As her watch drew to an end, Elyn added to the fire and set the remaining two marmots to roast, and then awakened the Dwarf.
No sooner did her head touch her bedroll, it seemed, than Thork was shaking her awake. “Attack?” she hoarsely whispered, startling upward.
“Nay, Woman,” growled Thork, “but yon Sun sets.”
Elyn groaned, for how could it be that her rest was over when she had just lain down? Groggily, she accepted the cup of tea handed her, its bracing taste pressing back the web of her fatigue. Thork passed her some of the cooked meat he had stripped from the bones of her kill, wrapping the remainder in a cloth where it would keep for a day or so.
As twilight fell upon the land, they ate in silence, sipping tea, their eyes scanning the grasslands. At last in the dusk they broke camp and saddled their steeds, preparing to set forth again. They both accepted that they would travel easterly together one more night, though neither wished it so. “This is the last we fare in each other’s company, Dwarf,” said Elyn. “And though we have fought side by each to slay the common foe, I will be glad to travel alone once more.”
“I would be rid of you as well, Woman,” responded Thork, “for it is not my wish to be allied to a Rider.”
At these words, Elyn’s eyes flashed hotly, and she gritted her teeth, yet she held back her retort, knowing that this nighttide would be the last-tomorrow she would shed this. . this cave dweller.
Again they set out as the land fell unto darkness, soon relieved by the rising Moon, now full to brimming, a great yellow orb that seemed to fill the whole horizon. And stars sprinkled the dark vault, adding their crystal glister to the night. An hour went by, and then another, and the Moon rode upward as they rode eastward, the orb seeming to grow smaller as up it sailed, becoming brighter as it climbed, changing from yellow to argent, its silvery light glancing across the land, vivid enough to see far and near. And within this platinum luminance, two warriors fared together, Châk and Vanadurin, soft radiance streaming all about them, and a quiet peace came to rest gently upon the twain.
Another hour receded into the past, and they stopped at a stream to take on water and refresh themselves, as well as to feed grain to the steeds. It was while they were standing thus that again a shiver of evil walked upon spider claws along their spines, and hastily Elyn and Thork mounted up, their eyes scanning the moonlit prairie, both standing in their stirrups to gain a better view.
“There,” hissed Thork, pointing to the south and east.
Elyn stared intently in the direction indicated. “I. . I cannot see aught. . No, wait. Now I see it. A blot of darkness moving across the plain. Though what it is, I cannot say.”
“Châk eyes see better through dimness,” responded the Dwarf. “It is some force, afoot, twenty or thirty, I deem, and they move as if to intercept our course ahead.”
“Then let us ride, Dwarf, let us ride.” Elyn dropped into her saddle, touching her heels to Wind’s flanks, the grey springing forward, Thork’s dappled following after.
Swiftly they rode eastward, the horse at a canter, the pony at a gallop, the smaller mount now in the lead and setting the pace for the larger.
Thork kept his eyes upon the nearing force. “They have broken into a run,” he called to Elyn, “and seek to cut us off. Kruk! It is the Foul Folk, Ukh and Hrōk alike!”
But now in the fulgent light of the Moon, Elyn’s eyes could see the foe, loping ’cross the grassland, dull glints gleaming from their weaponry, or mayhap from their armor. “Angle leftward, Dwarf,” she cried, judging their speed, “and they’ll not e’en get within bow shot.”
Thork veered to the north and east, the little dappled racing at his uttermost, Elyn on Wind following after.
Now the Wrg set up ululating howls, breaking from a loping gait to a full-throated run, the taller Drōkha outdistancing the shorter Rutch as they sought to close the gap ere the twain were past.
And amid the wrauling, Elyn could hear the clatter of Rutchen armor and the pounding of iron-shod Wrg feet upon the earth-they were so near-racing to cut them off and haul down the two of them.
But the swift little pony was not to be headed, and the duo hammered through the intercept point just a hairs-breadth ere the first foe came to it; and as the pair dashed beyond, black-shafted arrows did siss upon their heels, most to fall short, albeit one or two stabbed into the ground ahead. But horse and horseling ran onward, leaving the enemy behind, and only yawls of frustrated rage overtook the riders.
Once they had passed well beyond the range of Wrg arrow, Elyn and Thork slowed their mounts to a steady trot, allowing the steeds to catch their wind and recover from their dash to freedom. Each looked back, gauging whether pursuit drew near.
“They mill about,” rasped Thork, “as if undecided as to what to do. Regardless, they follow not. . at least for now.”
“I think perhaps something evil is after one of us”-Elyn’s voice was grim-“why I cannot say. Yet for three nights running we have been attacked.”
“I was about to say the same,” Thork responded, “yet this I know, Woman: I was not attacked ere you came.”
“So you blame me,” flared Elyn. “Heed me, Dwarf, I rode in peace until I had the pleasure of meeting you.”
A chill silence fell between the two as easterly they fared. And none said aught for a lengthy while. At last Thork cleared his throat. “Why, Woman, did you not ride on ahead when the Grg sought to cut our track? Your steed can easily outstrip mine. You could have passed beyond ere they made half the distance.”
Elyn’s answer was a long time coming: “Mistake me not, for I wish no partnership. But list, even though you be a Dwarf, I made a compact with you, unspoken to be sure, but a compact still. And that was to ride a ways together, should we meet a common foe. Then we did meet such a foe, and I would not desert my word, though what you said be true: Wind can run as her namesake, and we could have fled past ere the enemy came nigh, but there would be no honor in that.”
At the mention of honor, Thork looked long and hard at the Warrior Maiden as pony and horse drew steadily eastward, yet he said nought in return. At last he turned his gaze away from her countenance, and there was a dark brooding upon his brow.
Again they rode long in silence, and once more it was Thork who at last broke it. “Warrior, I deem you right in that evil dogs our heels. And I would be rid of this thing that seeks to cut our wake. Let us ride through tomorrow day as well; perhaps we can shake it off our track. For evil shuns the Sun, and mayhap it will lose our line in the brightness of Adon’s light.”
“Ah me,” sighed Elyn, “already I am weary, and now you propose that we become more weary still. Yet I, too, would shake this vileness. But it pursues us in a manner I cannot fathom, and may find us in the darkness still, regardless of what we do. Yet I have no better plan than yours, for we must try to throw it from us; perhaps a trek through the Sun will do so.