Dennis McKiernan - Once upon a Spring morn

“I take it you have been caught in ambushes?”

“Non, but in the war my comrades and I sprang many.”

“How is it done?”

“Generally with a surprise attack on the flank,” said Roel. “A place is chosen to give the ambushers concealment on high ground, and, if you have archers, divide them into two squads and set them at an angle to one another, and then. .”

They made camp nigh a stream in a grassy swale in the foothills, and after unlading and currying the horses and feeding and watering them, and eating a meal, Roel and Celeste fell into an exhausted sleep, trusting to the Fates to keep watch o’er them.

The next morning they rested awhile ere making ready to ride, and as they broke fast, Roel said, “I wish we had thought to bring a dog along from Port Cient, for I think we need a sentry in the night, and none is better than a dog.”

“What kind would you have, Roel? A mastiff, a hound, a terrier, what?”

“My love, I think I would take the most nervous animal I could find, no matter the breed.”

“Nervous?”

Roel smiled. “What better dog to keep watch than one on edge?”

Celeste broke into laughter. She suddenly sobered and asked, “Is that something you learned in war?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

Celeste cocked an eyebrow at Roel, and he said,

“When we would send a scout to seek sign of the foe, we always chose the most edgy man among the scouts at hand. For, you see, he would be the most alert to any sound or movement or odor. It seemed a good tactic, for we never lost a single scout, and yet many an enemy group we found. Hence, if it ever comes to a dog to keep watch, I will choose in a like manner.” Celeste grinned and turned up her hands and said,

“Ah, ’twould be splendid to have such a noble dog cower at our side, one who trembles and whines at the snap of a twig or twitch of a leaf or the waft of an unexpected scent.” Roel laughed and said, “Better that than one who snores through the night though a dreadful thing be creeping ’pon us.” Then he stood and added, “Come, cherie, it is time we were on our way.” They rode out across the rolling plains, where tall grass grew, the air filled with the sweet fragrance of the tiny blue blossoms nodding at the tips of green stems.

And as they fared through the lush verdancy, in the angled light of the morning, high in the sky they espied a ruddy flash. ’Twas a raptor sweeping back and forth in the distance.

“A red hawk, do you think?” asked Roel, shading his eyes.

The princess nodded. “Most likely.”

They watched the hunter for a while as across the land they rode. And then Celeste took in a quick breath.

“Ah, he’s sighted quarry.”

Even as she said it, the raptor stooped, plummeting down and down, and just above the tops of the tall grass, its wings flared, and it disappeared down within.

Long moments passed, and then up the hawk flew, something small and brown within its taloned grasp.

“Hmm. .,” said Roel. “We shall have to be careful, love, for I deem that was a marmot it took.” They swung wide of the place where the hawk had made the kill, but even so they came to ground riddled with holes and smelling of a rat warren. Celeste and Roel dismounted, and taking care, they slowly led the horses across the treacherous way, for they would not have one of the steeds step in a hole or break through a tunnel and fracture a leg. . or go lame. Finally, they passed beyond the marmot burrows and once more mounted and rode.

In the noontide they paused by a river flowing down from the mountains arear, and they watered the animals and fed them a ration of grain. For their own meal they took waybread and jerky. As they ate and watched the river flow by, of a sudden Roel stood and shaded his eyes and peered sunwise.

“What is it, love?” asked Celeste.

“I think I see the twilight boundary,” said Roel.

Celeste got to her feet and put a hand to her own brow and looked. In the distance afar, a wall of dimness faded up into the sky. “Oui. It is the shadowlight marge.”

“Bon! I was beginning to think we would never reach it. You are familiar with these dusky walls; how far away is it, do you think?”

Celeste shrugged. “That I cannot say. Mayhap we’ll reach it this eve. Mayhap on the morrow. We need to be closer to judge.”

They forded the river, the water chill, made up of snowmelt as it was, and continued riding half a point sunup of sunwise, for somewhere along that way lay the crossing they sought.

In midafternoon and low on the horizon, they espied a wall of green. “The forest?” asked Roel. “The one the crofter said to avoid?”

“So I deem,” said Celeste.

“But it is so broad,” said Roel, spreading his arms wide as if to encompass the whole of it. “It runs for league upon league. Does the map say where to enter?”

“Non, cheri, it does not. What we are to look for along the shadowlight wall is an arc of oaks curving out from the bound and ’round and then back in, or so the chart says.” Roel sighed and said, “Then the best we can do is continue riding a half point to the sunup of sunwise, and hope we find it quickly.”

They reached the edge of the forest at sunset, and there they made camp, Roel yet wishing he had thought to have brought along a plucky but nervous dog.

That night Roel was awakened by Celeste placing a finger to his lips, and he sat up to see a procession of lights low to the ground and wending among the trees, silver bells atinkle on the air.

“What is it?” he whispered.

“ Who is it? is more the question,” murmured Celeste.

“Most likely the wee folk heading for a fairy ring. ’Tis nigh springtime in this realm, and they would dance the chill away and welcome warmth among the trees.”

“But the woods are fully leafed,” said Roel. “Is not springtime already come?”

“ ’Tis Faery, love, where the seasons of the mortal world do not always fully apply. There are realms with green trees and blossoms abloom though winter lies across the land, just as there are domains in winter dress though summertime reigns.”

“Only in Faery,” muttered Roel.

Slowly the march wended onward, and when it could no longer be seen or heard, Roel glanced at the stars above and said, “I ween ’tis mid of night and my watch is upon us. Sleep, Celeste, and I will stand ward.”

“I would rather sit at your side.”

“Non, cherie, as much as I love your companionship, you must rest, for dawn will come soon enough.” And so Celeste lay down and soon fell aslumber. Roel listened to her breath deepen, and then he threw another stick on the low-burning fire. He stepped to the horses, standing adoze, and checked the tethers and the animals. Satisfied, he returned to camp and sat down, his back to a tree, and faced into the forest.

How long he sat thus he did not know, but he suddenly realized something was afoot among the boles directly ahead, for he heard faint turning of ground litter, and something low and dark moved stealthily.

Roel took up his sword and waited.

In the blackness of the forest and nigh to the ground a pair of red eyes glowed, and then another pair shone in the dark, creeping nearer. Roel, his heart hammering, reached across to Celeste and gently put a finger to her lips. Silently she came awake, and by the light of ruddy coals, she looked to Roel. “Shh. .,” he murmured.

“Something this way comes.”

Celeste drew her long-knife, and lay alert, and still the red eyes crept closer, now five pairs altogether.

“Hai!” cried Roel, and leapt to his feet and kicked up the fire.

Startled and shying in the sudden light, a mother fox and her four kits turned tail and fled.