Rebels of Vulvar by J. K. Spenser

Author:J. K. Spenser [J. K. Spenser]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sage Knight Press Ltd
Published: 2021-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

14

The Army Marches

When I woke up, Emer’s arm draped across me, and she was sleeping with her head on my chest. My right arm had fallen asleep. I moved it to restore the circulation, and she woke up and quickly untangled herself from me, looking sheepish. It was still cold. I put the blanket around Emer’s shoulders, tossed more sticks on the fire, and blew on the embers to get it going again.

“What’s the plan for today, commander?” Emer said after stifling a yawn.

“We will remain here and observe the road,” I said. “I suspect Dabar Cooke is awaiting word from his force west of Thiva that the siege engines are ready. I expect he will grow impatient and march his army north within a few days.”

“Then what?”

“We will shadow them until they stop and make camp the first night out of Nisa. Then I will attempt to sneak into the camp and take him prisoner.”

“Why not just kill him?”

I explained my fear that killing Cooke might create a martyr and result in only making the rebels more determined.

“What am I to do?” Emer said.

“You will wait with the baacaases for my return with Cooke,” I said.

“You can’t capture Cooke alone,” Emer said. “Are you mad?”

“I’m not putting you at risk, Emer,” I said. “If the rebels catch me, all I have to worry about is them killing me. If they capture you, we both know the other cruelties they would inflict upon you.”

“I’m a warrior, I will do my part,” Emer said stubbornly.

“Yes, you will,” I said. “You will wait with the baacaases.”

I threw Emer some dried meat and bread from the saddlebags. Then I took rations for myself. We sat by the fire and ate breakfast. After the meal, we refilled our water flasks at the brook and hiked back to the paved road. Overnight, gutas had reduced both the body of the rebel warrior and the carcass of his baacaas to bones.

Gutas are opportunistic canine-like omnivores, predators of small to medium-sized animals, birds, and reptiles. They are also proficient scavengers. The guta looks similar to the hyena of Earth. These hardy animals are relatively large in build, adults weighing about 120 pounds. They have relatively short torsos with lower hindquarters and sloping backs. Most have light brown coats with rust-colored stripes at the shoulders and flanks.

Emer and I dragged the skeletal remains off the road, rolled them into a ditch on the far side, and covered them with large stones. Then we walked back toward our campsite to a rocky hill some two-hundred meters off the road. Large boulders along the crest of the hill concealed us from the view of anyone traveling on it. With the small telescope, I had excellent observation of the road.

By midday, there had been no traffic. With no trade taking place between Thiva and Nisa since the revolt, I assumed no one needed to travel the way between. Emer and I ate a midday meal of the rations we had carried with us.

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