ready. He could tell by the
surprised looks on their faces that they hadn’t intended to catch a person. The
trap must have been laid for some animal, but Taren had stepped inside it like
a fool. With all his attention focused on the kudzu, he had failed to notice
his surroundings. Now the question was, what would these women do with him?
They stepped closer
to the net, allowing Taren a better view. They were large women, taller and
more muscular than any he had ever seen. They were dressed in leather clothing
with fur trim. Their faces were decorated with stripes and swirls of brownish
paint, their short-cropped hair sticking out in all directions.
“Greetings,” Taren
called out, hoping not to make enemies. “I seem to have stumbled upon some
trouble.” He tried to hide the nervousness from his voice. Rather than assume
these women meant to do him harm, he would act as if they were any other
passersby.
The two women
looked at each other and lowered their spears. “What are you doing here?” one
of them asked. “No one travels through this forest but our own kind.”
From his position,
Zamna could hear every word. He hoped Taren would not reveal too much
information to these strangers.
“I was just passing
through,” Taren replied. “Would you be so kind as to cut me loose?” The only
spell he could think of to release himself from the ropes involved fire, and he
had no desire to light the forest ablaze. Also, performing magic with these two
as witnesses could be dangerous. He had no idea how they might react to a
wizard. For now, at least, he would keep his profession a secret.
“Do you have a
weapon?” the woman asked.
“No,” Taren
responded truthfully. His magic didn’t truly qualify as a weapon. He’d never
been in a fight, and he’d already proved himself a subpar hunter.
The woman who had
spoken looked to her companion for approval before drawing out a long, serrated
knife. Zamna tensed as he saw the blade but remained hidden in the underbrush.
Observing her movements, he could tell she meant Taren no harm. She reached
high above him, cutting the rope which held the net to the branch. Taren
plopped to the ground with a thud.
“Thanks,” he said,
rubbing a hand against his backside. Untangling himself from the ropes, he
worked himself free while the women watched, their faces displaying curiosity. Climbing
to his feet, he extended a hand toward them.
The two looked at
each other once again and did not return the gesture. A handshake was not part
of their vocabulary. “You come with us,” the second woman said. “You can
explain to the Matriarch why you’re intruding in our land.”
“Certainly,” Taren
replied, glancing over his shoulder. He saw no sign of Zamna, who was still
crouched in the thick brush. The women waited for him to walk between them
where they could keep him in their sights. With their spears at the ready, they
led him eastward.
Zamna followed
close behind, maintaining a silent distance from the women. As long as they
were unaware of his presence, he would have the advantage should he need to
rescue his companion.
Chapter 6
T he village lay only a few miles away to the
east. The women moved with ease through the thick forest, their pace much
faster than Taren could manage. He found himself constantly tripping over the
many obstacles littering the forest floor. Several times, the women stopped and
waited for him to regain his footing before proceeding.
Zamna moved in silence, easily able to match the
speed of the women. He kept a low profile, intending to remain hidden until some
necessity forced him to reveal himself.
As they reached a clearing, Taren could see the
small village situated just ahead. It was completely surrounded by trees, shielding
it from the prying eyes of any who might pass by. The women led him between two
carved wooden poles featuring dozens of different faces, each painted with
bright colors and wearing a grim expression. The bulging
surprised looks on their faces that they hadn’t intended to catch a person. The
trap must have been laid for some animal, but Taren had stepped inside it like
a fool. With all his attention focused on the kudzu, he had failed to notice
his surroundings. Now the question was, what would these women do with him?
They stepped closer
to the net, allowing Taren a better view. They were large women, taller and
more muscular than any he had ever seen. They were dressed in leather clothing
with fur trim. Their faces were decorated with stripes and swirls of brownish
paint, their short-cropped hair sticking out in all directions.
“Greetings,” Taren
called out, hoping not to make enemies. “I seem to have stumbled upon some
trouble.” He tried to hide the nervousness from his voice. Rather than assume
these women meant to do him harm, he would act as if they were any other
passersby.
The two women
looked at each other and lowered their spears. “What are you doing here?” one
of them asked. “No one travels through this forest but our own kind.”
From his position,
Zamna could hear every word. He hoped Taren would not reveal too much
information to these strangers.
“I was just passing
through,” Taren replied. “Would you be so kind as to cut me loose?” The only
spell he could think of to release himself from the ropes involved fire, and he
had no desire to light the forest ablaze. Also, performing magic with these two
as witnesses could be dangerous. He had no idea how they might react to a
wizard. For now, at least, he would keep his profession a secret.
“Do you have a
weapon?” the woman asked.
“No,” Taren
responded truthfully. His magic didn’t truly qualify as a weapon. He’d never
been in a fight, and he’d already proved himself a subpar hunter.
The woman who had
spoken looked to her companion for approval before drawing out a long, serrated
knife. Zamna tensed as he saw the blade but remained hidden in the underbrush.
Observing her movements, he could tell she meant Taren no harm. She reached
high above him, cutting the rope which held the net to the branch. Taren
plopped to the ground with a thud.
“Thanks,” he said,
rubbing a hand against his backside. Untangling himself from the ropes, he
worked himself free while the women watched, their faces displaying curiosity. Climbing
to his feet, he extended a hand toward them.
The two looked at
each other once again and did not return the gesture. A handshake was not part
of their vocabulary. “You come with us,” the second woman said. “You can
explain to the Matriarch why you’re intruding in our land.”
“Certainly,” Taren
replied, glancing over his shoulder. He saw no sign of Zamna, who was still
crouched in the thick brush. The women waited for him to walk between them
where they could keep him in their sights. With their spears at the ready, they
led him eastward.
Zamna followed
close behind, maintaining a silent distance from the women. As long as they
were unaware of his presence, he would have the advantage should he need to
rescue his companion.
Chapter 6
T he village lay only a few miles away to the
east. The women moved with ease through the thick forest, their pace much
faster than Taren could manage. He found himself constantly tripping over the
many obstacles littering the forest floor. Several times, the women stopped and
waited for him to regain his footing before proceeding.
Zamna moved in silence, easily able to match the
speed of the women. He kept a low profile, intending to remain hidden until some
necessity forced him to reveal himself.
As they reached a clearing, Taren could see the
small village situated just ahead. It was completely surrounded by trees, shielding
it from the prying eyes of any who might pass by. The women led him between two
carved wooden poles featuring dozens of different faces, each painted with
bright colors and wearing a grim expression. The bulging
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