Once they reached the little cave, Ilsa carefully instructed her troop on what type of stones she sought. The ground on the ledge in front of the cave was littered with them. She went into the cave, the children and Tom following. Tom made quick work of examining the small cave, and, after making a small fire to give Ilsa more light, went back outside. Odo soon followed, leaving Ilsa with Aulay and Ivy to help her collect the stones littering the bottom of the cave.
As Ilsa and Ivy studied a particularly interesting rock which, although too large for a path stone, was also too pretty to leave behind, Ilsa heard an odd sound. It was as if something had just shifted over their heads, but she saw nothing when she studied the roof of the cave. Ilsa suddenly feared the cave was unsafe, that it was littered with stones because it was slowly collapsing. She opened her mouth to tell the children they would be leaving when a louder, more ominous sound echoed through the cave.
Tom's warning shout sounded even as the first rocks began to fall. Ilsa gathered Aulay and Ivy into her arms, tugged them away from the mouth of the cave, and huddled over them, desperately trying to shield them with her body.
She prayed Odo and Tom had gotten safely out of the way as rocks, large and small, cascaded down the hillside.
It was quiet for a full minute before Ilsa dared move. She felt a dampness on her face, reached up and wiped it away. Even in the dim light of the fire, she recognized the blood upon her fingers. She soon realized she had other small wounds on her back and arms. In her blind need to protect the children, she had been oblivious to the pelting of stones she had suffered. When she looked to find the mouth of the cave completely blocked by stones, she decided her many little wounds were the least of her problems.
"Those are verra big rocks," said Ivy in an unsteady voice.
"Aye, lass, that they are." Too big for her to move all by herself, thought Ilsa.
"Mama! Mama!"
"Odo, is that ye? Are ye all right?"
"Aye, Mama, but Tom, Tom is all covered in rocks. I think he is dead."
"Stay here," Ilsa told the two frightened children with her before moving toward the blocked mouth of the cave.
There had been a high, tremulous note in Odo's voice. The child was obviously terrified. Although she knew it was risky, Ilsa carefully picked away what stones she could until she had opened up a small crack at the top. Odo peered in at her and she breathed a hearty sigh of relief. He was filthy, but he looked unharmed. She wondered what he was standing on, however, and prayed it was stable.
"Were ye hurt, Odo?" she asked, unable to see much more than his face.
"Nay, Tom was on top of me," he replied. "When the rocks stopped falling I wriggled out from under him, but he isnae moving, Mama."
"That doesnae mean he is dead, my sweet."
"Should I take the rocks off him?"
"Nay, love. Ye wouldnae be able to help e'en if ye did. Now, I ken ye are a verra clever and brave lad."
"Aye, I am." He rubbed a hand over his face, smearing his tears into the dust and dirt upon his face.
"That is what we all need now. Ye have to go get help, Odo, help for your brother and sister and help for Tom."
"And ye, Mama. I have to get help for ye, too. But, Tom--"
"Odo, ye have to be a hard wee mon and ignore poor Tom. Ye need to get some strong men from Clachthrom and bring them here. That is the only way to help us all. Do ye ken how to get back to Clachthrom?"
"Aye, I do. Plodding kens the way, too."
"Good. Now, ye must go down the path verra carefully, then get on Plodding, and ride to Clachthrom. Tell them what has happened and that Tom has been hurt.
Can ye do that, my wee brave knight?"
"Aye, I can."
"Go carefully, Odo. We need ye to get to Clachthrom safely."
"I will, Mama."
Ilsa listened intently when Odo left, but heard nothing to indicate any trouble as he went down the hill. When, despite all her efforts, she could hear no more, she moved back to sit with Aulay and Ivy. She held them close, her gaze fixed upon the small opening she had made. Their rescue depended upon a frightened little boy of five. She prayed she had not put the child in danger by asking too much of him, yet she had had little choice.
"Odo will save us, Mama," said Ivy. "Odo is verra clever and verra brave."
When Aulay nodded in agreement, Ilsa realized why the children had become so calm. Their faith in their brother was absolute. She tried to ignore the fact that they, too, were only five, and find reassurance in their confidence in Odo.
Diarmot frowned when Fraser suddenly paled, her gaze fixed upon something over his shoulder. He had stopped the woman as she had returned from the stables where she had been showing Gregor, Ewart, and Alice the kittens. In the last fortnight he had been trying to come to know his children better. It was hard work, but he had been enjoying a rather lively discussion about the kittens when Fraser had suddenly begun to act as if she had seen a ghost.
"Are ye ill, Fraser?" he asked.
"Odo," she whispered and started to move toward the gates of the keep.
Keeping pace at her side, Diarmot saw the little boy ride in on his pony. "He shouldnae be out riding all alone."