Penumbra - Book 2 (13)

Kerron rushed to Mott's side. His eyes were open wide and darting back and forth with fear. He managed to focus on Kerron for a second and tried to speak, but his throat was entirely blocked- all that came out was a wet gurgling. A fresh wash of blood came flooding from the exit wound on his neck. Kerron felt a wave of nausea attempt to overcome him. He put his hand on Mott's, then to the arrow but, seeing nothing he could do to save the man, felt his limbs just dangle uselessly at his side, feeling an overwhelming sense of helplessness. With mighty effort, Mott again attempted to make a sound, again failing to produce anything that resembled words, but this time he supplemented his communication by pointing towards the boulder that he and Kerron had hidden behind. Kerron looked and understood.

"He's gone, Kerron!" Salazar said, now beside him. "There's no medicine that can fix a wound such as that. He'll be dead within the minute- and so will we if we don't get moving! Now come on!" He attempted to grab Kerron's arm but Kerron roughly shook it off.

"You saddle the cart and get ready, I'll be right behind you."

Salazar made a noise of frustration but Kerron cut him off by holding up a finger.

"I'll be fifteen seconds, no more."

Before the ranger could protest further, Kerron bolted towards the cranny between the boulder and the cactus copse where the first casualty of the battle had fallen. Sidestepping the body, he dived into the triangular gap and immediately began scurrying in the sand where Mott had buried the two pouches of sulpur. They had barely a layer of the red dust over them and he recovered them quickly, thrusting them into his pack, which had been laying discarded on the sandy floor. Without wasting a second, he scrabbled to his feet and ran towards the wagon, to which Salazar had returned and was securing the traces that fastened the two horses to their burden.

As Kerron ran past the body of Mott and the second cartwright, a random thought occurred to him and he dipped low as he ran to scoop Mott's bloody, fallen mace from the floor of the path. Grains of red dirt stuck to the metal of the four blades where the blood had made them adhere. The mace was heavy, much heavier than he'd expected, but Mott had been a large man and Kerron's arms were thin and not muscular. Still, it was a fine weapon and not something he thought he should leave behind for the lightsiders to find and use against his own. He only wished he had more time to search Mott's now-still body, but he didn't think Salazar would tolerate even another second of delay. He noted, as he hefted the mace from the ground without stopping in his run, that Mott's eyes were now closed, and he seemed preternaturally still. Kerron couldn't tell if he had stopped breathing, but the blood no longer spilled from his neck. Kerron continued to run and tore his eyes from the fallen Thal.

He ran to the fore of the wain to see that Salazar had mounted one of the two horses.

"There's neither seat nor reins, this cart is designed to be walked not ridden on, but we can't proceed at walking speed, so we're going to have to ride the horses. You can ride?"

Kerron nodded, although Salazar need not have asked. While he was young, it was rare to find a child out of swaddling cloth who could not ride a horse. It was an essential skill for the nomadic life of the tribes.

Salazar nodded in return. "Good. The cart will slow us up some, but we can still make good speed- and if we find ourselves pursued, we can cut the load loose and make a run for it."

The horses were not saddled for riding, but bareback riding was also a common skill among riders, and Kerron threw his pack, along with Mott's mace, into the cart before using it as leverage to mount the horse swiftly, pulling himself up to the crease between the barrel of the horse and its shoulder muscles. The horse whinnied and shifted slightly to one side, as if it sensed that its new rider was not its owner, but the beast was tame and complied with his reassurances as he patted its flank. The reins that had previously been used to lead the horses from the front had now been looped over their heads and he held them lightly in his hand. As he did this, Salazar continued speaking:

"We'll just have to pray we don't run into the forward scouts, and if we do, we'll just ride through and hope they don't have the wherewithal to stop one of their own carts."

Kerron, who had only been half-listening up to this point, started and then quickly put his hand on Salazar's arm, reaching out from one horse to the other.

"Wait... we're going nightward?"

Salazar gave him an uncomprehending look. "Of course we are you daftling. Where else?"

"Mott... the man I was with..."

"The Thal, yes." Salazar said impatiently, rolling his hand in a quick circular motion, signifying him to hurry up.

"He was taking me to the caves of the Thal, to..." he paused, unsure of what to say, unable to tell the secret that had been entrusted to him. "...to take me to the caves. To reach the dusk side of night, by hiding below the earth as the day passed us over."

"And do you know where these caves are?"

Kerron shook his head, the hopelessness of his situation slowly rising in his consciousness.

"And do you speak the language of the Thals, should you be able to somehow find an entrance to their world?"

Kerron stuttered as he replied. "N-no."

"Then I'd say that's something of a fool's quest, tribesman. Let's get you back to your camp, with speed."

Kerron's mind raced to find some other answer, unable to believe his adventure had been cut short so soon, but he could find no conclusion other than the one Salazar had already arrived at. He nodded his acceptance.

"Be sure to keep up with me Kerron." said Salazar as his only notice before squeezing tightly with his legs to send his horse lurching forward. Without thinking, Kerron did the same and together the two horses surged ahead, sending the cart hurtling forward down the path. The noise of the hooves thudding across the thick-packed sand and the cartwheels bouncing wildly across the bumpy road as it was pulled much faster than it was doubtlessly designed to do was much louder than Kerron had expected and he winced as he thought of the noise that must surely be echoing up through the mountain valley to the ears of the daysiders. They were well within their territory now, and Kerron noticed that his head ached with the strength of the light on his eyes, and the pounding hooves and rattling wagon did nothing to help alleviate his pain. His head was but one source of his hurt, the other being the thought that, however far away, the entrance to the caves of the Thal, somewhere within these mountains, now drew further and ever further away, beyond his reach. He could not possibly accomplish that which Asherei had tasked him with, and would have to return to her in shame. Perhaps she would know of another way, maybe there was another cave he could shelter in, he grasped.

They ran the horses at top speed for as long as they dared, putting as much distance between them and the site of the bloody confrontation as they could. As soon as the bodies were discovered, the alarm would be raised and their chances of escape would narrow significantly. However no horse could drag the weight of a cart and a body for extended periods, and after some fifteen minutes had passed Salazar gave the signal to ease off and bring the horses to a slower trot, still much faster than walking speed but not the flat-out pace they first maintained. As the noise died down, Kerron was able to ask a question that had occurred to him shortly into their flight from the day.

"If I could venture a question, ranger..." he seeked askance of Salazar before continuing: "Whatever were you doing following me? Not that I don't appreciate what you did..."

Salazar cut him off with a laugh. "Not at all, the least I could do to repay my subterfuge." He considered a moment before continuing. "After I'd done all I could to help spread the word of your camp's departure, I decided to leave for my own tribe, which is some ways ahead of yours, on our own path, although of course we travel the same valley that your tribe takes when it is time to cross the Rashada mountains." This was the same valley that Salazar had found Kerron sketching in the sand- there was only one major passage through the Rashadas, and all travelers not on foot were compelled to take it. Salazar continued: "This must have been about the same time that you and your cave-dwelling friend broke camp, because I saw you walking ahead of me. And, well, what can I say?" He looked sheepish. "After saving your life once, I felt a certain responsibility to ensure your safe passage. And also, my curiosity was piqued. You were heading back towards the sunrise, with the enemy so close. Can you blame me for wondering why?"

"To go to the caves." Kerron said defensively. "As... as punishment. For leaving camp too much." Kerron invented on the fly, mixing a little truth into his lie to make it more palatable.

Salazar gave him an incredulous look. "Whatever you say, tribesman. I guess your elder will have to think of something else to punish you, if this hasn't been enough of an ordeal for you already."

They had cleared the dirty path of the mountain during their quick burst of speed and had now entered the lower foothills at the mountain base where Kerron's tribe had camped previously. Very soon they would be coming upon the place where the camp had been, but of course the tribe would have moved on by now. The landscape was fairly sparse with trees, the crooked things that sprung up in response to the medium temperatures of the penumbra to flourish briefly before the black winter overtook them and sent them into hibernation for another season. While there were not large numbers of these sturdy plants, there was enough to limit visibility to perhaps two hundred feet.

As they crested a rise in the land, they became aware of a noise ahead of them in the trees, the source of which was not visible but was most certainly that of a large group of people. Salazar pulled the horses to a stop and surveyed the land from his elevated position, but saw nothing.

"Could it be my tribe?" Kerron asked hopefully.

"They should be far ahead of us by now. We can't possibly be..."

His words were cut off as a cry was raised, and they saw the source of the noise just as it had seen them- a lightsider visible between two of the trees, clearly calling to more just beyond sight.

"To the right!" Salazar cried before spurring his horse to action, and Kerron struggled to force his horse forward into the same motion, bringing the cart hurtling down the hill behind them as they rushed forward and to the north-west. The lightsiders were directly between them and the path his own tribe travelled.

Arrows pinged off of the side of their cart, the whistle of stabilizing feathers coming close to Kerron's ear as he urged his horse to ever greater speed, the cart bouncing wildly behind them as they passed over thick tree roots and bumps in the ground without thought for their cargo, some of which was flying in all directions from the wagon as if it was trying to shake them free. As they ran along the treeline, more and more of the enemy emerged, some trying vainly to run and catch up with the rocketing cart, others with bows taking wild shots as fast as they could in an attempt to hit one of the two riders. For the second time in as many hours, Kerron's heart went into overdrive at the sight of so many lightsiders- at least twenty that he could see, with many more no doubt just beyond the line of the trees.

While the noise of the horses and their carriage was horrendous, the two riders were still able to distinguish the noise of a third horse coming up on their flank. Kerron whipped his head around to see a mounted lightsider rapidly coming up on the right-hand side of the shaking wagon, notching an arrow to his bow as he did so.

"Salazar!" Kerron screamed, but Salazar had already marked the approaching threat, and was twisting on his mount to face the enemy, displaying incredible balance at this speed. In a single motion, he withdrew a pointed throwing stake, a short piece of wood that had been whittled to a sharp end, and hurled it at the mounted bowman. It spun in the air in a short arc, moving so fast it seemed like a spinning disc as it passed before Kerron's eyes before embedding itself in the upper bow-arm of the rider. With a cry, he fell backwards out of his saddle, but his right foot did not dislodge from its stirrups, and the man was trampled by the rear legs of his own mount as he bounced over the terrain passing underneath it's hooves. Even in his state of fear, Kerron could not help but wince as he heard the cries of the rider as he was repeatedly stomped by the heavy feet. The horse, now riderless, veered off to one side, dragging it's owner with it. Salazar twisted back to the front of his horse and steered it again to the right, away from the treeline and the still-emerging flank of lightsiders.

However without horses the enemy could not keep up, and after weathering another hail of arrows they were away, and again, after some good distance had been put between them and the soldiers, Salazar eased the horses down to a gentle trot. Kerron looked behind him at the cart, expecting to see it in pieces after the brutal treatment it had undergone, but lightsider craftsmanship had much to admire in it, as the cart had survived the flight in much better shape than they'd dared to hope.

Salazar made a clicking noise in the bottom of his throat and spoke: "I'm afraid those troops are directly between us and your tribe, and by the time we go around them, if that's even possible, your tribe will be beyond Shada lake and we'll be trapped between the lake and the lightsiders.

Kerron stared hopelessly. "My tribe's path goes along the south side of Shada lake, can we not go around it to the north?" He gestured ahead, for their flight had taken them in a north-west direction, take lake lay directly ahead, although was still quite distant.

Salazar nodded slowly as he considered this. "There's nothing else for it. It's rougher terrain, for sure, but I've heard of it done. We can try and outpace the sun, catch up with your tribe on the other side. But the lake is huge, as you must know. It will be many months before we can rejoin your tribesmen.

Kerron felt despair overwhelm him, and fought to keep from showing tears before this hardened warrior. Still, the shame was visible in his face.

"What is it, Kerron?" Salazar said. Kerron appreciated that he did not refer to him as a child, as they had when they first met.

"Asherei, my elder, she tasked me with a... a message, for the elder of my sister tribe on the leading edge of the penumbra, where it is dusk."

Salazar nodded knowingly. "I thought as much. That is why you sought the caves."

"Yes. She expected her message delivered within five months. By the time we catch up with my tribe, well, I doubt she'll be pleased."

"I see." Salazar thought on this for some time, the slow rhythm of the trotting horses measuring out the interval in beats. "Could you not simply... go the other way around?"

Kerron laughed without meaning to. "You mean, outpace the night to emerge on the other side?"

Salazar didn't laugh in response. "It's been done. Surely you must have heard of those who have done it."

Kerron had not, but didn't want to admit as much, and so deflected: "But, the black winter? No light. No heat, not for months. Surely no-one could survive!"

Salazar spoke with authority. "There's light from the stars. The heat of your body. Sure, it will take clothing -much clothing- and supplies, as well. But it's been done before, many times. How do you think the sunward and nightward tribes know of each other, by skulking in caves? No, there is nightside passage, if you're prepared to undergo it."

"I am!" Kerron said, excitedly, seeing some little hope at last.

"Well as it happens, brother, it's been something I've been meaning to try." Salazar said with equal enthusiasm. "I wouldn't mind visiting my own sister tribe, now that you mention it. I think I've a cousin there who would find my arrival a thing of much surprise." he said with a grin.