Stephen Zimmer - Crown of Vengeance

The first of the cat-beasts showed no hesitation as they walked right in front of the tree that Aethelstan was hiding behind. As the creature passed, Aethelstan hoped desperately that there were no changes in the wind.

The extended canines descending from their upper jaws were veritable sabers, and the glint off of their powerful, horrifically sharp claws gave more than a hint as to what the monstrous cats were capable of.

Just one of the formidable creatures would be more than a match for both Aethelstan and Cenferth, even with coats of mail on their bodies and shields in hand. No less than four of the beasts passed by slowly, within only a few scant feet of the Saxans. Remaining rigid and frozen, they anxiously suffered their unwanted vigil as the creatures moved beyond them.

The light that reached the forest floor through the small breaks in the tree canopy overhead flickered rapidly, as patches of darkness flitted briskly across the forest floor. Aethelstan looked up slowly, bringing his gaze about just in time to see the signs of a large Harrak-mounted patrol as it passed overhead.

The sky patrol’s presence did not worry him. Underneath the trees, pressed close to the trunks, there was little chance of Aethelstan and Cenferth being seen from above.

It still did not lessen the heightened tension that both of them were feeling, with impending threats of discovery both in the air and upon the ground. Aethelstan chanced a glance toward Cenferth, and could see the fear shining in the other’s eyes. Discovery at the moment meant assured death.

There was little that the two Saxans could do, other than to endure. Aethelstan took long, slow breaths to offset the constriction he felt, as he watched the rat-men guide the cat-like beasts onward, until they finally disappeared among the trees towards the south. Cenferth and Aethelstan sustained their composure and posture, despite the visual absence of their enemies. The thane was simply glad that the rapid beating of their hearts could not disrupt the deathly silence all around them.

At the same time, Aethelstan knew that they had made their own confirmation. The foreign creatures moving about the woods in a patrol-like formation, shadowed by the sky patrol above, left no doubts in Aethelstan’s mind regarding Saxany’s enemy.

After several more nerve-wracking minutes, Aethelstan finally gave Cenferth the signal to begin their retreat. He knew that they would need to move very cautiously away from their hiding spots, while keeping their attention focused on the areas where the enemy creatures had been sighted.

They had to be ready to fall to the ground at the slightest hint of motion or rustling of the underbrush. The scouts and cat-beasts could double back, without giving any significant warning, and could well catch the two Saxans stranded out in the open.

Aethelstan nodded towards Cenferth, and both men slowly began to rise up from their low crouches. Suddenly, Aethelstan froze, as he heard a light disturbance off to their right.

Something else was heading their way.

His hopes plunged.

Cenferth’s eyes were looking off to the left, where the prior group of enemy scouts had just gone. It was fortunate, as he was looking right in the direction of Aethelstan when the thane abruptly held up his hand, and signaled forcefully towards Cenferth to get back down and take cover immediately.

The two men hastily sank back into low crouches, their forms once again masked by the large tree trunks.

Aethelstan’s ears had not tricked him. Barely a moment later, two more of the rat-men accompanied by cat-beasts emerged into view from the right. If he had not heard the faint sounds of their movements, he and Cenferth would have been caught in the open, as the oncoming pairs walked with even softer steps than had the preceding group of scouts.

The thane’s keen instincts had proven true once again. Cenferth had lowered himself just in time, and had adjusted his position wisely, as the path being taken by the scouts brought them a little closer to the tree where he was hiding. Had he not been in his full crouch, the approaching creatures would have easily noticed him.

No commotion or outcry arose, much to their relief, and they waited silently until the two enemy scouts were past them. The scouts did not pause, continuing steadily forward in the same general path that their brethren had taken. The two men lingered for several long and agonizing moments, with nothing but the lonely stillness of the forest surrounding them.

Aethelstan finally decided to risk movement once again. Signaling to Cenferth, he slowly backed away from the tree, while keeping his eyes looking both left and right. His ears strained to hear the slightest crack of a twig, or singular crunch of a leaf, his muscles poised to react swiftly.

With methodical, cautious steps, they painstakingly moved away from their hiding spots. After covering a short distance, they turned fully, and continued more rapidly on their way back to the rest of their group. They kept their silence assiduously, and were extremely deliberate in their footing until they were far away from where they had encountered the rat-men and the cat-beasts.

Though desiring to break out into a loping run, Aethelstan maintained the orderly pace. It required tremendous discipline, as eager as he was to gain distance and bring the valuable word of the enemy back. Reason prevailed, as there was no way of telling how many scouts there were in the vicinity, or even if the few that they had sighted might be part of a larger war-band.

After what seemed like an eon had passed, they reached the location where their horses were tethered. Their arrival surprised their own men, who whirled about with swords in hand.

“It is us, we have returned,” Aethelstan quickly said, as they came into sight. The anxiety-ridden faces of the men around them relaxed, relief flooding their countenances, as Aethelstan turned back to Cenferth.

“It is as we feared,” he continued, finally able to speak aloud to his companion. He raised his voice enough so that he could relate the essence of their discovery to the others who were gathering around, pressing in close. “There can be little doubt that the enemy army will come right through this area. They are scouting and patrolling our borders. That is the act of a significant force. Some may say that it was foolhardy to take the risk that we did, yet I am glad that we did so. But I do not know what kind of creatures those were, back there. Our enemy is full of surprises indeed.”

Looks of puzzlement arose upon the others’ faces.

“Rat-men, handling great predatory cats, of a like that I have never before seen,” Aethelstan added gravely, as several eyes widened. “It is not just a human army that we will face. We must make sure that all are alerted, and prepared for this reality.”

Cenferth replied heavily, “Then we must return with haste.”

“Yes, we must,” Aethelstan agreed, though one last favor remained left for him to accomplish. It was a point of honor that he intended to fulfill by himself, now that their aims had been achieved. “But I must warn the Woodsman. This army will march right through these lands, and will find him… and I consider him a true friend. I cannot leave a friend so exposed.”

“My lord, forgive me, but should we not return to our forces?” Cenferth asked, plaintively. “We need you there.”

“Go and take most of the others with you, but I must now keep my word to a good man,” Aethelstan instructed Cenferth, while moving over to his horse. He began to unroll the mail shirt, donning it before retrieving his helm and shield. Putting on his helm, and slinging the shield across his back again, he remounted his steed. “Just remember this. If I did not keep my word, I would not be any kind of man that you would find need of.”