“That’s two of us.” Aiden struggled to shrug the heavy pack onto his back, immediately sagging under its weight. “Fucking hell. This is heavy.”
What had his brother brought? This was a simple three-day trek, and the regular patrol would carry the tents and food. Aiden just needed his personal belongings and his sleeping bag.
“Want some help?” Cam reached to untwist the nearest strap.
Aiden dodged with a glare. “I got it. What are you doing here?”
Cam stepped away from the extensive pool of murky water. “I’ve been stationed here all winter. Didn’t Jed mention it?” Maybe this trip wasn’t the olive branch Cam had hoped.
“Nope.” Aiden’s eyes narrowed. “How about you give me space, and I’ll give you space? I’m not looking to be friends.Mom suggested I learn what I can about the Watch. She wants to make recommendations to improve it.” Aiden turned and strolled away, joining the primary group. He avoided further eye contact.
Cam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, where he was always tense. That figured. His mother had probably thought of an angle to wrest back some of her power. She’d never been involved with the Watch before. Knowing her, she was going to pretend she still had authority and try to remake things to her liking. She didn’t appreciate the Watch, so that was where she was starting. He’d just ignore Aiden while still ensuring his brother didn’t do something stupid through inexperience.
The Watch planned a three-day circuit of xTerra, and Kory wanted an early start, so the expedition left the Outpost as soon as the second vehicle unloaded, the sunrise still spreading pink and orange along the eastern horizon. The cheerful morning and gorgeous sunrise were at odds with the sense of dread filling Cam. There would be three long days of trekking with several inexperienced hikers along. His brother’s presence also threw him.
He glanced back at the single-file train stretching behind him. After sending two scouts out in the front and assigning another pair to the back, he and Kory led the main procession while his brother shuffled along at the rear. The only way to separate the brothers further would be for Aiden to join their rearguard, a few hundred yards behind the others.
As the sun rose higher, more of the rolling land came into view, and Cam concentrated on the surrounding landscape. He listened for out-of-place sounds, watched for smoke, and stepped carefully whenever they hit marshy, water-soaked ground, all while hoping they didn’t run afoul of the Slains.
He stared at the brown monochromatic countryside. With most of the snow melted, it would be easier to hide themovement of their men, unless someone came across their tracks in the mud. The hostile group could be out here, anywhere. He ignored the sensation of watching eyes and went about hiking. Maybe it was all in his imagination.
Snow lay in slushy chunks under trees or near large outcroppings of scattered stone, resembling islands in a sea of matted, brown grass. As they walked, the brown illusion faded. Pale green shoots stuck through the snow-flattened dead foliage. Soon, living green would blanket the fields before the summer’s heat would sear it golden. For now, everything appeared bland and almost lifeless. Early spring was the ugliest season, but fleeting. He preferred the next stage, when flowers would blossom and a multitude of greens would spread.
With the early start, the Watch and their guests walked without talking, concentrating on remaining alert to their surroundings. Cam glanced up, noting a pair of crows high in the sky harassing a larger bird. At this distance, he couldn’t tell whether it was an eagle or a hawk. Behind them, the sky was overcast, more gray than white. The air was damp and threatening rain, which would further wash away the remaining snow. He just had to be patient.
With planting season in full swing back at xTerra, the warmer weather allowed for large groups to move, so the patrol group kept watch for the Slains. He had a feeling they’d be out in force any day.
Between tense group members unused to hard walking and heavy packs, his angry brother, and the lack of insect noise and bird calls, Cam found the silence eerie. Something out here didn’t feel right. The feeling struck him several times, and he couldn’t shake it, but they hiked for hours finding nothing suspicious. Bored and tired, several of the civilians straggled behind all but the rearguard, including Aiden.
After several hours, gunshots cracked in the distance, their sharp retort breaking the silence.
Everyone stopped, startled as the sound penetrated their exhaustion, while Cam held his breath. The echo faded. A raven cawed and broke the spell, and regular quiet talk resumed. The patrol waited another minute, then Kory waved them forward again.
The memory of the sharp sounds kept Cam on edge, expecting more. This was the farthest he’d been from the Outpost since his return last December. Since then, the Watch had patrolled along the barricades and main road leading to xTerra. Once they’d increased their presence, the Slains had dropped back. This trip would take the patrol on a wider sweep of their perimeter.
Cam remained certain that the Slains’ disappearance was temporary. There had been quite a few camps on his trek back last year. It may also be misdirection. Maybe they’d been out here all along. Pulled back into the trees. Lurking. Waiting for an opportunity for violence.
As he hiked, he watched for signs, scanning the muddy ground for footprints, broken branches, and watching the trees for movement or flashes of color that didn’t belong. Nothing.
He took a minute to check the status of their party. The main group consisted of three women, twelve men, and five prospective recruits. Plus, four scouts. This mission was to patrol xTerra’s perimeter from within the treeline, ensuring the Slains hadn’t set up somewhere close to xTerra’s walls. If the Slains were fortifying a base, the Watch wanted to be prepared.
The civilians were assigned to count game animals, such as deer, antelope, or maybe a bison or moose, to understand local populations and judge hunting opportunities for the fall. With the amount of noise being made by the group, their game tally remained zero.
Despite their constant vigilance, the morning passed without incident. Some of Cam’s nerves settled, though his skin prickled, still feeling exposed. When the notion didn’t subside, he tried to embrace the sensation. Better safe than sorry.
Just before lunchtime, another series of shots interrupted their walk. Despite his vigilance, Cam started at the unexpected noises, involuntarily ducking. Rather than stop to eat, the group moved on. When closer gunshots rang out, the hikers hunkered down to wait until the scouts reported the way forward remained clear. Cam and Kory passed out portable lunches for everyone. They could eat on the move.
Just before they continued, Aiden approached. “Can I run ahead and hang with the scouts?” He avoided looking at Cam, addressing his question to Kory. “They just left and shouldn’t be too far ahead. If I’m going to join the Watch, I want to learn how to track.”
Kory glanced at Cam, raising his eyebrows. Sending a newbie out when it was dangerous wasn’t the best call, but he was leaving it up to Cam.
“We stick together,” said Cam. His brother had seldom left xTerra’s protective walls and had few outdoor skills. He wasn’t learning to track in an afternoon, and his request seemed disingenuous. He must have another agenda, even if it was just getting out from under Cam’s eye. Of his three brothers, Aiden had been the one he’d least expected to join the Watch. Cam exhaled, uncertain. Maybe his brother was actually interested in new experiences. “We can send you to accompany the next pair when they rotate.”
Aiden glared. “They just left. Literally. Like fifteen minutes ago. How far could they have gotten?” He crossed his arms, resembling a petulant teen instead of a twenty-five-year-old man.
Kory turned away, still leaving this to him. Cam lowered his voice, trying to keep his frustration out of his tone. “You’re out here under our command. The Slains could be just over the next rise or through those trees.” He waved at the forest. “All I’m asking is that you wait a few hours. If you’d brought it up earlier, we’d have sent you with the last two.”
Aiden turned away with a grunt, shrugging his shoulders and lifting his ungainly pack. He should be too old to pout, but his face remained sulky as he walked away, sauntering toward the back of the line. On the way, he kicked a fallen pinecone. When he reached its landing place, he booted it again before falling in line at the rear with two other prospective recruits.
