Part Seven
"If you do not mind, I will make a small fire. I would feel more like a Man if I boiled these roots and roasted the apple, though I am certain they are edible as is."
"We have water enough, but we should look for a source tomorrow," Lenaduiniel said.
Tsuki began to collect fallen wood to make a fire. "Dale, there is something useful you can do. Set up that collector of dew."
Dale said nothing, but he did as Tsuki suggested and went about making a hollow and selecting his cloth and sticks. He took the cook pot from his pack to set in the hollow. Tsuki built the frame of the fire, used flint and knife to start it and poured water to make a soup of the roots and herbs. Lenaduiniel helped tend the soup and portioned the greens.
Dale came to the fire. "We should sleep in the trees."
"I certainly have slept in a tree before," Lenaduiniel said, "but do you think it necessary?"
"It's safer." Dale turned and seemed to work on his craft again. He had not allowed Tsuki or Lenaduiniel get a close look at it, though Tsuki supposed it to be the handle or hilt for some larger thing, because it consisted of a shaft with one bulbous end, which Dale had apparently been sewing leather covering for.
They ate soup and greens, then roasted apples over the coals, and ate them as well. When they had cleaned and stowed the cooking gear and smothered the coals, Lenaduiniel said she would watch until she felt she must sleep and then wake another.
Dale insisted that no one else need stay awake, as he was not going to sleep. He climbed into a tree and was quiet. Lenaduiniel confirmed that she would watch and then wake Tsuki so that he may keep watch.
Tsuki slept, as Lenaduiniel and Dale both remained awake. They did not speak to each other, but both kept their ears trained for noises that warned danger. Lenaduiniel was an Elf and understood many sounds that animals made, but this was not her homeland and it was night, so many of the noises sounded foreign. Dale understood night creatures well. He was not certain that there was danger, but there were rumors of it. Rumors added to his usual fears and he could not allow himself to sleep.
Later in the night Lenaduiniel woke Tsuki. When she was certain he was alert, she wrapped herself in her cloak and slept at his side. Tsuki remained sitting against a tree, listening to Lenaduiniel breath slowly in her sleep. He could see almost nothing in any direction, except when he looked up. He could see stars and a sliver of moon and here and there the silhouette of a branch. He could not see Dale.
Tsuki listened, but all he heard was the sounds of creatures and nothing that he could distinguish as a threat. During his watch, Tsuki heard something that he believed a footfall. Though he was uncertain, he drew his shorter sword. "It's me," Dale said at the slight hiss of the draw. Dale could feel the tree and he could hear the two bodies breathing. "Go to sleep, Tsuki. Between your Wizard device and Lenaduiniel's eyes you will find the quickest path. You will not me to be alert until night."
"But we cannot travel if you fall to the ground in exhaustion. You got little sleep last night."
"I can go without. Perhaps before sunset I will stop and sleep. Then I may sleep a little. Tsuki, sleep."
Tsuki returned his sword to the scabbard. "Keep watch here, beside us, and if you feel very tired, wake me."
Dale said nothing, but he sat beside Tsuki, close enough that they could feel each other. Tsuki then lay on the ground beneath the tree.
Dale remained awake until morning. He loaded the horses before he woke the others. They drank dew and ate apples as their breakfast. Dale packed away the pot and cloth and they set out for Stone Keep again.
Dale was correct that, where there were trees, Lenaduiniel was valuable to them in fixing landmarks that the others could not have distinguished. Tsuki checked his compass often, sometimes riding with it in his hand. As they came into the hills, the land was more heavily wooded and objects in the distance were obscured by foliage. Tsuki rechecked their course often, sometimes calculating the right amount of deviation to move around an obstacle and return on the other side to their original course.
Because there were more obstacles in the hilly terrain, the Elves could not stride so quickly and the horses could not move as easily. Tsuki rode, but he often dismounted when areas of vegetation seemed promising and Lenaduiniel and Dale sought food as well.
It was clear to the others that Dale was very tired. Several times one or the other saw him stumble, but he insisted that he was well. Finally, Tsuki rode up beside him and offered his hand. "Ride behind me on Moon-halo. If you believe what you say, then we will need you alert tonight."
Dale was tired and it was hot and the terrain was uneven. He decided Tsuki was correct and took his hand to mount the horse. Dale put his forehead to Tsuki's shoulder and he slept. While Dale was asleep, Tsuki and Leanduiniel agreed that they should stop just as the sun was setting and that they would probably not be so close to the fort that it would aide them to press on.
Tsuki was not certain about the fort's distance or whether the map was accurately scaled. He did know that they had made good time, considering the extra burden and that plotting a direct course had made up somewhat for not being able to ride. It was possible that the better course would allow them to make the journey in the same amount of time, in which case, he thought they should make Stone Keep during the next morning.
Lenaduiniel located water shortly before sunset, so Tsuki made the decision that they should stop then, mark where they left their course, and camp near the stream. When they found the stream, Tsuki thought it might be the same one he and Dale had found before, but they were probably further downstream.
Tsuki woke Dale and they all went about freeing the horses of their burdens and making camp. Dale said he would prepare the food. As there was still light and they were near water, Tsuki volunteered to fill all the waterskins, and said he would wash while he was there. Lenaduiniel said she wished to wash also and it was agreed she would gaze upstream, while Tsuki stood downstream from her and gazed in that direction.
"Take your dagger and your swords," Dale called as they were gathering what they needed. "Do not be caught bathing after sunset!"
The sun was just setting as they both returned. Dale had portions of food set out and so they ate what they had foraged. Lenaduiniel added wood to the fire and said she would sit close to help dry her hair; Tsuki had combed his hair back and tied it in a leather thong at his crown again.
Tsuki and Lenaduiniel sat near the fire talking and Dale moved away from them. He walked nervously about the area of their camp with his sword drawn. As they watched him, Tsuki and Lenaduiniel noticed that there were blackbirds about again. "Five now," she said.
"Dale," Tsuki called, "If there is some real danger you know of, tell us so that we may face it with you, but if...it is something else, gather your wits."
"I don't know. Maybe I think...but I don't know. I only hear rumors. Maybe they will come tonight, but it is too early now." His voice was on the verge of singing again.
Tsuki was not certain what he should do. It was possible there was no danger, but it was possible that something was coming, and it was likely Orcs, from the way Dale was behaving. Tsuki knew that some still lived on this side of the Great River. Not all had been killed in the War. Tsuki did not know of a reason their party would be preyed upon, unless they really did seek vengeance against Orc-killer. The nature of Orcs in the absence of a Wizard who had spawned them was little understood by Men, Elves or Wizards, so they might have some motive Tsuki could not see. If they truly were out there, that was.
"We are not certain there is danger, and it does not seem wise to move in the dark when we will be at a disadvantage. It is best we put out the fire and try to sleep. I will watch first. Lady Lenaduiniel, I suggest you choose a tree that best camouflages you and take your bow with you...and not because you are a Lady, because it is sensible."
"I will, but then it should be sensible for you as well."
"Perhaps I shall sleep in the tree, but for now I watch. Dale, come, stay close."
"They can see you in the firelight," Dale whispered, "spoil us all, but I will be ready." He moved into the firelight, crouched and scanned the darkness. Dale's held his sword in his right hand; his left arm rested on his leg and he held in that hand the thing he had been several days crafting. Tsuki saw it then, and as it was held between Dale's legs he understood what it was: a cruel facsimile of the male organ when erect.
It did not seem a thing an Elf would have. Though Tsuki knew little of the passions they shared, he was certain they did not involve such contrived unnatural things. Elves loved what was natural and would rather share equally in each other's bodies. It was no Wizard device Tsuki knew of. If Men used such things, or Dwarves or Halflings, then Tsuki would be quite shocked. Tsuki had read of a sort of women's magic that used similar implement, but he had always thought that its use was symbolic, and knew the women who practiced would not have chosen black leather to cover the wooden shaft. To Tsuki, it seemed Orc-craft.
Dale only knew that Orcs did have such things. He would be ready, if they came, either way it went. He would slay them, he would be slain, or he would have the toy ready for them when they decided they wanted to play for a short or a long while, before they slew him.
"Dale, I cannot indulge your madness," Tsuki whispered, "This is not what an Elf would do."
"What...what do Elves do?"
"Stand, be optimistic, and ask this tree to give us what shelter and protection it can, just in case there are enemies coming. And trust me to take this watch and wake you for the next."
Dale stood. "Yes. I will take the next watch. We should put out the fire."
"I think I shall attempt a spell first." Tsuki went to his chest and opened it. He took his wand from it. It was silver set with moonstone.
"You are not a real Wizard. What is that?"
"My wand. It is to focus my power."
Dale stooped, looked into the darkness, then looked into the chest. He was particularly interested in the small bottles of oil. "I have seen a Wizard work, from a distance. They just wave their staff and incant and things happen."
"Wizardry is parts The Art and mysticism," Tsuki explained, "I had much aptitude for The Art, but my Master would not teach me all. I was allowed also to know only certain elements of their mystical practices. A very powerful Wizard does not always need the staff or the words, though most use them. Less powerful Wizards use further means, to help focus their power. And, they are great experimenters. They attempt many things and note those that were successful. If they need to achieve a goal, they repeat the steps they had the most success with, though they may not know if all those steps and their aspects were important to the success or it was just coincidence. As I am not even an apprentice, I needed various ceremonial objects to help me focus my power, but I feel...it may be enough to form them in my mind. I am out of practice and these things are old; they should be re-consecrated to their purpose. I will call up the true forms in my mind, though holding the wand in my hand seems to help."
Dale was plotting. "May I have this?" he asked, holding an open bottle of oil below his nose. "Is this your script?"
"Yes. I sometimes used the writing of my ancestors, mainly that I would not forget how to use it, but also for privacy. Wizards should not give away too many secrets. It is the oil pressed from a night blooming flower. Take it if it will be useful to you."
Dale closed the small bottle with its stopper. Tsuki lifted his compass from beneath his shirt and waited for the rabbit to show him north. He noted the direction and oriented himself east and tried to focus. "Are you doing the spell now?" Dale asked.
"I will focus better if you are quiet, I do not wish to say the spell will not work, because then I know it will not, but for it to have its chance, I must have some focus. Take the remaining bones of Old Rabbit and put them in the clay bowl, then put the bowl atop the chest."
"Old Rabbit will help you?"
"My Master says summoning is necromancy, but, yes, in a fashion the rabbit will aid me. I have little chance to protect us from magical harm, so I shall do a spell for protection from physical harm. The clay and bones will represent the physical realm for me."
Tsuki knelt on the ground, he put his left hand to the bones and felt them. He visualized receiving the nature of the physical realm, of the Earth, of the bones. Tsuki closed his eyes, focused and incanted in the language of his ancestors. "I, Tsuki, by my flesh and bone, by the will of my mind..." Tsuki visualized the ceremonial knife he sometimes used and how its sharpness reflected the sharpness of intellect. He visualized a cup filled with water and then the knife drawing blood from a finger. He a drop of blood fall into the cup of water, "by my heart's blood, by the power of my spirit..." He held his wand aloft, "And by the guide, which has made itself known to me, Old Rabbit, I cast protection within the circle I trace."
Tsuki stood slowly and opened his eyes. He lifted one of the bones in his left hand, took several steps to his right, until he was beyond the fire, then pointed his wand toward the ground. He repeated his incantation as he walked a circle around the fire, around the tree that Leanduiniel slept in and which the horses were tethered to, around Dale and himself. He visualized the nature of the physical realm and his power flowing out of him into the circle he traced.
When Tsuki had completed the circle and the power had been released, he put his wand into his sash and looked at Dale. He was standing with his back to the tree, rubbing that cruel thing over the top of his leg, strangely, the movement seemed to sooth him.
Dale was trying to believe Tsuki had the power to protect them, but he thought it was probably going to be up to him. "Waning, Tsuki?"
It had not occurred to Tsuki that Dale knew the meaning of his name, but then he remembered that Dale had not seemed confused when he mentioned the rabbit in the moon, and so it should have occurred to him. "I sent power out of myself, but have no worry, I am still able to keep watch. Try to sleep."
Tsuki saw Dale go up into the tree. He put out the fire and spread and smothered the coals, making sure to remain within the circle. Tsuki then drew the slightly longer of his swords, knelt on the ground and listened for signs of danger.
Later in the night, only half asleep, Dale heard the night creatures calling. Something was coming. It was not yet close, but it would be before dawn. Dale slipped down from the tree and landed lightly. "Dale?" Tsuki whispered.
"I will watch now."
Tsuki stood and put his sword away. "Keep your wits, and if there is trouble, wake me." Tsuki climbed up into the tree, using the faint illumination above to spot branches to grasp. Dale drew his sword and waited.
Hours passed and the night creatures told Dale that Orcs were coming. This time it was certain and they were close.
Dale backed against the tree and looked up at the stars. It was close to dawn, but not close enough that Orcs would soon be driven off. He did not know how many, but now, he could smell them on the wind. Dale put his plan into action. He sprung up into the tree and poured an amount of the floral oil over Lenaduiniel's hair and clothing as she slept. Hopping to the ground again he put the bowl and bones back in Tsuki's chest and lifted it to Nightmare. He whispered to the horse as quietly as he could, telling him to be quiet.
The cage, chest and message canister were tied onto Nightmare. The packs, water skins and Tsuki's bow remained beneath the tree. Dale waited with his sword drawn. He lifted one hand to pull his hair from his cloak and loose the largest braid.
He waited, until the very last second, when he was sure they approached, he tried to gauge there number. Not a very large party, but there were not so many Orcs left since the war. Dale whispered for Nightmare to flee to the fort where they had stayed the past month, then gave Moon-halo a slap so that he would run with the other horse. Even if he were to die, the mission would be completed. If Dale could slay these Orcs, Tsuki would get Lenaduiniel to Gwindor.
Dale ran, lightly as Elves did, away from the tree where his companions slept. When he had put distance between them, he called out in the Goblin tongue, which Orcs spoke and he knew well, "Do you want the taste of an Elven sword so badly you chased your own Death these past two days?"
"It is Death-shadow," one of their number said.
"I see him. It is Death-shadow."
A whip snapped. "Fools, he is just a baby Elf."
"Oh, you want to play?" Dale called in their language, "Shall I ream you and eat your flesh while you are yet half alive? Break you and make good little pets of you, yes?" He laughed. "You are all dead!"
Two were preparing to run. Others were aiming their arrows. Dale leapt up into a tree, ran across the branches and dropped down in front of those who ran. He killed them first.
In the tree, Leanduiniel woke to the horrible sound of Orc voices. She did not know the time, but it was still dark. There was a strong smell surrounding her. She readied her bow, but could not see well enough to aim at any target. She remained as quiet as she could, not knowing how many enemies there might be or where Dale and Tsuki were now. She turned slowly, trying to see into the darkness. Here in the branches a little moonlight came through the leaves and she could see just a portion of Tsuki's face.
Tsuki felt the hand squeeze his shoulder and waking he heard the shouting voices and knew the language was Goblin, though he did not understand the words. He could hear the clash of steel and he knew Dale had left the circle and if it had ever given protection, Tsuki would not know.
Tsuki dropped awkwardly from the tree, into the darkness. Lenaduiniel dropped silently at his side and warned him of her position as Tsuki was drawing his swords. Tsuki could not see, he could only hear the sounds in the darkness.
"Arrows," Lenaduiniel called. Her vision was slightly better than that of Tsuki, but he did not need the warning, he was focused on battle now and the pluck of bowstrings and the hiss of arrows in flight told him what he needed to know. He raised his swords and maintained calm and focus.
Lenaduiniel loosed an arrow along the path the enemy arrows had come, knowing not if the archer was still there, but wagering an arrow that the Orc did not know to reposition after firing from out of the dark.
The arrows were upon them. Tsuki tracked as best he could by sound, and then seeing them one second before they would hit their marks, brought his swords to deflect one arrow from its path and meet an other head on. Something stuck Tsuki's face, the shard of an arrowhead, though he did not know at the time. His sword had split the arrow as it came for his head.
"Dale!" Tsuki called.
Dale heard Tsuki call. He knew that his companions had dropped from the tree. Even now, he slew the archers among the Orcs, finding one with an Elven arrow in his neck. Now the remaining two were upon him, it would not aid Tsuki and Lenaduiniel to call out. All that mattered was that these Orcs must die.
"I believe he is there fighting, but...make a torch. I will cover you."
Lenaduiniel searched the packs with her hands for flint.
"Are there no more with a taste for Death?" Dale shouted.
"Have they slain him?" Lenaduiniel whispered. Her hands shook as she tried to light some dry fallen leaves with flint and dagger.
Tsuki took only a few steps forward. He felt that Dale needed help, but he could not see, and Lenaduiniel would be defenseless as she made a torch for them if he left her. He had promised to cover her.
Lenaduiniel tore a strip from her dress and wrapped it about a branch.
Tsuki could only hear the sickening sound of sword stabbing flesh over and over. "Dale, if you live, call to me, and if anyone hears me who has slain him, I will track you and take your heads."
The only answer was laughter. Mad laughter.
Lenaduiniel stood, holding a primitive torch.
"Dale, remember that you are an Elf," Tsuki whispered.
"I killed them all," Dale said.
Tsuki heard the voice speak in Goblin, but he knew that it was Dale's voice. He walked closer to him and Lenaduiniel followed close behind with the torch. They found Dale, near covered in Orc blood and laughing madly as he leaned on his sword.
"Spoiled by Orcs," Dale said, speaking in the Common Speech.
Tsuki understood. He knew the 'what happened before' Dale was recovering from. He had not only fought Orcs in the past, he had been a prisoner of Orcs. As the Elves had later found him all alone, Tsuki imagined that Dale had killed all those Orcs who had kept him prisoner.
Tsuki had always heard that being taken prisoner by Orcs was a fate worse than death. He knew not what range of activity was included in 'spoiled by Orcs', but he could imagine many vile things. The most disturbing thing was that Tsuki knew Orcs could imagine more vile things than he could.
Tsuki listened for any sign of Orcs, but he found none. He looked to Dale. "Come away from there. Are you injured?"
"It's all Orc blood. All of it."
"Dale. What happened? I told you we would face them together. What happened to the horses?"
"Sent the horses home. I had to do it. I did not want them to find you."
"You disguised Lenaduiniel's scent. You planned this all the time. We are supposed to watch each other's backs!"
"You're hurt." Dale lifted a hand to point to Tsuki's face; it shook.
Tsuki put one sword under his arm and felt his face. There was a gash, which Dale could see, and something was beneath the skin and caused sharp pain when Tsuki pressed it.
"There is a fragment," Dale said. "I can help you. Go to the water. We may not have much time."
"Did they get a message out?" Lenaduiniel asked.
"I don't know," Dale admitted. "Tsuki, go, let me help."
"You do not allow me to help you."
"I slept against your back," Dale whispered. He meant to refer to the ride that day, but when he said it, he then thought of the bed at the inn. Tsuki also thought of that bed. He turned and walked toward the stream.
Dale took the torch from Lenaduiniel; he forced the branch into the soft earth beside the water and bent to wash his hands and sword. There was so much blood. Lenaduiniel kept watch with arrow drawn in her bow. Tsuki examined his swords. The blade was not nicked such that he could see, which was good. Dale pulled a hair from his head and washed it in the stream, then ran the hair between his fingers to remove the water. He took a needle from the packet hidden inside his shirt and burned it clean in the torch fire.
Dale turned to Tsuki as he threaded the hair through the needle. "It will hurt," he said.
"I understand."
Dale knelt in front of Tsuki and examined his face; the gash was on his left side. "I will dig the fragment out with the needle then stitch the wound. You may want to hold onto something," Dale warned.
Tsuki sheathed his swords and put his hands on Dale's thighs. He looked into Dale's purple eyes, which seemed to glow in the torchlight, and then he let his eyes loose focus so that he did not really see Dale at all.
Dale put the fingers of his left hand either side of the wound and applied light pressure. He felt for the position of the fragment with the fingers of his right hand. Tsuki hissed a breath and grit his teeth. Dale pushed the needle through Tsuki's skin, behind the fragment and pushed it toward the opening of the wound.
The fragment dropped and landed in a fold of Tsuki's cloak. "Tell me if you feel sharp pain," Dale whispered. He pressed the area around the gash and Tsuki did not speak. Dale gave a nod and then began to stitch the wound. He knew well how to sew and could make small stitches. With luck, the scar would be very small. It might possibly heal entirely.
Dale worked the end of the hair through the previous stitches to keep it tight, then used his knife to cut the remaining hair cleanly. Dale then reached into the pockets of his cloak, until he found the remaining honey. He smeared some across the wound on Tsuki's face. "Done," Dale said. "We should leave this place now."
Tsuki lifted the fragment that had fallen and looked at it. The fragment seemed to be from a flint arrowhead. "It will be difficult," Tsuki said, "but perhaps with compass and torchlight we can make some progress."
They put their packs on their backs, collected their water skins and weapons and first headed for the place they had left the trail. Dale carried the torch and was in the progress of making another. Tsuki checked the map and his compass and found the direction they should take.
With the torchlight, they could see the woods ahead of them well, enough to mark near landmarks between consulting map and compass. They continued on this way, with Lenaduiniel keeping her bow ready, Tsuki plotting the course and Dale working to keep at least one torch lit.
They walked until dawn, but they did not rest then. They carried the torch until there was more sunlight and then extinguished that to plot again by the map and compass and whatever landmarks they could fix.
During the morning, Lenaduiniel spotted movement ahead. Tsuki called out to challenge anyone who might be there, "Hullo, announce yourselves!"
"We are Rangers from Stone Keep," Came the reply.
"Did you find two horses?" Tsuki called.
There was no spoken reply as two Rangers rode hard to join them, on horses of their own. "Are you well? Your horses came back riderless." He was Thorn, one of the Instructors and second in command to Barad. He saw that Dale was covered in blood. "We should get him to the fort immediately."
Dale did not answer. He had not spoken since departing their previous camp. "It is all Orc blood, but I do think he should ride back to the fort," Tsuki said.
"We shall bring you all there swiftly. Who is your companion?"
"This is Lady Lenaduiniel. Her brother is among the recruits at Stone Keep and Duinhir of River Forge assigned us as her escort."
"My Lady, There are other horses riding up now."
"I am unharmed," Lenaduiniel spoke up, "My escort was most capable. I can walk."
"She is Sylvan, Sir, A Wood Elf," the other Ranger whispered.
Thorn dismounted, the rest of the party had joined them. He gave orders to put Dale on a horse and to cover him with an extra cloak. It seemed strange, though it was late in the season, it was still summer. Dale was shivering. Some other Rangers were on foot and Thorn ordered them to walk as escort to the lady and aide her if she had any need. He gave to Lenaduiniel the name of the Ranger who had ridden up with him, who was to be in command of their party.
Thorn then offered Tsuki an arm and asked him to ride on his horse. Tsuki tucked the map inside his jacket then took Thorn's arm to sit behind him on the horse. Thorn took leave of the other party and rode toward Stone Keep with the larger party. "Tsuki, did you say Orcs?"
"Yes, Sir."
"How many? Did your party take any injuries? Was it close to the fort?"
Tsuki sighed and tried to gather his thoughts. He wanted to know if Dale would be well. "I believe there were five or six, unless there were others further away. I did not see them very well or examine bodies. It was yet before dawn when we left that place. We walked from then until you found us."
"Injuries?"
"I did not examine Dale, but he told me that he had no physical injures. I took only one, but Dale had already performed a surgery."
"Pardon, what is that?"
"Dale tended my wound."
"The healer will see to you when we reach the fort."