Cato 05 - The Eagles Prey by Simon Scarrow

Author:Simon Scarrow [Scarrow, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-09-29T11:34:52+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

‘Batavians?’ Figulus looked towards the crest of the ridge, as if expecting their pursuers to ride into sight at any moment. He turned back to his breathless centurion. ‘How many of them did you see, sir?’

Cato gulped for air before he could reply. ‘No more . . . no more than a squadron . . . less . . . coming this way. Get the men under cover.’

Figulus took a last glance back up the track and then turned to issue the orders, calling out to the legionaries in a low voice, as if the Batavians might hear him even now. The men hurried from the track, scattering a small distance into the long grass and stunted bushes that grew on either side. Crouching down, they drew their swords and daggers and held them in clenched fists. On the track only Cato and Figulus remained, the centurion bent over as he fought to catch his breath.

‘Are we going to take them on?’ asked Figulus.

Cato glanced up at the optio as if the man were mad. ‘No! Not unless we have to. It’s not worth the risk.’

‘We outnumber them, sir.’

‘They’re better armed, and they’re mounted. We wouldn’t stand a chance.’

Figulus shrugged. ‘We might, if we caught them on this track. And we could use those horses to carry some of the men.’

‘They’d be more trouble than they’re worth in these marshes.’

‘In that case, sir,’ Figulus smiled, ‘we could always eat them.’

Cato shook his head in despair. Here they were, on the verge of being found and hunted down, and his optio was thinking about food. He drew a last deep breath and straightened up.

‘We’ll avoid a fight if we can. Understand?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘I’ll go with the men on this side of the track. You’re on the other. You keep ‘em down and keep ‘em silent until you hear from me.’

‘And if we’re spotted, sir?’

‘You do nothing unless I give the order. Nothing at all.’

Figulus nodded, turned away and ran over to his men, rustling through the long blades of grass and scattering drops of beaded rainwater in his wake. Cato glanced quickly after him, and saw that his men had trampled some of the undergrowth down in their bid to find a hiding place. It was too late to do anything about that now and Cato ran to join the men on the other side of the track. Only the shaking of a tall clump of bulrushes showed where some men were still adjusting their positions.

‘Keep still, damn you!’ Cato called out.

The brown heads of the bulrushes quickly ceased moving as Cato found himself a spot between two of his men and dropped down on one knee. He cupped a hand to his mouth. ‘Figulus!’

A head popped up thirty paces away on the opposite side of the track. ‘Sir?’

‘Remember what I said. Not until I give the order!’

‘Right!’ Figulus ducked back down, leaving Cato to run a last glance over his band of fugitives. Nearby he could see a handful of his men, laying flat, clearly straining to hear the first sounds of the approaching Batavians.

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