If Crows Know Best (Mage of Merced Book 1) (6 page)

CHAPTER 7

I endured a restless night, though Wieser sounded no alarm. As I rolled over yet again, I mulled my options. Da would not have left us here if he thought the pass was a threat to our safe havens out of war’s way at the caves. True, Da had not been here to see the past months’ curious happenings. Neither had Behring, he just noted the snows were overdue. Further, the officer had chased up here to talk to a man long gone to the west border. His information was cold hash indeed, to my mind. I would not rely on it.

At first suggestion of light, I met Annora at the kitchen garden gate, each of us setting about our morning tasks as customary. In no longer than it took to cross the yard together, I told her about the caves and supplies, that I wanted to bring Virda up with us, and that I wanted the soldiers to think we were getting ready this morning to head to the coast as directed. “I trust what Da told me to do for you and Morie, more than I trust any other,” I said.

“I agree,” she said at once. “What shall we do to send them off with the impression we make ready to travel?”

“You get their food ready, then pack food for us where they will see you setting it out. Gather some clothes for yourself and Morie, as well. I’ll let the goats into the hayfield, and decide what to do with the chickens, all that.” I put out my hand to touch her arm as she turned away, and said when she turned back to me, “I cannot offer to bring your aunt and uncle and cousins with us. I’m sorry. I don’t think we can even get word to them of what’s happening today.”

“The last thought they gave to me was when I went out their front gate, Judian. This is my family now.”

She gave me a nod and set off to collect eggs. I pulled the cover off the wagon and let down the latched back as though I prepared to load. Soldiers began to yawn and stretch their way out the barn door, on the way to wash up at the pump. As they seemed unsurprised to see me up and about, I supposed the officer had told them not to fear River Fever would spread to them from me. Several nodded to me, and I returned the wordless greeting.
You’ll soon be on your way
, I thought,
and happy I am to see the back of you.

We passed an uncomfortable hour while they made ready to set out. The polite soldier thanked Annora again for feeding him and his fellows, as if she had been playing hostess. But perhaps she thought again of Wils having to rely on strangers’ kindness somewhere, so she sent a distracted smile in his direction while gathering our cloaks and woolens. He stared after her too long as she walked away.
Better for me if she was not so pretty, she attracts too much regard
, I thought sourly.

I found the lidded basket used for the fox kits on their journey to us, and gave it to Morie as transport for Murr.

“Where are we going?” she asked, yawning hugely. “Murr won’t like being in a basket for long.”

“He’ll take a lot of naps,” I told her. “This way he won’t get lost.”

“Are we going to find Da and Wils with the soldier man?”

“No. Don’t ask so many questions, or you’ll use up all your allotted talking for the day before the sun even rises all the way.” I certainly wasn’t going to tell her anything she could pass on to her soldier man friend.

Loath to admit she did not know what a talking allotment might be, or that she had one, she dubiously put the basket over her arm and went to look for Murr.

This must be said for Officer Behring: he organized his men and mounted his horse in quick order. They headed down the steep stony path to the road before the morning mist began to clear. The last thing he said to us was, “Do not linger. Make your start as soon as ever you can!” He raised a hand to us and pulled his horse’s head around to the road, not waiting for an answer.

My next tasks—turn the mule, horses and goats out, and shoo the chickens into the garden where they could forage in our absence. Annora gathered the remaining cheese and bread to bring with us. I decided to take us to the nearest cave, which was the farthest from the pass route but closest to a cliff that overlooked it. Once I settled Annora and Morie there, I would return for Virda and we would all be tucked up by nightfall.

“I don’t want to walk, I want to ride in the wagon,” Morie said. Her lower lip pushed out.

“I can’t be saving your life all the time without you helping along a little,” I groused, picking her up to carry. Annora handed her Iggle, newly dressed in a small cloak to match Morie’s own. This so delighted Morie that she let me put her atop my shoulders and set off up the trail, with Annora toting Murr in his basket and Wieser walking alongside. I looked over for a last glimpse of home before we lost sight entering the trees, and said a prayer we would find it as we left it, on our return.

###

Morie found the cave an adventure, and set her bedroll and candle on a rock shelf, with a scrap of wool spread next to her for Iggle. Murr stalked shadows and pounced on dust motes at our feet while I showed Annora where I stowed our supplies. She astonished me by hugging me of a sudden and saying, “Oh, Judian, you are a wonder!” I left as quick as I could to go fetch Virda.

I left Wieser on guard at the cave, so I had no one to hear me practice what I would say to Virda, not wanting to walk down the path talking to myself. Talking to a dog was perhaps no better, if I had met anyone, but I was alone the whole way. Our soldiers were long gone, and none of the enemy troops marched on the trail, yet.

I found Virda washing clothes, which I hoped were not the clothes she would want to bring. To her credit, she listened to my hurried tale of soldiers and the threat of the northwest pass, nodded once and made ready to travel. Her geese and goats I turned out as I had our stock. “As long as nothing happens, I’ll come down to check things at your place and ours, from time to time. Mayhaps we’ll move your animals up by ours to make it easier to keep track of them,” I told her as she bustled about. She set her wet clothes over the line in a trice, and put out the hearth fire.

“I’ll just bring a tin with some herbs to brew,” she said, “as it does my bones good of an evening.”

“We can bring your kettle, too,” I offered, because I had forgotten to think of one.

We set off up the hill, and though she puffed a little as we climbed, she never complained. And not once did she call me poor lamb. I could not help but feel I was making the right choice, in taking us all to the cave.

CHAPTER 8

We passed the time until the moon waxed full, cooking stealthily once I determined the fire’s smoke could not be seen. The cave’s draft drew it deeper into the mountain. The earth spirit-folk left us be, and Virda became the one in charge of refilling their water cup and seed bag. Murr might have found some of them a time or two, but his yowl and hiss as he erupted out of the dark corners told me the kavsprit could fend for themselves where he was concerned.

I feared Morie would be frightened living in the cave, but she took to it as if we shared a home of charming comfort. She never complained of the night chill or of having to go out into the woods to tend to herself. Always, Annora or Virda went with her, to keep watch over her and make sure she did not do her necessaries too close to the watershed for the stream we used for water.

I began to feel safe in our haven. Evening was coming on one day, and Annora had taken Morie out to the woods just before I set off to walk the perimeter with Wieser. I heard Virda humming as I left, while she prepared simple food for us in the cave, expecting us back before sunset.

I always walked far enough to see our side of the pass once each day, to be sure no troops advanced on us. I had seen no activity there save for deer and crows, and found no boot prints or shod hoof prints when I ventured closer to the track. This day, I was behind my usual time and did not go close enough to check the path for spoor, but only looked from the high ground. Wieser and I turned to make our way back as the shadows lengthened, and the twilight chill began to gather.

We swung wide around the meadow below the cave entrance, where the stream was met by a freshet in a deep creek bed. We crossed on a downed tree trunk that spanned the banks, and continued through the woods, noting nothing unusual.

It wasn’t until Wieser and I turned north again, just coming out of the trees into the meadow, that I saw them. Two soldiers on horseback, in the wine-colored tabards of Keltane. Armed. Wieser and I stopped as one, and faded back into the trees. We were downslope and downwind. That much was good. They were not far from where Annora and Morie might yet be in the woods’ edge. That made my heart mount up my throat.

I sank behind a wide rock and nearby tree bole, and spoke softly to Wieser. “Go back across the creek and get to the cave from behind. Keep Virda inside out of sight. I’ll find Annora and Morie.” She gave me that look of understanding I would never be able to explain to anyone who hadn’t seen it, and slipped back the way we had come. She made no sound as she moved. I hoped I could do the same.

I edged around the meadow’s verge, keeping to the dappled dimness in the trees. The soldiers rode across the grass toward the stream, and let their horses lower their heads to drink, just where Annora often lay on her belly and convinced fish to leap on the bank to become our supper. I was behind the horsemen now, but with too much open country between me and the path to the cave. If Annora and Morie were still in the woods, their route back to the cave would cross the soldiers’ line of sight. My hands were shaking when I rubbed them on my thighs. How to keep us all safe?

The horses lifted their heads, trailing drops from their lips in the slanting light. One made a try for a mouthful of grass but was jerked up short by its rider. No time to browse, because they were scouting?

Why only two men? Where were others, if there was a troop? I faded further back as the two turned toward the northwest pass. When they started across the meadow I doubled back to the side where the girls might be. If only I knew if the two girls were already back at the cave. Their whereabouts were what I should have asked Wieser to find out, I realized too late.

I went deeper into the trees so I could move faster, since the horsemen were taking their time going across the meadow. I reached a downed tree laying in the beginnings of the grass and found Annora crouched behind it, frantic-eyed. Morie was not with her.

“Where?” I whispered, sinking beside her. “Morie?” I said, when she did not answer. Annora pointed to the boulder at the stream’s opposite bank. I could just see Morie’s brown curls at its crest. “She was sitting in the sun when they came. I had crossed to fill the jar.” She gestured at her feet where the water jar lay on its side. “I only had time to signal to her to hide. I’ve been holding my breath, since I can’t see where they’ve gone.”

“Headed to the pass. If we just stay hidden, all will be well.”

“No—” Annora seized my arm. “Oh, baby, stay down …stay down.”

Morie had lifted her head to peek over the boulder’s top. The men would see her, if they chanced to look back. And as if the gods were distracted and not attending to my fervent prayers, both soldiers swung their mounts about and began to patrol back our way.

I erupted from behind the log with a shout, shoving Annora down with the arm she still grasped. Answering shouts from the men let me know they had seen and heard me, and I hared off into the woods, away from the meadow, stream and cave path. I was already bolting into the trees as they spurred their mounts after me. They would not be able to ride through the woods—would have to dismount to pursue. Now, if Morie did not run out to kick them in the ankles, I could lead them away.

Annora was clever, she would understand and wait in hiding until she could safely get Morie away to the cave. I had to get the men far into the wood and lose them. I had to plan to make this happen while my lungs threatened to burst. I plunged through the brush and made for the thickest cover. Soon I heard them crashing behind me, calling in Keltanese for me to stop. Now that they were dismounted, where to lead them? I swung back toward the deep creek, up the ridge. When I was out of their line of sight, I shoved a rock over the edge to thump and roll down the bank then splash in the water below. I hoped they would think I had fallen in, and switched direction to cross into deeper woods.

Only briefly fooled, they harried me harder into the tallest trees. They were hampered by swords and heavy leathers, bulky crossbows at their backs, so I could dart faster through the limbs and rocks. I fell, but found my feet again without a pause, and ate up the ground in leaping strides. No arrows flew that I could hear, but they would have been foolish to try to aim true through the growth of forest. My lead lengthened as I drew them away from both the cave and our home place. Soon I could hear they were flagging—slowing.

Then they pursued me no longer. Dark was drawing down, already darker yet in the close trees. I knew my way back to where I wanted to go. I could not but think they did not know the way back to the meadow so well as I.

Gradually I slowed to a walk and risked doubling back, while trying to slow my breath enough to hear their voices. I caught a few snatches of argument from one as he and his mate plucked grab-tights and thorns from sleeves and leggings. They turned back toward the northwest without hesitating. Thus, they showed themselves not entirely lost, as I had hoped them to be. But, giving up the chase was what I had hoped, as well. Both men began to trudge away the direction they had come.

I made no move in the gathering dark. They could be clever enough to wait for me to lead them, showing them the way to my haven. I could wait all night if need be. I could stand the coming hoarfrost, for I wore the woolen shirt and leather jerkin that Annora made for me. I said another prayer, in case the gods had turned their attention my way, that Annora and Morie and Virda were all snug in the back reaches of our cave.

I heard no more from the soldiers, but would not trust that they did not stand in equal silence nearby, waiting for me to start back. The moon had long risen, and I was thinking how worried the others would be getting, when I heard snuffling and twigs snapping behind me in the dark. In these deep woods, such sounds could mean a bear, or mountain cat. I held my stillest yet, and waited with my back pressed to the cold stone boulder.

Nearly I yelped when Wieser thrust her nose in my palm, and set about licking me. I was too weak to speak for a moment. She had been sent to bring me back, I surmised. “So,” I said to her as we set out for the cave, “how is it you didn’t warn me the soldiers were in the meadow, eh? Your nose should have found them before my eyes.” She only wagged her tail in answer.