The Northern Approach (14 page)

“Big green man will be fine,” noted Yoska, his eyes still closed. “Worrying does not bring him back sooner.”

“It’s what I do, Yoska.”

“You worry about others, but I see in your eyes that you wish the harm would come to you instead. Is noble to those who do not pay attention, but is quite disappointing to those of us who wish us all to survive healthy and happy. Saving others is noble thing, but doing it in hopes of losing one’s life is not so smart, no?”

“I don’t…I haven’t…” Raeln stammered, but he could not bring himself to speak any of the lies he had been telling himself and On’esquin for months.

“Yes, yes, we lie to the crazy old gypsy who does not know us well enough to say we are lying,” replied Yoska, smiling up at the ceiling of the cavern. “Yet, this gypsy says you are lying. I see how you look at golems and search woods for danger. You are hopeful, yet show fear when green man and I are to face same threat. I have seen same behavior in my kin, usually when they have lost their families and lack the strength to go on. Are you as weak as them?”

Raeln clenched his jaw and said nothing. He had the distinct impression he really did not need to speak. Yoska could see through anything he might say.

The light from the end of the cavern faded to black gradually and soon Yoska slept quietly. Raeln could not join him, both out of concern that something might happen upon them and also because sleep was difficult for him anymore. He rarely slept, and when he did, it wore him down, making him feel more tired than if he had not slept at all. He was happier keeping watch.

Eventually morning broke, heralded by the faint glow at the end of the cavern that slowly grew brighter, warming the water-filled room. With it, warmth returned, gradually restoring feeling to Raeln’s half-frozen fingers, toes, tail, and ears. Raeln continued to watch that light for any movement or sign that On’esquin was returning, but nothing stirred.

“He will return if he is able,” muttered Yoska, rubbing at his eyes. He sat up slowly and looked over Raeln before checking his side again.

Raeln could see the wound had crusted over and the bleeding had stopped for the moment. “I have no idea how you survived that once, let alone each time it breaks open,” Raeln said, staring at the wound. “Out here in the wilds, I would expect a wound like that to be fatal in days from infection.”

Yoska laughed and nodded, adjusting his silk shirt to cover the cut. “I would expect the same,” he admitted. “Are many good theories why I still breathe. One is that I am hardy man, too tough for little cut to kill. Better theory is that one of my wives is happier being dead while I am alive, so she keeps me from joining her. She had eyes on my brother and I think he may have hand in this, if she keeps me here.”

Yoska then dug around in the torn and battered remains of his pack and produced a few scraps of dried fruit and meats, which he split with Raeln. They said nothing as they ate the tiny meal, with Yoska apparently lost in thought and Raeln staring off toward the light that had grown bright.

“If you worry so, go find our magic green man so we can leave,” the gypsy said suddenly. “Is more helpful than staring at cave wall, yes?”

Raeln agreed with him, checking again on the man’s blanket. The cloth had mostly dried and Yoska appeared to be far more comfortable than he had been when they had arrived earlier. He would likely be fine for some time if Raeln could not return right away. Assuming Yoska did not stress his wound too badly, he would probably recover quickly.

Hurrying toward the dim daylight, Raeln went as far as he could on the little island, inching out until his toe-claws were lapped by the water. From there he could see that the river deepened rapidly toward the drop-off at the end of the cavern. The falls there could have been anywhere from a foot tall to a thousand feet, but from the island, he had no way of knowing.

“On’esquin!” he called out, his voice echoing back at him several times. No reply came.

Reluctantly, Raeln stepped into the water and shivered. If anything the water seemed colder than before, if that were possible. Still, he had few options left if he was going to ever leave the cave. On’esquin had gone that direction and so Raeln would too.

Raeln plunged ahead, clenching his shivering jaw to keep his teeth from clattering as he sank up to his waist in the rapidly moving water. He did what he could to maintain his balance and not slide as he continued up to his chest, the waters shoving at him steadily, trying to tug him into the flow and on to whatever destination lay at the end of the drop-off.

Turning, Raeln went toward the edge of the cavern, reaching the stone wall just as his feet were swept out from under him. He caught himself against the wall, clinging to the rough stones to ensure he could control his movement.

Raeln leaned out over the edge of the steep slope, finding the river had long ago bored a hole down through the rock and into what appeared to be another chamber. The round passage between where he stood and whatever was below was filled with crashing water. He could not see much, but he could make out stones far below and brighter light. Lying in the little bit of daylight, On’esquin was beside the rocks at the edge of the water and looked as though he were dead. It did not appear that he had fallen on them, but rather collapsed beside them. Perhaps he had fallen and then crawled a short distance.

“A knife and drowning can’t kill him, but a fall can?” muttered Raeln, barely recognizing his own words around a nearly numb tongue and the roar of the water. “I can’t find one normal person to travel with, can I? Greth, this is on you for leaving me alone with these people.”

Looking over his shoulder, Raeln could just barely see Yoska, sitting up on the little island. The man had opened up the small backpack he wore and appeared to be drinking from a flask. Upon seeing Raeln watching him, Yoska held up the flask in a salute better suited to a tavern than the cave they were in.

“He’s fallen!” Raeln shouted, getting a nod in response. He could not be sure Yoska actually knew what he had said over the pounding water. “I’m going down! I won’t be able to get back up!”

Nodding, Yoska held up a finger to indicate Raeln should wait a moment. The man pulled a spool of rope from his pack and pointed at it. Before Raeln could reply, Yoska hurled it into the water, letting it race toward Raeln.

Raeln swore and tried to reach out toward where the rope appeared to be headed, but he knew it was too far out. He would miss it by a foot or more in the swift waters.

Kicking away from the wall, Raeln snagged the rope before it went over the edge and then tried to catch himself on the stones he could see beneath the surface of the water. They tore into his legs and hands, but he managed to stop his movement, if only temporarily. All the force of the water draining from the room pressed against him, threatening to dislodge him at any moment.

Ducking under the water, Raeln looped the rope over one of the larger stones, hoping it would hold. He came up once it was knotted, taking a deep breath as the current continued to batter him against the rocks. Once he was sure he had a good grip on the rope and it likely would not slip, he slid himself up and over the stones, letting the current take him.

Raeln tumbled through the water, pulled rapidly down the steep slope until the rope snapped taught. Dangling from it mere feet over the sharp stones that lay at the bottom of the falls, Raeln searched for anywhere he could safely let himself down. The only spot he could see was near On’esquin, where the rocks were more worn and smooth, giving him some chance of not being torn apart by the current. However, if he fell there, he was not certain he could get back to the rope.

One thing at a time
, he told himself, then kicked off the bottom of the river, letting go of the rope as he did. The falls grabbed hold of him immediately, hurling him over the edge and down toward the stones more swiftly than he had expected. Halfway down, he knew that he had missed the gap between the rocks that would have been the only safe place to land. With a cry of pain, he crashed into the stones with his right hip, flinging his arms out to grab hold of anything he could reach before he could be dragged any farther away from On’esquin.

Looking up through his tears as his leg throbbed, Raeln could see On’esquin only a foot away at the edge of the water. Raeln’s aim had been good, despite the rough landing. Using only his arms, Raeln pulled himself over to On’esquin and then hoisted himself mostly out of the water onto the stones, though he continued to be pummeled by the endless spray from the falling water. “On’esquin,” Raeln said, though he could barely hear himself. “On’esquin!”

The orc’s lids fluttered and he groaned and took a breath. Opening his eyes, he looked at Raeln with surprise. “Where am I?” he shouted, turning his head about to survey his location. “I…the tunnel. I came back out and slipped.”

Raeln had no desire to discuss things while they both lay at the bottom of the deafening waterfall, so he grabbed On’esquin’s arm to help him up. As he did, he realized nearly black blood flowed freely from gashes in the orc’s arm. His eyes widened in surprise and On’esquin’s sudden tensing told him the man was equally surprised.

“We need to get out of here!” On’esquin shouted to be heard over the water. “Get the gypsy!”

Raeln nodded and searched the falls for the rope. Wherever it might be, he could not find it in the crashing water. He looked up and saw Yoska was braced against the stones at the top of the falls, watching him with impatience. Making the gesture more broad than necessary to ensure he could be seen in the near-dark, Raeln shrugged and pointed at the falls, hoping Yoska would understand he had no idea how to get him down.

Frowning deeply enough that Raeln could see it even from the bottom, Yoska crawled up onto one of the larger stones. He stared at the roof of the shaft the falling water had created and then squinted down at Raeln and On’esquin, letting his eyes drift over the stones in the water. Finally, he stood up on the rock at the edge, put his feet together as he straightened his back, and closed his eyes.

“What is he doing?” On’esquin shouted, clutching his wounded arm to his chest. “He’ll kill himself! Find some way to stop that idiot!”

Raeln knew there was nothing he could do. Instead, he closed his eyes and uttered a short prayer to the old gods—the dragons and elementals he had learned actually existed, even if he knew they were not truly gods. Before he opened his eyes again, he heard a soft splash nearby.

Turning, Raeln saw Yoska surface as the current swept him away. Somehow the man had leapt off the falls and come into the water gracefully enough that he did not break every bone in his body on either the stones or the water’s surface. He appeared to only be using one arm to pull himself toward shore, which let Raeln know he had made his side ache again, if nothing else.

“Start walking!” Raeln told On’esquin, pushing off of the stones himself. Almost immediately the rapids swept him downstream, following Yoska’s path.

Unlike the first section of the river and the cavern above, this area was littered with rocks. Raeln bounced off several, feeling them cut into his clothing yet again, but surviving the river was far more important to him than injuries and pain. Those he could ignore if it got the three of them away from whatever had hurt On’esquin.

As he was thrown about by the rapidly moving water, Raeln caught glimpses of the cave around them and then suddenly it was gone, replaced by open sky. They had been brought out of the tunnels, though where he could not possibly guess. They could figure that out once they were safely on land again.

Soon the speed of the water slowed dramatically and Raeln managed to right himself and get his head above the surface. Blinking away the water that blinded him, he saw Yoska sitting on the shore of what appeared to be a large retaining pond they had come into, which then exited via another stream that continued on through the mountains. In all directions, he could see bright-blue sky and snow-tipped mountains.

Raeln swam hurriedly to shore using his arms and his one good leg, coming up only a few feet from where Yoska was resting. It did not take him long to catch his breath, and once he had, he began looking for On’esquin.

Whatever was happening to the orc had gotten even worse. He was floating facedown, and not moving as the current brought him past the shore. As he came out of the caves and into the light, Raeln watched helplessly as On’esquin slammed into a large stone and spun about. The orc did not even twitch as he struck the rocks.