The Northern Approach Read online

  When Raeln stopped circling, Estin eased into a ready crouch, his lengthy tail snaking behind and above him. He seemed reluctant to take his eyes off Raeln, but he turned slightly and looked back at the fox. Almost immediately the animal moved so it could look him in the face.

  “My mate was a druid,” Estin explained to Raeln, meeting the fox’s eyes. There was no challenge between them, no hostility, though Raeln could see Estin was puzzled by that as well. “Who’s to know what deal she made with the wildlife? Is it just chance that the animal that came was a fox?”

  Seemingly understanding, the fox yipped sharply, then ran to the pack Raeln had left near the entrance to the sheltered area, filled with the meager supplies that could be carried without going bad. The fox practically tore the bag apart, tossing everything about like it was trying to dig through the bag and into the ground, its thick tail wagging excitedly.

  “I’m going to sleep,” Estin explained, sitting back down. “If that animal comes to any harm, I will rip your throat out while you rest one night or another.”

  Raeln watched helplessly as Estin lay back down and the fox examined the remnants of their supplies. He wanted to chase off the animal, but he knew Estin was very likely to do something foolish and rash in his condition. Instead, Raeln sat down and watched the fox, which stopped what it was doing and watched him back, looking almost as though it were smiling at him.

  About an hour later, with Raeln still hunkered in his corner of the rocks and the fox sitting near Estin staring at him, the others returned, stopping at the entrance to the campsite.

  “Is this yours?” Yoska asked first, shifting his armload of dry wood and kindling to point at the fox. “Is in my spot, no? I tell you repeatedly, I wish to sit with back to a wall. Animal is in my spot, no?”

  On’esquin was no less amused, judging by his addition. “When I told you in confidence how many people we needed according to the prophecy, I did not expect you to try so hard to inflate our numbers. I refuse to count the fox.”

  Grumbling to himself, Raeln glowered at the fox, which yipped happily and then stared at him a little longer. He was now certain it was trying to smile at him. Whatever the story was with the animal, it had more personality than some of the elves he had grown up with, for better or worse.

  The campfire was soon built and blazing, warming the stones around them nicely. With that done, Raeln set off on his own to hunt, hoping the area had plenty of game. He had gotten no more than twenty feet out from the hidden camp before he realized he was being followed. Looking back, he saw the gleaming eyes of the fox as it padded along behind him in the dark woods. The animal’s eyes reflected the light the same way the eyes that had watched them every night had.

  “You’ve been following us since we left the caves, haven’t you?” he asked, frowning at the beast. The fox sat down and stared at him blankly. “If you’re going to go with me, you could at least help hunt.”

  The animal stared at him a little longer, then sniffed, looked around, and took off at a run toward nearby bushes. It emerged a second later, carrying a fat rabbit, which it dropped at Raeln’s feet. Sitting down again, it waited for him to indicate what he wanted next.

  “I’ll be damned,” Raeln muttered, laughing. “You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”

  The fox cocked its head, as if to ask, “What are you talking about?”

  “Fine. Keep playing that game. If you want to help, then show me where I can find something bigger. We’ve been living on rabbits and squirrels for weeks. Deer or elk would be a nice change. Maybe some apples?”

  Letting out an annoyed grumbly noise, the fox sniffed at the ground and set off farther into the woods.

  “Companion or not, I’ll take it,” Raeln told himself, smiling as he followed the fox into the woods, picking up the distant smell of a passing deer as he went. “Don’t tell Yoska you’re more helpful than he is or he’ll pout for days.”

  Chapter Six

  “Urishaan”

  The world has changed twice in my eyes.

  Once, it has become a new place, unburdened by all that I have done and showed it, grown up like a child becoming an adult and forgetting the lessons of those who came before it. This is natural and I am overjoyed to see what those I once ruled over have become. These are my true legacy, the people made bettered by the knowledge our people spread to the world.

  When I next close my eyes, all that I have seen is destroyed. I see the cities fall to those who defied me during my lifetime. I see children weeping for the thousands they have watched die. I see starvation, thirst, plague, and a loss of all that has been wrought. I see blame laid at my feet and all that I have done cast aside by the actions of another.

  We are to blame, and only if my words are clear enough will we be able to set things right again. Failing to do so, we will either watch the world burn or we will condemn it to an eternity under the thumb of one who has become all that I sought to banish from the lands I conquered: hatred, ignorance, and blind willingness to destroy that which does not conform.

  The six will struggle. One in the darkness, one in another skin, and another through a path that will lead through both death and life.

  - Excerpt from the lost prophecies of Turess

  “I can see a way down from up here. It’s some kind of old path off to our right. Looks like a water run-off that’s dried out,” Estin called from his perch high above the others. He had scrambled up the nearly sheer cliff like a squirrel and hung easily there, staring off into the distance, giving him a better view of the area than the others. He had not climbed much of anything in months, and the feeling of hanging off the sheer stone was a sensation he had forgotten enjoying quite so much.

  Turning his head more toward the east, he spotted the billowing glow of the very mists that had brought him back to the region, drifting aimlessly. That cloud was death incarnate, tearing down cities and nations, and Estin had every intention of keeping a watch over it, lest it approach again.

  Looking back down at his companions, Estin saw them all looking in different directions. Even the fox—who, Estin kept reminding himself, he really needed to name—stared off randomly. All of them nodded knowingly, though not one was looking in the correct direction. It was infuriating to Estin that a simple climb of no more than twenty feet up the wall of the cliff would have shown them the right way, but they were satisfied with pretending they knew what he was talking about. People who lived entirely on the ground rarely had a good sense of what was really around them.From what he could see, they had been heading the wrong direction for almost two days. Only Yoska seemed to pay any attention to where Estin was looking, though he was watching the east, where the mists lay.

  “What is out there?” asked Yoska, not looking up.

  Estin called back, “One big ugly cloud.”

  Yoska’s smirk told Estin he knew what was there, but instead of telling the others, he announced, “I think we do not go to the eastern part of Urishaan. Cities beyond here are likely under Turessian control. We go north, not east. Is far from main road Turessians take to get to Altis.”

  Estin shook his head sadly at having to deal with these people, when he really wanted to be hiking westward in search of the desert where his children were waiting for his return. Had he seen a single path in that direction, he would have already left during the night and probably taken the little fox that had doggedly followed him for the last week. Given a lack of options, helping the whole group continue on their foolish trek northward was at least something to keep him from thinking about his own troubles for a while. If nothing else he reminded himself that he was helping Raeln, who was barely able to make it through a day without becoming lost in thought about his dead lover. After his own losses, Estin could not help feeling responsible for helping the man.

  Looking toward the north and the steep drop-off from the mountain where they stood, Estin traced the path he had seen back up as near to their location as he could. The trees
that covered the mountain’s slope had hidden the path from view, but he could see it when looking beyond the foothills and green flatlands. The path was tiny and wound around aimlessly, but he could identify it as an animal trail, as it diverted to several small ponds and well away from open spaces. With the mountain range curving off toward the west, the whole of the plains opened up in the distance ahead of them.

  Wishing he could stay where he was rather than return to the others, Estin let the sun warm his fur a little longer. Once he knew they would realize he was stalling, he reluctantly picked his way down the stone wall. As he came down, he looked somewhat southeast, searching the mountain peaks for any sign of Altis, where he had grown up. From what he could see and what Yoska had muttered noncommittally, they were far north of Altis by leagues. The city had never quite come into sight, and Estin had only the others’ vague ideas of their location to go on. Deep down, he wished he could see it one last time to give him a sense of closure.

  Shortly after Estin reached the ground, On’esquin checked his torn and crumbling map, which looked as though half of it had already been lost. After a moment, he announced, “If memory serves, the city of Pholithia in Urishaan lies out past the hills. That city was one of our greatest gems, a hub of knowledge between lands.”

  Estin turned to look at Yoska, who shrugged.

  “Was nice place last visit, but no gem I would say. The green man is right, though. City should be day or so after we get out of mountains. Much as I do not like being trapped in walled city, will be nice to get off my feet, yes?”

  “What about Estin and I?” asked Raeln, surprising Estin and getting a confused look back from both Yoska and On’esquin. “Wildlings. Do they accept them here? I’ve heard the farther north we go, the worse it becomes for our kind. Altis is hardly the shining example of friendly welcomes. How do they treat our kind here?”

  That thought had not even occurred to Estin. He had been away from cities in this region long enough that he had not considered how badly his kind were viewed by many. The year and more he had spent in the desert lands, where wildlings could rise to title, had thankfully dimmed his memories of how Altis and Lantonne had treated him. Idly, he rubbed at the scars on his hands as he waited for someone to answer Raeln.

  “Ah, this,” Yoska answered, seemingly uncomfortable. “How you say…um…you do not want to know.”

  “Do we stay outside?” Estin asked. He had no desire to put himself in another city where he was not wanted. Horrible things always came out of those situations and he certainly had the scars to prove it.

  The gypsy shook his head. “Is not big deal. Keep mouth shut and you three follow me around like I am king. Is small leap, but we practice on the way into city, yes?”

  “Three?” demanded On’esquin, looking up from his map. “In answer to your question…no. There are only two wildlings. Your math is as bad as your accent, gypsy.”

  “You say you are very old man. Many things changed even in my lifetime. The two with fur will need to be leashed, but you can walk free…so long as you stay close to owner. We tell them you are bodyguard and no one will ask too many things. If you wander off, I have to have long talks with city guard that I do not relish.”

  Rage flared in Estin’s chest and he barely felt himself run at Yoska. Memories of his children leashed and whipped came unbidden as he slammed the old human up against a tree, digging his claws into the man’s shirt to hold him there. “I will not wear a leash again!” Estin snarled at Yoska, but eased his grip as On’esquin put his hand on his and Raeln tensed to strike at him. The two simply did not understand what he had seen over the last few years. “I owe you my life several times over, Yoska, but I won’t be a slave again! Once was enough. I rotted in that camp for more than a year before you and Finth found me. I can’t do it again.”

  “Think of it this way,” Yoska pleaded, raising his hands defensively, subtly waving away the others, “would you rather be found by bad angry humans and given real leash or have little old gypsy pretend to lead you around for day or two? I do not say it will be fun for you, but is not so bad as you think, no? I am merciful master, yes?”

  Estin pulled his arm back to strike at Yoska, but Raeln caught him by the wrist. Shame at what he had intended to do made Estin sick, but he could not bring himself to apologize when it came to slavery. Even a friend suggesting it in jest made thoughts of his children being whipped for stealing scraps at the camp come to mind, and he wanted someone to suffer for those memories.

  “Stop right there,” warned Raeln, tightening his grip when Estin struggled. The wolf’s strength was incredible and Estin fought to keep from crying out. Rather than show weakness, he chose to relax his posture and glare at the man, waiting until Raeln eased his hold on him. “He’s right and you know it, Estin. If you’re that opposed, you’ll have to skirt the city and avoid being caught. Better to go in with Yoska and hide in plain sight.”

  “I swore I’d never wear those chains again,” Estin snapped, his muscles trembling with the effort of not attacking someone. He knew it was irrational by the simple fact that he wanted to attack everyone, not one person for an affront. “You’ve never been there, Raeln. My child has scars from her time at that camp near Lantonne. Stopping by to visit for a day doesn’t make you understand what we went through. They kept me from her, even when other slaves tried to hurt her. My other child had scars all across his back for fighting to protect his sister. You don’t understand what it’s like. I’d rather die.”

  “That’s the problem, they won’t kill you, they’ll enslave you,” Raeln countered. “Your children…how will you get back to them if we don’t get past this city? Two or three days of acting versus a long trip around with barely enough food and good chances they’ll find us anyway is hardly a choice. We need to trust each other or this whole trip is pointless. We need the supplies, so we need to pretend. Tell me I’m wrong.”

  Baring his teeth briefly, Estin yanked his arm free, nodding angrily as he released Yoska.

  “What big wolf says is not full picture,” noted Yoska, carefully putting On’esquin between himself and Estin. “Animal people are illegal and killed on sight unless traveling with foreigner. They forgive many things my people do that are silly to them. I have worked with wildlings many times here, but will be bad for all of us if you are found without me. Going around only works if you truly are not caught.”

  “What about the fox?” asked Estin, pointing at the small animal that sat patiently at the edge of the trail, watching them. She had become a silent and often-forgotten member of the group, always staying a short distance from them.

  “Funny thing about animals,” Yoska replied. “Pholithia does not have rules about them. Talking animals are scary and killed, but little not-talking ones are fine. If fox stays close, no one even notice. If fox wanders off, then it may be made into pies for hungry people. Keep him close—”

  “Her,” corrected Estin. “The fox is a female.”

  “Yes, yes, she is not offended by my mistake. Keep her close and is no problem. Same rule for all of you, though I do not think they make wolf or orc pies, so is little bit safer. We do not test this, no? Is safe to travel as we are until we pass the hills, but after that we must be more careful.”

  Estin swore under his breath and headed toward where he had pointed out the path down to the foothills, with the fox bounding along behind him. On’esquin and Yoska followed, softly arguing as they walked. He was in no hurry to start yet another harebrained scheme that could get him killed, but the sooner they reached the city, the sooner they could leave it and he could be free again. His instincts screamed at him to avoid the place and run, but years with Feanne as his mate and friend had taught him to confront danger head-on. He would walk into this place and kill anyone who tried to chain him.

  At the far rear of the group, Raeln called out, hurrying to catch up. “We have a problem that I need a solution for.”

  “Is why I am here, yes?” Yoska a
sked, while Estin stopped walking and waited impatiently for them to finish with whatever Raeln thought was more important than the idea of having to be leashed like an animal.

  Holding up his arm, Raeln showed the group his bracelet. Estin had seen him wearing it, even during their first meeting years before. The item was unfitting to the man’s size and strength, but had little value to Estin. In his younger years, he might have eyed it for sale to a thieves’ guild, but these days he could care less about such a valuable item.

  Yoska’s eyes darted over the bracelet, and with a big grin he replied, “Take the pretty jewelry off. I handle it for you, yes? Will take good care of it for you.”

  “That’s the problem…I can’t take it off. Will that draw attention?”

  “Nonsense,” objected Yoska, pointing at the clasp on Raeln’s inner wrist. “Is not complex, even with claws. And yes, this will be big problem if seen.” Before Raeln could explain, Yoska began fidgeting with the clasp, trying to open it. He grabbed Raeln’s arm to brace it against his side as he struggled with the clasp. Soon, Yoska stopped and glared at the bracelet before turning away to spit on the ground, bringing a wry smile to Estin. “Is cheating to use magic to keep a man from removing jewelry,” Yoska explained angrily.

  That prompted Estin to look at the bracelet a little differently. He had heard of items that prevented their wearers from removing them—cursed items, often twisted by the influence of something dark. He had no desire to make the others worry, but such an item could be deadly if they were not careful. He wanted to know more before they got too far into their planning. Judging by how little Raeln had said thus far, Estin guessed he knew next to nothing about the item.