This Battle Lord's Quest (11 page)

Chapter
Fourteen

Rescue

They met in the main hall before dawn.
 
Yulen glanced at the men gathered around the
table. Outside, the horses were saddled and ready.

“Thanks for coming,” he solemnly said. “Let me
reiterate, this is a rescue mission, not a search mission. Fortune, when you
told me about what Atty planned to do, I was willing to give her the week to
find game and return. But something’s happened since I made that decision.”

“You felt her,” the Mutah hunter stated.

“Yeah. At least, I think it’s her. No, I
know
it’s
her. It was dark and cold, and she’s in pain. I can’t give you anything other
than that.” He glanced at the two soldiers Mastin had tapped to accompany them.
Tarten and Blaid were seasoned and competent men. The Second had chosen well.
“You two will each pull an extra horse. We’re not coming back here until Atty,
Paxton, and Renken are riding them alongside us, or across their backs to
receive a decent burial.”

The men nodded.

“Here’s what I want to do. Instead of backtracking
and following Fortune’s tracks to the point where Atty and the two men parted
company, I want to head south initially, then turn to the east and hopefully
find their trail. Can you pick up their tracks?” Yulen questioned the Mutah.

“I can’t promise, Yulen. But if we run across their
path, I’ll find it.”

“Good. Mount up.”

Yulen led the way out the main doors where their
horses were waiting. Exiting through the main gates, they began heading south,
moving at a quick pace beside the roadway, but not to where the horses would
tire.

They moved quietly. No one spoke. As the sun began
to rise over their left shoulders, Yulen called for a halt.

“Fortune, I estimate it’s been an hour. What about
you?”

The hunter agreed. “It feels right.”

“Good enough for me. We’ll start out single file.
Let’s go.”

Exiting into the forest, they pushed their way
through the dense brush, letting the horses find their way while keeping them
facing east. For once, Yulen let the Mutah have the lead, trusting the man’s
superior senses and instincts to find Atty.

They made good time. By midday, they paused to eat,
using their rations rather than building a fire to cook a brief meal. As the
horses rested, Fortune ventured away from the group to see if he could pick up
anything. Yulen took the chance to pull out a map and compare it to where they
were.

“I can tell I’m getting old,” a voice interrupted.

MaGrath parked himself on the fallen log, next to
the Battle Lord. By the way he gingerly adjusted himself, Yulen couldn’t help
but grin.

“We’re all getting older, but what’s the
alternative?”

The physician nodded. “You have a point.” He
motioned toward the map. “See anything interesting?”

“No. In fact, where we are right now isn’t even on
here.” Letting out a dejected sigh, Yulen folded the paper.

“Nothing like being in unexplored territory.” The
man took a swig from his water bag, then stared at his hands for a moment
before replacing the stopper. Yulen noticed.

“Thinking about the wee one?”

“Yep.”

“Already missing the squalling and dirty nappies?”

MaGrath chuckled. “Heaven help me, but yes.”

“Welcome to fatherhood. Wonderful, isn’t it?”

“I’ve waited a long, long time,” the man replied
wistfully. “I never really believed I would see the day.” He glanced askew at
the Battle Lord. “Did you know it was your mother who suggested the idea?”

“Oh?” That surprised him.

“You could have slugged me with a shovel, and I
wouldn’t have felt it.” He gave another deep sigh. “I argued with her. I
pleaded. Hell, I almost moved into the other bedroom when she hid my condoms.
But in the end...”

Yulen laughed and clapped the man on the back.

“Yulen!”

Both men glanced up to see Mastin hastening toward
them, and stood. Automatically, Tarten and Blaid got to their feet and drew
their swords.

“What?” the Battle Lord asked tersely.

“Fortune found path markings.”

“Where?”

The Second pointed back the way he’d been. “About
fifty yards.”

Yulen took off, followed closely by the others.
Mastin quickly got in front to lead. They found Fortune studying the ground
when they arrived. The hunter pointed to a nearby tree.

“That’s Atty’s mark.”

Walking over to the sycamore, Yulen spotted the
curved A carved into the bole.

“I also found their tracks. Well, I found two sets
of tracks, both heavy.”

“Just two?”

Fortune stood and wiped his hands on his hips.
“Your men don’t know how not to leave prints, for which we should be grateful.
They’re heading due east.”

“Any idea how long ago that mark was made?”

“Not really, but it has to be within the last day
or so. That mark is still raw. And since it rained recently, these footprints
are still moist in the center.”

They hurried to get back on their mounts to
continue the search. Fortune remained on foot in order to read the trail more
clearly.

As the day wore on, Yulen’s respect and
appreciation for the Mutah’s stamina grew, as well as his growing respect for
the man’s dedication. Behind him, the others remained alert but silent,
allowing the hunter to concentrate on his task.

They passed numerous signs of other game, some of
it large, but the majority of it small prey. Yulen eyed a family of marmosets
flying through the overhead branches. He recalled being told in school that
prior to the Great Concussion, thousands of animals not native to the region
were housed in elaborate cages in places called zoos. But after the catastrophe
was over, nearly all of them managed to escape and thrive.

Atty was right. Game is plentiful in this
direction.

His horse suddenly stopped and tossed its head. A
few feet away, Fortune was also at a standstill, his hand up and signaling for
them to halt.

They strained their ears for a minute, but Yulen
couldn’t detect anything. After another minute, Fortune walked over to his
saddle, and beckoned for the Battle Lord to lean down.

“Something is moving this way. It’s not big, but
it’s moving slowly and ponderously.”

Yulen frowned. “What could it be?”

Fortune shook his head. “I hear it grunting softly,
but whatever it is, it’s not scaring the birds. Listen.”

Yulen tried again. What was it his father had once
told him? That the more dangerous animals frightened the smaller ones, forcing
them to suddenly become silent and slip away to hide.

“Wolfen?” he whispered.

“No. Not wolfen. Definitely not bear. Listen! You
can hear it trying to maneuver its way through the brush.”

Yulen closed his eyes. There. Now he detected it. “It’s
moving as if it doesn’t care how much noise it’s making.”

“Exactly. Which could mean several things.”

“Such as?”

“It’s tired. It’s injured. It’s old. Or it’s
definitely too big to have to worry about being prey.” The hunter pinched his
lips together as he thought. “One thing it isn’t is hungry. No creature would
make that much ruckus if it’s trying to stalk a meal.”

“What do you suggest?”

“Get off the horses,” Fortune told him. “Spread
out. It’s coming directly toward us. If we remain out of sight, we have a good
chance it’ll go right by us and not spot us.”

Yulen nodded, and signaled to the others to
dismount and hide. Every soldier quickly obeyed, even removing the light masks
kept stowed in their saddlebags to place over their horse’s face so that the
animals wouldn’t spook. MaGrath took his place a short distance away, to
Yulen’s right. He flashed a smile, then stared through the bushes.

The sound got closer. Fortune was right. It was
impossible to tell from the sound what was coming.

The trees parted slightly, and a man stepped into
the clearing. Yulen felt his jaw drop.

“
Renken!
”

The ex-mercenary automatically pulled out his sword
and crouched to defend himself, when he realized who the people descending upon
him were. He collapsed to his knees as Mastin reached him first.

Yulen felt his alarm rise as he watched MaGrath
reach for the blood-drenched man. Renken tried to wave him off.

“Paxton.”

“Where?” MaGrath demanded.

“Where’s Atty?”

“Here! Doctor!” Mastin emerged from where Renken
had appeared, dragging a crude travois. The Second lay so still, he appeared
dead. MaGrath rushed over.

“What happened?” the physician demanded as he
checked for a pulse. “He’s alive, but heartbeat’s erratic. Cole, bring me my
bag.”

“Where’s Atty?” Yulen asked Renken again, this time
with more force.

“I...don’t know.” The man coughed.

It took great effort for Yulen not to reach down
and shake the man. Although he wasn’t a doctor, he could still tell the soldier
had been through hell. Curling his hands into fists, Yulen walked over to where
MaGrath was feverishly working to save Paxton.
“What’s that?” He pointed to the thick brown patch on the man’s chest.

“A mud pack. It’s keeping him from bleeding to
death. What attacked you, Renken?”

“Coon.” The man coughed again. “Last night. It
knocked me out. When I woke up, I thought Warren was dead.” He looked up at
Yulen. “Atty was gone.”

“Gone?”

“So was the coon.” He raised a hand to his head.
Suddenly, he started to keel over. Blaid grabbed him by the front of his bloody
jerkin to keep him from pitching forward. Renken cried out. Yulen rushed over
and ripped open the man shirt. He blanched to see the black and discolored
skin.

“Dear God.”

Renken opened his eyes and tried to grin. “I jumped
on its back. It reared up on its hind legs and fell backwards. Landed on top of
me. I think it jammed my sword into my chest.”

Yulen stared at the massive bruise covering the
man’s entire chest, then glanced over where MaGrath was battling for Paxton’s
life. He looked back at the ex-mercenary. “You carried Warren all this way?”

Renken grimaced. “I couldn’t leave him behind. Not
when he was still alive.” Reaching up, he snagged Yulen’s sleeve. “Never
expected you to show up. Week isn’t over yet.”

“I had a dream,” Yulen told him.

The man nodded. “Your connection? The way she knew
you were in trouble that time after the Bloods took Bearinger? What did you
dream?”

“She’s alive, but hurt.”

“Yulen, we have to get Paxton back to Alta Novis as
soon as possible.” MaGrath walked over to where Renken lay on the ground, and
bent down on one knee to examine him. “Looks like you fractured your sternum.
Some ribs, too, I’m betting. You need bed rest. Yulen, I’ve done what I can
with what I brought with me, but Warren has suffered a severe gash from his shoulder
to his hip. It needs to be stitched up, and we may have to place him under a
death watch.”

“A death watch?” Yulen paled. A death watch was for
the inevitable. In MaGrath’s opinion, the man might not make it. Considering
his service and loyalty, the soldier deserved to die among friends.

“We have to go back now,” MaGrath stated firmly,
confirming the Battle Lord’s thoughts. “If we wait to return in the morning, it
may be too late. With Saxon’s help, the man may have a fighting chance, but if
we delay...”

“All right.” Getting to his feet, he motioned for
the others to draw nearer. “Tarten, reinforce that travois. Mastin, you and
your men will follow MaGrath, and take Renken and Paxton back to Alta Novis
tonight.”

Mastin looked surprised. “What about you? Aren’t
you coming with us?”

A blood-stained hand slapped him on the arm. Yulen
turned to see a very angry physician staring at him.

“Don’t tell me you’re going on by yourself?” the
older man demanded.

“She’s in pain. There’s no telling how badly
injured she is,” Yulen began.

“Then I’m going with you.” Mastin walked forward
and glared at the Battle Lord. “Going on into unknown and unexplored territory
is almost suicidal.”

Yulen frowned. “I need you to guard MaGrath and the
injured on the way back to the compound.”

“Tarten and Blaid will protect us,” MaGrath
snapped. “I know I can’t talk you into not going off by yourself, so I’ll
demand you let your Second accompany you. Stop thinking with your heart, Yulen,
and let in a little common sense.”

“Have you forgotten about me?”

Everyone glanced up to see Fortune standing at the
edge of the clearing. He threw a thumb over his shoulder. “I found the next
path marker.”