After a while Beau said, "Lor', but look at them go."
" Tis a forced march," said Rynna. "They are in a hurry."
"I'd not like to be in their way," said Farly.
"And somewhere ahead ride Ghuls," said Linnet.
Both Rynna and Beau nodded but remained silent.
They watched moments more, and then Rynna spurred forward and out onto the wold, the others following, the four Warrows heading northerly on a course parallel to that of the distant march.
And in the dimness of Darda Erynian, enshadowed Fox Riders coursed a like route within, though Tynvyr and Picyn rode out on the wold with the Warrows.
"I do hope that you are right about Tip and Nix," said Beau.
Her eyebrow cocked, Rynna looked at him. "That they know what they are doing," explained Beau.
"L-lor', 1-lor', b-but this w-water is c-cold," said Nix, his teeth chattering, the two buccen hanging on to pony saddles and urging the little steeds through the water, the horselings drifting downstream in the current as they valiantly struggled across. "W-we should have k-kept on our c-clothes and b-boots."
"N-no," chattered Tip. "We'll n-need them w-when we get to the s-side opposite."
"If we d-don't f-freeze first," said Nix.
At last, numb and shuddering uncontrollably, they reached the far bank, both buccen staggering up out of the water and into the woods beyond.
"S-s-swift, now," said Tip, "unbundle everything, d-dry on the, the blanket, and, and g-get dressed."
But Nix needed no instruction, for even as Tip spoke, in spite of his numb fingers Nix untied the tightly wrapped all-weather cloak from 'round his blanket roll, which in itself was wrapped around his garments and weaponry and a few supplies. Quickly he dried on the blanket, and then donned his clothes, and looked up to see that Tip had done the same.
Both Tip and Nix wiped down their ponies, using the blankets here too, the labor serving to warm the two buccen. Wringing out as much water as they could, they re-rolled their blankets 'round their meager supplies and lashed them to the saddles.
Fastening his quiver to his thigh and his bow scabbard to the saddle, Tip said, "Quick now, we've got to get ahead of the Foul Folk and track them from the fore. That way they can't trap us against the mountains. Too, by the tracks of the Helsteeds we can see whether or no the Spawn follow wherever the Ghuls have gone."
"Speaking of Ghuls, what'll we do about them?" asked Nix.
Tip shook his head. "I don't think our ponies can keep up with Helsteeds, but surely we can outpace maggot-folk afoot."
Mounting his steed, Nix said, "No, Tip, what I meant was: with Ghuls ahead, are we likely to run into a trap?"
Swinging up and astride his own pony, Tip said, "Well, bucco, we'll just have to keep a sharp eye out." With that he heeled his pony in the flanks, Nix following, and off they rode, wide to the right of the march.
"Lor'," said Beau, "are they never going to stop?"
"I think not," said Rynna. "At such a pace they think it urgent to get to wherever it is they are going."
"Hsst!" sissed Linnet. "Something or someone comes 'cross the wold."
In the twilight to the fore and left they could see a mounted force riding from the direction of Darda Erynian, the eaves of the forest now some fifteen miles to the west.
"Hai," said Beau, kicking heels into pony flanks, "come on. It's Dylvana."
Weary, eyes rimmed red, Tip looked hindward through the dawn light, a waning half-moon overhead. "They're still marching."
"If they keep this up," said Nix, "-no, what I really mean is: if we keep this up, we'll kill the ponies."
"They're tougher than you think, bucco," replied Tip, gazing to the fore. "I don't see any Ghuls, so what say we again ride far enough ahead so to dismount and walk awhile?"
"All right." Nix urged his pony into a slow canter. "But let me ask you this: where are the maggot-folk bound?"
Pony jogging, Tip reached into his saddlebag and pulled out his map sketches and unbound them from their waterproof wrappings. "I don't know their final goal, but they haven't changed direction for the last twenty miles. North-northeast they fare."
"What's to the north-northeast?"
Flipping through his sketches, Tip said, "Well, the first place of any note they'll come to is Rimmen Gape. That's where Braeton lies."
Nix canted his head and pursed his lips, then said, "Perhaps they intend to sack the town."
"No, that's not it. The town was taken by the Spawn two years ago. There is nought left to plunder."
"Two years-?"
"Aye. We came upon them in the ruins of Braeton, did the Dylvana and Baeron and Beau and I. They had murdered the citizens and pillaged the town, and we slaughtered them-Foul Folk all-and avenged the folks they had killed. As far as I know, it's an empty town."
"Oh no, Tip, not empty, but filled with ghosts instead."
"But," protested Beau, looking up at Dara Cein, "there's nothing whatsoever at Braeton. And so I ask you: why would Modru send his forces haring off that way?"
Linnet, Beau, Rynna, Farly, and Cein rode side by side in the second rank of a small cavalcade of Dylvana faring north-northeasterly across the open wold, paralleling but a mile or so west of the course set by the hard-marching maggot-folk. Except for short rests, they had not stopped since the march began yestereve, Modru's Spawn yet tramping an undeviating line.
Tynvyr and Picyn had long since ridden back unto Darda Erynian, saying that they would gather their forces along the eastern marge of the forest and lie in wait at three principal places: at the Landover Road; at Eryn Ford; and halfway between those two points. No better strategy could any devise, and so the Fox Riders had turned away from the open wold to seek the advantage of the woods.
Cein pondered awhile and then said to Beau, "As to why Modru would hie his forces northeasterly, along his march lies Rimmen Gape, a choke point where the Landover Road drives through the Rimmen Mountains. Mayhap he wants to set blockade upon that passage."
"Why would he block it now?" asked Beau. "I mean, it's been lying open for two years and more-ever since we destroyed all the Foul Folk that had ravaged Braeton."
Cein shook her head. "I do not say he intends to do so, wee one, for blockading the Rimmen Gape is but one of sundry possibilities; there are many places beyond where this force may be bound."
Farly scowled and looked at Cein. "But Beau did ask a good question: why would Modru send his forces running to Rimmen Gape? -Assuming, of course, that's their goal."
Cein turned up a hand. "I know not the mind of Modru, nor such would I desire."
"Well, whatever his reason, wherever they are bound," said Rynna, peering at the distant march, "it must be important for him to drive his forces so."
Beau frowned in puzzlement, for with Rynna's dire words an ephemeral thought had flickered through his mind, but ere he could capture it, it was gone.
Walking, riding, and at times resting, Tip and Nix maintained a good distance between the maggot-folk and themselves. Weary were Warrows and ponies alike, their steps lagging, for they had been on the move for a day and a night and another full day and part of the second night as well, and only starlight illumed the land. Even so, in the distance ahead, the two buccen could see the notch of Rim-men Gape silhouetted against the indigo sky.
"We've got to be careful now," said Tip, stepping 'round a grassy hummock, "for if the Ghuls are nearabout, it'll be in the pass where they've stopped, or so I would think. It's a choke point, you know. Anyone coming or going along Landover Road has to pass through there."
Plodding at Tip's side, Nix looked across at him. "Who might that be? -I mean, who or what is so important that Modru would send his Ghuls ahead to lay a trap along the Landover, and his maggot-folk to follow after?"