The night had been born in blood and fear, a narrow escape and freezing waters. Gathered on the eastern bank of the river long enough to see their pursuers throwing their very lives into breeching the same obstacles they had just conquered, the young men and women of the Four Rivers decided it was time to move. Move they did.

It was Ryke and Ash once more in the lead, as they moved off east. Game trails were plentiful so near the river. Sticking mostly to them was simple enough, though it was only marginally easier than traveling without them. Even the most fleet footed and nimble of the group of friends stumbled and fell in the dark. Vines lay unseen near their feet. Roots emerged from the ground, and bramble thorns grabbed clothes and stubbornly refused to let go.

Torn breeches and tunics became the order of the night, as they fled for the east, away from the Dangers that swarmed over Ramhorn Ridge. Scratches and cuts found each and every one of them, and just when they thought they could take a rest, the sounds of the Orck horns would echo through the trees from behind them.

"Breeeeeee-yaaaaa....."

One called, another answered. Thin and hateful braying calling out through the night, announcing that the Orcks had gained the eastern bank of the river. The calls of the horns echoed through the trees, and reminded each of the importance of getting up quickly after the falls, and of ignoring the cuts and scrapes and fatigue until some semblance of safety and shelter could be found.

The night wore on, the frenzied flight of the young heroes seemingly taking on a life of its own. Hearts pounded, and lungs burned, each fall, each stopping to breathe only brought their pursuers closer.

Harrod forged ahead with everyone. He kept his eyes opened for anyone that, whether they knew it or not, might be in need of an extra leg or shoulder, or maybe just a few simple words of encouragement. The Creator was his strength, and he drew upon that whenever he felt that his own lagging or falling.

For his part Ryke seemed to be moving with more energy than would perhaps be normally expected. Since Harrod's prayer had restored his vitality he'd felt as if he'd begun the day afresh. He simply took over leading the party, letting Ash follow along but recognizing that the young woman was nearing the end of her strength. After a while, though, he recognized that everyone would soon need a rest. He spun in place and held up his hands to halt the party.

"Everyone's tired," he began without preamble. "Thanks to Harrod's prayers, though, I think I'm doing okay, so I'm going to run ahead and try and find us some shelter. Ash can follow my trail, but I can at least try and find us a place to bed down safely for a couple hours before everyone starts falling down." His eyes sought out each of the others, awaiting approval or disapproval.

Marissa, bringing up the rear in order to help those lagging behind (when she wasn't tripping herself), frowned slightly.  She certainly didn't like the results the last time they split up.  However, she did think his points valid and she figured there were no Orck-kind ahead of them since they were all still on the ridge or behind them.

"I think that should be okay," she nodded but also looked to the others for their opinion.  "Beats tryin' to find a good spot when we're all tryin' not to fall asleep on our feet already."

Garrick nodded, knowing Ryke had more sense than the young rogue. But still a word of caution wouldn't hurt. "Just be careful and if you see any orcks steer clear. None of us are really up to another fight like that last one."

"It would be considerate to steer well clear of any inhabitants or traveled paths on our way as well." Saeyll was almost surprised to see the others as tired as herself. They had seemed somehow invulnerable atop that cliff. Now every step was an effort and though it would not ingratiate her to the weary she did not hesitate to add, "Even if that means a longer route. I do not think our pursuers will discriminate between us and any innocent they encounter. While we need them to follow we should take care where we lead them. "

Ryke nodded to Garrick and gave Saeyll a look that clearly said 'I know'. With only a quick glance at Ash he turned and headed into the woods. Within seconds of leaving the group there was no trace of him--neither sight nor sound.

Ash said nothing, not even a nod, as she panted hands on knees, trying to catch her breath.  It was most likely the longest stretch any of them had been with the rogue being so quiet.  Exhaustion was written so clearly upon her that it was a wonder she was able to keep pace with Ryke.  The girl would clearly need to learn how to pace herself and slow down during the day if she were going to be able to keep up this kind of pace at night.

Without asking, Garrick took Ash's pack from her. "I'll take that."  There was no thank you from his stubborn friend, but a look of appreciation settled on her face as the stress from the extra weight was lifted.

"Jordan..."  Ash gasped.  "Jordan said...ta...sleep durin' the day.  Gotta...gotta...keep goin'."

"Only for a little while, Ash," Marissa said, taking deep breaths, herself.  "When Ryke finds us a place, we'll get there and rest.  Won't do any good to try and keep going until daylight if we all break our necks 'cause we're too tired.  I'll stay up a while to make sure we're not surprised or anything."

"Marissa is right," Harrod replied. "Let's keep moving until Ryke finds us a place to settle in."

She almost nodded in agreement, but took a second look at the faces and stances around her.  "Let's just rest here for a few minutes," she said, almost falling upon a dead log.  "I doubt they're gonna catch up in ten minutes or so.  We can follow Ryke in a bit."

Saeyll slanted herself against a tree and rolled her ankles to keep them limber. Her curiosity proved undaunted by the fatigue. "Why are we to sleep during the day? Who is Jordan? Has he encountered these creatures before?"

"Jordan is Garrick's dad," Marissa supplied, rolling her neck and stretching her shoulder muscles.  "And yeah, he knows Orck-kind.  They sleep during the day, so we do until we get to the elves.  We don't want them catchin' up and sneakin' up on us while we're asleep at night, even if we do have someone standing watch."

"No, I would think not," Saeyll said quietly, not having considered sleep or the vulnerability that such a necessity would be. She eyed Garrick curiously wondering why his father, Blacksmith Quopol as she would know him, was at all familiar of orck-kind. She was about to ask but thought better of it. The young man still seemed a tad rankled by her presence. "It is to our advantage that the day is longer than the night. If we move through both we should be able to put a fair bit of distance between us and... them."

Garrick shook his head. "I doubt we'll be able to move through both." He said looking toward Ash. "None of us are used to this sort of thing and we're going to need to conserve our strength."

Ash's hazel eyes had grown heavier as the conversation continued.  She was too stubborn to take her seat but she leaned heavily against the thick trunk of a tree, marveling at the weight behind her eyes and trying to remember if she'd ever been this tired before.

* * * * *

Ryke's heart hammered in his chest as he darted through the underbrush, dodging limbs and fallen logs alike as he ran. He paused once, glancing up at the sky and looking around, then set out again at a slight angle. Twice more he paused, checking sky and ground--and even smelling the air--before finally breaking through a line of scrub.

He smiled, pleased. He stepped carefully across the ground until he found the treeline that bordered the dry-since-long--before-he-was-born river. He cast his gaze up and down the rocky bed before moving back in the general direction from which he'd come. He found the old oak that had been his first encounter with treecats--to be precise, a mama treecat and her two cubs. Now he knew exactly where he was.

In less than a dozen strides Ryke found what he was looking for, what he'd hoped had been close by all along The Dragon's Egg was an ancient protrusion of bedrock, worn smooth and as oval as any egg. More importantly, it was five Hundred-stride up the old river bed to the Badger Hole from the Egg. The Badger Hole was a spot where except during the mid- and late spring runoff, when the river still carried some of the overflow--more of a trickle, really--there was an undercut along one embankment. Tree roots and thick network of underbrush kept the half-ceiling of earth and growth, but just above the old waterline there was a granite bed that had been worn smooth long ago by the flow of water. Now it provided a make-shift shelter, one his father and Nabis had made a point of showing him.

Ryke got his bearings again and ran back into the woods. He could find the shelter, and it would fit them all comfortably. More to the point, for reasons his father had never made clear, a fissure in the bedrock actually drew smoke down. A lit fire would send no tell-tale plumes into the sky.

Time was relative. To some, it might've seemed but moments ago that Ryke had gone off alone. To others, it may have seemed like hours. In truth it was but barely a quarter of an hour before the young Ranger stepped from the dark, dirty-faced and breathing heavy but smiling.

"I found us a place." He gestured off their earlier path. "If they're tracking by scent they'll eventually find us, but it offers us shelter for a fire and some protection should it need defending." He nodded once, obviously pleased with himself. "It's not far."

"That's great, Ryke!" Marissa answered, smiling a little.  "Thanks.  C'mon, guys.  Just a little further.  Then we can all rest for real."

Ash came off the tree with a start, having fallen asleep for a brief moment in the most precarious of positions.  She looked at Marissa and then Ryke before relaxing her defensive posture, and replacing it with a lazy yawn and smile.  "Thanks Ryke...that's...that's....um, good."

Where Marissa and Ash smiled Saeyll frowned, unhappy both at the suggestion that she smelled and that any thing could track her by scent. She gave a subtle sniff to the air, just testing, and decided she was glad her senses were not so keen as the wild creatures of the world. Detaching herself from the obliging tree with a cat-like stretch her toes once more pawed their way daintily through the tall underbrush.

It was as the Ranger had said. Darkness, trees, moonlight and a dry riverbed. As they filed into the old river bed, some saw the Dragon's Egg for the first time. The white granite stone really was a perfect oval, and even had darker specks in it's surface. It looked so much like its namesake in shape and appearance, it made Garrick want an omelet.

It made Ash want to shimmy to the top of it, but she knew that would have to wait till morning.  As it was she was bringing up the rear, which wasn't a view she got to appreciate very often. Her agile body had gone on strike and she was saving any strength that she had left, just in case there was another emergency.

There wasn't much time for gawking though. Ryke sensed they were near the end of their stamina and pressed on up the ancient creek bed. Erosion had scoured away most of the topsoil here, and the weary heroes found themselves walking on a few inches of leaf litter peat thick with knee high ferns just starting to green. The banks of the old creek seemed to vary between four and seven feet high, and the creek bed itself was only about ten feet wide. If you were walking above, you could be only a few feet away and not even realize the riverbed was there at all.

Three hundredstride into the trek, the horns started again from the west. They were distant, and faint now, but still their thin reedy quality seemed ominous. One horn clearly sounded due west, then two others answered in short order. They were signaling one another again.

Ash followed the others under the Dragon's Egg and along the sheltered embankment until they came to the smooth granite shelf.  Without further comment or weighing in on watches and talk of dinner, she crawled towards the back on all fours, situated her pack under her head and promptly collapsed.

Garrick let Ash take her pack from him without a word, knowing his friend was too tired for any of their usual banter. Once everyone was situated he spoke softly to Marrissa. "I think we should split the watch into three, you, me, and Ryke. I'm not sure the others are up to it. At least not today."

"Yah," she nodded.  "I'll take the first one.  Since Ryke's got energy, he can have the second one and then you take the last one.  I'd like to be moving before nightfall, but we'll see how things are, then.  You make the call on when to get everyone up and movin'.  If it looks like we need the time right up to an hour before dusk, that's fine.  We'll use that hour to eat and drink and get ourselves together.  Sound good?" she asked, looking up at him with raised brows.

Garrick nodded. "Sounds good. I'll wake everyone sooner if those horns start to get too close but we should be safe here." As long as they don't smell us. He added silently.

Harrod had caught the discussion of watches. He had heard of this before and made sure to move closer to the pair.

"I appreciate the offer, but I will be good to take the last watch," he told them. The look in his eyes left no doubt that he was in earnest and not just trying to sound tough. "Even if you feel the need to put someone on watch with me, I will stand one."

It was difficult to see in the dim light of the setting moon and with the flickering of the forest's shadows, but Marissa heard the sincerity in the young priest's voice.  "Harrod, I ain't doin' this out of kindness," she finally said, deciding to be almost painfully blunt as they walked.  "Me, Ryke and Garrick are a lot hardier than you, Saeyll and Ash.  It's practical that the three of us should stand a watch today while the rest of you recover.  I'll just bet that you're more tired than you think," she continued with a bit of a grin in her voice.  "But tell you what... if you wake up on your own, then you can stand the watch with Garrick, okay?  At least for today.  Tomorrow morning, we'll see where we stand."

"Rissa," he stopped her. "You were about the only person back home that was able to outlast me in the Hill Run at last year's festival. I know you three could beat me at the arm-tug, but honestly. I am ok. We will be better of having four of us take watch, allowing the three of you to be better rested if it comes to needing your strength."

She regarded him evenly then sighed.  "You're right.  I forgot in all this that you could last nearly as long as I do.  Heck, Harrod... I'm about worn to the bone, though.  And you did your healing thing three times today.  I don't know what that takes out of you," she shrugged and ran her forearm across her forehead, getting the tendrils of hair that escaped her braid out of her face.  "We'll shorten the watches, then.  Harrod can take the last one," she nodded.  Then she grinned slightly.  "But that means you're cookin' when we get up."

"I bet you are. Which is why you should rest as soon as you can. Sides, I've heard your cooking's just a step above Ash's," he said with a grin. "I don't mind though."

"Tell me that when I allow you to have some of that apple butter I brought along," she retorted, a slight grin on her own face.

"I don't think that's a good idea. When I said I didn't think the others were up to it I wasn't just talking about endurance. What if some of those orck things show up while he's on watch? And the closer to dusk the more likely that might happen. If Harrod insists on taking a watch it should be one of the middle ones. Until the others have more fighting experience I think you and I should take the first and last watches." Garrick said to Marrissa. He then turned to Harrod, "It's not that I think you'd fall asleep or anything but you're more a man of peace than fighting. If one of those orcks showed up would you be able to defend yourself long enough for the rest of us to wake up and help?"

"Really Garrick?" Harrod placed his hands on his hips defiantly. "Peace over fighting? I'm sure that's just what Kendrick Fallow thought before I whooped he and and his three toads when they went to pick on Jaspar Cogwyn," The story of that day and what Harrod had done had made it's way around town.

Ryke snorted. He remembered hearing about that. He refrained from comment, though. Marissa and Garrick seemed to have things in hand, and it really didn't matter to him one way or the other. He wasn't likely to get a good night's sleep no matter how long or short his watch was.

"I may not be able to use a blade, and I am not saying that those orkind are as easy to take as Kendrick Fallow and the other town bullies, but I  held my own back at Gryphon Rock. Yes I will be be able to defend myself while the rest of you wake up.  I'll be damned if I am gonna let anyone or anything hurt my friends."

Friends. Harrod could never recall actually using that word in relation to anyone and himself.

"Whoa, I wasn't trying to offend you. This is nothing like any of us expected, I'm not even sure I could handle those things if too many of them showed up while I was alone." Garrick answered.

Harrod rubbed his eyes and began to pace.

"No...you didn....it's not..." he stammered a moment before he regained himself. "You didn't offend me, Garrick" he was finally able to utter and in a quieter tone. "I just need you to know that I can carry part of the load. And a load shared is safely born to it's destination. Let me help, is all I am trying to say."

"Look... we're all tired, both of mind and body," Marissa sighed.  "Garrick, the orcks don't move during the day unless poked and prodded.  Harrod's gonna get us all up before dusk, preferably a couple hours after noon or thereabouts.  It should be okay," she nodded.

"Let him stand watch," Ryke offered with a nod. He knew the feeling of needing to contribute. "If they don't find our trail in the next little while we might be okay for the day. But I think we ought to be moving again before dusk. We'll need the daylight to make sure we're on the right track, and getting an 'early' start wouldn't be a bad thing." He seemed apologetic. "They're pretty close. I wouldn't mind a little extra distance between us and them."

"I would too, Ryke," Marissa answered with a firm nod.  "But, if Ash and Saeyll are stumbling behind and falling over, we'll lose the time just the same, or maybe more.  A full day's rest and we should all be good to go.  If everyone wakes up before dusk, then we'll get moving sooner but today, no need to push beyond what we've already done.  We've all been up almost a full day and night as it is, walking, running and fighting."

Garrick looked toward Ash's already sleeping form. "I don't know how we're going to do it but we're going to have to try to keep Ash reigned in. She's not going to be able to go for long if she tries to keep up the pace she kept today."

Saeyll followed Garrick's gaze and knelt beside the nymph. "Maybe we would do well to wake earlier than later. If Ash is tired she may move slower but conserve her energy. Unless you can reason with her," Saeyll suggested. "As for me I will not slow you down." She wasn't sure that was true but said it all the same.

"Could we risk a fire, do you think? The rock is quite cool," she observed, drawing her knees upward and rubbing them brisquely to emphasis the point. Really she was pleading more for the light than the heat. She had not offered to keep watch though her intentions were other than sleep. "And might I see the book we carry?"

"A fire should be okay," Ryke said after a moment's consideration. "There's some sort of draft beneath that fissure that pulls the smoke down. As long as the orcks don't stumble upon us directly they shouldn't see the fire or the smoke. But we should keep it small nonetheless."

It didn't take long, as the conversations slowed for each to find their sleep by the small fire that had been built. It's light held close by the undercut riverbank, it's smoke sucked down into a crack in the bedrock, the small warmth it gave was comfort on a cold spring night. all but Saeyll and Marissa slept in the dreamless sleep of the weary. It had been a harrowing few days, and the emotional toll was as exhausting on each as the physical.

Marissa's watch ended with even Saeyll out like a light, and she awoke her relief, Ryke, around an hour after dawn. The horncalls had long since ceased, and the normal sounds of a forest awakening greeted the young Ranger's watch. He passed the time till well past midmorning without incident or sign of their pursuers. When he awoke Garrick, the sun was bright and the birds singing.

Garrick's watch saw the sun peak, and begin its slide to the peaks in the far west. The day was sunny, and the air was cool as a strong wind blew from the south. Those sorts of winds this time of year normally meant rain, but for now there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Just after mid-day, Garricks watch melted into Harrod's. Without incident or oddity  couple of hours past noon, Harrod began to wake the others.

The young priest had readied some food. He knew they would be hungry, but he also wanted some time alone to pray to the Creator for strength and guidance in the days ahead. Once that was done, Harrod passed around the food he had ready from their stores.

Ash was the first up and any evidence of her exhaustion the night before had been swept away.  She greeted Harrod with a big smile and equally big good morning, leaving the youth to wonder if she'd forgotten their trials of the last few days. Quick as a whip she was up, grabbed her pack and headed off to take care of her morning business.

Saeyll was a slow riser. Living a life of comparative ease with few chores and responsibilities she was permitted to loiter in bed far longer than most young women. It took Harrod a few prods to get a response, and a muffled complaint at that, but the intensity of the afternoon sun helped urge her awake more quickly than usual. Crawling into a sitting position she adjusted her twisted dress, her lips pouting at the discovery of several unfortunate gashes in the dark wool. Plain as it was it had been her best dress.

Thankfully the state of her hair, a tangled briar of black strands and debris, proved a sufficient distraction. Her teeth grated as she tugged first a leaf and then a twig free and held them up for inspection. Her eyes grew wide at the silvery wisp that ran from the stick back to her locks, a strangled sound escaping her throat as something tickled her temple. Flinging blankets and packs aside she bolted out of the shelter, her hands frantically raking her hair. Only when she was certain all manner of nature had been evicted from her person did she straighten, the exertion leaving her flushed, her tresses wild about her face. For several moments she stood, her back to the others, her face in her hands, breathing heavily. The orck-kind were terrifying but the great outdoors would prove to be its own horror for the coddled Saeyll.

Marissa watched her antics, heroically holding back her laughter.  She'd been far easier to awaken, just needing the soft call of her name to get her eyes open and her body moving.  She pulled her brush out of her pack, rose and quietly walked to the singer, nudging her with the brush.  Her cinnamon-brown eyes held laughter in abundance, but they also held a flash of inexplicable envy.  "Here.  We've got food ready, when you want it."

Saeyll flinched at the touch and then peeked an eye from the cage of fingers. She stared at the brush, the object of civility an abstraction in the wilderness, and then took it firmly in hand as if to prevent its escape. "Thank you," she whispered and set about taming her mane with well practiced ease.

"That's jist funny." Ash chimed in, as she stood on the outskirts of their small camp, grinning from ear to ear at the scene. She had changed back into her own shirt, Harrod's shirt carried in a pathetic wad underneath the imp's arm. 

Garrick had awakened immediately at Harrod's call thinking the orcks had found them. When it was clear they were still safe for the time being he had crept out out of the enclosure to stretch his legs and wash up. When he walked back into camp he was not quite as charitable as the two girls and out a hearty laugh at Saeyll's before catching himself. He was still grinning ear to ear as he made his way back into the small shelter to retrieve his belongings.

Saeyll fumed more than blushed at the young man but let him pass unchecked, glad for the sound of laughter in place of horns even at her expense. She did not, however, spare Ash, putting on a dark smirk and brandishing the brush at the cheeky rogue with the same expertise with which Marissa held the blade. "You're next Ms. Rhoiden," she said with a threatening flourish. "Well," she relented almost immediately, "Right after breakfast."

With a last few aggressive strokes and a twist Saeyll returned the brush gratefully to Marissa's hand. "Let's see what culinary peculiarities Grom contributed for our meals, shall we?" The man had hurriedly hustled a few pouches of food into her pack the previous morning. That did not guarantee they would be at all enticing.

? - Marissa

"Thanks Harrod."  Ash said as she walked into camp and handed him the shirt.

Sauntering back into the shelter Saeyll hoisted her head high and sat pointedly beside Garrick. "Good morning," she said brightly before foraging through her bag to deliver a handful of apples. By their strange shape she knew they were from Grom's own grove. She set the bright red fruit beside the other breakfast offerings.

"Those look good." Garrick said, making no attempt to apologize for his earlier laughter.

Ryke stepped back into the small enclosure. He'd gotten up and left as soon as Harrod woke him, taking only a few minutes to stretch the kinks out before heading into the woods.

"We should be okay following the river bed for a while," he said to the others. He dropped into a crouch and looked for something to eat. "When we leave, if the rest of you go on ahead I can try to hide as much of our stay here as possible, then catch back up."

Garrick nodded. "Should we wait for you somewhere ahead or just go a bit slower until you catch up?"

The young ranger considered for a moment. "No, don't go slower. Just keep moving along the river bed for now. At some point there's a pretty sharp turn in the bed where it almost doubles back on itself. You should reach it before two hours have passed, but if I haven't caught up to you yet, wait there for me. I shouldn't be far behind at that point."

He again paused, considering. "In fact, if each of you could give me a shirt or something, some piece of clothing, I'll try and lay a couple of false trails." He looked longingly at the dry river bed. "Too bad there's not enough water here abouts," he said to no one in particular.

"Good idea." Garrick said, pulling the shirt he had worn the night before out of his pack and handing to Ryke.

Harrod looked at the messy and wrinkled bundle that he had given to Ash upon meeting her at the bottom of the ravine the day before. Holding it out before him, the boy walked over to Ryke and presented it as if it was some animal found dead.

"You can use this," he said with a glimmer of mirth in his eyes. "I really do not think I will be wearing it again for some time."

Marissa chuckled as she rummaged back into her pack for her own previously-worn shirt.  "Here, Ryke," she said, handing it to him.  "We'll have plenty of water at the rice fields," Marissa nodded.  "About as cold as the river, there's plenty of it this time of year.  Been over to help their harvest a few times.  We should be able to confuse 'em a bit more as we cross 'em."

Ryke nodded quickly, knowing instantly what she was talking about. "That's perfect," he said. "We should change course then to throw them off, and I can lay more false trails to confuse them even more." He smiled at Marissa, nodding again. "Good idea, that."

Saeyll cast furtive glances at the others as they parcelled away their wardrobe. A dress, clean and whole, lay at the bottom of her bag but she was would not part with it. Digging below the stiff cotton her eyes grew wide as she glanced at Ryke and then quickly away, her hand recognizing the soft material of her spare chemise. She would certainly not permit a veritable stranger, particularly of the male persuasion, to handle her unmentionables. Instead she pulled the bracelet she had tucked away from the pouch. "Could you use this as a distraction?" The copper discs tinkled suggestively in her hand. "Maybe strung upon a branch where they might catch the wind."

Ryke considered for a moment, then shook his head. He hoped he kept the annoyance off his face. "That won't be necessary." He gestured at the growing pile of soiled clothing. "They'll be looking for the group. Chances are a single scent will get lost in the mix anyway." He squatted down and began tying them together around a small limb. "You all go ahead. I'll follow along shortly."

"Be careful!"  Ash quipped with a healthy slug in his upper arm.

The afternoon sunlight filtered down through the budding leaves and branches of the forest canopy overhead, providing a shadow streaked path for the group to follow as Ryke lingered behind, to scour their campsite, and mislead their pursuers.  Ash in the lead, they kept mostly to the old riverbed as it wound its way north and east through the forest. It wasn't long before they had reached the sharp bend in the banks, and stopped to rest for a moment.

Ash was back to her usual self as she bounded ahead of the others, bouncing to find a perch on high rocks and balancing on a fallen tree. If there was any fun to be found during that nervous trek away from their pursuers, she managed to find it. It was clear that a nights sleep was all that was needed to renew both her spirits and her energy.

For his part, Ryke had nearly caught back up with the others by the time they had reached the bend. The false trails and scouring of the campsite by himself had taken more time than he had thought, dragging all their discarded clothing behind him as he wound his way several hundred yards, north, then south. The bulk of the time however, was used in scattering the campfire remains, and trying to remove any broken ferns and the other signs of their passing. Every moment he spent, he knew the others got further ahead, and the precious sunlight, that kept their foes from pursuing, became more and more slanted.

He had to exert himself in his effort to make up for the time spent at the campsite, and when he found the others at the bend in the river, he found his companions rested and almost ready to resume, while he was panting and sweating.

Hearing the rustling, Marissa had risen from her place on a rock, weapon ready before Ryke came into view. She breathed a sigh of relief and replaced her sword. "We can stand another ten minutes, of rest, I think," she said with a firm nod. "Let Ryke catch his breath and all."

Ryke smiled gratefully and dropped to the ground unmindful of the rocks beneath him. He lay back and stared at the sky, taking slow deep breaths.

"I don't know if it will throw them off our trail," he said after a minute. "But I'm sure it will take them some time to ensure they have the right one. It should buy us time." He patted his pack where the bundle of clothing poked out. "I'll do it again when we reach the rice fields."

In a moment, Ash's face blocked his peaceful view of the sky, as she leaned over him.  "Did you hear any of 'em stirrin' yet?  Were ya scared, any?"

Ryke chuckled tiredly. "Didn't hear anything," he said. He reached up and pushed her head out of the way and sat up. "But then I wasn't waiting around to see how long it would take them to get there." He reached for his pack and withdrew his water. He took a drink, rinsing it around his mouth before swallowing, then a second before putting it back.

"Prob'ly a good idea." Ash chirped

"And no," he added with a shake of his head. "I wasn't scared. I'm okay in the woods on my own. When not being chased, attacked or running for my life." He looked around at the others. "How about the rest of you? Is everyone doing okay? Any blisters, anything starting to hurt?"

"Right as rain."  Ash said quickly, followed by a back flip to prove it.

"You're asking that question after last night and then sleeping on the ground all night?" Garrick asked with humor. "Of course I'm starting to hurt."

"Yah, what he said," Marissa nodded.  Almost of their own accord, her eyes slid to the singer.  Of them all, she seemed the most unused to hard, physical labor.  "But I'll be okay.  How about you, Saeyll?" she asked with a quirk to her lips and humor lighting her eyes.  "Aside from spiders and all, I mean?"

Saeyll, who had been unconsciously sweeping her hand across her hair as they traveled, grimaced at the mention. "I'm fine, thank you," she assured Marissa and the others, her features slipping into a smile, "Even though I only have two legs. The riverbed is easier to traverse than the crowded underbrush of last night. It's fortunate you knew it was here Ryke. I'm only a little sore."

Ryke rolled his eyes. "I know you hurt from moving fast and sleeping on the ground," he said to everyone and no one. "But you have to be careful about your feet. Blisters can make you walk different, which increases the chances of turning an ankle. And it's one thing to have sore muscles. It's something else entirely to have pulled something that'll only get worse as time goes on." He spread his hands. "I'm only trying to pass on what I've learned." He laid back down. "Take it how you will."

Marissa held her hands up to him, showing the light callouses she already sported.  "Blisters stopped bein' a problem for me long ago," she said with a half-smile.  "My feet are just as tough.  And I really did learn how to tell when somethin's pulled rather than just bein' sore from working with Garrick," she nodded.  "So, I'm really okay and not tryin' to make fun or anything," she added.  "Well, except maybe a little about spiders," she grinned at Saeyll. 

"You're right, though.  We all need to keep aware of those things," she added with a firm nod.  "I'm relyin' on you and Ash, here Ryke.  You two are our best chance at not gettin' lost out here in the woods.  All I know about how to get through here is to put one foot in front of the other.".

"Yeah, Ryke. I was just trying to lighten the mood. You forget what I used to do all day." Had it really only been a few days since he'd last swung a hammer in his father's shop? With everything that had happened it seemed it was a lifetime ago. "I know the difference between pulling something and just being sore."

"Sorry." Ryke waved a hand without opening his eyes. "Just tired." 

Even behind his closed lids, he could feel the shadow of darkness pass over his eyes as Ash bent over him again and peered down.

"As do I," claimed Saeyll. "I've played instruments and performed enough to know when I've had my limit and dancing can be very..." She faultered as, glancing from one rugged demeanor to the next, she realized how very different she was from them. "Demanding," she finished quietly, not looking at anyone. "How long will it be until we reach our destination?" she asked quickly.

Privately, Marissa didn't think dancing was so demanding, but she didn't do it for a living, either so she kept her mouth shut on the subject.  Her mother always said that it was better to do that than to make a fool of yourself when you didn't know anything about the subject.  "If I've got things right in my head, keepin' up a steady pace tonight and tomorrow night will get us there.  We can camp on the outskirts of the rice fields, then make our way across the next night, I'm thinkin'."

Saeyll nodded with thought. "I didn't realize the Elven were so close," she said absently, looking into the distance as though seeing Elllesneral though she had no idea in which direction the realm lay. "I have never met an elf. I am excited at the prospect and of seeing their woods if they will permit us." Which reminded the magess of another concern. "Do any of you have acquaintance with them or speak their language? I mean... how do we know they will help us? And where do we turn if they won't?" She had warned Ryke unnecessarily against leading the orck-kind to the innocent, but wasn't that exactly what they were doing?

Ryke sat up again, interested despite his weariness. "My father met with an elf a time or two. One of the Elleseon Legion, he said. He'd met him back when he was a soldier. He never stayed, though. They exchanged news and such." He shrugged. "Not that that helps much, I know. Other than that I don't know anything about them but what they say."

"They're s'pose to be smart."  Ash quipped.  "Smarter than us. We'll let 'em start the talkin' business. So long as they can understand us, we aught ta be good ta go."

Marissa shrugged.  "My grandfather mentioned one in one of his stories from when he traveled," she said thoughtfully.  Then she turned a curious face to Garrick.  "I know your dad hasn't said a lot about your mom's folks," she continued in her quiet way.  "But did he tell you anything else before we left?  What to expect and all?"

Garrick shook his head. "You were there for everything he told me and that was all about the Orcks." Garrick's expression changed and he looked off into the distance. "I always wanted to meet my mother's people but never thought it would be like this."

A twinkle formed in his eye as he looked past his friends to Saeyll. "Will meeting a half-elf do for now?"

The young woman nearly bounded into Garrick as she drew instantly closer, her eyes squinting up in study of his features as though seeing him for the first time. Her eyes grew wide again at the new recognition of his graceful features and she smiled broadly. "That's marvelous! I didn't realize your mother was elven. It must be wonderful to have the benefit of two races." The slew of questions that rose to her lips was refrained by courtesy though she could not stop her foot from tapping furiously from the buildup of curiousity. "That's marvelous," she said again, twisting her toes into the soil to tame them. "I would love to learn more about your heritage. You must be especially eager to reach Elllesneral. I hope we may stay for awhile. Oh, how I would love to learn Elvish!" she admitted ridiculously.

Garrick shrugged, "I can't help you there. I don't remember my mother and my father never told me much about her. I didn't even know he knew anything about orcks until recently."

Saeyll was disappointed but remained intrigued, limiting her discussion to the impersonal. "We could learn together. I wonder if you would have an advantage being Elven, if language in your species is in any way inherent given your long histories and close association to nature, the way animals instinctively know, for example, how to communicate. Of course it could be argued that all humanoid races communicate instinctively through emotional displays such as laughter and tears, which are more reaction than thought. Even so you may still have an advantage if it is true that Elven intellect surpasses human." Her gaze shifted upward in thought. "But then as a half-elf you may be hindered. I wonder what difference it would have made if your father had been elven and your mother human..." Her soliloquy had begun to drift along with her thoughts until her musings ceased altogether and she gave way to introspection.

"Okay then. We're all in the same boat, then," Marissa shrugged.  Then she leaned down to re-shoulder her pack.  "Saeyll, if they don't want to help -- an' I can't really believe they won't -- we'll figure out where to go, then," she said.  "Maybe to Allinor, or maybe further north.  We'll have to figure it out as we go."

Saeyll, recalled from her speculations, nodded and set her mind to think on a contingency plan, or several, before it was needed. "And we should probably go now," she said taking the cue from Marissa and adjusting her own burden.

**pushdown**
It was only a few minutes after the decision had been made, the youths hit the trail once more. Moving ever eastwards, sometimes north and east, sometimes south, they followed Ash and Ryke through the underbrush. The dry riverbed became a wet riverbed after a few miles, the trickling of the water in a few spots seeming odd at first, tiny cracks in the bedrock swallowing the last bits of rainwater. When the water became shin deep, the travelers stopped to rest once more.

"The Sun is staying higher longer than it was when we left with the Widow's Chinaware." Harrod piped up, as the waterskins were being refilled. "More sun means less time for our pursuers to move."  The sun had long since 'set' behind the peaks in the West, but that odd twilight of the four rivers was tangibly brighter than it had been even four days prior.

Onward the group pressed, as the deepening night. began to surround them in earnest. They had made decent time, by Ryke's reckoning, but that first clarion horn call that cut the sky from the west, seemed at once miles away, and far too close.

"Breeeeeeeeee---yaaaaaaaaaa"

It had become familiar now. One called, two others answered. Their hunters were moving, and another night of fear and flight lay ahead of the young men and women of the Four Rivers.

Marissa looked up, a slight frown on her face.  Then, she looked at her companions with a nod.  "Time to put on some speed, if we can.  Can't do a flat-out run in the dark, but we can pick it up a notch or two, I think."