To Be Chosen (50 page)

The battle seemed to go on forever but lasted about a third of a mark. Forty sasquatches were dead, the animals that had joined in the fight melted back into the woods, fifteen Royal Guardsmen were wounded, and three dead. Josh Duwin stared glassy-eyed, his necked bent at a sharp angle. Big-eyed Raymond Carpenter’s back was snapped in two, and Ross Monner was missing an arm and lay in a pile of his own entrails. He had chosen not to put on his chain mail, big mistake that. The appendage was three paces away, still gripping his cleaver. Roder’s shoulder was broken, but that was the least of his worries. Sir Daniel was still unconscious and most of the supplies were destroyed, eight warhorses died, along with fifteen pack horses, with another four so badly wounded they would probably need to be put down.

Burly Ursen Vallun was tending the wounded and he finished stitching up a deep gash in Guardsman Camden’s homely face, which could not be made any uglier by a new scar, and then came over to his next victim/patient. “Serge, I’m gonna have to set that for you and it’s gonna hurt.”

Roder had not been looking forward to this part but knew what was coming. He held his breath while the ham-fisted guardsman took hold of him. There was a pull and pain sharp enough to make him grunt, ending that part of the procedure, but not his responsibilities. Being braced and trussed up in bandages to keep him from moving his shoulder was not going to keep him from setting things in order.

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Daniel opened his eyes and found himself staring at the roof of the tent and wearing only his pants and undershirt. It was night and the only light came from the lantern on the upside down box. There was a slight pressure in his head as a multitude of animals linked to him were vying for his attention. He gave them all a general sense that he was awake and well, lowering the pressure, showing most were satisfied with his response. He pictured four compartments in his mind and placed the remaining demands on his attention in each one, intending to get back to them later.

Duncan Hawk was sitting cross-legged near the entrance, staring out through the tent flap. Daniel’s mind was a little foggy and it took him a few moments to clear and order his thoughts, the link with the animals had not helped. The last thing he remembered was an Aakacarn springing up within two hundred strides of him, well within his self-imposed sensing radius of five spans, and being assaulted before he could strike out at the threat. The Aakacarn had to have come up from underground. Daniel smacked himself in the head, why did he fail to think of that? Cenni Quen had used the Sleep spell on him before so Daniel had no difficulty figuring out what put him in his current state.

His shield protected him from all sorts of spells, but he needed to breathe, hear, and eat, so was vulnerable in those areas. The spell caster used a wide beam rather than a narrow one, which would have had to strike him precisely in the ears, nostrils, or mouth. The broad beam was something to take into consideration, seeing as it is difficult to defend against, and allowed even the weakest potential wielded by an Aakacarn to be a serious threat. It was possible to extend his shield over the vulnerable areas, but only for so long as he could hold his breath or can afford to be deprived of his hearing and speech. To do that, he would have to be aware of the danger soon enough to make the alteration. He could place a shield on his helmet, which would protect his ears without limiting his hearing. Extending his potential underground, at least deep enough to detect a tunnel or hidden cell would be useful, and keeping in mind that he is not invincible and could be struck down would help even more.

“
Duncan, what’s happening out there?” Daniel asked the young guardsman, causing the fellow to startle, and swing his head around.

His eyes were red and sorrow was etched on his face, but he managed a weak smile. “Sir Daniel, you’re awake,” he stated the obvious, and then lost his smile. “Not so much out there now. This morning was the worst I’ve seen, you struck off your horse, sasquatches running at us, men and horses dying, and most of our supplies destroyed. The amazing thing was the animals coming to help us.”

Daniel sat up. “Animals came to your aid?”

Duncan
began nodding his head vigorously and went on to describe the attack. “I saw Raymond die. A sasquatch lifted him up and snapped his back like it was nothing and I tried to help Ross, but got pushed aside by a cougar. It killed the beast that tore into Ross. All sorts of animals helped, bears, copperheads, wolves, and of course cougars, even the bees, thousands of them. The Corporal got his neck broke, it was awful. Silvia stood over you and shot a crossbow bolt into the eye of a sasquatch that got too close and after that the beasts avoided her. Sergeant Keenan got hurt and David joined the melee, stabbing and slicing with his knives, and attacking the beasts as if he was invincible. He came out of each fight without a scratch. Lieutenant Tomei was a whirlwind of death, slicing at the beasts, and killing any foolish enough to get near him. Lord Jonah also killed one. We guardsmen and the animals kept fighting until all of smelly monsters were dead. I killed two. Lord Jonah ordered those of us that were well enough to gather up what we could save, along with the wounded, and the dead, and then we moved north another couple of spans. We’ve been camped here ever since, hoping you would wake up. I think he still wants to go after the Aakacarns, but now that’s going to be up to you.”

Daniel closed his eyes, thinking of the men who had died because of his failure to anticipate the attack, and his belief that he could take on anything the Aakacarns threw at him. The Sergeant was correct, the butcher did get paid, and Daniel let out a sigh. He had potential equal to that of a Maestro, yet was powerless to prevent the deaths. It was a sobering lesson, one he would take to heart.

“Sir Daniel, are you alright?” Duncan sprang to his feet and was beside Daniel in an instant.

“I was thinking about the loss of life. I’m going to miss those men,” Daniel spoke the simple truth.

“Me too,” Duncan replied. “Is there something I can get for you?”

Daniel thought about it, there were many things that needed doing, and they could not wait until morning. He needed to set his priorities in order and arrange his chores accordingly. “I want you to quietly wake Sergeant Keenan, along with Silvia and David. Have them come to my tent for a private meeting. Don’t tell anyone else. Remember, the Teki are newlywed so be discrete.”

Duncan grinned, apparently pleased that something was being done, and that he was involved. “It will be as you say, Sir Daniel,” he replied and ran out of the tent.

Mouser’s awareness was in one of the four mental compartments Daniel created. The owl was the most agitated, so Daniel concentrated on her and was soon seeing through the bird’s sharp eyes. The same man he had seen urinating through Cleo’s eyes was standing in front of the entrance of a mud hut. One of five, someone was missing, probably the one who had led the assault. The fellow near the hut
had a pointed nose, thin lips, and eyes that were farther apart than normal.He glowed with potential and a teal beam lanced from his hand into the hut. He did the same thing at the other huts and then went back to the first one and entered it, coming back out moments later with a wooden casket tucked under his right arm. The owl’s sharp eyes focused in tighter and the golden letters,
“
D.
L
.” were plain to see in the moon light. The Aakacarn strolled out of the camp, heading northeast. Daniel conveyed his thanks to Mouser and the owl sent back a sense of contentment. He suggested that she follow the Aakacarn and then withdrew his awareness from her and thought about what he had just witnessed.

It was as he suspected, dissension existed in Serin Gell’s ranks, perhaps this fellow wanted the glory, or maybe stole the coveted trumpet for his own use. Either way, this was the man to pursue. At this point Daniel did not know if the other Aakacarns were asleep or had just been murdered. Cleo was still floating in the river. She was not agitated like the other animals, but was next in his mental compartments. She witnessed what Mouser did, but could only give him a picture of the same camp from the river’s edge, and all was quiet. He decided to keep the animal surveillance on this group for awhile longer, if for no other reason than to be sure he and his men did not get ambushed by them. He asked Yonder the osprey to help Mouser keep an eye on the fleeing Aakacarn
.

The next demand for his attention came from the mental compartment containing Buraker. Daniel concentrated on the sasquatch. The lanky male was,
on the trail of the human who attacked the alpha, who wanted all humans to be avoided, and so could not be helped when other sasquatches attacked the humans of his pack, even though Buraker and other sasquatches of the pack wanted to help.
His thoughts came in a stream as the black-furred male trailed the Aakacarn who had used the Sleep spell on Daniel.

The linked sasquatches could have aided in the fight, but Daniel still did not regret suggesting that they avoid being seen by humans. He did not want to imagine the kind of confusion that would have caused, none of the guardsmen knowing which beast was friend or foe. He was pleased Buraker chose to follow the Aakacarn and conveyed his thought to the sasquatch, who sent back, “
Alpha is pleased. Buraker is pleased
,” and then Daniel withdrew his awareness. The other animals had the suggestion that humans were not prey, but never were given the suggestion to avoid them, which turned out to be fortunate.

The final compartment contained Clutch, the osprey, who was in reality resting in the branches of a
n elm. Beneath him was a single mound. He glided down to the ground and peered inside at a figure asleep on the floor. This had to be Daniel’s assailant. He conveyed his gratitude to the osprey and suggested that it go back up where it was safe and follow the Aakacarn in the morning. Clutch sent back a feeling of comprehension and desire to do the very thing Daniel wanted. Now he had eyes on the culprit, even while Buraker was on his way. The Sasquatch would avoid being seen and it was doubtful the Aakacarn would notice the osprey, or think anything about it if he did.

With those chores out of the way, Daniel started on the next, and scanned a five span radius, one that included twenty strides below ground. He sensed a tunnel stretching north, beyond his self-imposed range, directly toward the mud hut where his attacker now slept above ground. The Aakacarn was beyond the radius of the spell,
but not beyond Daniel’s spies.

He sensed every person within the camp, including the three dead, and all of the animals in his swirl, except those sent out to spy. He was glad none of them that took part in the skirmish were seriously injured and sent his thanks to all for their efforts. Forty sasquatches lay dead two spans to the south. About three spans north, he sensed forty more sasquatches, some sitting and some walking around amongst themselves, while three of them were in the trees half a span south of the main gr
oup. Those had to be lookouts.

“Gurrumble,” Daniel focused his thought on the huge mail.

“Daniel/Alpha, want something?”

Daniel pictured where the forty sasquatches were waiting three spans to the north and sent the image into the mind of the huge male. “Bring them within fifty strides of me,” he instructed, knowing the stride of a sasquatch was twice that of a human. “I want them to join our pack.”

“Gurrumble biggest male, others will follow. They join pack, they come recognize Daniel/Alpha,”
the sasquatch’s thoughts came back.

Terroar and Rumble went along on the mission, without being asked, all three sasquatches moved quickly and soon met with the beasts waiting in the trees. The six of them went over to the remaining thirty-seven, and then all of them headed south. By the time they were within fifty sasquatch-strides, meaning one hundred human, Duncan Hawk returned with Sergeant Keenan, Silvia, and David. Daniel not only heard them enter, he sensed them through the spell while keeping his eyes closed. He raised his hand to let them know he was aware of their presence, but kept his concentration on the forty new beasts. He summoned the potential for
, Mind Touch, and focused, at the first ten, then the second, third, and fourth, successfully linking with all forty, bringing the total of sasquatches in his swirl to sixty-one. Introductions were made and all accepted him as their new alpha. He suggested to them that humans were not food, were to be avoided, and the sasquatches were free to do as they will. They retreated back into the woods and would stay at least two spans away from the humans.

Daniel opened his eyes.
Duncan was standing at the tent flap, which was closed, and the others were seated on the fold-up chairs. The young guardsman started to step outside. “No, you can stay, if you can keep what we say to yourself,” Daniel told him.

Duncan
turned around. “I can keep my mouth closed.”

Daniel nodded acceptance and motioned for the young man to sit, which he did, cross-legged. The mood was tense. Keenan’s shoulder was braced and bandaged. The man had shallow cuts on his face that seemed to have clotted without any need of stitches. Silvia and David, while appearing concerned, and perhaps a touch frustrated, seemed to be completely unharmed. Daniel gave a nod of the head, which they all took as a greeting and nodded back, but the nod had actually been a result of his realizing the couple was still shielded. He removed the Da Capos from the s
hields, allowing them to cease.