Haven Keep (Book 1) (12 page)

The party approached the trees and Jo emerged from under the low lying branches of a snow covered evergreen.

“They are under there,” Soren said, pointing to the make shift shelter Jo emerged from.

Everyone dismounted with a rush.  Donell was first to the tree.  Inside a hollow , underneath the branches and the snow was Biv.  Even wrapped up in a bundle he still looked half frozen.

“Get a fire made!” Donell shouted.  He was slowly dragging Biv out from his makeshift shelter.  “Where is Lester?” he asked Biv.

Biv’s answer was weak.  “I don’t know.”  He gestured with his hand.  “Out there somewhere.”  He was shivering uncontrollably.  “I heard a scream then the wind suddenly stopped.  It’s unnatural.”

“Let’s get that fire going,” Kaiden instructed.  “I’ll mull some mead for him.  We need to warm his bones.”  Kaiden shook his head almost involuntarily.  He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. 
What were those fools thinking?
  Time enough for that after Biv warmed up some.  If Kaiden didn’t get some heat into him he still may die.  Lester was surely in the same predicament.  They needed to find him and soon.

“Soren, any sign of Lester?”  Kaiden asked.

“More footprints continue off in the same direction we’ve been traveling.”  Soren answered.  Kaiden knew that was all he was going to get out of Soren.

“Fine.”  Kaiden new nothing was fine.  “You and Ralf take Fras and Jack.  Find Lester.  Don’t be long or go to far.  Quickly.”

Kaiden began heating some mead on the fire.  Hopefully they’d gotten to Biv in time.  As it was, he would probably lose a few toes to frost bite.  Kaiden poured the mead down Biv’s throat.  He took a few swallows himself and offered some to Donell.  Donell gulped down more than Biv.

The fire was large and burning hot.  Kaiden felt warmer, but getting Biv warm was another story.  Kaiden and Donell huddled together with Biv between them.  It was the better part of an hour before Biv stopped shivering.

Kaiden wanted to scream at Biv, or slap him across the face.  Neither would do any good.  Before he could say anything Biv spoke.

“Lester was acting crazy.  He just got up from his bed roll and darted out into the night.  He didn’t speak.  He wouldn’t answer me.  It was as if the wind had driven him mad.”

“What do you mean?” Donell asked.  “He just left?”

“He just left.”  Biv seemed as confused as Kaiden and Donell.  “I called to him.  He
didn’t even turn around.  When I followed him he moved faster.  Even on horseback I couldn’t keep up.  The wind was whipping the snow.  I lost him in it.”

“You did what you could.”  Kaiden hoped those words would be of some comfort.  He didn’t think Soren would find Biv alive.  Without his cloak he would surely freeze to death.

A few moments later Fras and Jack led Soren and Ralf down into the gully.  Soren was on foot.  His horse carried what Kaiden knew was Lester’s body. 
What madness was this?
  Kaiden had known Lester his whole life.  Lester knew the dangers of the north, knew that the freezing temperatures could kill.  He’d never done anything so reckless.

“Demons,” Donell swore.

Soren stepped up to the fire but said nothing.  Ralf was behind him, equally silent.

Now they were closer Kaiden could see the cold wasn’t what killed Lester.  He was as mutilated as Mic. 
How?
  Last night they chased the beast in a different direction.  It must have doubled back.  Soren’s words came flooding into his mind.  
“It rides on the wind”
  No!  Kaiden didn’t believe in such foolishness.  Campfire stories did not come to life.
Did they?
  Maybe it was the Scourge, come to punish them for the loss of Evenfelle.  He shook his head at himself this time.  Now he was going mad.  All childish nonsense.  He needed to deal with what was real.

“Any sign of what did this?” Kaiden inquired, doing his best to remain calm.

“Some,” answered Soren.  “I will show you.”

“With this fresh trail the dogs should help us track it down within hours.”  Donell was anxious to be moving.

“Yes, Donell, but we need to be cautious,” Kaiden warned.  “I’m confident this is no bear we are hunting as I’m sure you are.”

“Whatever it is, it’s as good as dead,” snarled Donell.  “I’m not stopping until we find it.”

Kaiden turned to Biv.  “How do you feel?”

“Surprisingly well.  The dogs kept me fairly warm last night,” Biv insisted.  “I can ride.  Just don’t expect me to win any foot races any time soon.”

“You never could win a foot race,” Ralf jeered.

“Let’s head out,” announced Kaiden.  “Soren, we’ll follow you.  Keep your eyes open.”  That last was more of a reminder for himself.  Kaiden didn’t want anything sneaking up on them.  This had become a dangerous game.  No, not a game, more serious.

Soren led them to where he and Ralf found Lester.

“Here,” Soren pointed.  “We found the body in this tree.”  He indicated the tallest tree in the area, its’ branches were thick and large.  “There are more tracks.”  Soren gestured to a spot on the ground.  “It waited for him there.”

“What do you mean waited for him?”  Donell didn’t sound believing.

“The signs don’t lie,” Ralf said.  “No struggle, like before.  The scourge’s tracks come in from the north and depart to the north.  It wasn’t tracking him.”

“Since when did we start calling it a scourge?”  Kaiden demanded.  “Get a grip on yourself.”

“Well then what is it?”  Ralf protested.  “You know it isn’t any bear.  What else could do that to a man?”

“I don’t know what it is,” snapped Kaiden, “but I’m not going to start believing in ghost stories.”

Biv spoke softly.  “It leaves them in the trees as a warning.”

“Not you too,” mocked Donell.  “You’re beginning to act like superstitious old women.”

Kaiden didn’t want to lose any more control than he already had.  “Settle down,” he snapped.  “All of you.”  
What was it that haunted these woods?
  “We have a job to do.  See if the dogs can pick up a scent.” 
Let’s pray that they do
, he thought.

Soren was already on the ground with the dogs.  He appeared to be a man on a mission.  Cold determination accented his every move.  Kaiden wished he could show that kind of merit.

The dogs set a slow pace through the snow.  Kaiden’s mind raced as they wound their way through the rocky hillside.  Towards the mountains they rode, further from home. 
And further from safety,
he thought.  As the trail led on, the woods became dense.  Thick branches once again obscured the sky, casting dark shadows over the forest floor. There were no longer aspen here, just the ancient evergreens, reaching high into the air, competing for the sun.  The shadows in the trees were pockets of darkness that could hide anything.  Kaiden shuddered, wondering if they were being watched.  Wondering if they were doing the hunting, or if it was the other way around.  He would feel better when he could see the sky again. 
At least the snow wasn’t so deep in here
, he thought.  Small comfort. 

They followed the strange tracks until they ended at a large tree.  The dogs paused for only a moment at its base then continued moving.  Kaiden filled with relief when he saw the dogs still followed the scent.

“It’s moving through the trees,” Ralf’s whisper echoed Kaiden’s thoughts.  “It could be anywhere.  Hiding in any of these trees.”

The idea made Kaiden feel the forest was closing in on them.

“Show caution.”  Kaiden didn’t know if anyone heard him and didn’t care.  These men knew the need for caution without a reminder from him.  It was just comforting to speak, though he knew silence was more important.

This thing knew it was being hunted.  Kaiden wondered if it was toying with them. 
Why was it heading back for the mountains on its own?
  Winter was still coming.  Whatever had driven it down from the heights would surely only get worse as more winter storms set in.

The hours seemed like days.  Navigating through the twists and turns of the thick undergrowth made progress slow. They heard an occasional owl or a woodpecker.  Kaiden  wondered if the beast was still near by.  Surely the lesser animals of the forest would have fled or fallen silent if the thing was still around.  Kaiden caught a glimpse of the sky through the tops of the trees, it was a breath of fresh air, a link to reality.  Only he couldn’t see enough of it to tell for certain which direction they were traveling. 
Were they traveling in circles?
   He tried to listen for the owl again.  The panting of the dogs and crunch of  hooves upon the snow and dead fall were the only sounds save the occasional squirrel.  Eventually even the squirrels fell silent.

Keeping the dogs in heel became a challenge.  They wanted to push forward, pursue their quarry.  Maybe they wouldn’t be so eager if they knew what it was they hunted. 
Maybe I shouldn’t have been so eager,
Kaiden thought.  Soren seemed convinced he knew exactly what they were after.  That didn’t slow him. 
Why?
  He was eager, Kaiden realized.  Soren had known from the start.  This was Soren’s nightmare come true, yet he faced it with a readiness Kaiden couldn’t fathom.  Maybe by the time this was over Kaiden would believe in nightmares too.  Or at least have a few of his own. 
Could it be a scourge?  The Scourge?  A vyr?  Were there any such things?

The trees grew less dense until they became only sparse, telling Kaiden they were climbing into the higher elevations.  Many of the trees were bent with the weight of snow, or stunted in their growth from the colder temperatures.  At least he didn’t feel so closed in anymore.  Seeing the late afternoon sky helped Kaiden breath easier.  He wondered if any man had ever passed this direction.  They were no longer in the foothills, but now entering the bases of the Iron Mountains.  Those mountains were so named for the ore mined from them, primarily by the Halfen clan, or at least their slaves.  The mountains towered above, with large thick, craggy rock formations stabbing out from the snow covered peaks.  The view was inspiring, even under the current conditions.

The dogs continued to lead the party north.  The beast’s tracks again visible in the snow, giving Kaiden at least some kind of indication they were traveling in the correct direction.  The thing was moving tremendously fast.  Faster than they could keep up.  If it didn’t stop or slow they wouldn’t catch it today, maybe not ever.  Returning unsuccessful was not an option.  Kaiden could not face his father if he returned empty handed.  They must press on.

Kaiden wondered how Biv was holding up.  He knew they all would need shelter soon.  Already they’d been too long in the elements, but Biv especially.  The midday meal was eaten cold from horseback, and Kaiden’s grumbling stomach reminded him that was hours ago.  He wanted something hot to eat, or at least drink. The sun was slowly sinking over the tops of the trees.  The red and gold light reflected off the snow covered evergreens reminding him of the Emerald Fjord.   He thought once they passed through a few more trees that maybe he would be able to turn around and see it.  The fjord seemed so far away now. 
Had it been just a few short days since he was down on its shores?
  They traveled a great distance in that small amount of time.  He watched Soren, relentless in the pursuit.  He wondered how the man kept up.
How did he always show such a strong front?

Kaiden realized he was closer to Haven Keep now than he was to home.  The ancient fortress, long since abandoned.  He must travel there before being named Lord of Azmark.  Kaiden prayed that day was far distant.  His father was a great strength to the people.  They needed him.  Kaiden needed him.  With Evenfelle gone only Baiden possessed the strength to keep the north together.  Without him the clans might degenerate into separate peoples.  The north needed a strong hand.  Kaiden did not feel up to the task.  Nor did he want it, only he knew
his father was sending him to Haven Keep as soon as he returned.

A cold gust brought Kaiden’s mind back to the present.  The temperatures were already dropping, this night promising to be just as cold as the last, maybe even colder.  “Keep an eye out for a place to shelter for the night,” he advised.  The slopes of the mountains were not friendly to travelers, especially at this time of the year.  What they hunted could be the least of their worries if it got much colder.

“That cluster of trees,” Soren said, pointing to the distance.  “We can fell a few.  Make shelter from the storm.”

“What storm?” asked Donell.  “The sky is clear.”

Soren shrugged.  “It is coming,” he said.

Kaiden wondered if he meant the storm or the scourge.  Great, now he was referring to it as a scourge.  What if it was a vyr?  Soren hinted that it might be.  All foolishness, the next step was to invite a banshee to dinner.  The cold must be getting to him.

“Let’s just get that shelter made,” Kaiden instructed.  “I’m anxious to get some dinner.” 
Without the banshee,
he thought.

Their axes made quick work of the trees.  Trimming the branches off and lashing together the trunks proved easy for their experienced hands.  The limbs were laid across the framework to make a rude lean-to.  Not as well constructed as the one they happened across last night, but it would do.  Snow was piled on top for extra insulation and a better barrier from the wind.  The finished product was something akin to a small man made snow cave.  A second  two sided structure with branches for a roof was thrown together to protect the horses.  Normally horse blankets were enough, but Kaiden didn’t want to take any chances.  A horse could die from exposure as easily as a man.  As long as the temperature did not drop too far they would be fine.