Chapter Twenty-Five
And The Old Fox sent messengers to all The Churches. "The
time has come. The journey begins! Gather your people. Let the
people in Lo journey to So and also, those in Mi, then come on
and join us here in Tr. Let those in Li journey to To, and those
in Min, also. Then, together, let all there come to Ti. And
there, those with me, will join them."
2 So it was The Children of Spirit gathered in Ti. One-third of
The Land of Tr encamped about the city, and there they made
preparations, gathered extra feed for their cattle, and extra
water skins.
3 And the order of their march was set. More fighting people were
also trained, for in the winderness they would need more
protection against bandits and some of the wild mountain tribes.
4 By the time the rains had stopped, all was prepared. The people
in the area were in a way, sad to see them go.
5 Finally, ahead of the column The Old Fox marched out, and their
Journey began.
6 At first they moved quite easily over the wilderness road, but
then came to its end, and the journey through the wilderness
became laborious and hard. Oftentimes, men had to precede the
caravan, filling in holes, or clearing brush, so that they could
pass.
7 Sometimes, they passed over only grassy hills, and the going
was rather easy. It was on one of these days, that Gray Dove took
a break from his duties and sought out Loyal Dog, being carried
on his litter.
8 In the weeks that had passed, he had been too busy to visit his
friend much, and it would not have made much difference. The
wound had not healed well at first, infection had set in, and for
many days Loyal Dog fought for his life. Even now, that he
appeared to be getting better Gray Dove worried about his friend.
9 As he approached his litter, he found him awake.
"Greetings, brother!" Gray Dove cried. "How goes
your journey today?"
10 "With much pleasantries," Loyal Dog told him.
"These fine fellows carry me with such gentleness and
caution you'd think I was an egg about to hatch! Though, I do
regret being such a great burden on them."
11 "If you were a bit more of a burden," one of his men
criticized, we would be pleased!"
12 Gray Dove smiled at the man and touched his shoulder. "We
do have to work," he said, "to get some more meat on
his bones. But he's filling out agian."
13 "Not fast enough!" the man answered. "Perhaps
that Healer needs a better cook."
14 Loyal Dog lifted himself slightly on his litter. "My cook
is just fine!" he scolded. "I cannot help it if my
stomach will not hold much!"
15 "That it holds anything at all," said Gray Dove,
"is fortunate. I still intend to give you more lessons on
how to use a shield!"
16 He was about to say more, when a young fighting man ran up.
"Warlock!" he cried, "The rear guard sends an
urgent message. There is a large group of men following us, and
quickly approaching our rear."
17 "How many?" asked Gray Dove.
18 "Perhaps two squads," the fighting man told him.
19 "Excuse me, brother," Gray Dove told his friend,
"but duty calls. I will try to get to your tent this
evening. I intend to beat you at Pegs yet!"
20 He quickly hurried off to join his people at the rear of the
column. When he got there, he found the rear guard spread about
on a hilltop, watching the path they had made behind them. Sure
enough, there was a large body of men, at least two squads, with
several ox carts.
21 "They look like King's fighting men," said Gray
Dove, "but in this wilderness we can take no chances. Bring
back some more men. Form ranks here on the road. We will meet
them here."
22 Soon, they were ready, but when the soldiers saw them, they
did not form ranks, but simply halted, and two of them came
forward, without their shields, and stopped about half way to The
Children of Spirit, and laid their clubs on the ground.
"They want to talk," ordered Gray Dove, "hold your
positions. I'm going down."
23 With another man he approached the strangers. About twenty
paces away, he and his companion laid their clubs upon the
ground, and continued on. The strangers came to meet them. One
was obviously a sub-leader of The King's army, and he was the
first to speak. "With whom do I speak?" he asked.
24 "Gray Dove, Warlock of Spirit, under The Old Fox,"
was the answer.
25 "At last!" the other man cried. "I am Gray
Boar, this is my brother Standing Boar, King's barracks at Ti. We
have been trying to overtake you for days! We have one of your
people with us...one Dreaming Fox. He appeared in our city
several days after your people departed, and was going to journey
after you alone. But my leader forbade it, and sent us with him.
A good thing, too, for we have seen signs of bandits everywhere.
They must be folloiwing you like hungry dogs!"
26 "If they are," replied Gray Dove, "we have not
seen them, or, any sign either."
27 "When you have been patrolling this wilderness for five
years," Gray Boar explained, "you know things, you see
things others don't. They're there, all right. As soon as you
relieve us of our burden, we'll pretend to head back, but swing
out around your flanks and see what we can net!"
28 "Then perhaps," said Gray Dove, "I had best
take your charge so you can be about your business."
29 "Very well," agreed Gray Boar, "I will say,
though I will miss him. He is good company, a good teller of
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