Raveler: The Dark God Book 3 by John D. Brown

Author:John D. Brown [Brown, John D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Teen & Young Adult, coming of age, dark, Fantasy, sword & sorcery, epic fantasy, action & adventure, magic & wizards
Publisher: Blacksword Books
Published: 2014-08-31T05:00:00+00:00

16

Upon the Lion

IT WAS WELL past dawn when the Long Stings steered their water craft made of hides and thick bundles of grass toward the south bank of the Lion. When they were close to the shore, Talen and the others jumped out into the cold water and helped haul the craft up onto the land. Not too far ahead, the powerful river thundered over The Gap, a wide falls that separated woodikin and human lands. A fine mist from the falls rose from the other side and wet the towering border obelisk that stood up the shore on one side of the falls.

The three Long Sting boatmen conversed with Chot. Then the conversation ended, and all three licked a finger with their tongue and held it up. Chot did the same. Then the three Long Stings walked up the slope and disappeared into the trees.

“Where are they going?” asked River.

“This is not their fight,” said Harnock.

“So we’re on foot then?” Talen asked.

Harnock said, “I think we’ll make faster time if we portage the craft around the falls and ride the Lion a bit longer while you survey the countryside. We don’t know where Shim’s army is and so don’t know where we’re going yet.”

Chot eyed the obelisk and falls, then pointed at River, Harnock, and Talen in turn. “You have agreed with the queen.”

“There will be many skinmen at war,” Harnock said. “There will be danger. You do not need to come. We have agreed with the queen. We will honor our agreement.”

“Ssa,” Chot said and waved Harnock off. “You die. And agreement is no good. We will keep the shallog and the female safe.”

“Good,” said Harnock. “You’ll also make it easier to portage this boat.”

Chot grunted at two of his warriors. One ran up the slope and disappeared down the trail ahead. The other turned to face their rear. Talen sent two roamlings out to do his own scouting from above.

“Everyone take a handle,” Harnock said.

Those who had woven the craft had also included a number of rope handles. Chot and the two remaining woodikin took those in the front. Talen and River took those at the back.

“You’re not going to help?” Talen asked.

“I’m watching the road,” Harnock replied. “Now lift.”

The small crew hefted the boat, then followed the well-worn trail that ran alongside the river. Clearly others had portaged water craft around this falls. About a hundred yards farther, the trail veered south over rocky ground, and another obelisk appeared in the distance to the south. They followed this new direction and soon came to a cairn as tall as a man that marked the border between human and woodikin lands. All of the woodikin spat as they passed it. From there, the trail continued maybe a quarter mile south of the falls, then descended a steep slope.

It was on the slope that they saw the smoke. It hung like a haze over the clan lands. It was being fed in part by a number of fat columns of dark smoke rising in the distance.

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