[The X Phial]

Hillman and Ranger

A light spring rain was falling and Thorgil wiped his eyes with his sleeve once again. He needed to keep his vision clear while tracking the unusual creature. The discussion with the southern ranger had unnerved him a bit. He and his men had, of course, seen the tracks before. They had never bothered to follow them since there was no evidence that it intended any harm. The creature, whatever it was, seemed peaceable in its way. Though large and heavy enough to be a good-sized orc, it did not attack. At least it hadn't yet.

New settlers, though, meant upsetting the natural environment somewhat, and the creature might feel threatened. Whatever it was, its tracks were clearly like a human, so maybe if he found it, he could reason with it. He was galled that he had not thought to find it sooner. Clearly, the arrival of the settlers had put him on edge. He hadn't been thinking clearly.

Thorgil stalked through the undergrowth of the forest. He had lost the tracks by the stream a mile or so back and was now following a trail of crushed branches and broken leaves that most experienced woodmen would have been able to track easily. The creature did not seem to be able or willing to cover its traces. It was also moving relatively slowly. The bruised leaves were only an hour or so old.

The fading light and misty rain conspired to cloud Thorgil's eyes, and he almost missed a sharp turn in the creature's path. Stopping for a moment and slowing his own breathing, the ranger closed his eyes and just listened to the forest. The sounds of life were heavy in the thick and humid air. Insects were buzzing to end the day, a sound that was synchopated by the patter of water dripping from leaves, limbs, and Thorgil's own hair. After a moment or two Thorgil could hear the skittering of a pair of squirrels, then the heavier footfall of a fox on a parallel hunt. Then, very faintly, the breath of a larger creature, man-sized at least, in the direction of the creature's tracks. Thorgil was very close.

Opening his eyes again, the ranger oriented on the sound. It was off to the left, behind a stand of trees. Thorgil stilled his racing heart with an effort. A hunt, even one for information, always excited him. Creeping as silently as was humanly possible, he approached the trees.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Calem was tired of waiting. Wolf had told him to keep watch in the forest, a silly task that even Calem knew was pointless. Wolf claimed it was to look out for where the animals were going, since they were scared by the noise of the settlers. Animals never approached Calem, however. He didn't have the skill for hunting and being silent like some of the other men.

He didn't mind the rain, however. Calem was used to staying out in the elements. At least the air was warm and the coldest months were over. Calem hated the winter. He made the best shelters he could, but they were not as warm as the huts of the other hillmen, and he was never invited inside. They usually blew down in the worst storms. For those, Calem had a small cave near the lakeside. Hardly more than a hole, it kept the worst of the wind and snow away. He was used to the pain of cold. So he hardly noticed the soft spring rain, except to turn his head skyward now and then to catch some drips in his twisted mouth.

From within the stand of trees, Calem considered going back to the village. He was scared of going back before the other men returned however. If they found him at the camp when they returned, they called him a lazy cheat and refused to share their food. It was better to wait until they had eaten something, then they could afford to be more generous. Also, they were less likely to throw things if they were engaged in a meal. The fires hadn't started yet, it was too soon to return.

Suddenly, Calem heard a sharp intake of breath behind him. He spun as fast as he could, scared. No animals would come so close, so it must be a man. Maybe one of the hillmen had come to bring him back to the village. But that never happened. More likely he would be there to torture him. When he saw the man, though, it was no hillman. It was a ranger, taller than the men of the village and far scarier! Knife and the others had told him many times about what would happen if the rangers ever came after him. He didn't want to be spitted like a boar!

Fear threw him toward the man. His bulk made an impressive weapon, even with his weak leg. The ranger man looked scared, not at all like Calem expected. He was also fast. Before Calem could hit him, he had spun behind and drawn his long knife. None of the hillmen had knives this long, and Calem thought this was probably one of the swards, or whatever they were called.

Too scared to wonder why the man hadn't attacked him first, Calem lunged again, this time growling low in his throat. He barely saw the strike that brought him to his knees before the ranger. His side hurt. It hurt worse than the cold and worse than the burning fire. Looking down, he saw that the ground was getting redder. The ranger man was talking to him, but Calem wasn't able to understand what he said. The sounds were hollow in his ears.

With a last rush of rage, Calem grabbed a large rock and hurled it at the ranger man, who ducked, but not soon enough. The rock hit him on the head and he staggered, clutching his big knife in both hands. The last thing Calem saw was the big knife and the grass rushing to meet him.

~~~~~~~~

Thorgil's vision was blurry, and not from the rain, as he turned from the grizzly scene before him. The creature....no, man, though hideously deformed...had heard his surprised gasp and reacted with a force that shocked the ranger. His fingers were going numb and he staggered toward the trees. If he could get to the trail, he might have a chance. There were healing herbs and bandages in a kit hidden only a few miles away.

The sword slipped from his fingers. Thorgil realised that he could no longer hear the rain. Touching his fingers to his temple, he could feel the slick blood and was overcome with nausea. He bent, wretched, and found himself unable to get back up. He made it as far as the spot where he had stopped to listen to the forest before losing the strength even to crawl.

The rain began to fall more swiftly as Thorgil whispered a reverence to the West. By the time the shower ended, he had slipped away entirely.

[ October 24, 2003: Message edited by: The X Phial ]