The atmosphere suddenly changed. The attackers had found some courage from somewhere, or lost what was left of their control, and were starting to move forward. Their anger surged ahead of them, almost tangible in its intent, and Tybek felt the arm linking his, trembling.
No, please no, he thought.
The arm tightened. ‘It’s all right,’ he lied, gently loosening the grip and freeing himself for further movement. ‘Stay calm, and follow my lead. Whatever happens, keep together.’
He clenched his fist and then, irrelevantly remem-bering his easily disjointed fingers and Athyr’s injunction, opened it again. Glancing round, he identified various stones that he could scoop up quickly and throw. A few cracked knees would slow them down.
He rejected his idea. Such an action might provoke an identical response and, grouped as they were, they would be defenceless against such an attack. He would have to do what he could without weapons. While he used his superior fighting skills, there was nothing his attackers could imitate.
But in the end…?
No, please no, he thought again.
The attacking group came closer. He scanned the familiar faces now distorted in rage. As he looked each in the eye, they retreated a little, but when the contact was broken, they began to move forward again.
Gradually they began to fill the cleft, breaking their line as they approached down the narrowing gap.
Terrible images began to form in Tybek’s head. A few more paces and he would have no alternative but to take severe action to protect himself and the others.
And what would the consequences of that be? Quite possibly some would be killed. And young and inexperi-enced though they might be, their numbers alone could overwhelm him eventually.
When was someone going to come?
‘No, please no,’ he said out loud. ‘It’s me. Tybek. And your friends. Look what you’re doing.’
But there was no response, his voice seemed to min-gle with that of the mob and make it worse.
One of the leaders bent down to pick up a large stone.
That does it, Tybek thought. No more restraint now. People are going to die, and it’s not going to be me or any of these if I can prevent it. Three quick strides and he could lay that one out and the two either side before they realized what had happened. Then…?
He breathed out and relaxed both his body and his mind for the impending onslaught.
An eerie silence suddenly filled the cleft, then the leader’s eyes signalled his intention to throw the stone.
‘Ho, the camp!’
A cheerful voice rang out powerfully over the shuf-fling silent menace of the two closing groups. The would-be stone thrower faltered.
‘Ho, the camp!’ the voice repeated. ‘Where are your look-outs, Tybek? All asleep again?’
A little ironic cheering floated gently in the wake of this remark.
The attackers began to look at one another uncer-tainly. Tybek craned up to look over their heads. Strolling leisurely between the neat rows of shelters was Loman, smiling broadly. Just behind him was Jenna. Then came a group of men and women laughing and joking as though they were arriving at a Festival Celebration.
Relief flooded through Tybek followed immediately by alarm. If Loman and Jenna were to be affected amp;mdashand all these others…?
A hand opened, and a stone fell to the ground with a soft thud.
It’s going! thought Tybek, his eyes widening. Just like before. Going as it came, no warning, nothing.
Loman caught sight of Tybek. Raising his hand in an airy salute, he strode forwards towards him briskly. The crowd parted silently to let him through.
‘Didn’t see you at first, Tybek,’ he said heartily, placing his powerful arm affectionately about the man’s shoulders. Then, with a monumental smile, he moved him gently but relentlessly back through the uncertain crowd causing it to move backwards and spill out of the narrow cleft. Tybek gaped as he saw that the other arrivals were also singling out friends and acquaintan-ces and greeting them with tremendous warmth. The attackers too were looking increasingly bewildered.
‘Hope we’re not disturbing anything special,’ Loman said loudly and jovially before Tybek could speak. ‘But we were out on an impromptu rock and shadow hunt and as we were passing we thought we’d see how you were getting on. We’ve found some marvellous varie-gated stone just along the valley, ideal for miniatures amp;mdashand the surface fissuring is unbelievable. You’ll… ’
Tybek found his voice. ‘Loman, what are you blath-ering about?’ he said. ‘What do you know about rocks and shadows, you tin beater? And… ’ He stopped, realizing what he was saying. With an effort he pulled his mind away from the wilful momentum of Loman’s enthusiasm and back to reality. ‘What’s happening?’ he asked anxiously. ‘What are you doing, walking into the camp like this? Didn’t you get my message about… ’
‘The fighting?’ Loman said blandly. ‘Oh, yes. That’s why we came.’
‘I don’t understand… ’ Tybek began, but Jenna joined them.
‘It’s worked, Loman,’ she said. ‘Look at them.’
Loman released Tybek and looked around at the dispersing crowd. Shock and confusion dominated.
‘This is the way it was before?’ Loman asked. Jenna nodded. Loman pulled a sour face. ‘How many have been hurt?’ he said, turning to Tybek.
‘About a dozen or so, I think,’ Tybek said hesitantly, still uncomprehending.
‘Get the healer to look to those immediately,’ Loman said to Jenna. ‘Then start casually gathering them into groups. Talk to them as we agreed until they’re more settled. Then see if you can get any of them to talk about what’s happened amp;mdashor what they think has happened.’
As Jenna walked off, Loman looked up at the sur-rounding mountains. Everything was still and silent, and except for a signaller standing high on a prominent ledge, there was no sign of any living creature. The sight of the signaller reminded him of something, but the thought refused to form and with a slight frown he turned back to the camp.
Several hours later, as the sun dipped behind the mountains and low evening clouds began to form around the higher peaks, Loman and Jenna led the duty patrol into the central camp. With them were Tybek and the others from camp three.
An anxious crowd headed by a young man wearing a duty officer’s sash was waiting for them.
‘No one’s been seriously injured,’ Loman said, be-fore anyone could speak. ‘There’s a couple who’ll have to go back to the Castle, but the rest can be tended here.’ He smiled wearily. ‘Leave them to the tender hands of Tirilen’s trainees amp;mdashthat’ll teach them not to fight amongst themselves.’
But neither the news nor the jest affected the crowd’s concern.
‘What’s the matter?’ Loman said, frowning.
‘There’s been serious fighting at camp six,’ said the duty officer suddenly, as if anxious to be rid of his burden.
‘How serious?’ Loman said.
‘We don’t know,’ said the man. ‘The last message we got said, "send no more amp;mdashAthyr", and then they stopped.’
‘Stopped?’ Loman said.
The man nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘The stations in sight of camp six stopped responding.’
Loman looked at Jenna, his face tense and pale. ‘We never signalled back,’ he said hoarsely. ‘Told them what we’d done.’
Jenna looked down. ‘He mightn’t have seen it, on the move,’ she offered after a moment, but the comment held no consolation.
Loman closed his eyes and bowed his head.
‘I’ll get the injured attended to straight away, Lo-man.’ The duty officer’s voice brought him back to the present. ‘And make arrangements for the quartering of camp three, but what shall I do about Athyr?’
Loman rubbed his finger on his forehead absently, then looked up at the purpling sky. Some of the mountain top clouds were red in the glow of the unseen sun, others were now leaden and cold.