The Chronicles of Gan: The Thorn by Daron Fraley Page B

Pekah
said.
    Eli wiped his eyes, but offered no further
comment. With nothing more to say, Jonathan broke off another chunk
of bread. They ate in silence.
    After they had eaten, they found their
clothing to be mostly dry. They each dressed, and then retrieved
supplies and weapons. The only one with armor, Pekah also strapped
on his leather breastplate. Before they left, Jonathan walked
toward a dead oak tree where he had spied a sturdy branch sagging
within easy reach, just thick enough for him to get his large hands
comfortably around it. He pushed with all his weight. The trunk
shivered as the branch split away, making a deep, booming crack
that echoed through the trees. Although Eli was skilled enough with
a bow, a thick walking staff would suit him better if they were to
get into a fight. Jonathan handed the broken limb to Eli, who
accepted it eagerly.
    “Thank you!”
    “My pleasure. It ought to keep you
busy.”
    Eli winked at Jonathan. He took the dagger
from his belt and used it to lop off the remaining twigs, producing
a rough, but usable “stick,” as he called it. “I can finish it as
we walk,” he said.
    The men then left the river and returned to
the trail winding through the trees. They marched at a good pace
for several hours and talked about various things, none of which
were very important, but it helped to pass the time. While they
traveled, Jonathan watched with interest as Eli used a smaller boot
knife to whittle down the sharp ends of his stick. Eli also removed
the bark and rough knots on the limb, making it smooth. By the time
Jonathan noticed the long shadows of late afternoon around them,
Eli’s walking staff was a work of art. Although the rounded surface
had a slight natural curve to it, the now-carved branch proved to
be very strong and sturdy.
    Eli claimed he could not have found a better
specimen if he had tried. As they traveled, he occasionally tested
its strength by hitting dead branches upon the trees lining the
trail, easily shattering them. After a few finishing touches to the
surface of the staff, Eli sheathed his knife.
    The heat of mid-afternoon was now well upon
them, causing their pace to slow considerably as the trees thinned
along the trail. The sound of the river, all but lost to them now,
made Jonathan suspect it had taken a turn to the north. They
discussed theories as to where the waterway had gone, but were not
overly concerned, knowing the river would eventually meet up with
them again.
    About half an hour later, as they had
predicted, the river came close enough to smell and hear, and just
ahead of them, the simple forest trail drastically changed. They
could see the path widen, being joined by a cart-road from the
south which rose over a hill covered in wild flowers and
grasses.
    Pekah stopped walking. “Not far from here is
a pass to the city of Gilad. Being this close to Gideon makes me a
little nervous. I didn’t know we would find this particular road—I
thought we were farther north than this.”
    Jonathan pointed to the road in the
distance. “This road goes to Ain?”
    “Yes. I have traveled it before, although
not all the way into the city.”
    Jonathan’s brow furrowed, and he sighed with
some frustration. “I’m not sure how to proceed, Pekah. If we take
this road, there are sure to be Gideonite soldiers on it, and we’ll
be found.”
    Eli cleared his throat and motioned in the
direction of the river. “What if we cross the water and continue
west from there?”
    The three of them debated their ability to
re-cross later if the river deepened, but in the end, they all
agreed it was a prudent thing to do. They left the trail before the
road joined it and waded into the river at the shallowest part they
could see. It took them some time to cross because of the current,
but they did so safely.
    Once on the other side, they found the area
north of the river to be a bit more forested, yet still passable,
even though there were no trails. Progress was slow