Ram took a look at his shoulder and sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Well that’s nasty,” he said. “You’ve got quite the scrape. It’s still bleeding a bit.”
“Never mind that,” said Daniel. “We’ve been delayed enough.”
Ram pursed his lips and adjusted the backpack’s straps across his broad chest. “Fine. But I’ll not have you carrying this heavy thing halfway across the mountains with that kind of a gash, and as soon as she finds this stream of hers, you’re getting it properly washed and bound before it gets infected and we have to saw your arm off. Nobody wants to be doing that.”
Daniel tenderly dabbed at his shoulder with his fingertips. They became sticky with blood. He winced. “Fair enough.” He glanced at Kora. “We’d best keep an eye on her.”
“You don’t trust her.”
He shook his head. “Trust isn’t something that comes naturally to me.”
Ram elbowed him in the ribs. “You must have had a lot of friends in Obenon. Now I see why we’d never met before you tried to throw yourself off the train.”
“In Obenon, it was just me and Litty. I never had to look out for anyone else. I didn’t need anyone else.”
After a moment of silence, Ram asked, “What will you do after finding her?”
Daniel paused. He had been so focused on getting to Obenon, he hadn’t stopped to consider what to do afterwards. There was no life for them in the deserted village, and he had no way of knowing how long the Preceptors would take to repair the tracks and be on their way. “I don’t know,” was all he could reply.
Ram clasped a hand on Daniel’s uninjured shoulder. “No matter. Right now, the fact is you need us.” He jerked his chin at Kora. “Both of us. At least give her the benefit of the doubt. First, water. Then, Litty.”
They set off. Right away, some of Daniel’s suspicions about Kora melted away, as the girl wasted no time in setting a course that followed the stretch of valley they were in. Though there was no discernable path to follow, she seemed to know exactly where she was going, and this brought a measure of comfort to Daniel as he watched her nimbly navigate the shrouded valley forest. He and Ram followed close behind.
Despite the confidence with which Kora led them, her eyes roamed the surrounding woods constantly, as though she feared something were hiding behind every trunk and every stone. Daniel decided not to point this out to Ram.
No one spoke for quite some time. Ram seemed absorbed in his own thoughts, and Kora didn’t once look back to make sure they were following. And so, the only sound besides their own footsteps was the occasional cry of jays in the branches overhead, or the distant chatter of black squirrels going about their noisy business.
Daniel kept his ears open for the sound of running water, but so far, he could hear none.
Eventually, the valley they were following narrowed to the point where the slopes on either side became walls, and what little sunlight filtered through the leafy canopy above them was lost in the depths of the ravine. Here, cool ferns and mossy stones replaced the carpet of leaves and needles, and a chill settled down over them.
If Daniel had been on his own, he would have climbed out of the ravine while the incline allowed him to and found a different route by which to follow the direction of the valley, but Kora plunged deeper into the shadows, and he had no choice but to follow her.
The girl finally stopped at a point in the ravine where the rough, stone walls bowed inward to the point where they almost met in the middle. A narrow cleft, just wide enough for them to pass through in single file, led into nearly sheer darkness.
Daniel came up behind her and peered into the tunnel—if it even merited being called that. A cold draft brushed at his face from the depths of the mountain. Wherever this place led to, at least it had an exit on the other side.
“Do you hear it?” Said Ram, breaking the silence.
“Hear what?” Asked Daniel, but then he did. It was quiet, no more than a trickling whisper, but it was there, and it definitely came from within the tunnel—running water.
“The stream is just on the other side,” said Kora.
Ram reached into the backpack. “Lucky for us, I brought this.” He pulled out the flashlight and handed it to her. “Lead the way.”
Kora shined the beam at her feet and stepped into the crag. Ram followed, then Daniel. The confines of the tunnel made him feel claustrophobic, but to his relief, light found its way in from an opening not too far away, and he focused on the beam of the flashlight while he followed the other two.
In a short while, the tunnel opened up into a small cavern under a rocky overhang, from which a tangle of vines and ivy cascaded like unkempt hair. The floor of the cave was a layer of smooth stones, and, sure enough, a shallow stream rippled right past the opening.
Water had never looked so inviting.
The three travelers made quick work of quenching their thirst from the clean brook, and Ram made sure to fill the canteens once they were satisfied. He then proceeded to splash water on his face and rub the grime from their journey off his arms. Kora knelt at the bank of the stream and wet her hair in the current. She got to work on some of the more stubborn tangles while she wrung it out. Daniel yanked off his shoes and socks and let the cold mountain water soothe his aching feet.
“Let’s take a look at your shoulder,” said Ram after he had finished cleaning himself.
Daniel stripped off his shirt, grimacing as the fabric peeled off his torn shoulder. He could smell the blood. Ram grunted in apparent disapproval of the state of his shoulder. He cupped water in his hands and gently rinsed out the dirt that had stuck to the wound.
Daniel winced—the water made the deep scrape smart all the more. “Probably happened when I fell down the stairs,” he said, trying to keep his mind off the pain, “I didn’t pay it much mind until we stopped running.”
“I suppose you’re lucky to have walked away with just this,” said Ram as he finished cleaning the wound. He took a spare shirt from the backpack—the only one he had brought, he made sure to point out—and tore it into long strips with which he bound Daniel’s shoulder as tightly as he could without cutting off circulation. “I’ve seen my share if injuries in the mines. This will keep you from any further bleeding, and you should be able to dodge an infection.” Then he added, “And you have Kora to thank. Without her, who knows how long it would have taken us to find clean water?”
Daniel nodded but said nothing. His mind was already on how they were going to get to Obenon. Kora had certainly proven her knowledge of the mountains, but could he count on her to find a way through the impenetrable mountains surrounding the mining town?
An ear-splitting crack sounded behind him. He jumped and whirled around, his heart pounding. Kora stood at the mouth of the cave, her cheeks flushed as red as tomatoes. A wisp of smoke trailed from the barrel of the pistol in her hand, the one Ram had found in the shack in the woods.
As Daniel and Ram stared at her in bewilderment, a grin teased across her face, albeit a sheepish one. “It was jammed and needed cleaning.” Then, as if suddenly realizing what she was holding, she placed it on the ground next to the backpack. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Daniel slowly shook his head, confused. “Where did you learn to handle weapons like that?”
Kora averted her gaze. “I—”
Before she could say another word, a voice called from somewhere out in the forest, beyond the stream. Daniel couldn’t catch what it said, but there was no doubt it was human.
Kora snapped her head up. She motioned at Daniel and Ram. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
Further bewildered by her sudden change in behavior, Daniel didn’t move. “Why? Who’s out there?”
Ram was already at the edge of the brook, peering into the forest. “I don’t see anyone.”
A dead branch snapped nearby.
Daniel couldn’t see the source of the noise either, but whoever was out there was getting closer. He pulled
his shirt back on. As though Kora’s fear was contagious, he suddenly felt like someone was watching them. “Maybe we should hide back in the cave.”
“No!” Kora shoved the backpack into his arms. “We have to leave. Please.” Her voice was frantic.
Daniel feared she was on the verge of pure panic. He dropped the backpack and grabbed her shoulders. “We can’t help you if we don’t even know what’s going on.”
Her eyes darted all around, and a tremor took over her. “You don’t understand.”
“We really don’t,” said Ram, joining them in the cave.
“They’re coming—for me.”
Daniel frowned. “What are you talking about? Who’s coming for you?”
Her throat tightened, and she struggled to get the words out. “The Akorites.”
Daniel recoiled and let go of her shoulders, staring at her.
Ram looked at him, clearly alarmed.
Once again, voices shouted from the forest. They were closer.
Daniel backed away from her. “If the Akorites are looking for you, then this is where we part ways. The last thing I want to do is drag a whole war band into the mix.” He motioned for Ram to get his stuff. “We’re leaving.”
Kora cried out and flung herself at his feet, trembling. “You can’t leave me. They’ll kill me if they find me. Wherever you’re going, I’ll help you get there. I—I know the mountains. I can take you to passes you’ll never find on your own. Please—please help me.”
Ram grabbed Daniel’s arm. “We can’t leave her, Daniel.” His voice was firm. “They’re going to be here any minute.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened as he tried to think of any way out of it. At last, he heaved a sigh and pulled Kora to her feet. “We’ll take you with us, for now. Obenon is our destination. Lead us through the mountains, and we’ll protect you.” He took a deep breath and softened his voice. “You’ll be safe with us.”
His promise helped calm her a little.
Ram slung the backpack over his shoulder and tucked the gun into his belt. “The Akorites are nearby, but if we hurry, we can slip out of here before they catch sight of us.”
Kora nodded. “We’ll follow the stream until it meets the Weeping River. Then we’ll cross and head south from there. We can reach Obenon by tomorrow.”
Daniel yanked his socks and shoes back on. “Then let’s not waste a moment more.”
After making sure there were no armed guerillas waiting for them outside, they slipped out of the cave and headed downstream.
Chapter Six
The more ground they covered, the more Kora calmed down, and once they were satisfied the scouts hadn’t picked up their trail, they slowed to a brisk walk, just fast enough to keep Daniel satisfied with their pace. She led them down winding trails that were invisible to his eyes. Silent as a fox, she navigated the dense forest with such confidence and stealth that he couldn’t help but begin to admire her skill.
Though few were the times she turned to make sure Daniel and Ram were keeping up, fewer still were the times she spoke, and when she did, it was mostly to caution them about low hanging branches or slippery moss patches. Still, Daniel watched her closely, and the further along they went, the more convinced he was that Kora was no ordinary girl. Her body was too fit, her outfit too rugged and worn, and her understanding of firearms too convenient for her to have popped out of some random town in the mountains. No, there was definitely more to this girl than met the eye.
“I’ve been thinking,” said Ram, coming up beside him. “You could come with me.”
Daniel pushed back a low-hanging branch. “Come with you where?”
“When we get Litty back. You could come with me. I have family in Cerdania. I bet it would be a fair shot better than whatever settlement the Preceptors have to offer.”
The offer caught him off guard. “You don’t know me that well.”
“I know. You don’t know me that well either, and I bet that’s more what you meant, anyways. Either way, think about it.”
Ram let Daniel pull ahead again. Daniel mulled over what Ram had said. To be sure, he wanted the best for Litty, and the thought of giving her a real home—at least for a while—was more than he had hoped for since the bombing, but he didn’t trust anyone other than himself to watch out for her. The thought of letting other people into their lives wasn’t something he was ready to embrace.
They stopped briefly to rest and refill their water supply from the stream.
Daniel took advantage of the pause to approach Kora. “Why are they after you?”
If the question caught her off guard, she didn’t show it. Kora dropped to her knees by the water and splashed her face. “Why are you so bent on going to Obenon?”
“I asked first.”
She stared at the swirling eddies before them. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Daniel sat beside her. “You’re scared—I get that. I am too. We’ve both been through a lot, that’s no secret. But for better or for worse, we’re on the same side now. We can help each other.” He tossed a twig into the stream and watched it float away. “That’s going to be harder if you won’t tell us anything about yourself.”
She ran her thumb up and down the hilt of the knife in her belt and remained silent.
Daniel sighed. “Obenon is deserted. There’s nothing left. The Preceptors evacuated us yesterday.” He paused. She gave no response. “My little sister got left behind, because I left her alone when I should have stayed. I take my eyes off of her for one minute and…I have to get her back, before anything happens to her.”
Kora finally met his gaze with eyes filled with a turmoil of emotions that he couldn’t begin to unravel. “I’m sorry.”
He tried again. “The Akorites took everything from me when they bombed Obenon—my parents, my home, and any chance we had at a good life. Tell me why you’re running from them. I know I was rough with you earlier, but I want to help you.”
She stood abruptly and wiped her hands on her top. “I’ll take you to Obenon. After that, we’ll part ways.” And with that, she strode off.
A minute later, they were on their way.
* * *
Night settled down on the Untamables like a thick blanket. The darkness came too quickly for Daniel’s liking, as they still wandered through what seemed like an unending chain of wooded valleys that the stream cut through. Nevertheless, even Kora admitted that she would likely get lost if they attempted to traverse the mountains at night, so they found a small glade within earshot of the brook, and after making sure it wasn’t hiding another snapjaw colony, they settled for the night.
They decided to light a small fire using one of the precious matches from Ram’s stash. There had been no sign of the Akorites scouts for hours, and in Daniel’s mind, warmth and protection from wild animals was well worth the small risk.
Kora drew a rough map of the area in a patch of dirt with the tip of her knife. “This tributary we’ve been following leads east to one of the few places the Weeping can be forded.”
Daniel watched her fill in mountains and forests around the squiggly line that represented the Weeping River. Her drawing danced in the firelight. “And once we’ve crossed the Weeping?”
“The river flows north, but we’ll turn south and follow the ravines until we reach a wooded fold that lies at the foot of Howling Crags.”
Ram studied her map with scrunched eyebrows. “I’ve never heard of anything called Howling Crags.”
“It’s one of the high peaks in this part of the mountains,” said Kora, “And Obenon lies just on the other side of it. Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it.”
Daniel frowned. “The mountains surrounding Obenon are impenetrable, especially the ones to the north.”
“That’s what most people think, but there’s a pass that cuts right through Howling Crags. It’s steep and dangerous, but unless you want walk for days to easier paths, it’s the only way.”
“Then we’ll deal
with it when the time comes,” said Daniel. He watched Kora brush her map away with her boot. “How do you know the mountains so well?”
For a moment, she paused. “I was raised in them. We moved around a lot.”
She said nothing else, and Daniel didn’t pursue any further response.
Ram suggested they take turns keeping an eye on the forest, saying how, with their luck, they’d likely be set upon by coyotes or worse, with or without a fire. He volunteered to stay up first, so Daniel and Kora got as comfortable as they could on the hard ground near the glowing embers.
Daniel lost track of how long he stayed awake, tossing and turning, listening to the crackling of the fire and the forest around them come alive with the sounds of the night, but when he finally managed to sleep, it was a fitful slumber riddled with bad dreams.
In his dream, the whistle of the train shrieked in his ears like a ghoul. Daniel froze, watching and feeling the scene unfold before his eyes. Litty was gone. The train began to pull away from the station, slowly at first, but picking up speed.
He shouted, but he already knew it would do no good. “Litty!” He could feel the passive stares of the other passengers. Once again, no one helped.
He turned towards the window, not wanting to look out, and yet knowing that he had to. He saw her. Standing in the station, alone. Ducky hanging loosely from her hand at her side. Her eyes, big and blue, confused, not understanding, watching the train leave.
Litty reached out with her free hand. Her pink lips mouthed one word, a word that no one would ever hear. Danny.
He jolted awake, sweating, clawing at the earth under him with fingers that were already raw. Keeping his eyes shut, he rolled onto his back and steadied his breathing. Once the dread of the nightmare had passed, he sat up.
He caught a glimpse of the moon between the boughs of the trees. Dawn was still far off. The embers of the fire still glowed. Ram slept propped up against his pack, and Kora still lay on her side on the other side of their makeshift fire pit. Save for Ram’s slumber, everything was as it should be. And yet, something was wrong.
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