"Then there is only one thing to do," Nalvarre declared. "We have to go north to this castle."
"I agree," Jessica said.
"Something must be done. A reconnaissance is needed, even if we can't rescue the gully dwarf," Valian said.
Alya paused, considering as she stared northward. Valian watched her. At last, she said, "I agree. But the most important thing right now is to alert the Knighthood."
Jessica started to protest, but Alya silenced her with a raised hand. "We are dealing with larger considerations than one gully dwarf. The others must be warned of this development so that plans can be made. If there are draconians on this island, we must alert the Knighthood. We can't all rush off blindly without any plan at all." She stood and dusted off her leather trousers.
"One of us should continue north to scout out the castle, while the others return to Castle uth Wistan to warn the Knights," she announced.
Valian stood. "I'll go," he said.
"No,you return with the others," Alya said. "I will head north and do my best to rescue poor Uhoh."
"I do not think this is wise," Valian countered. "I am best suited for tracking the draconians. Why choose to send me back?"
"And what makes you think I intend to turn back?" asked Nalvarre.
"Because," answered Alya, "if what we heard is true, the real danger is yet to come. It is your duty to spread the alarm. Go fast-safeguard each other, and return with reinforcements."
"How will you follow their trail?" Valian asked.
She shot him an angry glance. "I don't need to follow their trail. Mommamose knows the way to the castle, doesn't she? She'll take me there."
"I will?" the Highbulp asked in surprise.
"Valian is in charge now," Alya said as she gathered two extra wineskins from her companions and slung them over her shoulder. "Jessica, you must help convince the Solamnics. I can't imagine what Liam Ehrling and the others would say if Valian and a former priest of Chislev show up with two gully dwarves proclaiming the existence of a previously unknown stronghold of draconians. Stop by Isherwood and pick up Millisant. That-and Nalvarre's firsthand testimony-should do the trick."
"I wish to protest this decision," Valian said.
"Your protest is duly noted. Now give me your rations. You can pick up more food at Isherwood," Alya said. She turned and grabbed the Highbulp by the collar of her dress and pulled her to her feet. "Come along, Mommamose."
Half-leading, half-dragging the Highbulp, she strode into the nighted desert.
Valian watched her until she was well out of sight, then he turned and looked at the puzzled faces of his companions. His lips were an etched line in his stony white face, but his almond-shaped eyes blazed with anger.
"Let's go," he growled.
Not too far away through the pines, the stream roared and fumed in its channel, filling the air with a cold damp mist, which the weak sun did little to dispel. Lady Jessica Vestianstone, Nalvarre Ringbow, and the two gully dwarves Glabella and Lumpo huddled together and shivered, their teeth clacking, while Valian struggled to nurse a spark in the damp clump of tinder in his hand. The others watched intently, as though willing the fire to burn in the stream-soaked tinder.
Finally, however, the elf's skill prevailed, and a small flame rose amongst the grass and shreds of cloth cupped in the palm of his hand. He lowered it quickly to the ground and set small, moderately dry twigs and chunks of pine bark around it, all the while blowing encouragingly at the growing flame. Soon they had a rather weak fire to huddle round, and they held their hands before it, rubbing them together, even though the fire's heat was barely enough to feel. It seemed to encourage them somewhat. Glabella, who'd been snuffling ever since her near-drowning, managed a smile. Lumpo's stomach began to growl.
"That-t-t was s-s-some s-storm last-t-t-t night," Nalvarre chattered. "I've n-never seen Ish-Isher Creek so sw-swollen and raging."
"Neither have I," Jessica agreed as she clasped her elbows and pulled them tight to her sides. "The ford has always been passable, even in the worst weather. I am sorry."
"It's not your fault," Valian muttered. "I should have known better than to trust it, but we had to get across. We've no time to waste."
"Lucky for us you had us rope together like mountain climbers," Jessica said. "When the streambed slid out from beneath our feet, I thought it would be the end of us all."
"Yes, well, it's over now. As soon as we are dry, we must get to Castle Isherwood," Valian said. "We need horses."
"And food," Lumpo added.
Despite the elf's best efforts, the damp wood burned coldly and smoked horribly, preventing them from getting near enough to dry their clothes in any kind of timely manner. It took hours for them to warm their streamchilled bodies and wring the water from their clothes. The gully dwarves looked particularly bedraggled, like drowned rats, and when their raggedy clothes finally did dry, they became so stiff as to be nearly impossible to walk in. There was also something else, some strange almost ethereal quality to their appearance, which none of the others could quite place, until Nalvarre finally put his finger on it.
"They're clean!" he said triumphantly.
Glabella tentatively sniffed Lumpo, then wrenched her face away. "You stink," she said, pinching her nose. "Smell like nothing."
"The air hurts my skin," he complained. "Clean not healthy."
The two set off to find some mudhole to wallow in. The others gathered their things and followed, kicking out the fire before leaving.
A couple of hours' hard marching through the rugged pine forests of Isherwood brought them eventually to a small hill whose top was bare of trees. Across the gold and crimson autumn valley rose another hill likewise bare of trees, but this one was crowned with the crumbling walls and towers of Castle Isherwood. Through the trees on the hill's slope, they saw the trail.
"Come along. We're almost home. There's still much to do," Nalvarre said.
He started off down the hill, while the others followed, but Jessica lingered a moment longer, drinking in the sight. She sighed, glanced at the sky to judge the time of day. Something rising above the far end of the valley caught her eye.
"Look," she pointed. "There's an eagle. I've never seen an eagle around here before."
Nalvarre squinted curiously at the eagle, while Valian glanced over his shoulder in the direction Jessica was pointing. He froze.
"Get down!" he snarled.
"What?" Jessica asked in astonishment.
"Get down, hide, all of you!" He grabbed the gully dwarves and pulled them behind a boulder. "That's no eagle. It's a dragon."
"What?" she said, confused. "Here?"
Nalvarre, who'd already fallen flat, pulled Jessica down beside him. "Lie still," he whispered. "It's too late to try to hide. He'll spot any movement."
It was a testament to the dragon's size that they mistook it for an eagle, for it was still some distance away. It took an almost unbearable amount of time for it to draw near enough for those without elven eyes to distinguish its features. The batlike wings, spreading impossibly wide, cast a shadow on the valley floor, while the tail trailed behind it, whipping, thrashing the air with a sound not unlike claps of thunder. Its scales, red as fresh blood, glistened in the sunlight.
What each person felt at that moment, watching the dragon glide impossibly slow upon the air, was beyond ordinary mortal fear. It was as though they were looking upon a god descending from the heavens, or more appropriately rising from the Abyss, seeing him in his true, undisguised form. His slow, deliberate flight and his tremendous size made them wonder if it was not his wings, but his indomitable and divine will, that held him aloft. They were horrified by his beauty, yet they could not look away.