Leaving the lake behind, the road entered the forest on its way to Sterrith. Only about half a day away, they should arrive a little after sunset.
“You know,” began Riyan, “it might be time to rid ourselves of our disguise. Some in Sterrith may remember us from our earlier visit, and seeing us with our skin now darkened could raise difficult questions.”
“I agree,” urged Kevik rather quickly. Of course, they all knew of his desire to get clean. Having to forgo washing now for several days was driving him crazy.
Bart nodded. “You may be right,” he agreed. At the next stream they came to, they dismounted and proceeded to remove all traces of the disguise Bart had applied to their skin. Kevik was the first to the water and began vigorously scrubbing every exposed surface.
Coming up behind him, Riyan asked, “Better?”
“Getting there,” he replied without stopping the scrubbing process.
Afterwards, they had a bite to eat before returning to the road. Then later that evening, a couple hours after sundown, the lights of Sterrith appeared through the trees. Bart had them halt fifty yards from the first building.
“Aren’t we going in?” asked Chad.
“Not just yet,” replied Bart. Then to Seth he said, “You go in first and see if you can discover where the River Man went.”
“And get a couple rooms while you’re at it,” added Riyan.
Seth nodded.
“Good luck brother,” Soth told him.
Seth turned to him and said, “Don’t go anywhere.” Chuckling to himself, he headed off toward Sterrith.
“We better move off the road a ways until he returns,” advised Bart. He then led the group thirty feet from the road before coming to a stop. From this position, they would be hidden from sight by anyone who might be upon the road, while at the same time could watch for Seth’s return.
“Do you think this precaution is necessary?” asked Chad. “After all, we had no trouble here the last time.”
“True,” answered Bart. “But last time the River Man, and possibly hundreds of soldiers, hadn’t passed this way either.” He paused a moment before adding, “I may just be paranoid, but let’s not take any chances.” If it wasn’t for the fact of their close proximity to the disputed lands between the two nations, he wouldn’t be so cautious.
“Okay,” replied Chad.
They waited for what must have been half an hour before the sound of many horses was heard approaching from the south. Bart and the others readied themselves to flee should they be noticed, but the riders turned off into the forest before they even came close. Moving eastward, the sound of their passing lasted for fifteen minutes before finally dying away.
“Something is definitely going on,” commented Riyan.
“How many does that make now?” he asked. “Three hundred riders?”
“Including the others we saw passing by earlier today,” Chyfe said, “closer to four.”
Bart glanced to Riyan and could see the same thought going through his mind. This wasn’t just a raiding party, the River Man was gathering an army.
Shortly after that, the silhouette of a lone rider was seen coming from Sterrith. As he came closer, he passed through a beam of moonlight filtering through the trees and they saw it to be Seth. Soth immediately rode forward and brought his brother over to where the others waited.
“He didn’t come through Sterrith,” Seth told them. “But one local said that three days ago, wagons rolled into town and practically stripped the town of its supplies. Mainly food, blankets, and other basic necessities.”
“Did anyone mention seeing riders in the forest to the east?” asked Riyan.
“Riders?” he asked.
“We saw over a hundred cut through the woods after you left,” explained Bart.
“Not directly, no,” Seth replied. “But when I asked about who had come and took the supplies, everyone grew quiet. After that no one would talk to me. I figured I learned all I could so returned.”
Gazing through the trees to the east, Bart nodded his head. “They’re out there,” he said. “Somewhere.” Then turning to Seth he asked, “Did you get the rooms?”
Seth nodded. “Four in the same inn we stayed in last time,” he replied. “They were the last they had.”
“Alright then,” Bart said. “You take the others to the inn while Soth and I do a little reconnoitering.”
“Me?” asked Soth, surprised at being included.
“Yes, you,” replied Bart. “I can’t very well be taken for one of them anymore now can I?”
“Well, no. I guess not,” he said.
“Why don’t we all go?” asked Chyfe.
“Two are quieter than seven,” he replied. “If we’re found, I’m sure they won’t hesitate to kill us.”
Seth nodded agreement. “Two is better.”
“Riyan, you and the others stay in the rooms and don’t come out for anything,” said Bart. “The less who know people from Byrdlon are here, the better.” Then getting the room numbers from Seth for when they returned, he turned and rode eastward through the trees.
“Don’t get yourself killed,” Seth told his brother.
“I won’t,” he replied, then turned and followed Bart into the trees.
“Come on,” Riyan said. “Let’s get to the inn and wait.”
Bart first followed the road to the south until they reached the point where the larger force they saw earlier had entered the forest. The passing of so many horses had left a clear path. Turning onto it, he and Soth followed.
“What are we to do when we find them?” Soth asked quietly.
“Take in the situation,” explained Bart. “See if we can discover the location of the River Man.” He glanced to Soth and said, “Once we know that, then we’ll see.”
“Alright,” replied Soth.
Being the quieter of the two, Soth had always been the second one chosen for anything. Which for the most part was fine with him as he didn’t have the drive to prove himself like his brother did. He was actually somewhat surprised when Bart asked him to come along. Maybe he felt a gentler hand would be needed for this than what his brother would bring along. Whatever the reason, he was enjoying himself.
The trail they followed continued through the woods for some time before light began to be seen through the trees ahead. Bart slowed then came to a stop. Silently pointing to their right, he indicated that it was time to leave the trail.
Soth nodded and turned to enter the trees.
Bart had them move a dozen yards from the trail before stopping. Slipping off of his horse, he whispered to Soth, “Stay here with the horses. If trouble arises, get out of here fast.”
In the darkness of the forest, Soth nodded. “Be careful,” he warned.
“I will,” Bart replied. Then moving off toward the distant lights, he disappeared into the forest.
Moving through the forest wasn’t at all like sneaking through an alley or along a rooftop. Here you had more possibilities of creating noise that would give you away. A branch lying on the ground, loose dirt, even animals that you might startle in your passing. Bart had to keep extra vigilant in order to move silently.
Taking it slow, he moved ever closer to the lights in the distance. He hadn’t gone far before the sound of voices could be heard and the smoke from their campfires began to be noticed.
As he continued forward, the trees thinned and he saw that the Tribesmen were camped in a large meadow. Hundreds of campfires dotted the area from one side to the other. Thousands of men were congregated around the fires. Near the north end of the meadow sprouted a group of tents. Easily three score, they were laid out in concentric rings. All but the central tents comprising the central ring were of uniform size, those were larger. They in turn were dwarfed by the largest one of all which occupied the heart of the inner circle.
“There you are,” Bart murmured to himself when he saw the large tent. That had to be the one belonging to the River Man. Beginning to circumnavigate the camp, he worked his way to a position which would afford him a better view of the tent area.
Security was lax. Very few men were posted as sentries, and of those who were, most talked with others
