Read Online Cato 02 - The Eagles Conquest by Simon Scarrow - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Simon Scarrow
Ads: Link
blush.
‘No shame, Optio. I’m just glad you were leading from the front.’ ‘Thanks,’ Cato grumbled. He sent one man on to the next bend in the river to keep watch while he considered the situation. The body and horse had to be disposed of. The body was simple enough, and the patrol quickly bundled it under the trunk and piled up loose shingle and branches to hide it from view. The horse would be more of a challenge. With the beast securely tied to a stump, Cato drew the ivory-handled sword Bestia had left to him and gingerly approached. He was not looking forward to the task and the job was made no easier by the bright gleaming eyes and twitching muzzle that were raised towards him.
‘Come on, horsey,’ he said softly. ‘Let’s make this nice and quick.’ Raising the blade, he stepped to the side of the horse and looked for a point to strike.
‘Optio!’
Cato glanced round and saw Pyrax gesturing downriver. The man on point was crouched down and waving frantically to get their attention. Cato waved back and the man dropped to the ground.
‘Wait here. Keep the horse quiet.’
Cato hurried forward, crouching low for the last few paces before he lay down beside the point man. Round the bend of the river was a small weir, part natural obstacles and part manmade to act as a crossing point. The sound of the water tumbling down the far side in a muffled roar reached their ears. But what had attracted the point man’s attention was the group of horsemen well beyond the weir. As they watched, one of the Britons detached himself from the group and headed upriver directly towards them, hands cupped as he shouted something barely audible above the din of the weir.
‘They’re looking for our man,’ Cato decided. ‘Checking if he’s seen anything.’
‘And if they don’t find him?’
‘Then they’ll get suspicious and start searching. We can’t let that happen.’
The point man glanced towards the Britons. ‘We can’t take that lot on. Too many.’
‘Of course we can’t take them on. In any case, I doubt they’d fight.
They’re doing the same job as us. Find the enemy and report in, nothing more. But we mustn’t let them start worrying about one of their scouts.’ Cato watched as the Briton slowly walked his horse nearer, still calling out. ‘Wait here, and stay out of sight.’
Cato scrambled back to the rest of the patrol. He examined the dead
Briton and then looked round at his men. ‘Pyrax! Can you ride a horse?’ ‘Yes, Optio.’
‘Right then, get this man’s cloak and helmet on, quick as you can.’ Pyrax looked puzzled.
‘Don’t think, just do it!’
Pulling the javelins out of the corpse, the patrol hastily stripped off his cloak and leggings and passed them to Pyrax. With grim distaste the veteran pulled on the Briton’s crude garments and tied the straps of the bronze helmet. Then he climbed onto the horse. The animal shied about a bit at first, but a firm hand on the reins and a steadying pressure to its flanks somewhat reassured the beast.
‘Now get down to the river bend and wait there.’ ‘Then what?’
‘Then you do exactly as I say.’
The patrol followed as Pyrax walked the horse downriver, and then they ducked into the undergrowth along the bank. From his vantage point Pyrax could see the Briton approaching, calling out for his comrade no more than a hundred and fifty paces away, almost level with the weir.
‘What do I do?’ he asked quietly.
‘Just wave your arm and make out that you haven’t seen anything.’ ‘How do I do that?’ Pyrax asked.
‘How should I know? I’m not a bloody theatre director! Improvise.’ ‘And if that doesn’t satisfy him?’
‘Then the legion gets into battle a bit earlier than we bargained for.’ ‘He’s seen me!’ Pyrax stiffened nervously, before he remembered to raise an arm in greeting.
Cato eased himself forward until he could glimpse the approaching Briton through the sun-dappled ferns and stinging
‘No shame, Optio. I’m just glad you were leading from the front.’ ‘Thanks,’ Cato grumbled. He sent one man on to the next bend in the river to keep watch while he considered the situation. The body and horse had to be disposed of. The body was simple enough, and the patrol quickly bundled it under the trunk and piled up loose shingle and branches to hide it from view. The horse would be more of a challenge. With the beast securely tied to a stump, Cato drew the ivory-handled sword Bestia had left to him and gingerly approached. He was not looking forward to the task and the job was made no easier by the bright gleaming eyes and twitching muzzle that were raised towards him.
‘Come on, horsey,’ he said softly. ‘Let’s make this nice and quick.’ Raising the blade, he stepped to the side of the horse and looked for a point to strike.
‘Optio!’
Cato glanced round and saw Pyrax gesturing downriver. The man on point was crouched down and waving frantically to get their attention. Cato waved back and the man dropped to the ground.
‘Wait here. Keep the horse quiet.’
Cato hurried forward, crouching low for the last few paces before he lay down beside the point man. Round the bend of the river was a small weir, part natural obstacles and part manmade to act as a crossing point. The sound of the water tumbling down the far side in a muffled roar reached their ears. But what had attracted the point man’s attention was the group of horsemen well beyond the weir. As they watched, one of the Britons detached himself from the group and headed upriver directly towards them, hands cupped as he shouted something barely audible above the din of the weir.
‘They’re looking for our man,’ Cato decided. ‘Checking if he’s seen anything.’
‘And if they don’t find him?’
‘Then they’ll get suspicious and start searching. We can’t let that happen.’
The point man glanced towards the Britons. ‘We can’t take that lot on. Too many.’
‘Of course we can’t take them on. In any case, I doubt they’d fight.
They’re doing the same job as us. Find the enemy and report in, nothing more. But we mustn’t let them start worrying about one of their scouts.’ Cato watched as the Briton slowly walked his horse nearer, still calling out. ‘Wait here, and stay out of sight.’
Cato scrambled back to the rest of the patrol. He examined the dead
Briton and then looked round at his men. ‘Pyrax! Can you ride a horse?’ ‘Yes, Optio.’
‘Right then, get this man’s cloak and helmet on, quick as you can.’ Pyrax looked puzzled.
‘Don’t think, just do it!’
Pulling the javelins out of the corpse, the patrol hastily stripped off his cloak and leggings and passed them to Pyrax. With grim distaste the veteran pulled on the Briton’s crude garments and tied the straps of the bronze helmet. Then he climbed onto the horse. The animal shied about a bit at first, but a firm hand on the reins and a steadying pressure to its flanks somewhat reassured the beast.
‘Now get down to the river bend and wait there.’ ‘Then what?’
‘Then you do exactly as I say.’
The patrol followed as Pyrax walked the horse downriver, and then they ducked into the undergrowth along the bank. From his vantage point Pyrax could see the Briton approaching, calling out for his comrade no more than a hundred and fifty paces away, almost level with the weir.
‘What do I do?’ he asked quietly.
‘Just wave your arm and make out that you haven’t seen anything.’ ‘How do I do that?’ Pyrax asked.
‘How should I know? I’m not a bloody theatre director! Improvise.’ ‘And if that doesn’t satisfy him?’
‘Then the legion gets into battle a bit earlier than we bargained for.’ ‘He’s seen me!’ Pyrax stiffened nervously, before he remembered to raise an arm in greeting.
Cato eased himself forward until he could glimpse the approaching Briton through the sun-dappled ferns and stinging
Similar Books
