Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [135]
Suddenly, a horse can be heard crying out in pain behind them as it sets its hoof in one of the holes. Then, several more cry out as they, too, get their legs broken.
“What’s happening?” asks Fifer as they slow a fraction.
“Sounds like their horses are in distress,” Jiron says as he glances behind them. More and more horses begin crying out as they step into the holes.
After several minutes of creating the holes, James stops and they ride on at a reduced pace for a few minutes. The horns behind them have quieted and the sound of pursuit has fallen off as well. “I think that slowed them down a little,” he says. From the sound of his voice, the others can tell that bit of magic had taken its toll.
“Sounds like it,” Miko says.
They ride on for another half an hour before the sky to the east begins to lighten up. Glancing behind them as the light increases, James is relieved not to see any sign of their pursuers.
The mountains begin to fall off behind them as the range moves more to the west. To the north, a large body of foot soldiers appears far in the distance ahead of them, moving to the northeast. They stop abruptly and turn around, moving southwest to avoid them. Soon the army is out of sight behind them.
Far off to the west, they begin to see smoke rising from a large structure sitting along the base of the mountains. “That army must have just come from there,” supposes Jiron.
“Think they left anyone there?” asks James.
“Why?” asks Fifer.
“If they didn’t, it might be a good place to hide until night,” he explains. “Why would they go back if everyone there is dead?”
“Good point,” says Fifer.
“But they might also be using it for a forward staging area,” Jiron says. Pointing in that direction, he says, “Look, you can see people moving around the structure.”
Straining to see, James nods as he makes out several people moving there. He says, “You are right. Better not chance it.”
Several miles to their north is another line of trees. Indicating them, Jiron says, “Maybe we could make it there before anyone sees us.”
“Maybe,” replies James as he sits there and thinks a moment.
“We gotta go somewhere,” Miko says in exasperation. “We’re kind of exposed sitting here.”
“To the trees then,” decides James and everyone nods agreement.
They turn their horses north and break into a gallop. To the east, they can see the tail end of the marching column of soldiers in the distance, but hold to their course.
It’s a very tense time as they make for the trees, James expects to hear horns from all direction when they’re discovered. But as luck would have it, they make it to the trees without being spotted. Or if they did, whoever saw them took them for their own. After all, they are behind the enemies’ lines.
They move deep within the forest and continue with their northward trek. The sun continues to climb in the sky as they forge through the forest, not making near the speed they had on the plains, but are definitely less likely to be discovered.
Deeper into the forest, they come across a small river as it flows southward. Tired and exhausted, they stop at a clearing near it and take a rest break. Breaking out their food, they have a quick meal before continuing on.
“How much further do you think before we reach their lines?” James asks Fifer.
“We’re already past where they were when we went south after Lord Pytherian,” he replies. “No telling how far they’ve pushed north since then. Lythylla is only a day or so to the north, I would think that’s where we’ll find the bulk of their armies.”
“That one we saw moving around the forest,” Jiron says, “do you think they could have been on their way there?”
“Likely,” says Fifer. “But who knows for sure?”
Once they’re done eating and the horses have had a rest, they remount and begin moving north through the forest again. They decide not to follow the river northwest, instead they head due north, hoping to avoid anyone that might be using it.
The day progresses as they continue through the woods, sometime after noon they