Chapter 4: Rescue

“Walk with me, Tia,” said Seth, “and tell me more about this gift”

They had been traveling for three days’ forced march now, and all were weary. Aard had recovered quickly, if not yet completely, and Dann’s bruise was healing well, and had subsided to a mere shadow of its former glory. Tia had teased him, saying it made him look like a patch, but patches were black, not purple. They were noisy, too, a minor annoyance when quiet was preferred. Harmless and friendly, patches were often kept as pets.

Doe had been relatively unhurt, but still shied at sudden moves near her, especially when they occurred at the edges of her sight. Of the five, Tia and Seth were the only ones who had come through it unscathed, except for Tia’s dread of finally having to reveal her secret, her new-found ability to “see” through the eyes of animals. Afraid of rejection, she had kept this a secret, but now her father knew.

“Have you seen any traces of our enemy nearby? I know you have been watching.” She looked up at this, ready to voice a defense, or denial, if needed, but Seth continued. “Peace, Tia, I am grateful for this ability, and have depended on you to give warning.” She relaxed visibly, but looked uncertain as to what to say. “I know you have been using this gift to protect us.” Seth continued, “You could not know it, for we kept it a secret, but your mother also was given this gift, and she used it well. We felt it best to keep it concealed from the rest of the Group, including you and Dann, but now I think it is time we revealed it. I feel that we few can handle it.”

The girl was nonplussed. “I thought there was something wrong with me, but you say my mother used it as well?” Seth just nodded, and Tia pleaded “But why? Why would you keep it from me?”

“We did not speak about it because we didn’t know if you would develop the same trait, and we didn’t want you to feel incomplete if you had not inherited it from your mother.” He looked uncomfortable, “It was a difficult decision, Tia, one that your mother and I have both agonized over. And now she has been taken, and I do not know if we can save her. I thought it might be that she would need to guide you in this. I am sorry, Tia, if we, if I, hurt you. Please forgive the ignorance of a father and a mother in trying to protect a daughter we both love very much.”

Tia saw the genuine remorse in her father’s eyes, and put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “There is nothing to forgive, father, and now I understand.” She looked up at him and said “But I feel there is more to this gift than simply seeing through the eyes of an animal or a bird. Does my mother feel as I do? Does she feel that there is something just beyond what she feels able to do?” Tia looked closely into her father’s face. “Has she ever said anything about ‘pushing’ or ‘pulling’ anything – or anyone?”

“Pushing or pulling? Seth looked perplexed, “No, she has never spoken about,,, “ He looked at her sharply. “Anything or anyone? You cannot mean...”

They were interrupted by Aard, who had backtracked silently to bring a message from Dann. “There are signs of the Drogs ahead, several of them, driving prisoners. Dann has stopped at the edge of the clearing, and says that if we continue on this path they will see us. But there is a spot near the edge where we can remain hidden, and maybe see what we can do to help our friends. He urges you to hurry.”

They moved up silently, joining Dann and the others. In the half-whisper, half sign language of the hunter, Dann quickly informed them of what he had been able to see from the edge of the clearing. As they spoke, they heard a muffled pounding, and an undercurrent of chants, coming from a place out of sight, an alcove tucked into the side of the bluff ahead. Dann frowned, and said “I don’t like the sound of that. I wish we could see what is happening there, but there is a guard hidden on the edge of the hill, there. He would see us, and would give the alarm well before we reached any place of closer concealment.”

Seth peered out toward the guard, then turned and said “Tia?”

She nodded, “Yes, Father, I will try.”

Puzzled, Dann looked from Tia to Seth, who signed back to him, “Wait, we will explain it later. For now, trust her in what she says.”

Tia moved to the edge of the brush line and stood quietly, scanning the sky. Seeing what she was looking for, she tensed for a few seconds, then relaxed. A hawk cried, and swooped low, disappearing over the edge of the bluff, then circled back and swooped again, before disappearing again over the distant trees. She spoke, “I saw a camp, Father, four huts, and a pen. There are nine or ten of them, gathered around a fallen tree, and another, their leader, I think, waving his arms and pounding on the tree. Our people are shut in the pen, but there is no one guarding them. There is another pen on the other side of the camp, with some pigs in it, and some chickens in a smaller enclosure near it.” She looked at Seth and Dann, “I think we can get around this side of the hill, and come up behind the pen where our people are kept. It is not far,”

Dann looked wide eyed at Seth and Tia. “But how do you... ? What are you saying?

Seth signed back to him, “Wait. We will explain later. For now, trust her in what she says.” Turning to the girl, he asked “Is there a way for one of us to get around on the side of the animal pens without being seen?” Tia nodded, and he continued, “Then here is what we will do. Aard, you must work your way around behind the pens and wait. The sun will be going down behind the bluff before too much longer. When it does, pull down the side of the pen so that the animals can run free. Then frighten them into running away, and run to safety yourself. You know how to move in the Deepwood after dark without being seen or heard. Make your way back to where we camped last night and wait hidden there until we come. Meanwhile, we will move around to the pen holding our friends, and take advantage of the confusion to release them. Kill any of the savages who try to stop us. We will hide our packs here, and pick them up again when we come back this way. Move quietly, and move carefully, and perhaps we can rescue our friends. I only hope the animals flee in the right direction, away from that place, so the Drogs will chase them away from us.”