When I awoke, it was night.There was no sign my mother had made it to our meeting place; no fire, none of her things.
An owl hooted close by, startling me.
I called out as I searched the small hilltop for any sign of my mother, and eventually caught sight of the glow of several campfires in the distance.
The confidence and independence I had felt earlier in the day were gone.I needed to be brave for her and not fear what awaited me in the dark.The owl hooted again, louder and closer than before, urging me to move on.
The Red River had risen in the last few hours, but the rushing water did nothing to drown out my pounding heart.The woods swallowed the light, blackness pressing in like the open mouth of a cave.Taking a deep breath and forcing my feet to move, I left the river’s roar behind me.
Soon, sweat was running down my back, and every dark shrub or oddly shaped tree in the quiet woods felt like it was watching me.
A snapping sound had me quickly crouching behind a tree, cursing myself for leaving my bow behind.I squatted until my thighs and calves screamed in protest.No matter how hard I strained my eyes, I could not find what had made that sound.
I took in a steadying breath to push back the tears that threatened to choke me.My feet were stuck to the forest floor with fear until the smell of wood smoke hit my senses.It was faint, but it hung in the air before me.It thickened, and before I knew it, I was moving again.
I crept up to the outskirts of the clearing and waited for my eyes to adjust to the brightness of the campfires.One large tent sat across the other side of the camp.Smaller tents were grouped to the right, along with several horses.
When I drew close, I saw three men dressed in leather vests and breeches, with red capes attached to their shoulders.Soldiers of some kind.
They were drinking from jugs, and leftover food was scattered around them.I strained my ears to hear the conversation floating towards me.
‘He had better leave some for us,’ the man in the centre of the group said as he motioned to the large tent.The man was missing an ear and half his nose had collapsed in.The other two men could be brothers and were lanky and unwashed.They both nodded and grumbled in agreement.
Another man came into view.This man was much younger than the others.He didn’t join the group but sat to the side alone as he ate his meal.
‘He better not kill this one before I get a turn!’The one-eared soldier tossed an empty jug at the fire, sending sparks up into the night air.
‘You could always do what the captain does and use a boy to warm your cock tonight,’ said one of the skinny men.
There was a glint of steel as the one-eared soldier pulled out a knife and stabbed it into the skinny man’s hand as it rested on the ground between them.He yelled in pain.
I fought back a cry.I would recognise my father’s knife anywhere.
The last time I’d seen it was on my mother’s belt, and now it was stuck in a screaming man’s hand.
A fight broke out between all three men while the young soldier sitting alone continued eating as though nothing unusual was happening.
This was my opportunity to move unseen.I needed to make my way to the large tent; I had to know if my mother was in there or not.I ran, keeping low and close to the tree line to avoid being seen.I could hear the one-eared soldier demanding the knife back.My father’s knife.The manhe stabbed had pulled it out of his bloodied hand and was madly waving it about.
I took one step towards the tent when an arm wrapped around my waist, and a hand slapped over my mouth.
Taken by surprise, I was dragged into the trees before my brain kicked into gear.I kicked and twisted my body as much as I could, but my assailant was too strong.
‘Shh, little girl!’
A face in the darkness neared mine, and a familiar mop of curly brown hair came into focus.One of the boys from the river.I guessed the scarred boy was the one holding me with arms of steel.
‘If he sees you, he will kill you – or worse,’ the curly-haired boy whispered urgently.
I stopped trying to fight as my captor’s grip tightened and I struggled to breathe.
‘Good, good.We aren’t trying to hurt you.Understand?’
I stared hard at the stupid boy.I don’t know how he expected me to answer when I couldn’t breathe or move.Stars filled my vision, and my arms – squeezed against my chest – were becoming numb.
‘Tor, let her go.She’s going to pass out!’
‘If you so much as make a sound or try to run, I will end you,’ my captor whispered in my ear, then let me go.
