest has been set aside for sleevak breeding. Nobody goes in there but handlers and them that serve them.”
“We’ll manage. We’ve got two beast hunters among us.”
Wulp snorted. “They’d better be plaguing good to trust your life to them.”
“They are,” put in Harper. “Keltin here is one of them.”
“That so?” Wulp considered Keltin for a long moment before slowly nodding. “Maybe. Maybe you’ll make it. If you’re careful and quiet. And go quickly. Most of you may make it through.”
“Anything you can tell us would be appreciated,” said Keltin. “What are the sleevaks’ habits? Are they naturally occurring here? I always thought that they were native to bogs and fens, not deep forest.”
“They are. We still get the occasional feral from the Rumpton Fens up north. But they breed faster down here. Easier conditions, less competition.”
“What about the seasonal migration of beasts from Malpin to Krendaria? Does that affect your sleevaks here?”
Wulp gave a gap-toothed grin. “Even migrating beasts circle Pike Forest. Only men and Heteracks are fool enough to go into the sleevaks’ home. As to their habits, they hunt and move in packs. We breed them that way. If one of the matriarchs starts getting too big, we cull her. Sleevaks need to learn that the handlers are the ones in charge.”
“How big are the packs?”
“Seven or eight head. Much more than that, and they can’t hunt enough to keep them all fed.” Wulp got a thoughtful expression as he rubbed his palm against a month’s worth of stubble on his chin. “How many did you say were traveling with you?”
“I didn’t say. Better you only know as much as you need to, right?”
Wulp shrugged. “I suppose so, though I’m a loyal Brother. I don’t squeal. Well then, I suppose you’re traveling on foot?”
“Most of us are, but we’ve got a wagonette as well.”
“You’ll have to use the cart-trail then. I can lead you to the head of it, if you prefer.”
“Can you give us directions for once we’re on the trail? I imagine it winds around a fair bit through the forest.”
“It’s a twisting road for certain, but traveling it is simple enough. It’s like a great tattered feather, one central vein with lesser strands going off to the left or right. But if you always choose the south-bound track, you’ll eventually come to a stop right at the boundary fence.”
“Fence? We knew that the Malpinion army had been deployed to the border, but we hadn’t heard anything about a fence being built.”
“The fence south of Pike Forest is an old one, built back when it was first decided that it would be used for breeding sleevaks. Krendaria and Malpin actually built it together, if you can believe it. I think Malpin didn’t want Krendaria stealing our sleevaks, and Krendaria didn’t want them wandering down and killing their livestock.”
“Will it take much work to get through the fence?”
Wulp shrugged. “It was built to keep sleevaks in, not people. A good pair of cutters should open it up. I’ll give you a pair if you’ll take a spool of wire and promise to close it back up again behind you. You might be able to cut and run, but I’ve got a living to make.”
“That’s fine. I wouldn’t wish those hexed monsters on anyone south of the fence.”
“In that case, I suppose that’s all I can do for you. Unless you need some supplies. I don’t have much, but I could give you some meat. You want some pork?”
Harper made a face. “It’s not the same stuff that you feed the sleevaks, is it?”
“And why not?” said Wulp, his face screwing up in an indignant scowl. “My hogs are strong and healthy, and if you’re worried about them being unclean, well, you’re eating the inside, not the outside, aren’t you?”
Keltin noticed Harper looking a little green as he glanced at a nearby hog rolling in a thick mixture of mud and defecation. Keltin turned back to Wulp with a pleasant smile.
“That makes perfect sense to me. Why don’t I send my friend into the village to buy some supplies and I’ll stay here and help you butcher one of your hogs.”
“Alright.”
Wulp gave Harper one last dirty look then turned and walked away. Keltin spoke softly to the newspaperman.
“You go on ahead. I’ll stay here and make sure our meat is kept clean.”
Harper gave Keltin a relieved look. “Thank you, though that fellow seems awfully stubborn. What if he insists that something is fit for humans when it really isn’t?”
Keltin shrugged. “We’ll take it anyway. It’d be bad manners to refuse, wouldn’t it? Besides, if we don’t like it, we can always feed it to the sleevaks.”
“That’s not very reassuring,” said the newspaperman as he turned and began threading his way back out of the muck and mud.
Chapter 20 – Pike Forest
Keltin looked over his shoulder as the last sign of Velef disappeared behind the densely growing trees. Turning, he focused on the trail through the forest. It was fairly well-kept, with the clear marks of recent traffic from wide-wheeled wagons. Keltin was grateful that the wagonette seemed to be able to handle the trail well, though he didn’t like the idea of other traffic keeping it well-maintained. Still, Wulp had assured him that nobody would be using it for at least a few days, and that they would be long gone before anyone encountered them, if all went according to plan.
Soon they reached a tall, blade-wire fence that stretched across the trail and disappeared into the dark woods to either side of them. Keltin called a halt.
“What is it?” asked Harper from the driver’s seat of the wagonette. “Did you see something?”
“No, but I think we should all know just what to expect from here on in.”
“Can’t this wait until we’re safely camped for the night?” asked Mrs. Destov. “I don’t like us speaking out here in the open.”
“There’s no-one else here,” Keltin explained. “Besides, once we pass this fence, there won’t be any place to camp safely until we’re through to the other side.”
“How should we proceed, Keltin?” asked Elaine.
“Well, the horses should be able to travel for several hours at a time with short rests. If we push them hard, Wulp said that we should be able to pass through Pike Forest in about two days. In that time, I’m certain we’ll encounter sleevaks. There will be no avoiding them and everyone will need to do all that they can to help keep each other safe.”
He went to his pack and withdrew the pair of pistols that he’d taken from the MLP officers he’d faced in Carris.
“Now, for arms, I have my rifle and hand-cannon, Harper has a rifle, Ross has his scattergun, and we have these two pistols. We should have plenty of ammunition for the rifles, scattergun, and hand cannon, but these have just six shots a piece, once those are out, they’re done. Beyond that, we have Kuff of course, as well as the Ripper and a pair of hunting knives. I say we start by giving the two pistols to Wendi and Elaine, then we can redistribute weapons as needed as we move on.”
“What about me?” said Col. “I can help!”
“Hush,” said Mrs. Destov. “Mr. Moore is not playing. This is very serious.”
“But I want to help. How will I protect everyone without a weapon?”
Keltin looked at Col. The boy was close to the same age that Keltin had been when he had first accompanied his father on a beast hunt. Looking into young eyes full of determination, Keltin quickly made a decision.
“Come here, Col.” Keltin unbuckled his belt and slid his sheathed Lawrie hunting knife free. He handed it to the boy. “Take this so that you can protect your mother and brother.”
Col took the knife with a small frown. “I had hoped to get a gun.”
Keltin chuckled softly. “Maybe one day. But first, you need to learn to respect and use
that knife. Remember, it could save your life, so take care of it. All right?”
Col pulled the knife free to examine its long, razor edge for a moment. He slipped it back into the sheath and gave Keltin a somber nod. “All right. I will.”
“Good.” Keltin turned back to the group. “We’ll keep a double watch whenever we stop to rest. If you need to speak, do it quietly. If you see a sleevak, let Ross or I know. Do not fire on it unless it’s attacking. Does everyone understand?” He was met with solemn silence. “All right. I suggest everyone check their gear and ready themselves before we continue.”
As the rest of the company made their final preparations, Keltin made his way a short distance from the group. Sinking to his knees, he took a deep breath and said a silent prayer. He expressed gratitude that they had made it this far, and asked for safety as they continued. He was considering what more he might say when he heard a rustle of fallen autumn leaves. Keltin’s eyes snapped opened as he reached for the hand-cannon at his hip. He had the large pistol half-drawn before he realized that it was somebody approaching him, not something.
“Keltin?”
It was Elaine.
“Yes? Is something wrong?”
“No, I just... I just thought that I might join you.”
“Oh... yes, all right. If you want to.”
Elaine knelt down next to him. Keltin hesitated for a moment. He’d gotten very used to offering his prayers in silence, even when Jaylocke was around, out of respect for their differing faiths. He cleared his throat and began again, this time out loud.
“Dear Father in Heaven, I’m grateful that we’ve gotten this far. We shouldn’t have to worry about the Malpinion government from here on. But I’m worried. There’s only a few of us that have experience with beasts, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to protect everyone. Please help me. What should I do? How can I keep everyone safe?”
Keltin hesitated, trying to think of something more to say. After a moment, he gave up and closed his prayer. He was about to rise up off the ground when Elaine suddenly began praying, her voice soft and clear in the darkness.
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