Jahrra had been so engrossed in the entire scene that she’d forgotten she was standing on a giant log for all the world to see. For several long seconds, she and the limbit just stared at one another. From what she could tell, she guessed his head would reach just past her hip if they were standing side by side. His hair was a ruddy color, but closer to brown than the burnished red of his fur. His fur. That was another characteristic she found quite interesting. From the waist down, he looked like a fox, legs and all, but he had a torso like hers and he stood upright. His upper arms bore flesh as hers did, but from elbow to fingertip they were covered in more red and black fur. His ears, however, were the most intriguing of all his features. They pointed straight up like those of a fox, but were attached to the side of his head, similar to where an elf’s or a Nesnan’s or Resai’s ears might be placed.
Jahrra could have spent all morning studying this strange yet fascinating creature, but a great buffeting wind from above soon directed her attention elsewhere. Jahrra glanced up and nearly had to duck as Jaax glided in for a close landing. He didn’t quite miss the water, his feet and tail splashing down.
What on Ethoes? Jahrra stood up again and glared at him. He’d almost knocked her off the log!
Before she could open her mouth and shout accusations at him, he whipped his head around.
“Jahrra! Why did you leave the campsite?”
That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. An apology maybe, for nearly careening into her. She would normally respond with flippancy, but something in his tone put her nerves on edge.
“I just wanted to go for a short walk,” she answered, her voice compliant.
“We need to leave. Now,” he snapped, his keen eyes narrowing, as they perused the lakeshore.
Jahrra immediately jumped down from the fallen tree, landing with a dull crunch in the gravel below. Her curiosity about the limbit would have to wait.
“Why? What happened?” she breathed as she worked to keep up with the dragon’s long strides.
“The Tyrant’s soldiers. About three miles to the southeast of us.”
Jahrra stopped her forward progression, only to have Jaax turn and give her an exasperated look.
“I thought Ellyesce could detect them up to ten miles away,” she said, her eyes wide. Another aspect of the elf’s magic she didn’t understand. So far, Ellyesce had proven capable of keeping them well out of reach of their enemy.
“Yes, but it isn’t an exact science,” Jaax growled. “Other factors can affect his range.”
“Like bad weather?” she asked, walking briskly once again.
Jaax nodded. “Or a stronger spell of magic overriding his own efforts.”
Jahrra shivered. She imagined the Crimson King’s soldiers had a mage or two in their company. If he was determined to find her, then he would use his best resources.
“Do you think we can evade them if we hurry?” Jahrra wondered aloud, trying to keep control of her panic.
“We can only try,” was her guardian’s answer.
When they reached the small hill hiding their camp, they found their supplies packed and the horses ready.
“I’m sorry, Jaax,” Ellyesce breathed, looking more ashen than before.
The dragon only shook his head. “It was bound to happen sooner or later. I’m just glad I spotted them. They are taking an even more remote route than us, but the trail they follow will meet up with ours in a few miles. We want to be through the crossroads before they get there. They might be delayed for an hour or so, and we have a head start, but still. The sooner we get moving, the better.”
“Why will they be delayed?” Jahrra asked, climbing atop Phrym.
Jaax grew still for a moment, then turned cold eyes onto her. “They are raiding a village.”
Jahrra gasped. “Jaax! You have to stop them!”
He shook his head dismally. “It’s too late. By the time I flew over, I discovered no signs of life, other than the raiders.”
Jahrra felt her shoulders slump. An entire village, destroyed because they were looking for her.
Jaax moved in close so that his head was level with her. “Do not blame yourself for the Tyrant’s cruelty, Jahrra.”
She knew she shouldn’t, but she still felt the sting of guilt. Knowing it would help no one, however, she shoved the remorse aside and gave Jaax a hard look. Jahrra nodded once, and the dragon relaxed just a bit.
“We had better get moving,” Ellyesce intervened. “We need to make it through that pass as quickly as we can.”
He indicated a gap in the mountains on the other side of the lake. The snow was still thick up there, but at least the sun was out, and there was no threat of more snow or rain.
The trio circled half the lake with relative ease, then began their climb up the mountain. The trail Jaax picked for them was narrow and winding, shaded by pine and sycamore. Loose rocks and tree roots made the climb more difficult for the horses, and Jahrra wondered how Jaax was faring up ahead. About a half hour into their journey, the trail widened but clung to the side of the rocky mountain. Jahrra had to remind herself more than once not to look down as she encouraged Phrym as much as possible. She thanked Ethoes on more than one occasion that not only were the horses sure-footed, but seemed unaffected by heights as well.
Just past midmorning, Jaax shouted down to them from the top of the trail.
“What is it?” Jahrra asked, her stomach knotting up.
To her great relief, Jaax grinned. “The trail down the other side looks much less treacherous,” he said.
Jahrra encouraged Phrym to finish the final several yards of the path to stand by Jaax’s side, Ellyesce and the pack horse just behind them. Once at the top, Jahrra gave a small sigh of appreciation. The mountains, of course, continued on, but in the distance she spotted something that took her breath away.
“The Great Hrunahn Range,” she murmured with reverence.
Jahrra could only stare. A few of the jagged peaks in the near distance reached higher than the one their road skirted, but a group of massive mountains several miles away stretched even farther into the sky than all the snow-capped summits below them. They were twice, if not three times as tall as the mountains they’d been climbing through for the past two weeks. Great, deep shadows stretched away from the monoliths and some of their peaks even disappeared into the clouds scudding high across the sky.
“Cahrdyarein is on that peak,” Jaax murmured, pointing out the tallest of the smaller mountains, some three or four summits over.
Jahrra nodded, imagining it would take them another several days to reach it.
“And Nimbronia?” she asked, suspecting she already knew the answer.
Jaax grinned, but Ellyesce answered for her, “The domain of the Creecemind dragons is located on the tallest of those immense mountains. It will take us at least a week or more from Cahrdyarein to reach it, if we encounter no obstacles.”
“It’s a good thing we aren’t traveling in winter, then,” Jahrra added.
Ellyesce barked a laugh. “Oh yes, no need to worry about snow storms. Well, at least not really bad ones. The Hruhnan Mountains have their own weather pattern, one that is more suggestive of winter, but it should be relatively calm in these parts for the next few months.”
They rested for ten minutes, but not a moment longer. Jaax was still determined to get beyond the crossroads before the Crimson King’s men. The trail down the mountain proved easier on the group, and Jahrra was grateful. They traveled no more than a quarter mile before the land leveled out once again. Alpine aspen and cottonwood trees grew thick here, and Jahrra reveled in the sound of the mountain breeze rustling through the new leaves. A small rivulet, no more than snowmelt running away from the mountain, had accompanied them down the slope, gradually transforming into a swift stream. At one point, the trail came to a stop before plunging down another steep and rocky canyon. The stream, on the other hand, hadn’t the patience of those wishing to descend at a reasonable pace. Instead, it gushed onward, rushing off a small precipice and crashing into a wide pool below before continuing its sprint to the valley floor. Inland redwood, cedar, oak and bay accompanied the cottonwoods, aspen and sycamore trees, providing ample shade for the group as they picked their way between the rocks.