Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [125]
“And I’ll take the east,” said Bardon. “We’ll travel until sunset and then retrace our steps. There should be moonlight tonight, enough to navigate by. Kale, watch where the moon comes up, and use that to keep your bearings on your return.”
“I know that.” She signaled the dragons to come and started into the woods before she unintentionally revealed her fears to Bardon.
“Be careful.” Regidor’s voice gave her a measure of comfort.
“Don’t do anything foolish.” Bardon’s voice made her jaw ache as she ground her teeth together.
She carefully guarded her thoughts as she stormed away.
Why is he so bossy all of a sudden? By now he should know I am at least competent.
To refocus her mind on the task at hand, Kale planned her next moves. She sent the dragons ahead of her, telling them to look for bisonbecks and grawligs and renegade dragons. Gymn came back first with a report she could hardly believe.
She veered off to the left and followed him. She smelled wood smoke before they came to a ridge where Gymn urged caution. Lying on her stomach, she inched into a position to peer over the top. Her stomach knotted as she surveyed the wide valley below. Campfires dotted the darkening landscape. Thousands of bisonbeck warriors crowded the eastern side, clearly organized in military units. A river marked a dividing line. On the western banks and all the way to the hills below the Morchain Range, grawligs camped in their typical helter-skelter manner. Kale examined the chaotic scene and located knots of ropmas and schoergs here and there amid the grawlig encampment.
Gymn grumbled deep in his throat.
“Yes, I see them,” she answered.
At the other end of the valley, dragons roved over a hilly landscape.
Kale gulped. “How many warriors are there? How many dragons? How do we determine where the leaders are?”
Metta landed on her shoulder. She had come across the same scene and traveled along the top of the ridge to rejoin Kale. Soon Dibl and Ardeo skimmed over the rocks and bushes to land on her as well.
To the west, the sun dipped below the peaks of the Morchain Range. A blood red streak of clouds announced the end of the day. A grawlig chant rose from the valley, making Kale’s skin crawl. Even though she could not distinguish the words, the beat of the tuneless mantra sounded like a war cry.
“Well, we’ve got something to report. We might as well go back.”
Kale pushed herself away from the edge and slid down the slope. Standing, she brushed debris from her cape and trousers.
This is so much bigger than I imagined. How can a small, untrained army of farmers stand up to that gigantic army? I hope Wizard Fenworth and Librettowit find Brunstetter and Lee Ark.
She started back through the woods. Ardeo flew just ahead, lighting the way. Metta, Gymn, and Dibl sat on Kale. Not even Dibl found any humor in the situation.
Kale’s thoughts were on how to phrase the enormity of what she had seen.
I’m sure Bardon and Regidor saw the same thing from their positions. I wonder if they went closer to the enemy.
She tripped over a half-buried, rotten log. As she stumbled a few feet, the underbrush caught at her legs.
“I don’t remember the forest being this overgrown.”
She peered upward but could not see the sky. “Well, that eliminates using the moon as a guide.”
Kale reached with her mind to find Regidor or Bardon, but found her emotions and the nearness of so many of the enemy hampered her ability.
Or maybe Risto knows we’re here and has done something. The minor dragons found me easily. Maybe they’ll lead me to Regidor or Bardon.
Kale made the suggestion, and each of the dragons agreed they could find Regidor. When they started off at a southwest angle, Kale got an impression of the meech dragon’s location and breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want to spend the night alone and lost in the forest, especially if Risto knew she and the others had infiltrated his territory.
“No!” She giggled as the minor dragons bombarded her