sends his
love and will join us when he feels it's safe for him to
escape."
"Where are we going?" Catrin asked, her voice
wavering.
"High in the mountains, there's a spot Wendel
and I found years ago. It's a good hiding place, and it has most of
what we'll need to survive. Now we need to get going. We don't want
to meet up with the townsfolk, and they could send sentries here at
any time.
"Strom, Osbourne, come with us if you wish,
but if you decide to stay, you must not tell where we are going.
Chase, your father asked me to take you along, and I hope you want
to come. He fears for your safety and thinks you'll be a help to
us."
"I'll go with you," Chase said.
"Sounds like a long camping trip. I want to
go," Osbourne added a moment later.
Strom seemed to struggle with some inner
turmoil, and they watched as they saw him thinking. "I hate to
leave Miss Mariss without a stable boy, and my mother will be
without the extra income, but I'm a terrible liar, and I'd surely
give you away if someone asked me. I think I should come too," he
said.
With that settled, Benjin repacked the
provisions and distributed the bags. Each of them was carrying a
great deal when they set off, their burdens heavier than just the
weight of the packs. Benjin led them through the trees, staying as
far from the open trail as possible and keeping to the shadows,
even though it slowed their pace.
They had covered very little distance when
the fire bells began ringing. Even from a distance, the cacophony
was startling and disconcerting. Benjin motioned for them to stop,
dropped his pack and bag, and climbed a nearby tree. It took him a
few moments to gain a clear view of the harbor. Once there, he
scanned the horizon. Cursing, he scrambled back to the anxiously
waiting group and tried to catch his breath.
"What did you see? What's happening?" Chase
asked, fear in his voice.
"The warning fires are lit," Benjin said.
"Which fires? Is the one near the Watering
Hole lit?" Strom asked anxiously.
"All of them are lit. The Godfist is under
attack." His words seemed to linger in the air, and a feeling of
impending doom crept across the group. Benjin cocked his head to
one side as if listening intently. "We need to go. Now."
"But my father . . ." Catrin protested.
"Your father can take care of himself, li'l
miss. He'd wring my neck if I let you go back there after 'im. You
know he would. You're in far more danger than he is. Now go!" he
said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He led them on
a meandering trek from shadow to shadow. They moved as quietly as
they could, but every noise seemed to echo across the valley. They
heard no sounds of pursuit, but they would have had to struggle to
hear anything over the pounding of their hearts and their labored
breathing.
Rather than head for the falls, Benjin angled
north and east, and when they reached the eastern ridgeline, he
started up the incline. It was a difficult climb, but it would take
them into the neighboring valley, Chinawpa. It was narrower than
the fertile Pinook River Valley. Bramble and thorn bushes grew
thick, and few ventured there.
After having been hidden by the shadows,
Catrin felt as if the whole world could see her on the face of the
mountain. They climbed in anxious silence, occasionally disturbing
loose rocks, which bounced down the steep incline with what sounded
like a terrible clatter. Benjin occasionally stopped to scan the
valley for signs of pursuit, but he saw none.
Sweaty and tired, they crested the ridgeline
and stared into the valley below. The descent into the Chinawpa
Valley was not as steep as their climb had been. Benjin continued
to lead, moving carefully down the ridgeline at an angle to make
the descent more gradual. Daylight was failing them, and he
cautioned them to beware of loose rock and scree. A few tenacious
trees growing out of the rock face steadied them in treacherous
places.
It was early twilight when they finally
reached the valley floor,
love and will join us when he feels it's safe for him to
escape."
"Where are we going?" Catrin asked, her voice
wavering.
"High in the mountains, there's a spot Wendel
and I found years ago. It's a good hiding place, and it has most of
what we'll need to survive. Now we need to get going. We don't want
to meet up with the townsfolk, and they could send sentries here at
any time.
"Strom, Osbourne, come with us if you wish,
but if you decide to stay, you must not tell where we are going.
Chase, your father asked me to take you along, and I hope you want
to come. He fears for your safety and thinks you'll be a help to
us."
"I'll go with you," Chase said.
"Sounds like a long camping trip. I want to
go," Osbourne added a moment later.
Strom seemed to struggle with some inner
turmoil, and they watched as they saw him thinking. "I hate to
leave Miss Mariss without a stable boy, and my mother will be
without the extra income, but I'm a terrible liar, and I'd surely
give you away if someone asked me. I think I should come too," he
said.
With that settled, Benjin repacked the
provisions and distributed the bags. Each of them was carrying a
great deal when they set off, their burdens heavier than just the
weight of the packs. Benjin led them through the trees, staying as
far from the open trail as possible and keeping to the shadows,
even though it slowed their pace.
They had covered very little distance when
the fire bells began ringing. Even from a distance, the cacophony
was startling and disconcerting. Benjin motioned for them to stop,
dropped his pack and bag, and climbed a nearby tree. It took him a
few moments to gain a clear view of the harbor. Once there, he
scanned the horizon. Cursing, he scrambled back to the anxiously
waiting group and tried to catch his breath.
"What did you see? What's happening?" Chase
asked, fear in his voice.
"The warning fires are lit," Benjin said.
"Which fires? Is the one near the Watering
Hole lit?" Strom asked anxiously.
"All of them are lit. The Godfist is under
attack." His words seemed to linger in the air, and a feeling of
impending doom crept across the group. Benjin cocked his head to
one side as if listening intently. "We need to go. Now."
"But my father . . ." Catrin protested.
"Your father can take care of himself, li'l
miss. He'd wring my neck if I let you go back there after 'im. You
know he would. You're in far more danger than he is. Now go!" he
said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. He led them on
a meandering trek from shadow to shadow. They moved as quietly as
they could, but every noise seemed to echo across the valley. They
heard no sounds of pursuit, but they would have had to struggle to
hear anything over the pounding of their hearts and their labored
breathing.
Rather than head for the falls, Benjin angled
north and east, and when they reached the eastern ridgeline, he
started up the incline. It was a difficult climb, but it would take
them into the neighboring valley, Chinawpa. It was narrower than
the fertile Pinook River Valley. Bramble and thorn bushes grew
thick, and few ventured there.
After having been hidden by the shadows,
Catrin felt as if the whole world could see her on the face of the
mountain. They climbed in anxious silence, occasionally disturbing
loose rocks, which bounced down the steep incline with what sounded
like a terrible clatter. Benjin occasionally stopped to scan the
valley for signs of pursuit, but he saw none.
Sweaty and tired, they crested the ridgeline
and stared into the valley below. The descent into the Chinawpa
Valley was not as steep as their climb had been. Benjin continued
to lead, moving carefully down the ridgeline at an angle to make
the descent more gradual. Daylight was failing them, and he
cautioned them to beware of loose rock and scree. A few tenacious
trees growing out of the rock face steadied them in treacherous
places.
It was early twilight when they finally
reached the valley floor,
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