Read Online The Improbable Adventures of Scar and Potbelly: Ice Terraces of Crystal Crag by Brian S. Pratt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Brian S. Pratt
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two are on the floor above.”
Scar opened the window to its fullest and then looked down. Being on the second floor, they had a little bit of a jump before reaching the ground. “We leave now and we might make it to the stables without them noticing.”
Potbelly nodded. “Let’s go.”
Handing him his pack, Scar slipped out the window, dangled from the sill for a moment, then let go. He hit the ground, rolled and came up on one knee, then motioned for Potbelly to toss their equipment.
Once the packs were down, Potbelly scrambled through the window, hung by his hands, then dropped to land by Scar.
Scar handed him his pack and they raced around to the stables.
The stalls were full up and it took a moment to locate their steeds. They were in a large stall with four other horses. Shelves along the back held their saddles and tack. As they saddled their horses, they cast glances to the stable’s entrance. Potbelly saddled his first and led it to the door. There he kept eye on the courtyard.
“Anything?” Scar asked as he joined him.
Potbelly shook his head. “It’s quiet.”
Swinging into the saddle, Scar said, “Let’s hope it stays that way.”
“Let’s hope,” Potbelly agreed as he got on his horse.
Scar led the way. Leaving the stables, they made for the road. No sooner had they left the courtyard than, a cry echoed through the night. “There they are!”
Kicking their horses into a gallop, Scar and Potbelly flew down the road.
They ran full out for several minutes before a side road branched off to their right. “This way,” Scar said as he turned into it.
The road continued straight for a short span before it began to wend its way through the hills. Scar brought them to a halt once the main road was out of view.
“Here,” he said as he slid from his horse and handed Potbelly his reins. He then climbed the nearest hill. From there he looked out over the road.
After a few moments, Potbelly asked, “Anything?”
Scar kept his gaze on the road. Then came the sound of fast-approaching horses. From out of the night four horses galloped down the main road. They passed the branching road and continued on out of sight.
He waited a few minutes to make sure that they would not return, then climbed down and joined Potbelly.
“I think they believe we are on our way to Cara.”
“What makes you think that?”
Scar turned to him. “If Tork told them about the map, then he most likely told them where we were heading. After all, how did they come to be so quick on our heels?”
“You have a point.”
“We can expect the trade route to be watched.”
“I would if I were them.”
“Exactly,” Scar agreed. “We’re going to have to find another way to Cara.”
“We can’t return to Castin and charter a ship.”
Scar shook his head. “No. He’ll for sure have his men on the docks. We’ll have to go overland.”
“Let’s follow this road until daybreak,” Potbelly said, “then see about working our way through the hills.”
“Going to take a while,” Scar said. “But it may be the only way.” He swung up on his horse. “Let’s go.”
For hours the road steadily climbed into the higher elevations. Although by that time calling it a road was being very generous. It had diminished into more of a game trail. The sparse light coming from the moon created deep shadows that at times, obscured the way to such an extent that they pushed forward on nothing more than faith that the road even continued beneath them.
When the moonlit, sparkling waters of a mountain tarn appeared through the trees, they decided they had gone far enough. Steep banks dropped fifteen feet or more to the waters below. A somewhat level area overlooking the water proved to be a suitable place to camp.
Scar worked on starting a fire while Potbelly scrounged for small sticks and dried moss for kindling. Once the fire had caught and the smaller sticks burned, they gathered stones for a fire ring and a
Scar opened the window to its fullest and then looked down. Being on the second floor, they had a little bit of a jump before reaching the ground. “We leave now and we might make it to the stables without them noticing.”
Potbelly nodded. “Let’s go.”
Handing him his pack, Scar slipped out the window, dangled from the sill for a moment, then let go. He hit the ground, rolled and came up on one knee, then motioned for Potbelly to toss their equipment.
Once the packs were down, Potbelly scrambled through the window, hung by his hands, then dropped to land by Scar.
Scar handed him his pack and they raced around to the stables.
The stalls were full up and it took a moment to locate their steeds. They were in a large stall with four other horses. Shelves along the back held their saddles and tack. As they saddled their horses, they cast glances to the stable’s entrance. Potbelly saddled his first and led it to the door. There he kept eye on the courtyard.
“Anything?” Scar asked as he joined him.
Potbelly shook his head. “It’s quiet.”
Swinging into the saddle, Scar said, “Let’s hope it stays that way.”
“Let’s hope,” Potbelly agreed as he got on his horse.
Scar led the way. Leaving the stables, they made for the road. No sooner had they left the courtyard than, a cry echoed through the night. “There they are!”
Kicking their horses into a gallop, Scar and Potbelly flew down the road.
They ran full out for several minutes before a side road branched off to their right. “This way,” Scar said as he turned into it.
The road continued straight for a short span before it began to wend its way through the hills. Scar brought them to a halt once the main road was out of view.
“Here,” he said as he slid from his horse and handed Potbelly his reins. He then climbed the nearest hill. From there he looked out over the road.
After a few moments, Potbelly asked, “Anything?”
Scar kept his gaze on the road. Then came the sound of fast-approaching horses. From out of the night four horses galloped down the main road. They passed the branching road and continued on out of sight.
He waited a few minutes to make sure that they would not return, then climbed down and joined Potbelly.
“I think they believe we are on our way to Cara.”
“What makes you think that?”
Scar turned to him. “If Tork told them about the map, then he most likely told them where we were heading. After all, how did they come to be so quick on our heels?”
“You have a point.”
“We can expect the trade route to be watched.”
“I would if I were them.”
“Exactly,” Scar agreed. “We’re going to have to find another way to Cara.”
“We can’t return to Castin and charter a ship.”
Scar shook his head. “No. He’ll for sure have his men on the docks. We’ll have to go overland.”
“Let’s follow this road until daybreak,” Potbelly said, “then see about working our way through the hills.”
“Going to take a while,” Scar said. “But it may be the only way.” He swung up on his horse. “Let’s go.”
For hours the road steadily climbed into the higher elevations. Although by that time calling it a road was being very generous. It had diminished into more of a game trail. The sparse light coming from the moon created deep shadows that at times, obscured the way to such an extent that they pushed forward on nothing more than faith that the road even continued beneath them.
When the moonlit, sparkling waters of a mountain tarn appeared through the trees, they decided they had gone far enough. Steep banks dropped fifteen feet or more to the waters below. A somewhat level area overlooking the water proved to be a suitable place to camp.
Scar worked on starting a fire while Potbelly scrounged for small sticks and dried moss for kindling. Once the fire had caught and the smaller sticks burned, they gathered stones for a fire ring and a
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