Dragonspell - Donita K. Paul [42]
Gently, Kale reached. Slow. Careful. Like reaching out in the dark, she felt ahead of her, not rushing. She didn’t come up against the ugly, terrifying blackness. She reached and stretched, and her mind penetrated all directions at once.
Then she knew.
Her eyes flew open and she looked toward the setting sun. Small pink splotches of sky peeked through the overhead branches.
“That way,” she said.
“That’s where we just came from.”
“Leetu is somewhere in that direction.”
“Are you sure?”
Kale started to say yes and then stopped.
Am I?
She reached with her mind again but focused west.
There. She felt it again. Leetu. Not her thoughts, but her person. No words, just a longing to be free, to escape.
“I’m sure, Dar, and we have to hurry.”
Tears filled her eyes. She didn’t know if the desperation was her own feeling or Leetu’s.
“We have to hurry.”
17
LOOKING FOR TROUBLE
Dar wasted no time. With a nod to Kale, he slung his knapsacks across his back again and headed in the direction she had indicated. Kale followed, glad that she had picked up some skill in walking the treacherous planking at this altitude.
Leetu, we’re coming.
No response.
I wonder if she can hear me?
Leetu?
No answer. At least Kale hadn’t been slapped in the face with that horrible darkness.
She blanked out all thoughts and tried to hear Leetu mindspeak. With her mind on her friend instead of the planking, Kale’s foot hit a thin spot. She plunged through the branches, catching herself with her arms. Dar sprinted back, grabbed her shoulders, and helped her struggle back to the level where they were traveling.
“You all right?” He picked a caterpillar off her arm and placed it on a branch.
“Are you asking me if I’m all right, or the caterpillar?”
Dar’s eyebrows shot up and his ears flattened. “Not all right.” He shook his head and turned away, already resuming his quick stride. “Definitely grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy!” she called after him. She glared at him for a moment, then realized she was wasting more time. His back couldn’t see her scowl.
“I’m not grumpy,” she muttered and took three tentative steps after the doneel. The branches gave way under her, and she hopped to a sturdier limb.
I’d better pay attention to my feet. I wonder if we should go down a level. The problem is speed. Where can we travel the quickest?
The problem is me. She sighed. Dar could reach Leetu faster without me. I’m slowing him down, falling through the planking.
She followed Dar, wondering if she should suggest moving down. She could move faster on a level below, provided she didn’t step wrong in the dimmer light. Here she could see better, but it was tiring to have to be so cautious.
Too bad there isn’t a river and a boat. Too bad we don’t have riding dragons like Dar’s Merlander. Even a dirt road and a farm horse would move us faster than this.
She came to a thicker patch of cygnot forest and took advantage of the more closely woven planking to catch up to Dar. He moved at the same pace whatever the quality of planking beneath them.
They stopped for a quick meal late in the day. Inside the gauzy wrapping, Granny Noon’s sandwiches were still fresh. Gymn came out of his pocket-den and sniffed at her bread, cheese, and sliced jimmin but didn’t take a bite. He skipped up her arm and perched on her shoulder until she finished eating. When she stood up after her meal, Gymn dashed back into his pocket-den.
“Let’s keep moving as long as we can,” said Dar. “Do you still think Leetu is in that direction?” He pointed through the trees.
She allowed her mind to test for Leetu’s presence and felt a faint nudge, much less pronounced than before.
Is she weakening? Is she farther away? Is she dying?
Leetu?
No response. At least she knew which direction to go.
She nodded in the direction the doneel still pointed. Dar shouldered his pack and struck out.
Soon daylight faded. The moon’s soft glow did little to help her distinguish between dense clusters of leaves and a solid branch. The swamp bugs became more aggressive. She’d forgotten to ask for the stick