still follow the Shadow in his mind. I would need to question these men for a long time before I am absolutely sure,” Kormak said.
“And we don’t have the time. You think it’s likely that some of them have been turned?”
“These are the ones who came forward. I’d say they wanted to know, which means they are the least likely.”
“You think any real traitor would not come forward. Is it possible that he might just to throw off suspicion?”
Kormak nodded.
“I don’t like the idea of heading out into the deep woods with some Shadowbrood in the company.”
“Not much we can do about it, is there? Unless you want us to do this on our own.”
“You’re good with that sword, best I ever saw and that’s a fact, and I am good with a bow, none better in the Settlements if I say so myself, but we’re not up to taking a warband of elves by ourselves.”
“I am not sure thirty men would be any better.”
“You’d be surprised what thirty men can do from ambush if they are the right men.”
Kormak had seen enough battles to know the damage a small force could do to a larger one if it attacked unexpectedly.
“You really think we’re going to be able to sneak up on elves in a forest?”
“We’re going to find out, aren’t we?” said Grogan.
“I guess we are,” said Kormak. “Let’s be about it.”
The hunters gathered together on the riverbank. They had assembled waterbags, wineskins and bags full of jerky and waybread. They had taken Kormak at his word and he was glad. Normally there was always someone who felt called on to show his independence but not this time. These men understood that their lives and more were at stake.
Kormak helped push the canoe out and then climbed in. He did not paddle. The woodsmen were used to it and knew better than he what to do, instead he kept his eyes peeled and kept the crossbow he had borrowed from Grogan at the ready.
Grogan was doing the same in his canoe although he held a bow in his hand. Three more canoes were strung out along the river. They found the place the scouts had marked for landing. Not even elves could move with so many captives without leaving a trail. Great trees overhung the river here, casting it into shadow. Large bushes came all the way down to the water’s edge. It was a good spot for an ambush and all too easy to imagine hostile alien eyes watching them.
They came ashore on the other side and dragged the canoes up out of the water, leaving them overturned beneath bushes, covered in leaves and branches against a casual search. The men moved quickly, easily and with the care of warriors who had done this sort of thing before. More scouts set out to make contact with the advance party, and returned when it was done, then the whole group started fanning out along the trail, weapons ready. Kormak stayed close to Grogan, moving with no less stealth than the men surrounding him, despite his heavier armour. The crossbow felt heavy and unfamiliar in his hands but he kept it ready to fire.
The woods on this side of the river were darker, denser and more twisted than those in the Settlements. The older and taller trees were least affected by the power of the Shadow but even they were more stooped than they ought to have been, with blotched leaves and strange faintly luminescent mushrooms growing amid their boles. The younger trees were twisted as if their limbs had been tortured on a rack, their bark was rougher, darker and seemed to have strange runes marked right into it. Around the smaller trees were more blighted bushes. Small things scuttled through the undergrowth and branches, shy and scared and nervous. There were no birds at all.
Kormak pulled his wraithstone amulet from beneath his tunic. Along with his Elder Signs it was one of his greatest protections against the power of the Shadow. Already a small thread of oily darkness writhed through the milk white heart of the stone. It was doing what it was supposed to do,
“And we don’t have the time. You think it’s likely that some of them have been turned?”
“These are the ones who came forward. I’d say they wanted to know, which means they are the least likely.”
“You think any real traitor would not come forward. Is it possible that he might just to throw off suspicion?”
Kormak nodded.
“I don’t like the idea of heading out into the deep woods with some Shadowbrood in the company.”
“Not much we can do about it, is there? Unless you want us to do this on our own.”
“You’re good with that sword, best I ever saw and that’s a fact, and I am good with a bow, none better in the Settlements if I say so myself, but we’re not up to taking a warband of elves by ourselves.”
“I am not sure thirty men would be any better.”
“You’d be surprised what thirty men can do from ambush if they are the right men.”
Kormak had seen enough battles to know the damage a small force could do to a larger one if it attacked unexpectedly.
“You really think we’re going to be able to sneak up on elves in a forest?”
“We’re going to find out, aren’t we?” said Grogan.
“I guess we are,” said Kormak. “Let’s be about it.”
The hunters gathered together on the riverbank. They had assembled waterbags, wineskins and bags full of jerky and waybread. They had taken Kormak at his word and he was glad. Normally there was always someone who felt called on to show his independence but not this time. These men understood that their lives and more were at stake.
Kormak helped push the canoe out and then climbed in. He did not paddle. The woodsmen were used to it and knew better than he what to do, instead he kept his eyes peeled and kept the crossbow he had borrowed from Grogan at the ready.
Grogan was doing the same in his canoe although he held a bow in his hand. Three more canoes were strung out along the river. They found the place the scouts had marked for landing. Not even elves could move with so many captives without leaving a trail. Great trees overhung the river here, casting it into shadow. Large bushes came all the way down to the water’s edge. It was a good spot for an ambush and all too easy to imagine hostile alien eyes watching them.
They came ashore on the other side and dragged the canoes up out of the water, leaving them overturned beneath bushes, covered in leaves and branches against a casual search. The men moved quickly, easily and with the care of warriors who had done this sort of thing before. More scouts set out to make contact with the advance party, and returned when it was done, then the whole group started fanning out along the trail, weapons ready. Kormak stayed close to Grogan, moving with no less stealth than the men surrounding him, despite his heavier armour. The crossbow felt heavy and unfamiliar in his hands but he kept it ready to fire.
The woods on this side of the river were darker, denser and more twisted than those in the Settlements. The older and taller trees were least affected by the power of the Shadow but even they were more stooped than they ought to have been, with blotched leaves and strange faintly luminescent mushrooms growing amid their boles. The younger trees were twisted as if their limbs had been tortured on a rack, their bark was rougher, darker and seemed to have strange runes marked right into it. Around the smaller trees were more blighted bushes. Small things scuttled through the undergrowth and branches, shy and scared and nervous. There were no birds at all.
Kormak pulled his wraithstone amulet from beneath his tunic. Along with his Elder Signs it was one of his greatest protections against the power of the Shadow. Already a small thread of oily darkness writhed through the milk white heart of the stone. It was doing what it was supposed to do,
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