Earth called, p.30
Earth Called, page 30
“How did Herd Ebony learn about Death’s army?” said Ralina.
“The retired Lead Mare Rider of Herd Magenti came to us with Clayton’s sentence for what he attempted, and to inform us of Death’s army.”
“How did she know about Death?” asked Renard.
“People made it through the pass ahead of you,” explained Rand. “Dawn, the Lead Mare Rider, said the people have joined Herd Magenti. They call themselves a Pack and are made up of Earth Walkers and members of your old Tribe.”
Ralina felt a wave of relief. “Mari and Nik—their group made it!”
“It has to be them,” said Renard.
Ralina thought about what Rand had and had not revealed and asked, “What was the sentence passed on Clayton and his Herd?”
“Banishment from the Wind Rider Plains,” said Rand. “Dawn came to give us that sentence and a way we might regain our honor. She offered us the opportunity to join Herd Magenti at the Valley of Vapors, which is their winter stronghold where the Herd has retreated to prepare for Death’s invasion. If we had chosen to fight with them, we would still have been banished, though our honor would have been restored.”
“That sounds reasonable,” said Ralina. “And you seem like a reasonable man. Why didn’t you choose to join Herd Magenti?”
“I wanted to. I still want to. As I told Dawn, I chose to stay with Clayton to try and convince him to join Magenti, but Clayton will not listen to any counsel but his own. He won’t even listen to Bard.” Rand reached out and stroked Merlin’s neck. “None of Herd Ebony’s Riders are listening to their Companions. I was arrogant enough to ignore my Merlin’s advice to not follow Clayton. I will never make that mistake again.”
“We should leave,” said Ralina. “Now. You, Renard, and our Companions. We should retrace our way out of these horrible mountains and go to the Valley of Vapors, where you will regain your honor and we will warn the Herds.”
“The Herds have been warned,” said Rand.
“The Herds do not know Death’s true agenda,” said Renard as he rested his hand on Kong’s wide head.
Rand’s brows lifted. “Which is?”
“To awaken the Goddess of Life and rule the world with Her,” said Ralina. “The Goddess knows that would be disastrous for our world, which is why She helped us escape.”
“You,” Renard corrected. “The Goddess helped Ralina escape because she knows how to stop Death.”
Rand stared at Ralina. “How do you stop Death?”
“I don’t. You don’t. No human does. He can only be stopped by the Goddess of Life, and I know how to awaken Her,” said Ralina.
Merlin turned his head and butted his Rider. “Yes, yes, I know.” Rand squared his shoulders. “Merlin and I pledge our word that we will aid you in getting to Herd Magenti.”
Ralina’s legs felt weak with relief. “Can we go now? This moment?”
“Let us check on Clayton’s progress,” said Rand. “Perhaps he will just get a closer look at the army and then return. In that case I will petition him to allow one other Rider team to go with us so that we can travel on horseback and make much better time. It would take months for you to cross the plains to the Valley of Vapors on foot.”
As they made their way to the group of boulders, careful to stay out of view of anyone looking from below, Ralina said, “I understand the logic of what you say. Your horses are much swifter than we are on foot, though perhaps Renard and I should leave now. You could join us with another Rider when Clayton returns.”
“If you leave before he returns, there is no way he will allow me or any Rider to leave,” said Rand.
“Even if you explain to him why?” Renard asked.
“Yes.”
Ralina shook her head. “Clayton isn’t fit to lead.”
“No,” Rand said somberly. “I finally understand that he is not.”
They crouched behind the boulders and looked over them at the main pass through the Rock Mountains. The army was there, a distant dark blot on the pass, but closer than Ralina thought they would be. For such big beasts, the bison moved quickly, and the army followed behind in an inky line. Ralina’s gaze went from them to search the upper parts of the mountain. Clayton and the Herd were not within sight.
“Do either of you see any sign of Clayton?” Ralina asked.
“No,” said Renard grimly.
“No, but there are many dips and rises in the mountains, and of course plenty of tree cover. They’ll be stealthy. They do not mean to be discovered,” said Rand.
Ralina’s gaze went back to the army. They trudged ever forward. A terrible premonition shivered its way down her spine to lodge in her belly. Ralina squinted and studied the line of men. What is it? What is bothering me?
She continued to study the pass. There didn’t seem anything too remarkable about it—actually, like the part of the pass she’d traveled with Death and His army, it was rather monotonous in its never-ending winding road. Farther ahead of the army there was an area of the pass that widened considerably, though only for a brief area. That’s probably where they’ll make camp tonight, she thought. Frowning, she looked at the line of men and beasts again—and she saw it.
“Renard, where are the Tribesmen? Any of the Tribesmen? Or Death? Where is He?” Frantically, Ralina’s gaze scanned the line of men.
“I do not see them. Not one of them. But there are the canines—the Shepherds and Terriers. See, they’re together near the front of the line, just behind the last bison.” Renard’s voice shook. “But there are no Warriors or Hunters with them.”
“The army is much nearer than I expected them to be.” Rand’s voice sounded strained and then he gasped and pointed. “Oh, Great Mother Mare, no! There they are!”
Pouring from the side of the mountain, being herded by the missing Warriors and Hunters, came Herd Ebony. They were all on foot, followed by their Companions—and bringing up the rear, forcing the horses to keep moving, was the God of Death. The Warriors and Hunters had crossbows trained on the Herd as they circled around them on the unusually wide section of the main trail Ralina had noticed. Death made His way to stand before the Herd. They were much too far away to hear what the God was saying, but even from that distance He appeared highly animated. His massive arms were raised above His head as He gestured and paced.
Ralina felt as if her blood had frozen in her veins. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak. All she could do was stare down at the distant scene in horror.
“This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.” Rand wiped a shaky hand across his forehead.
“I told you all. I told you.” Ralina was barely keeping control of herself. She wanted to scream and cry—and more than anything she wanted to run away, fast and far, and never return. “Herd Ebony is no more.” Her words hitched as she remembered Bard’s kind eyes and his sleek coat.
“What can we do?” Rand asked frantically.
“Nothing. Not one thing except get out of here and pray to the Goddess of Life that we reach one of the Great Herds before Death and the Riders He will mutate do,” said Renard.
“But I—I have to do something,” said Rand as his voice broke.
“You can witness the end of the Herd and then help us get out of here.” Ralina held Rand’s tortured gaze. “Clayton is enough like Thaddeus, the traitor who betrayed our Tribe for power, that I can predict what will happen. He will tell Death Renard and I are here. I promise you the God will come after us, so we cannot remain here much longer or we will join your Herd and they will infect you and flay Merlin’s flesh into yours.”
“I will ready Merlin. We leave immediately.” Rand hurried to the stand of trees and Renard went to help him take down the temporary shelter and repack their bags as Rand tacked up Merlin while Bear and Kong paced and growled.
Ralina didn’t allow herself to look away. She stared at the group of captured Wind Riders and their beautiful horses. She tried to find Bard, but the horses were grouped too closely together and they were too far away to distinguish individuals. She did recognize Clayton, though. He had stepped away from the rest of the Herd and stood facing Death, Who continued to speak animatedly to the much smaller man.
“You are a fool, Clayton. What happens next is your fault and yours alone,” murmured Ralina. Then she breathed a whisper of a prayer. “Great Goddess of Life, please don’t allow Bard to suffer. Please, oh, please, if there is any way let that magnificent horse’s end come swiftly without pain.” Ralina wanted to look away, but as she had done since they paddled away from her beloved Tribe, she forced herself to watch so that she could accurately tell their story.
“Ralina, we’re almost ready!” called Renard.
Ralina still didn’t move from her place behind the boulders. She kept watching and memorizing every detail—every moment—as her thoughts raced. Clayton will betray us. Death will mutate him and the rest of Herd Ebony. How will Rand and Renard and I get away from them if they have horses to ride? And we only have one horse for three of us, and two canines. Feeling more defeated than she had since she’d left the army, Ralina swallowed bile and continued to record in her memory the last moments of Herd Ebony.
“Ralina.” Crouching, Renard joined her at the boulder. “Rand has a plan. You are to ride Merlin. The stallion knows how to reach the Valley of Vapors, which is the closest of the five Herd strongholds. We will follow you.”
Ralina shook her head back and forth, back and forth. “No. I will not leave you. I will not leave Bear.”
Renard took her hand. “You must. Death will have mutant Wind Riders now. The Herds have to be warned.”
“It’s too much. I simply cannot, Renard. I will not—”
On the other side of the stand of trees where Rand had just finished readying Merlin there came a terrible thrashing and breaking, as if one of the bison bulls had smashed through the pines and scrub that dotted the mountainside.
“Kong! Bear! To us!” Renard shouted, and the Shepherds rushed to their Companions.
Rand grabbed his bow, notched an arrow, and turned toward the sound as Bard crashed through the mud and pine trees to them. He slid to a halt. His sides were lathered white and his eyes were wild as he stood, trembling and snorting.
“Bard!” Ralina rushed to him.
“Careful. He may not be in control of himself.” Rand moved to stop Ralina, but she was too fast.
She reached Bard. His head shot up and he snorted and stumbled back. “Sssh. It’s okay. You made it here, brave boy. You did it. Let me help you.” Slowly, she held her hand out. Bard stared at her, and then he dropped his muzzle to her shoulder. She stroked his steaming neck and continued to murmur softly to him.
“Oh, Great Mother Mare,” Rand said. “Merlin says Clayton sent Bard away—sent him here to carry you out of here, to get you to the Valley of Vapors. Ralina, Clayton did it to save us.”
Ralina breathed in a shaky breath as she stroked the stallion’s steaming coat. “He’ll let me ride him by myself?”
“Yes, Merlin says. Definitely. First let me wipe him down. He has to rest for as long as we can allow it, and then we must get out of here.” Rand grabbed a grooming cloth from his bag, hurried to the exhausted stallion, and started wiping him down.
“What can I do?” Ralina asked.
Bard was still fully tacked up, and Rand pointed at the waterskin that was tied on to Clayton’s pack behind his saddle. “He needs water. Inside the pack the skin’s tied to you’ll find one of the hide feed bags. You know, like the ones you mixed mash in earlier. Get it and pour water into it, but don’t let him drink all of it at once.”
“Anything I can do?” asked Renard.
Rand nodded as he continued to wipe down Bard. “Search on the other side of the trees. See if you can find another trail. One that leads back the way we came but doesn’t descend to the main trail like the one we took up here. We need to stay ahead of the army.”
“Got it.” Renard, with Kong shadowing him, hurried past the trees.
Ralina was surprised at how steady her hands were as she poured water for Bard and let him drink. She stroked his sweaty forehead and kept talking softly to him. Tears dripped from the stallion’s eyes and ran down his face. He held his muzzle low, though he’d stopped trembling.
“Ralina, look!”
At the sound of Renard’s excitement Ralina stepped around Bard to see her lover standing at the edge of the clump of pines. Not far from him was the white doe, gleaming like moonlight through the gray day.
CHAPTER 26
Before the doe led them into the heart of the mountains, Ralina returned to the boulder for one last look. The bulk of the army had still not reached Death and His captives. Clayton was separated from his Herd. He stood before Death, Who had taken a seat on a fallen log. Gathered against the side of the mountain was Herd Ebony, Riders and Companions, in a tight circle. The mutated Warriors and Hunters stood guard around them, crossbows at the ready.
It made Ralina sick.
She turned her back to the avoidable tragedy playing out in the distance below them and went to Bard. She stroked his side and looked into his eye. “Thank you. I know this is horrible for you. I know how much you love Clayton, no matter his mistakes. I know because Bear has always and will always love me no matter what. What you’re doing is brave and good and wise. You’re saving the Wind Riders. They will never forget. I will be sure no one ever forgets.”
Bard pressed his muzzle to her cheek and blew softly. He’d cooled, eaten handfuls of grain, and drunk a skin of water—and through it all, even now, tears never stopped washing down his face.
Rand boosted her up on Bard’s back before he mounted Merlin and helped Renard to sit behind him. Bear and Kong padded with them as they followed the white doe along the mountainside and then they turned abruptly to the east, away from Death and the horrors happening on the main trail, to find a slim, muddy path that wound around trees and boulders.
At first it seemed they were going to continue to climb and climb, but soon the doe took a fork in the path that opened up to a wider trail that headed almost straight down the side of the mountain.
“Lean back as we descend,” Rand told them. “Try not to move around a lot. You’ll throw their balance off. Merlin and Bard already know how to pick their way down a steep path. All you need do is hang on and don’t hinder them—and don’t fall off.”
Ralina concentrated, leaning back to help Bard balance. Beside the horses, the Shepherds slithered down the muddy trail, careful to stay out of the way of hooves. This descent seemed unending, almost worse than the first time the doe led them out of the mountains, even though they were much swifter mounted on the horses. The drizzle had returned to a more steady rain, and they were losing daylight rapidly. Silently, Ralina cursed Clayton for delaying their start that morning. She didn’t know how they’d make camp on this sheer side of the mountain, but even with her limited knowledge of horses Ralina reasoned that they couldn’t keep sliding down the path after dark. The horses would misstep, and if they began to fall that would be the end of them—and their Riders.
We have to live. We have to warn the Herds.
And then so abruptly that it jarred Ralina’s teeth together, the descent was finished and they surged out onto the grassy valley that flanked the mountain range. Merlin had been leading, following just behind the doe, with Bard and Ralina and Bear bringing up the rear. As they entered level ground, Bard drew up beside Merlin.
“She’s gone,” said Rand.
Ralina peered around, looking for the shining white doe, but she saw nothing.
“She does that,” said Renard from behind Rand. “That’s what happened right before you found us.”
“What do we do now?” asked Ralina as she wiped rain from her face. “How long can we keep going?”
“We let Merlin and Bard decide that. They know how urgent this is and will not stop until it is too dangerous for them to continue,” said Rand. “First let’s give them some water and let me check their saddles.” Renard slid down from Merlin’s rear and went to Ralina to help her dismount as Rand dropped to the ground with a lot more grace and began unpacking the waterskins.
Ralina was stroking Bard’s neck when she felt the tremor that cascaded through the horse. It was as if he had been shaken from the inside out. The big stallion stumbled and dropped to his knees.
“Rand, something is wrong with—”
Bard lifted his head and screamed. It was like nothing Ralina had ever heard. There was such agony in that sound that she cringed and tears pooled in her eyes.
Then Merlin echoed the sound, screaming into the slate dusk.
“Rand!” Ralina rushed around Bard to see that Rand had collapsed against his stallion. The only reason he was standing was because he had wrapped his arms around Merlin’s neck and was holding tightly to his stallion as he sobbed brokenly.
“Oh, Goddess! What is it?” Renard cried from beside Ralina.
Rand turned his devastated face to them. His dusky skin had gone so pale that he looked gray. “They’re dead.”
“Who?” Ralina asked as she frantically looked from Rand and Merlin to Bard, who was still on the ground, keening.
“All of them. Every horse. Every Rider. Herd Ebony is no more.” Rand pressed his face into Merlin’s mane and sobbed.
Bear and Kong lifted their muzzles to the darkening sky and howled in anguish at the loss of so many Companions.
Ralina rushed back to Bard. She dropped to her knees beside him. His head was still raised as he screamed over and over.
“Oh, sweet boy. Let me help you. Show me how to help you.” Tentatively, she reached out to touch his neck and then his face. “Please, please let me help you.”
