186) The Salvation of Eden, Chapter 21 -- The Hooded Man

According to Gorb’s estimates, they were only two days from Annuvin, the farming community on the outskirts of the Great Swamp that was their destination. Why it was their destination, Kohra wasn’t sure, but Gorb had vaguely said he “had some business to attend to there.”

         It doesn’t matter anyway. When you are anonymous, one place is pretty much the same as another.

         The caravan had been on the move for a week and a half, and you could tell that people were ready for a rest. Especially the peasants; they shambled along silently, all chitchat and small talk having long ago dissipated into the endless dust of the road. One foot in front of the other. Then another. Then another. They plodded forward, eyes glazed, no energy left to even look at the lands they passed.

         When you are exhausted, one place is pretty much the same as another.

         On this night, as they walked from the Klliiks’ fire back to their wagon, solemn but satisfied, Gorb seemed distracted, paying scant attention to their conversation. Kohra wondered if it was simply because they’d be saying goodbye to their new friends soon?

         As they climbed into their bedrolls, she noticed that he stayed awake, propped up on his elbows, peering intently through the flap to the outside.

         Is he watching someone? Or waiting for something? Maybe he wishes he was going with the Klliik. She yawned, her eyes growing heavy.

         I hope he’s happy.

* * * * *

         She woke abruptly. She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep, but Gorb was still awake, watching as intently as before. But he was moving. Slowly, carefully, he rose and climbed out through the flap, dropping almost soundlessly to the ground below. 

         Keeping to the shadows, he crept up beside Beacon and out of Kohra’s range of sight. She snuck toward the front of the wagon, barely daring to breathe, eyes straining to find something, anything, in the darkness to explain what Gorb was doing and, hopefully, placate the mad hammering of her heart.

         Gorb stood by the horse for a couple of minutes, staring into the dark. He was looking at a specific horse and wagon, parked on the side of the roadway not far from them. Kohra had noticed it a few times on their journey; the horse was a real beauty, black as night, with lines more like a racehorse than one you’d find hauling a merchant’s wagon. 

         He started moving, creeping over to the horse and wagon, again passing out of her line of vision.

         Curiousity winning in its tug-of-war with Kohra’s general disinclination to get involved with dangerously unknown activities in the dark, she climbed out of the wagon and snuck over. Gorb was bent down low, checking all around the horse and wagon, closely examining the ground.

         “What are you looking for? What’s going on?” she whispered.

         “No time!” he snapped.

         “I’ll help you! But, what am I looking for?”

         He grumbled what sounded like a curse in Klliik, standing up with a frown. “I’m on a Quest, Kohrra. An’ I’ve just failed at it. Again.” He grumbled something else in Klliik. “I’m lookin’ ferrr trrrraces o’ d’Light. I’m trrryin’ t’see if ‘ee Shaped.”

         She didn’t ask any more questions, petting the stallion instead; he seemed to appreciate the attention, nuzzling her hand. He was still hooked up to the wagon, she noticed, feeling sorry for him. She looked around for something to give him; surely the stranger had a stash of apples or something? That’s when she saw it, the branding scar on his hindquarters — a twisted crescent with an eye in the center.

         What a beautiful creature. I wonder why he’s branded?

         Gorb sighed, straightening up, staring dejectedly into the dark fields. “I kinna see ‘ow ‘eed just disappearrr….”

         “Maybe he’s invisible?”

         He waved her away without commenting.

         “Or maybe he’s a Druid? They’re supposed to be able to move without leaving any trace.”

         “Bah! ‘Ees no Drrruid,” Gorb grumped, stomping his left foot and crossing his arms, staring sullenly at the ground.

         Kohra felt bad for bothering him, that familiar, sinking feeling in her chest. I didn’t mean to be annoying…. Damn Kohra, even LightSingers get mad at you.

         “Maybe he just snuck away and you didn’t notice?” Dominic’s voice came from behind them.

         “Ye ‘eard all dat?” Gorb suddenly looked embarrassed. It was difficult to say how he looked embarrassed, exactly, all shaggy and indomitable. But, he did.

         Dominic’s countenance brightened with his old, mischievous grin. “Let me take a look. Just stay back; I’ll see if he left any tracks.” Slowly, he walked up one side of the road, peering into the grassy fields, then back, examining the other side. Suddenly he stopped, pointing, motioning them over with his other hand. Following the line of his finger, they could see it, just barely, evidence of someone’s passage, a subtle trail leading across the field toward the tree line.

         “How d’ye know dat’s not someone goin’ ferrr a walk?” Gorb asked. “Or goin’ pee? Orrr, it could be anyt’in’!”

         “Because I don’t spend all my time praying and drinking, old man,” Dominic chuckled. Then he grew serious again, facing Gorb directly. “But more importantly, what the heck is all this about? Why are you looking for this guy anyway?”

         Gorb nodded, sighing. “Yerrr rrright, I need t’ explain myself. But, back in de wagon.”

         It took a couple of minutes to wake up the others, but eventually, with only minor grumbling, they arranged themselves in a rough semicircle, eyes fixed on Gorb, waiting to find out what was so important.

         “I’m on a Quest!” he began with an air of importance. Devona perked up, intrigued. Lenny rubbed her eyes, wondering why she had to be awake for this. It wasn’t her Quest; why should she care?

         “I’m followin’ a man. Ye may ‘ave noticed ‘im. ‘Ee was—”

         “The hooded man?” Lenny interjected.

         Gorb was startled. “’Ow’d ye know?”

         “We’ve stayed within sight of that wagon for this entire trip, and you never stopped staring at it! It was plain as day.”

         Gorb flushed a deep red. Kohra, Dominic and Devona looked similarly embarrassed.

         “Don’t worry, it didn’t matter!” Lenny added cheerfully.

         “What d’ye mean?”

         “He didn’t care that you were watching him. He knew he was going to get away. You have a Whiteling Master Thief on your hands.”

         Gorb stared, dumbfounded. “‘Ow d’ye know dat?”

         “Logic.”

         He stared at her, waiting for her to say more, but she merely stared back.

         “Dere’s no way ye could know dat!” he protested.

         Lenny smirked. “You looked for signs that he used the Flux, and you found nothing. You were watching him the whole time while he slept. You knew tonight was the night he was gonna get away, so you were on extra-high alert. And he just disappeared, poof, right in front of your eyes.”

         Lenny paused, looking to see if Gorb was following along. Indeed, the old Klliik was staring at her in even more astonishment than before, his mouth actually hanging open.

         She continued. “This guy wears a hood and gloves, all the time. Never shows his skin. So he’s probably a Whiteling. Or really doesn’t like the light on his skin for some other weird reason. Maybe he’s got a disease, but Whiteline is way more likely. Also, if he had a disease, he wouldn’t travel back and forth in a public caravan. And, he makes no friends and talks to nobody except his horse. So yeah, Whiteling.”

         Gorb shook his head. “Took me a yearrr an’an ‘alf t’—”

         Lenny shushed him, continuing. “So this is someone important, who can disappear without Shaping while someone is staring right at him. And hmmm, let’s see, are there any people who can manipulate darkness without Shaping?” She slapped her palm to her forehead. “Oh yeah! Whiteling pure-birthers! So, this guy is probably a messenger for some high-level crime-lord, or maybe he’s a spy or a smuggler. In any case, he’s got skills, but he’s not super-powerful. Probably a Master Thief.”

         “Ye can’t say ‘ee’s not pow’rrrful!” Gorb shook his head firmly.

         “I just did say that,” Lenny replied, matter-of-fact.

         “But it’s based on nothin’!” Gorb cried. “Ye can’t just make up what ye want!”

         “Logic.” Lenny shook her head in pity, as though she couldn’t believe how simple his mind must be.

         “Ye’rrre bluffin’!” Gorb shook his head even more firmly.

         Lenny laughed, clearly enjoying herself. “This guy travels alone, so he’s no wimpy loser; he’s can take care of himself. But he uses peasant caravans as cover, and walks for weeks instead of flying. No significantly powerful person would do that. Case closed.”

         Gorb looked up at the sky repeatedly, as though he was seeking guidance.

         Dominic laughed, shaking his head. This wasn’t the first time Lenny had leapt 28 steps ahead of everybody else. “Let’s see where he went! I can track him, easy.”

         “Dom!” Kohra protested. “No way! We are already running for our lives, remember? Did you forget the Silver Lady!? That black Thing? We can’t go running into the forest after some random guy!”

         “But he’s not a random guy,” Lenny pointed out. “He’s a semi-powerful, likely important, probably evil guy!”
         “That’s even worse!” Kohra practically shouted in her face. 

         “I’ll go with you, Dom.” Lenny obviously wasn’t thinking about this the same way Kohra was. She seemed to be wilfully overlooking certain little details, like the high likelihood they were going to die.

         Squirrelly popped out of a crack between grain sacks, and scurried up onto Lenny’s shoulder, jumping up and down for attention. She raised one paw into the air, and with the other paw, pointed directly at her chest, tapping it. Then nodded.

         Kohra was confused, but Lenny asked, “Squirrelly, are you saying you think that we should follow him?” Squirrelly nodded. Despite having gotten used to Squirrelly’s apparent intelligence, Kohra still found it hard to believe. How in the worlds could a squirrel be tracking their conversation that well? Or, at all?

         Maybe it’s random; maybe Squirrelly’s just excited because Lenny’s excited. Or, maybe she really is a new species of mutated super-genius like Lenny says. Or, maybe Lenny trained her to nod when asked a question, just to mess with us?

         She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Lenny and Squirrelly, but they gave nothing away.

         “Let’s just follow the trail for a short distance,” Dominic suggested. “See where it goes.”

         Oh right, we’re still talking about running off to our doom, rather than staying with this nice, safe caravan and going to nice, safe Annuvin.

         “What is WRONG with all of you?” she grumped.

          “Look, we’re not going to get in ANY danger, okay?” Dominic made it sound like it was some kind of compromise. “We’re just going to follow tracks, and see where they lead. That’s it. Just information-gathering. Reconnaissance. Like, spies.” Lenny gave him a fist-bump.

         ”Yeah, spies — widely regarded as the safest vocation a person could choose,” Kohra scoffed. “Safer even than volcano-diving, dragon slaying, or sticking your head in a vat of acid.”

         “True, true,” Lenny nodded, stroking her chin philosophically. “Spying is definitely the most logical of those choices. Then you agree!”

         “No!” Kohra snapped. “Those are NOT our choices! I was being SARCASTIC, Lenny!”

         “How do I know you’re not just being sarcastic when you say that you’re being sarcastic?” Lenny asked, as though this was a perfectly reasonable response. “Hey Dom! Paradox! Boooom….” She made a motion with her hands as though her head was exploding.

         Dominic mouthed Woooowwww…. He loved paradoxes.

         “AaaauuuuGGGHHH!!” Kohra aaauugghhed.

         “I’m in!” Devona suddenly voiced her agreement. It seemed that her desire to be in the center of whatever was going on outweighed her otherwise sensible aversion to danger. “We’re not taking any chances; it’s just a little spy mission. C’mon Kohra! It’ll be fun!” She smiled. “Let’s get away from this caravan, even for a few hours. Then we’ll come back, ok? Maybe this ‘Hooded Man’ doesn’t even go very far! He has to get back to his horse at some point, right? He can’t just take off.”

         Gorb started to say something, but stopped himself with an awkward cough.

         Kohra rolled her eyes. “Fine! But, we turn around BEFORE this gets dangerous. No chances!!”

         Gorb took a big swig from his bottle. Kohra hoped it was the mind-opening stuff and not the get-you-plastered stuff.   She was pretty sure they were different drinks.  She hoped so anyway.

         “By d’Light, let’s go!”

         “Shouldn’t we take supplies?” Kohra asked. “We ARE going into the Wild, after all.”

         “One step ahead of you!” Dominic replied, moving a few grain sacks and tossing out traveling packs for each of them. “Basic rule of survival — always be ready for a quick exit.”

         He handed Kohra a crossbow and pouch of bolts. “Found this back there. Gorb? This okay?” The old Klliik nodded eagerly.

         Dom winked at Kohra. “In case we get hungry in the forest?”

         She attached the pouch to her belt and hefted the crossbow, smiling in spite of her reservations. “Just like old times!”

         He laughed. “Mmmmm! Squirrel-meat!”

         A ferocious screeching exploded directly behind him; Dominic jumped a good foot in the air, twisting in mid-air, then backing rapidly away from Squirrelly, who was hopping up and down on the grain sacks, holding her paws like a boxer, growling. Until that moment, Dominic had never in his life imagined that squirrels could growl so terrifyingly.

         Lenny, watching from the side, slapped her knees, roaring, “Hahaha, burrrrn.”

         But Dominic couldn’t listen to Lenny in that moment, far too busy getting scolded by a very angry squirrel.

         “Squirrelly! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I was kidding! No squirrel meat!”

         Squirrelly cursed him in Squirrel-language for a while longer, then jumped back to Lenny’s shoulder. Together, the two of them glared at Dominic.

         “Hey Gorb? What are you going to do with Beacon while we’re gone?” Kohra asked, trying to change the subject.

         “She’ll go t’Annuvin wit’ de carrravan.”

         Dominic whirled on him, wide-eyed. “Wait…you mean, you didn’t even need a driver? We weren’t actually DOING anything!”

         Gorb clapped him on the shoulder. “’Tis morrre fun dat way, lad!” He picked up his shield and war-hammer while Lenny laughed all over again.

         They hiked off-road, single file. Dominic took the lead so he could track their quarry, Arrowhead safely stored in the traveling case in his backpack. Devona followed immediately behind, then Gorb and Kohra, with Lenny and Squirrelly bringing up the rear. Wading through the long grasses, Kohra noticed plants she’d never seen before — strange, spiky towers, much taller than a person, like sentinels guarding the secret Empire of Field Grass. The trail skirted around several of these spiky towers, then gave a wide berth to a whole patch of short plants with shiny leaves and plump, red berries.

         “Don’t touch those plants! Or the berries!” Dominic called back. Kohra wondered what would happen if they did, but this was probably not the best time to ask.

         At the far edge of the fields, the trail plunged into a scrub forest, mostly softwoods and snarled underbrush.

         Kohra had to admit, it was nice getting off the road and into the woods for a bit. She smiled, remembering back home. Probably good mushroom hunting in here.