Read Online This Battle Lord's Quest by Linda Mooney - Free Book Online Page A

as he glanced around. “Any idea what with?”
    She nudged one carcass with the toe of her boot.
The big animal had to be at least a couple of hundred pounds, if not more.
Using her blade, she lifted one limp leg. “Pines are said to curl up to protect
their bellies against predators, but I wonder... I’ve got an idea.” Holding
aside the creature’s leg, she slit open the belly, and began slicing away the
skin in a long rectangular shape. When she was done, she held it up and wrapped
it around her fingers and palm like a length of cloth bandage. It was bloody,
but it would protect her hands against any accidental jabs from the quills.
    Meesel looked impressed. “How’d you know to do
that?”
    “This one’s a male. It has to mount the female. I
took the chance that its belly had to provide it some protection against
getting stabbed.”
    “Smart idea.” He searched the pile for another
male, when they heard a cry of pain. Wordlessly, they bent to their task of
gutting the dead animals.
    By the time Paxton and Dergus returned with the two
travois, the porcupines were ready to travel. Atty eyed the three males, four
females, and two juveniles. She estimated they would produce at least a
thousand pounds of meat, not to mention how the quills could be utilized into
weapons.
    “We’re going to have to smoke it if it’s going to last
the two days back,” Gerenth observed.
    “How are we going to do that?” Paxton asked as
Vashayn began lashing the carcasses to the travois. “Don’t we have to build a
shed or something to hang the meat?”
    “We smoke it on the way,” Atty smiled. “We’ll build
up the campfire until we have some good coals. In the meantime, we’ll stuff the
bellies with green wood and herbs, then place the coals inside and stitch up
the meat. The pines will roast during the trip.”
    “What about the outside?”
    “As long as we keep the hide on them, they should
stew in their own fat,” Gerenth added. “If the cooler weather holds, all of
this will remain edible until we get back.” He nodded to someone walking up
behind her. “How’s Klodon?”
    Turning around, Atty saw Renken standing there with
blood-stained hands. The thighs of his pants and jerkin were also smeared.
“He’ll live, and he’ll sport some very impressive scars to show for the
encounter. Fortune has him ready to travel. How are we doing here?” He looked
in wonder at the load of meat. “I’d say this hunt was successful.”
    “It’s only successful if we return without any
injuries,” Meesel corrected.
    “It’s only successful if we return without any
deaths,” Atty hastened to defend the soldier. Before anyone could argue
further, she trudged back to the campfire where Fortune was already coaxing the
coals into flames.
    “Meat’s ready.”
    Fortune nodded and handed her a water bag. Atty
took a few swallows, then splashed some on her hands to wash off the blood.
    Renken followed her and stopped near the travois
where the wounded Mutah lay strapped onto the conveyance. She noticed him
examining what must have been one of the quills he’d extracted. She walked over
to him and handed him the water bag. In exchange, the ex-mercenary held out the
quill, and Atty plucked it from his fingers.   The hollow tube was a good twelve inches long. The barb itself was over
two inches, ragged, ugly, and facing backwards, making it easy to pierce the
flesh, but nearly impossible to remove without exacerbating the wound and
causing extreme pain. She glanced at the unconscious Mutah and wondered what
Fortune had given him to get him through the extractions.
    “Worse part’s over for him,” Renken murmured. “We
just need to make sure he doesn’t lose any more blood.”
    Atty held up the quill. “MaGrath has several of
these stitched to his medicine bag, but they’re smaller. Probably from a
juvenile. I’ve never asked him where or how he got them. I think I’m too afraid
to find out.”
    Renken wiped his clean