When they reached the camp, they halted and the leader shouted, “Where is Nahoot?”
His accent was thick and he tended to roar, but he could be understood. De Loungville, wearing a helm that covered his eyes, moved to the other side of the bridge. “What is it?” he shouted.
“What have you to report?”
Calis had thought on this and had instructed every man, save the new recruits from Nahoot’s company, in what was coming next. “We were ambushed by some men trying to come down this road. We routed them and chased them back up into the mountains.”
“What!” roared the Saaur leader. “You were told to send a messenger if you found any of those trying to leave the mountains.”
“We sent one!” shouted de Loungville, trying his best to sound angry. “Are you claiming he never reached you?”
“I claim nothing, human,” shouted the angry Saaur. “When did this happen?”
“Less than a week ago!”
“A week!” The Saaur shouted something in his own language and half his company started up the trail. The leader said, “We need provisions. You will leave and return to the host. I am not pleased.”
“Well, you can bet I’m not pleased you went and lost my runner,” shouted de Loungville. “I’m going to make sure General Fadawah hears of this!”
“And imps of the evening will come to have sex with you because you are so lovely,” snapped back the officer. Erik suddenly relaxed. If the Saaur was going to fight, he wouldn’t be trading insults with de Loungville while dismounting. Whoever this officer was, he had accepted that de Loungville was Nahoot and was content to trade insults with him while the two companies changed places.
“Any trouble with the Gilani?”
“No,” grunted the Saaur officer. “Our riders have chased the little hairy humans back into the mountains to the north of here. The ride will be so quiet you may sleep in the saddle.” He moved onto the bridge and his huge horse’s weight made it creak alarmingly, but it held even if it did bow under the load. He led his animal into camp without noticing. Erik gave a silent prayer of thanks that it held. And he was pleased he wasn’t going to be around to see if the bridge held after repeated Saaur use.
De Loungville shouted, “Break camp! I want every man mounted and ready to ride in ten minutes!”
Erik hurried, for like every man there, he knew the longer they were around the Saaur, the better the chance someone would let something slip that would start a fight. He hurried to his tent, with Roo beside him, and found Biggo and Luis already setting about breaking things down. “Roo,” said Erik, “grab my kit. I’m going to keep an eye on Nahoot’s men.”
Roo spared Erik any barb about ducking work, and merely said, “I’ll take care of it.”
Erik moved to where the twenty men from Nahoot’s company waited and saw they were muttering among themselves. Not giving them any chance to decide they might be better off turning Calis in to the Saaur, he shouted, “Get over to those horses and start bringing them up! I want the first six for the officers. Then start bringing them up to the first tent, then the second, and the third, until every other man has a mount. Then get your own gear together and get mounted. Understood!” His tone, as loud and ferocious as he could make it, imparted the proper message: the last wasn’t a question, it was a command.
The twenty men moved quickly, several saying, “Yes, Corporal,” as they half walked, half ran to the remounts.
De Loungville showed up less than a minute later and said, “Where are the newcomers?”
Erik pointed. “I’ve got them bringing up the horses for the others, and I’ll keep an eye on them.”
De Loungville nodded. “Good.” He turned without another word and rejoined Calis and Greylock.
The Saaur commander was busy pulling a roll off the back of one of the baggage horses, and Erik turned to watch Nahoot’s band. The twenty newcomers were hurrying with the mounts, doing their best to remain orderly, while around them the compound was abuzz with activity. Erik hurried to where his three tentmates were breaking down their equipment, and Roo threw him his bundle. “Did yours first,” he said.
Erik smiled and said, “Thanks,” as he grabbed his saddle and then ran back to where the newcomers were leading horses. He selected one and quickly tacked it up, then stowed his roll behind the saddle and mounted.