Song of the Saurials - Kate Novak [73]
Finally guessing that the saurial's sense of smell might be as sharp as any hunting hound's, Breck had asked Alias to ask Dragonbait to lead the way, but at the next choice of intersections, Dragonbait scratched his head and acted confused. Breck, completely frustrated with the paladin, had resumed the lead.
Alias, familiar with her companion's phony "dumb animal" routine, had glared at the saurial and whispered, "What is wrong with you? Why won't you help him?"
The ranger is beyond my help, Dragonbait had signed.
Alias had ridden off after the ranger in a huff. She didn't know what had gotten into the paladin, but she knew they couldn't afford to alienate Breck completely. Aside from worrying about keeping the ranger from starting a battle with Akabar and Grypht, in the back of Alias's mind was the realization that if they ever did locate Nameless, Breck was one of the bard's judges.
Now, as Breck disappeared down the fork in the road, Alias dismounted to stretch her legs. Dragonbait was nowhere to be seen. The swordswoman walked back down the path to see what he was up to. She spotted him tying a strip of blue cloth to a tree branch just above his head. She crept up behind him until she was a mere three feet away.
"What are you doing?" she asked suddenly.
Dragonbait jumped and whirled around, obviously startled.
"You're marking the trail," she exclaimed in surprise. "Why?"
Mourngrym might come, Dragonbait signed.
"Mourngrym is not coming," Alias retorted. She reached up to yank the strip of cloth from the tree and nearly lost her balance when she tripped on a heap of walnuts piled on the trail just below the branch.
"Why are you leaving nuts out on the trail?" she demanded.
An offering to Tymora, the saurial signed.
"Nuts?" Alias cried. "Since when does Lady Luck demand offerings of nuts?
Dragonbait, what has gotten into you? Why are you slowing us down?"
Breck's too angry, Dragonbait signed as he had at the tower. He's not getting any calmer.
"But you're only making him angrier. And you still haven't told me why you're marking the trail," Alias said. "What are the nuts for, anyway?"
Dragonbait pointed down the trail. Breck had returned. The saurial loped up to the ranger's horse.
Alias growled to herself. Dragonbait was keeping something from her, she was certain of it. She followed her companion back down the trail. "Did you find anything?" she asked Breck as she mounted her horse.
Breck nodded wordlessly and led the way back down the fork of the trail he'd just examined.
Dragonbait slapped at Alias's horse so it trotted down the trail ahead of him.
It took the swordswoman a moment to slow her mount and turn to be sure the paladin was following. Dragonbait trotted past her. Alias turned her horse again and followed him. She'd spotted another strip of cloth hanging from a branch to mark the fork they now rode on. It wouldn't do to confront the saurial in front of Breck, but eventually she'd find out what he was up to if she had to shake it out of the paladin.
*****
Akabar watched with fascination as Grypht studied the teleport spell carved into his staff. The carvings didn't look the least bit like any writing Akabar had ever seen. They appeared to be nothing but notches and lines carved at irregular intervals. The Turmish scholar longed to pester the saurial wizard into translating for him, but Grypht's tongues spell had worn off. Besides, they had both agreed that the most important thing was for them to return as soon as possible to Shadowdale, so Akabar remained silent.
In the back of the Turmishman's mind, he was anxious about Zhara. He had a blurry memory of Kyre speaking some spell that included his wife's name.
Dragonbait had promised to look after her, though, which assuaged the southern mage's fears considerably. Still, he'd be glad to get back to Zhara.
He'd also be relieved to get out of the forest wilderness all around them. The slender oak saplings that