30 They followed after the ox carts, but when
they overtook them, found them driven by their own people.
The Hawk had sold them their tents and wagons, telling them
they had bought new ones.
31 "This stinking cat," cried the City War Leader, "leads us a merry
chase, but doesn't the fool know we can close every road to the north,
that he can't escape? Find the son of a dog! I want his head!"
32 But The Hawk was not going north. Sticking to the back roads,
traveling in small parties dressed as Frns, they were cutting through
the great Northern Forest, heading east. Finally they crossed the River
Frn, snuck around its city, and headed north, along the river towards
the desert. They had one more stop to make before they went home.
33 And the slave dealer had been kind enough to provide them with a map
to the King's secret gold mine. The road leading to it was guarded by a
small fortress, but a group of travelers on foot could easily slip by
such an outpost unnoticed, and make their way up the valley unmolested.
34 "Getting out again," The Hawk thought, "might not be quite so easy."
Fortunately, the mine lay near one of his planned escape routes a
little-used passage through the desert that began just east of where
this river ended.
35 He left his party in hiding, and with just one companion, went to
the head of the valley. What he found disappointed him. The mine was a
good size garrison. His small force could not storm the wall and even
if he got inside, they would be so bitterly outnumbered he doubted they
could win the day.
36 One thing good he noticed, though....those slaves coming out of the
mines were unchained. If he could get weapons to them, their numbers
would increase his chances, and Children of Spirit who had been captive