And still Spawn moved through the Rimmens, heading east, though their numbers diminished.
Toward the end of the seventh week there occurred a most peculiar thing: the Foul Folk patrols and sentries vanished from the eaves of Darda Erynian and the Greatwood: none were seen north or south on the wold nor in the Rimmens above.
Over the following month or so, cautious scouts searched along the wold and in the Rimmen Spur, yet no Spawn did they see.
And still Aylissa and Jinnarin and Farrix had not returned.
"Where have they gone?" asked Linnet, as she and Beau carried a table out from the withy bower, a table which soon would be laden with food for the Autumnday celebration. Beau shrugged his shoulders but otherwise did not reply.
Rynna, carrying a tablecloth, gestured toward the risen sun of the September morn as it burned away the lingering threads of mist in the vale, though vaporous filaments yet tarried among the trees. "Mayhap east through the Rimmens… following the others."
Nix growled, "I said it before, and I'll say it again: something foul is afoot."
"I agree, but what?" asked Farly.
Before Nix could answer, from the east there sounded a black-oxen horn.
"Oh my," said Rynna, dropping the cloth and snatching up her bow from where it leaned against the bower. "That's Tip's horn."
She set an arrow to string, and her companions did likewise, all but Beau who laded a stone in his sling. And as they spread wide in a defensive stance, bursting out from the mist-entwined trees came Tipperton riding at a gallop, Kell on a fox running at his side. Tip set his horn to his lips once more and again belled its resonant cry.
"The High King!" shouted Tipperton. "The High King has called!"
Chapter 33
Halting his pony before the withy bower, Tipperton sprang to the ground, while Kell and his fox darted on beyond, heading through the woods for Tynvyr's wee dwelling.
"The High King has called," declared Tipperton, puffing with excitement.
How-? Where-? When-? voices blurted.
Tip thrust forth his hands palms out to stop the babble. "We were passing the ford, Kell and I, when…"
[Rudd hears something,] said Kell, looking up at Tip on his pony.
The fox's ears were pricked and twitching, and he faced south across the shallow flow of the Rissanin, the animal sniffing the mist-laden air.
Tipperton dismounted and put his ear to the ground, and after a moment said, [I hear nothing.]
But still the fox faced southward, though now and again it looked over its shoulder at Kell, as if expecting a command.
[Let us to that stand of trees and watch,] said Kell.
Tipperton nodded and remounted, and to the grove they went, stopping just inside the edge.
Moments passed and moments more, and then above the swirl of water Tipperton faintly heard-[Hoofbeats!]
He took up his bow and set an arrow to string as did Kell, and from their covert they waited, as the thud of hoofbeats grew stronger.
[Sounds like several,] said Kell.
Tipperton nodded but remained silent.
[Mayhap it's Ghulka on Helsteeds returning,] said Kell.
[Mayhap,] replied Tip. [In which event, be ready to flee should they spot us.]
And they waited among the dripping foliage.
Kell spoke a word to Rudd, but what the command may have been, Tipperton did not know.
Louder still the hoofbeats came on, and now through the swirling vapor Tip and Kell could see cloaked riders: five of them altogether and running at a good clip, trailing two remounts apiece.
[Not Helsteeds,] hissed Tip, [but horses instead. Even so, stay well hidden, for it could be Hyrinians or Chabbains or other allies of Modru.]
They ride in haste,] said Kell.
Aye, and with little rest,] added Tip.
How so?]
The remounts,] replied Tip. [It means they cover long distances.]
Now the riders came to the ford, and they splashed to a gravel-bar in the center and halted, allowing the horses to drink.
And the riders themselves cast back their hoods and dismounted to take on water.
They were Elves-Lian.
Tip rode outward in the morning mist. "Hoy!"
Swords and long-knives appeared in hands as if they had been there all along.
"Hoy," again called Tipperton, slipping the arrow back into his quiver and urging his pony out from the trees and forward. "It's me, a Warrow-a Waerling, that is-Tipperton Thistledown." He turned and looked for Kell, but the tiny Pysk was nowhere to be seen, nor was Rudd, his fox.
"Tipperton?" called one. "Tipperton Thistledown?"
"Aye!" replied Tip, his pony now trotting onto the trace.
"Hal, and well met! I have heard of thee. I hight Falen."
Tip halted his steed at the water's edge and dismounted. "Heard of me?"
"Aye, from Dara Phais and Alor Loric. We fought side by side in Valon."
"Phais and Loric, you've seen them? Oh my. How are they? -It's been so very long."
"They fight at the right hand of Blaine."
"Then they found him, the High King, that is?" Tip smacked himself in the forehead. "Of course, you ninny, if they fight at his side then they had to have found him."
Falen broke out in laughter, as did the other four Elves.
Horses watered, the Lian led them out from the river, and Falen introduced the other riders as they shifted saddles to fresher mounts: Dara Lynna and Alori Landor, Kes-tian, and Ellidar.
At Tip's query, Falen said, "We ride to rallye allies to the High King's side."
"At last! Oh my, what an auspicious Autumnday this is. I will gather those who fight alongside me, and we will answer his call. Where is he?"
"In Pellar, fighting the Southerlings-Chabbains and Hyrinians and Kistanians-driving them eastward."
"In Pellar? How did he get there? I mean, last we heard, he was in the west, fighting Modru's Hordes."
Falen transferred his saddlebags to his new mount. "With a large army in a great fleet, he sailed 'round Vancha and broke the Kistanian blockade of the straits.
"Then he landed his force of Gelenders and Tholians and Jutlanders and Fjordlanders and Gothonians in Jugo and marched to Gunarring Gap. In a coordinated attack, he from Valon, the Welleners and Trellians and Harthians and Rianians from Gunar, together they broke the siege. A handful of Lian and Baeron were there as well, along with an army of Red Hills Drimma, and they swept the enemy away, the Foul Folk to hie into the Gnarring, the Southerlings to flee east."
"And this took place at Gunarring Gap?"
Falen nodded. "Aye."
"But a Gargon was there when last we knew."
"So we heard, but it was gone elsewhere when we came at the foe."
Tip frowned. "I wonder…"
Falen looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. "Thou dost wonder what, wee one?"
"The Gargon: I wonder if it was the same one that came here."
"A Draedan here?" Falen looked 'round, as if to see the monster standing nigh.
"A year and a half ago, it was," said Tip. "A Gargon warding this ford. It did terrible damage. In the end we killed it. -Or rather it was slain by one of the Eio Wa Suk."
"Hai!" crowed Lynna. "Dara Phais said thou wert a slayer of Mandraki, the one at Dendor thy first."
"Oh, it wasn't me," said Tip. "Imongar slew that one."
"Aye, but Imongar said that she would not have done it without thine aid."
"Imongar is with the King, too?"
"Aye," said Lynna. "Now she is, along with five other Magekind."
Kestian grinned at Tip. " 'Twould seem that Draedani are not safe 'round thee, Sir Tipperton."
Landor barked a laugh. "Mayhap 'tis the fate of each Mandrak to die at the hands of a Waerling. I will keep that in mind should Draedani come calling."
As the Lian laughed, Tip just shook his head and grinned but said nought in return.