The crow bobbed its head.
‘Something will have to be done, soon,’ said Heb, who was riding close by. He and Brina shared a look.
They’re talking about the earth power, Corban thought.
Dogs barked somewhere behind and Corban twisted in his saddle. Dark shapes were visible in the distance, near to where they had stopped to view the pass into the mountains. Shapes broke away from the main party and disappeared down the slope as they moved towards the river ford. And towards the warriors camped there. Will probably get them hunting for us, too. Things are not looking good.
They travelled as fast as they could, dismounting at sunset and leading their horses, for fear of twisted or broken legs. A cold night was followed by a grey morning. They were back in the saddle before the sun had risen, winding ever deeper into the mountains.
The path they were following was little more than a fox’s trail running more or less parallel to the giants’ road. A sheer rock face rose up ahead and the path veered around it, moving deeper into the mountain wilderness. Corban hoped that at some point it would veer back, but it didn’t look likely.
Just before highsun Camlin came cantering back from scouting ahead. He was frowning. He rode to Edana and Halion, pulling up before them, but spoke loud enough for all to hear.
‘The path dips ahead, follows a stream and broadens out. It’s good land to travel on for a while, but then it rises an’ turns narrow right quick. Won’t be easy going.’
‘Easier than turning back,’ said Halion.
‘Aye, true enough. There’s something else: I think we’re heading into a wolven pack’s territory. Found some spoor and a carcass of something – looks like a horse.’
‘We have a wolven of our own,’ Edana said.
‘Aye. One. This is a pack. In my experience that means anywhere between four and ten of them and they won’t like us in their territory. We’ll need t’be careful.’
Brina spoke quietly to Craf. Corban thought he heard the word wolven, then the bird was flapping away, this time ahead of them.
Brina and Corban checked on Marrock as they let their horses drink and refilled water skins.
‘I’m fine,’ he said to them, though his eyes were pinched with pain. They reached the end of the vale that Camlin had told them of as the sun was hovering above the mountain tops. The valley sides had narrowed, with great black boulders dotting the land. A narrow ravine closed in, leading sharply up, causing them to ride in single file. Corban looked back over his shoulder and saw tiny figures spill into the valley behind them. No way back now.
The terrain changed as they climbed higher, the ground turning stony, patches of shingle appearing underfoot. It became too dangerous to ride so they dismounted and led their horses. Corban saw a nimble-footed goat standing on a narrow rim above them, watching their passage.
Dusk was closing in when they stumbled into a rocky bowl rimmed by pine trees, their scent thick in the air. Corban was sweating from the climb, though there was a cold wind biting at him. He drank thirstily from his water skin. Halion had gone to look back down the way they had travelled and Corban joined him.
To his horror he could see a long line of figures climbing the ravine, not more than half a league behind them.
‘They’ll not be stopping to make camp tonight,’ Halion said. ‘They know they can’t miss our trail in the dark, because there’s nowhere to go except straight ahead. They’ll just keep coming.’
‘Then we must move on, and not stop either.’
‘Aye.’
Footsteps crunched behind them – Camlin returning from scouting ahead.
‘How is the path?’ Edana asked.
‘We’re going t’have to leave the horses. Gets too steep; they’ll not make it.’
They all looked at him and he shrugged.
‘How far behind are they?’ Camlin asked Halion.
‘Not far. Less than half a league, and they’re moving faster than us.’
Best be moving, then,’ Camlin said.
Marrock stepped forward. ‘I’ll stay, hold them back a little, buy you some time.’ He looked around at the shocked faces. ‘My life’s over now. Might as well do something of worth before the end. I know I can’t shoot a bow.’ He raised his left arm, the wrist bandaged tight. ‘But I can still swing a sword. And one of you can strap my shield tight to my arm.’
‘I’ll do better than strap your shield tight,’ Anwarth said. ‘I’ll be your shield. Two will hold them longer than one.’
‘And three longer than two,’ Farrell said, stepping close to his da.
‘Someone that can shoot a bow would hold them longer,’ Camlin said, reaching for his bowstring.
‘I . . . I’ll stay with you,’ Dath said, looking at Camlin.
Heb stood up from where he had been sitting by a boulder. ‘I think I might be of some help. I will stay too.’