Arena Forged (The Dream of the Druid Series Book 1) by Robert Ryan

Author:Robert Ryan [Ryan, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Trotting Fox Press
Published: 2025-05-21T16:00:00+00:00

13. The Gods were Seven

It was not easy to find the way. As with the first time Drom had discovered the cave, he stumbled into it. Ancient trees obscured the entrance, thick and gnarled. The shadows were deep, and from the mountain slope above buttressed roots overshadowed the entrance and lichen beards hung down like curtains.

He passed through a narrow opening. The horses had to be coaxed, but followed eventually. Inside, there was swiftly a sense of space, but it was only when Drom started a fire with his tinder box that they could see the extent of the cave.

It was mishappen, with a roof of different heights and walls that bent in and out and wove in a shape that was neither squarish nor circular, but it was large.

The floor was of loose rock, but in many places nearly sand.

“Look for animal tracks,” Drom instructed. “I don’t want to surprise anything in here, especially a bear. I’ll start a fire.”

It was warmer inside, away from snow and wind. Yet still bone-chillingly cold, and the temperature would plummet as the storm grew. Drom got the fire going, using some of the timber they had brought.

“There’s firewood stacked against the back wall,” Ariane said. “But I can’t see any tracks.”

“There was nothing here last time either. But this isn’t the only cave close by, and they might be connected too. Keep your eyes open.”

“How come there’s firewood?”

“I piled it there myself when I first discovered this place. It’s a kind of safehold in case of emergencies. Not the only one either. See over there?” He pointed at the firewood. “There’s a tunnel in the wall there. I don’t know how far it goes. I never found the end of it. But I blocked it off with the timber. And under some of that timber there are weapons, clothes and blankets. I guess I always knew they’d find me again one day.”

She looked at him carefully. “You like to plan ahead, don’t you?”

“That’s why I’m still alive.”

They took the horses to a side wall, and there they tethered them with pegs in sandy ground, and fed them some oats.

“Down the tunnel there’s a pool of water,” Drom said. “It’s good to drink, or was. So we should be right to weather out the storm, however long it lasts.”

“It’ll last three days,” Ariane said. “And it’ll be bad.”

Drom went to the entrance and looked out. It was too dark to see anything now, but the wind buffeted him and the snow was falling fast. Already the ground was white, so far as he could see.

They sat down by the fire that now blazed. The warmth of it seeped into their bones, and Drom felt at ease. For the moment, they were safe. No enemy would be abroad in this.

They ate a dinner, heated in the embers when the fire died down, and enjoyed it. There was no rush nor fear.

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