Twice she paused drawing her bow before relaxing without a shot. The small unseen prey rustled off through the woodland, lucky to live another day. True to Andr's word, the stream formed a pool a short distance downstream. The setting was serene.
High in the sky above, the sun cast its beams through the scattered canopy overhead, illuminating the forest in dappled light. Soft moss covered the rocks that lined the edge of the water, and tall ferns and grasses spread out from its banks.
Ryl paused for a moment as the unexpected and unwelcome desires surged through his mind. In that instant, he was free. Free from the quest to liberate The Stocks. Free from the life that had kept him in relative chains for nearly half his existence.
He shook his head ridding the thoughts. There was no time for fantasies of what couldn't be. The distraction was a danger. His focus hardened once more; his purpose resolute. The Stocks would fall. The tributes would be free.
With a muffled sigh, he turned his attention back to their quest for food. The clear water of the pool was deep; Ryl could see the darkened shapes of large fish circling in its depths. Kaep's attention was focused downward, her bow drawn back to its peak tracking the fish below the water. A memory surfaced, a brief conversation in a wooded path. With it came an idea.
“Kaep, hold,” Ryl whispered.
She looked mildly annoyed at the interruption, but lowered her bow nonetheless.
“Let’s see if I can help,” he offered.
Ryl paused along the edge of the water. In the Erlyn, the forest had willingly provided its bounty. He had no delusions that the woods here would respond to his call, yet a piece of his conversation with Da'agryn had given him the idea he'd yet put to the test.
He kneeled on the damp, moss covered stones focusing on the fish below while sending out a reassuring feeling of calm. At the same time, he willed the fish to rise.
There was no question to his command. From below the fish responded on cue circling up to the surface. As the scales of their large bodies breached the water's surface, he plunged his hands into the cold water. His fingers closed around the slippery bodies of two fish as he yanked them out of the pool.
His face was beaming with childlike pride as he turned to face Kaep with his haul. She slowly shouldered her bow, replacing the arrow in her quiver. The smile spread across her face.
“Show me how to do that,” she said.
Chapter 47
Ryl and Kaep returned to the camp triumphant. Strung together on an arrow, ten fish were ready to be cooked. After well over a week surviving on the dried rations, the thought of fresh food made their stomachs rumble. Andr, who'd just returned from setting his traps, smiled at the pair.
“Nice catch,” he said. “Well done.”
He drew his sword, moving to one of the smaller saplings along the edge of the clearing. In one vertical strike he sheared the branches from one side. A second slash cleared the other side. A third sheared the tree off near its base.
“Now we can eat,” the mercenary grinned.
The fish were prepared and cooked over the small fire that Vox had burning, concealed behind the stone slab. The green branches Andr shaved from the tree served as a grill surface, protecting the fish from the coals below. A small stock of berries and wild greens had been scrounged together from the forest. Together with the freshly cooked fish, the meal was more than passable.
The rough plan was decided in quiet discussion as the meal turned into the early evening. At best guess, nearly two weeks remained before the annual Harvest. The Stocks were well over one hundred miles to the south. The party would remain uninvited residents of the forest for a portion of that time, slowly making their way closer. There were several small towns and villages between their current location and The Stocks; Andr and the Vigil could easily slip in, restock their supplies, glean important information and disappear without drawing much attention.
For the moment, food and water were resources they had in abundance. A day of rest would be a benefit as the road ahead was still long. The final task that loomed closer was perilous at best.
Their planning concluded after darkness had descended upon the forest. The group made to rest, eager for a decent night's slumber with bellies full, free from the tunnel and the howling winds of The Crags.
Ryl set his bedroll against the edge of the rock face. A steady stream of thoughts rushed through his mind as he sat down against the base of the large stone. Scanning the forest, he could see the fleeting glimpses of the stars visible through the slivers of openings between the branches.
Vox and Ramm were standing, conversing in hushed tones a few meters to his right. Kaep was sleeping alongside the stone that guarded the light from the waning fire. Andr and Dav too had made themselves comfortable; their slow, rhythmic breathing giving away their slumber.
Soldi and Nielix had drawn the first watch. Soldi stalked quietly down the path in the direction of the stream. Nielix slowly moved toward the other. He flashed Ryl a mildly veiled look of disapproval before stifling a yawn with the back of his hand. He felt a twinge of concern as he tracked the Vigil’s casual stroll down the forested the path. The healthy fear, the diligent attention that had been instilled in most after the devastation at the Prophet’s Tree had seemingly been lost on the over-confident soldier. As his skills had blossomed with the advanced training, his attitude had reverted back to that of reckless self-assurance. Ryl still couldn’t come to
