The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) (24 page)

The window focused on Nirel and switched to a forward progression. She staggered away from Josiah’s shove, staring terrified as the enormous cat swiped at the rearing donkey. At the sound of approaching hoofbeats and shouts she jerked around, then ducked into the underbrush, squeezing between densely packed branches and through tangled thickets. Once she was well away she returned to the the stream, splashing uphill through the shallow water. Time accelerated, showing her speeded-up progress, until the image grew hazy and began to break up. It slowed to show a last glimpse of her. She’d left the stream and was making her way though the trackless woods, continuing doggedly even though she drooped with weariness.

Elkan nodded. “Take her back to Tathorlith. Would someone accompany him, please, and vouch for the cat? Take Thistle, too. And your horses will just slow us down where she’s gone, so take them as well.”

He didn’t wait to see if his words would be heeded, but zipped the window back to the moment Nirel slipped away and set off with Sar, following her. The watchers held a quick discussion. They decided two of them should go with Josiah, along with all the horses. The other five headed after Elkan and Sar through the brush.

The watchers introduced themselves to Josiah. Yishan, a thin, wiry man, fussed over the horses, hooking reins to saddles so he could lead the whole train down the trail. Dara, a broad shouldered woman, stayed at Josiah’s side, watching the mountain cat with a mixture of wariness and delight. “Never thought I’d get close to one of these. She’s a beauty, isn’t she?” The cat frisked around the clearing, pouncing on splashes of light that glanced between the leaves. “It would’ve been a shame if we’d had to kill her. I’ve got cats at home, and she’s not much different, really. She acts just like Smoky did when he was a kitten.” One of the cat’s playful leaps brought her close, and they jumped back. Josiah’s heart pounded. Dara grinned crookedly at him. “You’re sure she’ll listen to you?”

Josiah was not at all sure, but he feigned confidence. “Of course.” He steeled himself and walked to the cat, who’d caught a blowing leaf and batted at it with her giant paw. “Come here, um…” Josiah snatched the first name that came to mind. “Tobi.” It seemed to suit her. “Do you like that name? May I call you Tobi?”

She bounded to his side, twined around him, and butted her head under his hand. Still a little nervous, he scratched around her ears. He touched the grey fingerprint mark for reassurance. “Tobi it is, then.”

Yishan led the horses, Thistle in the rear, back along the path, Dara and Josiah followed with Tobi, keeping well back. The smell of a large predator so close had the horses near panic, and only their watcher training allowed Yishan to manage them.

Josiah looked back as they left. He hoped Elkan would be able to find Nirel. He hated to think of her out there after nightfall, alone in the dark and hostile forest. Tobi couldn’t be the only danger the wilderness held.

The walk back was long and tiring. At first Josiah was afraid Tobi might run off. She liked to bound ahead and sometimes disappeared into the forest for several minutes at a time. But she always returned and bumped affectionately into Josiah, nearly knocking him off his feet.

As they approached the town, Tobi left off roaming and paced by Josiah’s side, pressing so close to his legs he had to push her away to keep from stumbling. Josiah rested his hand on her back for comfort, though he was almost as apprehensive as she.

Dara led the way to a butcher’s shop she knew. The people they passed stared, but Dara’s watcher cloak and her authoritative manner reassured them.

So late in the day, the shop was quiet. Carcasses and cuts of meat hung on display. Josiah studied them, wondering which would suit Tobi best.

Without warning Tobi tore from Josiah’s grasp and leaped at a side of beef hanging beside the butcher’s door. She sank in her claws and clamped her teeth on its windpipe. Her weight tore it off the hook, sending cat and prey crashing to the ground. With a lithe twist she leapt atop the carcass and settled into a crouch, tearing off chunks of meat and swallowing them whole.

The butcher appeared in the doorway of his shop, gaping at Tobi with wide, terrified eyes. He looked at Dara, mouth moving but unable to form words, pointing a shaking hand at where she feasted.

Josiah stepped up. “We’ll take that one.” He pulled out the coins Elkan had given him and thrust them at the butcher with far more aplomb than he felt. He was taken aback by the violence of Tobi’s action, but the cat was so obviously ravenous that his own stomach growled in sympathy.

Dara stepped up behind him. “The cat’s no danger, just hungry. You have the assurance of the Watch that it won’t cause trouble.”

The butcher sorted the coins in his hand, never taking his eyes from Tobi. “Let me get you your change…” He backed into his shop.

“Keep it,” Josiah called. “For the inconvenience.”

The butcher gulped and clutched the coins, the generous overpayment easing his distress a little. He looked again at Dara. “You’re sure that thing is safe?”

“Completely. Come, let’s go inside. She’ll need to be supplied with meat as long as Wizard Elkan remains in Tathorlith. If you can arrange to make a delivery each day to Master Admon’s house, I’m sure you can have the business for the rest of their stay.”

The butcher appeared cheered by that prospect, already summing up the potential profit in his head. But he cast a last doubtful look at Josiah. “Can that boy control her?”

Dara shrugged. “He’s a wizard.”

Josiah opened his mouth to correct her, but she vanished into the shop with the butcher.

By the time they emerged, Tobi had reduced the carcass to a few tattered scraps. They made their way back to Admon’s house. Yishan had reported to him, so the Guildmaster admitted them with no more than round eyes and slightly quickened breathing as the mountain cat stepped over his threshold. Yovela gasped as Tobi looked around with interest. But the cat clung to Josiah’s side, and within a few minutes his hosts had relaxed enough to urge a welcome supper on Josiah.

Tobi lay at his feet as he ate. He studied her surreptitiously. Mother-touched animals were as smart as people, Elkan had said. Certainly Tobi seemed to understand what was going on around her. He hoped fervently that she’d be able to restrain her wild nature. He felt responsible for her behavior. Any trouble he allowed her to get into would reflect badly on Elkan and the Wizards’ Guild. But he didn’t know how he could stop her if she took it into her head to attack an animal, or Mother forbid, a person. He resolved to keep her well fed and out of sight as much as possible. With any luck, Elkan would be back soon with Nirel and they could depart.

But Elkan didn’t appear. Josiah stayed up late with the two masters. Tobi was wary of the fire at first, but crept closer and closer to its warmth as the night advanced, until she fell asleep sprawled in front of the hearth. Finally they were forced to retire. Josiah tossed and turned in the bed he usually shared with Elkan, worrying. At last he dragged his blankets out and curled on the floor next to Tobi. She leaned into him as she slept, her warm weight a comfort.

Elkan still wasn’t there in the morning. Admon and Yovela departed for their work, assuring Josiah that he and Tobi were welcome to remain in their home during the day. Admon didn’t say it, but Josiah understood that he wanted Tobi kept off the streets, away from people and animals she might frighten—or injure.

Josiah puttered around the house, unable to settle. Tobi woke and gnawed on the bones the butcher had provided, then stretched out in the sun pouring through the window and fell asleep again. Josiah pulled out Elkan’s record book and spent a while making sure it was up to date and in order. He painstakingly recorded the events of the previous day, starting with the pre-dawn raid on the jail. Seeing it all written out, he could appreciate fully just how much Elkan and Sar had extended themselves, with very little rest or food, and worried anew at their absence.

Finally, around midmorning, the door swung open and Elkan stumbled in, Sar plodding at his heels. Josiah jumped up in alarm. As often as he’d seen wizard and familiar worn out from their work, it had never been quite this bad before. Without speaking, Elkan slumped into a chair at the table, and Josiah scrambled to scoop up a bowl of porridge. Elkan began eating with single minded purpose, gulping the porridge as ravenously as Tobi had devoured the meat the night before.

“Should I get some hay for Sar?” Josiah hated to interrupt.

Elkan shook his head, pausing only momentarily. “No, he grazed on the way back. He just needs to sleep.” The donkey settled into a corner, head drooping. Elkan turned his attention back to his bowl. Josiah waited, urgently wanting to know the outcome of the search, but unwilling to keep Elkan away from the food he so obviously needed.

Finally Elkan set down his spoon and propped his head in his hands. “We didn’t find her,” he said, before Josiah could ask. “Once it was dark, the window was little use. Nirel was smart enough to keep on the move all night, and skilled enough at woodcraft to move silently. We had to keep going back to the last place we’d found her and scan in all directions, looking for any little movement visible in the starlight and listening for the faintest rustle. We followed a raccoon for an hour before we realized it wasn’t her. We were just too slow. When the sun rose, she was beyond our ability to see, and the glare from the sun washed out what little there was in the window. The watchers are going to take some hunters out with their dogs, but I doubt it will do any good—she knows to keep to water whenever she can. We’ll have to go out again tonight and pick up her trail at the last place we were sure of.”

He shook his head. “Mother love the girl, I’ve half a mind to let her go if she’s that determined.” His shoulders slumped again. “But we can’t. It’s too dangerous out there for her alone. But this will delay us even more than this business has already, and there are many more along the circuit who need us.”

“What about the bandits and Kabos?” Josiah was so curious he blurted the question without considering how tired Elkan was. He was sorry as soon as he saw the frown lines crease Elkan’s brow, but listened eagerly to his answer nonetheless.

“Watchers are tracking them. Maybe our time and energy would be better spent with them. Last I heard, they were headed in the same direction as Nirel, but by a different path. It’s possible she knows where they’re going.”

“She said they used to come to the farm all the time, and she wasn’t afraid of them. Maybe she’s talked to them and found out where their hiding places are. Maybe Kabos was more involved with them than Sathea knew about.” The ideas tumbled out of Josiah’s mouth as quickly as he thought of them.

“Do you think that hasn’t occurred to me?” Elkan snapped. He shook his head and rubbed his forehead. “I can’t think right now. I’ve got to sleep. Maybe tonight…”

He pushed his hair back from his face and rose. “Thank you for the porridge, Josiah, and for dealing with the cat. I knew I could depend on you.” He headed for the bedroom as he spoke, pausing with his hand on the door. “If you could go to Sathea and tell her what’s happened…”

“Of course,” Josiah assured him.

Elkan nodded and vanished within. By the time Josiah cleaned his bowl and peeked in, he was sound asleep.

Glad of the excuse to leave the house of sleeping people and animals, Josiah walked to Jonina’s house. Sathea took his news silently, white and grim-faced, clutching Ilana tight. “Tell Elkan thank you. I know he’s doing all he can.” Her voice was dull, and she wouldn’t meet Josiah’s eyes. Guilt washed over Josiah, and he quickly excused himself and left.

Back on the street, Josiah was restless. He headed to the public stable where Thistle was boarded to make sure she was none the worse for her adventures.

Meira was there, Ravid on her back, brushing Thistle with long, slow strokes. She smiled at Josiah and focused again on the donkey.

Josiah ran his hand over the faint scars on Thistle’s flank. “Is she all right?”

“Fine, as far as I can tell. What happened, exactly? They told me she was wounded, but Elkan healed her?”

Josiah gave her a full account of events. She bit her lip when he described Tobi’s attack, and frowned in concern when he told about his own wounding, but nodded at the account of Elkan’s healing. She was silent for a while after he finished.

“So it will be several days more before Elkan is ready to leave?” Ravid squirmed, and Meira reached back to stroke his face.

Josiah grinned at the baby, who stopped fussing and stared at Josiah, his mouth parting in a wide, toothless smile. “I guess so, unless he finds Nirel tonight. He could, you know, she’s got to be just as tired as he is, and she has to sleep sometime. She can’t get too far away before he goes after her again.”

“I hope so. I need to get back on the road. I’m not accomplishing anything, delaying here.” She turned back to Thistle and raked the brush hard against the donkey’s side. Thistle leaned into the firm strokes with a sigh of pleasure. “There are some traders leaving tomorrow, heading toward Shalinthan. They’re willing for me to accompany them, if I want.”

“That might be a good idea. Elkan would be happy to know he wasn’t keeping you waiting.”

Meira aimed a crooked smile at Thistle’s ears. “Most likely. Still, with the bandits out there, I’d prefer to stay under his protection. You two have been good traveling companions. I wouldn’t mind another day or two, if that’s all it is, but if it’s going to be a week or more I should take this opportunity and go with the traders.”

Josiah shrugged. “I’ll ask Elkan what he thinks, but he can’t really know. It all depends on how long it takes him to find Nirel. Maybe he could come by and talk to you this evening before he heads out to search again.”

“I’d appreciate that. I have to decide right away; the traders are leaving first thing in the morning.”

“I’ll tell him.” It was probably best if Meira and Ravid did go with the traders. Josiah would miss their company on the road, but Elkan would be glad to be relieved of responsibility for their welfare.