Chronicles of Den'dra: A Land Torn: Ancient Powers Awaken by Spencer Johnson

Skeln didn’t realize was that Urake had neutralized the malevolent pursuers and was now desperately trying to catch up himself. He couldn’t track at night without a hound or at least a supply of torches. While Skeln was moving on in the wee hours of the morning Urake was sleeping lightly, waking frequently to check the light. He was protected from the cold by his dual sided cloak having discarded the threadbare one under a rock miles back. When the sun was still below the horizon it shed barely enough light to meet Urake’s requirements. He began anew the trail. It was as indistinct as yesterday for a couple more miles then he found where Skeln had rested the night.
    Urake also discovered the tracks of a couple dozen wolves in the same area. Fearing the worst he found Skeln’s sleeping spot and a set of tracks that moved downhill. He concluded that the wolves had passed after Skeln due to the lack of a struggle. These new tracks were already a few hours old indicating the early start that Skeln had. Urake followed the tracks with less difficulty for a while before they again became obscure. More deduction told Urake that Skeln had been at this point when the light grew strong enough to see safer footing.
    Urake cursed under his breath. Skeln’s lead had grown over that of yesterday’s. There was nothing that could be done about it but follow as fast as possible. The trail led down the side of the mountain out of the scrub and alpine vegetation into the verdant forests of lower altitudes. The trail was easier in spots and harder in others due to the changed flora. In a meadow it was easy to track the crushed stems. A stream negated the advantage gained in the meadow because the tracks went in on one side and didn’t come out on the other. Urake wasted half an hour following the stream up one way without luck before he followed it down. A couple hundred feet down he discovered a faint footprint on the bank.
    Again on the trail Urake continued for a time at a good pace. His next hurdle was when he reached a road. Here he found where Skeln had rested for a time hidden in a thicket. The trail then crossed the road and entered a stand of alders. Skeln’s skill at hiding his tracks hadn’t diminished through the day and if anything the boy was learning new tricks. At one point the trail became clearly defined only to stop at a rock ledge that bared further progress. Backtracking Urake discovered another fainter trail that led back the way he had come. The trail proceeded to closely follow the original trail for a hundred yards or so then merged leaving Urake back at the ledge. Unable to find any other tracks Urake was left with the ledge. He almost feared he had lost the trail when he saw some scuff marks a few feet over on the ledge. Further examination showed a few handholds. At the bottom Urake picked up the trail again.
    Intent on ferreting out every false turn Urake found another hurdle that involved a stream and a trail that entered it and exited it at three different points and looped back again. Skeln had taken one of the loops twice and climbed up on a leaning tree. A few dozen feet away the real trail started again. This time Skeln didn’t bother trying to hide anymore. Apparently he was certain that his pursuers would be stymied by his elaborate ruses and no longer followed him.
    Urake was able to jog at times the trail was so clear. Only now and then did it fade but only as the terrain assisted. A rock field proved annoying but the tracks were clear again on the other side. Suddenly Urake realized that the tracks he was following were not alone. For a stretch about eight other tracks joined Skeln’s. Warily he continued on the watch for these other individuals. They seemed to only be traveling in the same direction but at different times these strangers and Skeln. Suddenly a man holding a loaded crossbow stepped out from behind a tree.
    “Hold it there mister.” Two more appeared on the other side of the