Chapter 20

Mak came striding easily along the trail, Kim trotting jauntily along at his side. Behind them a ragged tail of woebegone men dragged along, looking as though they might collapse from sheer weariness if they ever let themselves stop.

"Hello, the camp," Mak called in a cheery voice. "How about some food and drink for the hungry travelers?"

"Sure thing, Mak. Bring them over by the fire." Jewel couldn't help laughing at what she saw when the sentry's hail brought her to the edge of the camp. "I'll have the girls bring some refreshments for our, ah, guests."

Too tired to even cringe at her condescending tone, King Norgan and his soldiers took the food that was handed to them. Eyes downcast, they devoured it as fast as they could chew and swallow. Between bites of his own meal, Mak recounted to Jewel the highlights of what had happened on his little trip.

"And how are things going here?"

"Very well, so far. We have sent four hundred or so on ahead to the base of the trail in groups of about fifty each. All of the men, the older women, and the children have gone. We have about six hundred and fifty women left here, plus the hundred or so out with Nurm. These should all be pretty good fighters by now, since I've kept up the training program that Nurm started. By the way, you didn't run across Riggan's trail on your way back, did you?"

"No. Why, what's he been up to?"

"He kept insisting that you would need help bringing back Norgan and his men. He finally took a squad of women and followed you. I tried to talk him out of it, but he just wouldn't listen."

"I suppose he's gotten himself lost," Mak grumbled. "He's managed to pick up a surprising amount of woods savvy in the short time he's been with us, but the way it's clouding up, it would be easy for someone to get turned around unless they know the trails."

"You'd better go out and hunt for him then, but at least sit back down and finish eating first."

"Yeah, I guess that rescuing him from that dungeon makes me feel responsible for him. I should get started as soon as I can. I don't like the looks of those clouds. If we get any real rain it will wipe out whatever trail is left."

"Mak!" Lyssa had arrived just in time to overhear his last words. "Do you really have to go right out again?"

"I have to, darling. It looks like Riggan has gotten himself lost, trying to follow me. Tell you what, why don't you come along with me? It shouldn't take us very long to catch up with him."

Kim listened intently to a few words of instruction. Then while Mak and Lyssa gathered supplies, he nosed about the outskirts of camp until he found Riggan's trail. When they were ready to leave, he was waiting for them with what could only be a canine grin.

"Kim, I think that this is the kind of work you enjoy most."

Kim answered Lyssa with a jaunty wave of his plumed tail, turning to lead the way into the forest. It was already late in the day when they started, but by the time the early sunset halted them Mak was looking more and more puzzled.

"What's the matter, Mak?"

"What?" He looked up from staring into their tiny fire. "Oh, I was just thinking. Have you noticed anything strange about their trail?"

"No, I haven't. What do you mean, strange?"

"He's swinging too far north. He's away off from the path King Norgan and his men followed, but he's keeping to a an almost perfectly straight line. If he was lost, he'd be wandering all over the place. The weather was clear when he started, and there just isn't any reason I can see for him to have gone this way."

"Maybe he'll swing back more to the south farther on."

"Yeah, maybe. It bothers me, though."

The morning brought no change in the direction of the trail they followed. It was late afternoon before they noticed that the trail had curved somewhat to the right, and was finally leading almost due east.