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Authors: Brian Beam
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“ugh.”
“If things start looking bad, we should just run,” Til’ continued, sounding way too somber for his usual nature.
“Ugh,” I responded, for sure this time. I hoped Til’ took it for the agreement it was. Like him, I still wasn’t feeling certain about Kait’s intentions. However, if her traveling companions could help protect us from Bill, maybe taking a chance with her would be worth it. Even if she was vague in her motivations and about as shady as an elm.
We eventually came within sight of a campfire, its orange glow illuminating two huddled individuals and three canvas tents in a small glade. Kait’ drew up short of the upcoming encampment, her body just a slender shadow surrounded by a golden aura from the fire. She pulled back her hood and raised her hand into the air, flicking some sort of hand signal towards the camp.
Two figures in hooded cloaks leaned out from behind trees ahead of us, longbows held outstretched from their bodies. I wasn’t sure whether to take the gesture as a warning or as an indication that they weren’t going to attack. They slipped back behind the trees and gave a wordless shout to the camp.
The dark shapes in the camp shifted. I stepped up just behind Kait’, now able to see that there were actually three people sitting around the fire, their backs turned to us.
“Here we are, as promised,” Kait’ said with just a hint of breathlessness.
I simply nodded, still too winded to speak. Til’ came up beside me, breathing heavily but looking alert and wary. His right hand was tucked into his cloak. I had a feeling that it was gripped firmly around the handle of his dagger.
Chiding myself for my lack of caution, I bent forward to covertly draw my own dagger, trying to appear as if struggling to catch my breath. It wasn’t much of a stretch. I was in pretty good shape, but Til’s and Kait’s relative stamina made me feel like a wild boar that had just raced a grazil.
I rose to my feet, carefully sliding the dagger up my sleeve.
Kait’ shifted her weight onto one leg, thrusting her hip out enticingly with a hand planted firmly on its shapely curve. Not that I was attracted to that ; I’m just saying that she seemed in no way positioned to turn against us. With her relaxed stance, I began to think that maybe I’d been completely off base with my reservations.
“If you’re ready,” she prompted with playful reproach, “let me introduce you to the boys.” Kait’ swept her arm dramatically towards the camp. As she turned, the glow of the fire highlighted her face, revealing the dark tone of her skin. I could finally make out the earthen colors of her tight clothing. She didn’t appear to be carrying any weapons on her. Not overtly, anyway.
“We’ll stay right behind you, if you don’t mind,” I answered cagily, keeping Kait’s body between me and the men in the camp. Sure, it may seem paranoid, but I had Max counting on me. I couldn’t do much for him with an arrow shot through my chest. Chasus taught me that trust must be earned, and Kait’ had yet to earn hers.
“Suit yourselves,” Kait’ replied smoothly, turning with a sweeping flair of her cloak. Once her eyes were no longer on us, I transferred my dagger to my left sleeve and dropped my right hand to my sword’s hilt.
Kait’s hips swayed with dangerous femininity, sheer confidence clear in each step. Til’ and I followed guardedly, approaching the camp in a near-crouch, as if we were sneaking up on wild game.
As we neared the camp, I saw that all three men around the fire had hoodless black cloaks drawn tightly around their bodies. Their heads swiveled to watch us in their periphery. The firelight splashed across their profiles, painting them with a sinister glow. Their faces were gruff and unshaven, their hair clean yet unkempt. The fact that I couldn’t see their hands made me nervous. Granted, paranoia had
“If things start looking bad, we should just run,” Til’ continued, sounding way too somber for his usual nature.
“Ugh,” I responded, for sure this time. I hoped Til’ took it for the agreement it was. Like him, I still wasn’t feeling certain about Kait’s intentions. However, if her traveling companions could help protect us from Bill, maybe taking a chance with her would be worth it. Even if she was vague in her motivations and about as shady as an elm.
We eventually came within sight of a campfire, its orange glow illuminating two huddled individuals and three canvas tents in a small glade. Kait’ drew up short of the upcoming encampment, her body just a slender shadow surrounded by a golden aura from the fire. She pulled back her hood and raised her hand into the air, flicking some sort of hand signal towards the camp.
Two figures in hooded cloaks leaned out from behind trees ahead of us, longbows held outstretched from their bodies. I wasn’t sure whether to take the gesture as a warning or as an indication that they weren’t going to attack. They slipped back behind the trees and gave a wordless shout to the camp.
The dark shapes in the camp shifted. I stepped up just behind Kait’, now able to see that there were actually three people sitting around the fire, their backs turned to us.
“Here we are, as promised,” Kait’ said with just a hint of breathlessness.
I simply nodded, still too winded to speak. Til’ came up beside me, breathing heavily but looking alert and wary. His right hand was tucked into his cloak. I had a feeling that it was gripped firmly around the handle of his dagger.
Chiding myself for my lack of caution, I bent forward to covertly draw my own dagger, trying to appear as if struggling to catch my breath. It wasn’t much of a stretch. I was in pretty good shape, but Til’s and Kait’s relative stamina made me feel like a wild boar that had just raced a grazil.
I rose to my feet, carefully sliding the dagger up my sleeve.
Kait’ shifted her weight onto one leg, thrusting her hip out enticingly with a hand planted firmly on its shapely curve. Not that I was attracted to that ; I’m just saying that she seemed in no way positioned to turn against us. With her relaxed stance, I began to think that maybe I’d been completely off base with my reservations.
“If you’re ready,” she prompted with playful reproach, “let me introduce you to the boys.” Kait’ swept her arm dramatically towards the camp. As she turned, the glow of the fire highlighted her face, revealing the dark tone of her skin. I could finally make out the earthen colors of her tight clothing. She didn’t appear to be carrying any weapons on her. Not overtly, anyway.
“We’ll stay right behind you, if you don’t mind,” I answered cagily, keeping Kait’s body between me and the men in the camp. Sure, it may seem paranoid, but I had Max counting on me. I couldn’t do much for him with an arrow shot through my chest. Chasus taught me that trust must be earned, and Kait’ had yet to earn hers.
“Suit yourselves,” Kait’ replied smoothly, turning with a sweeping flair of her cloak. Once her eyes were no longer on us, I transferred my dagger to my left sleeve and dropped my right hand to my sword’s hilt.
Kait’s hips swayed with dangerous femininity, sheer confidence clear in each step. Til’ and I followed guardedly, approaching the camp in a near-crouch, as if we were sneaking up on wild game.
As we neared the camp, I saw that all three men around the fire had hoodless black cloaks drawn tightly around their bodies. Their heads swiveled to watch us in their periphery. The firelight splashed across their profiles, painting them with a sinister glow. Their faces were gruff and unshaven, their hair clean yet unkempt. The fact that I couldn’t see their hands made me nervous. Granted, paranoia had
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