Enemy Territory-On Hiatus

Chapter Eight-Home

For days Glenn traveled with the wounded child.

Without food, he had lost a considerable amount of weight, but he still had the energy to keep going. It was also not surprising since he had endured the same misery when traveling with the Chief. And yet he was not too careless, for the wounded child needed food.

He would then hunt the tiny animals on their long voyage and feed her the meat.

At first, she did not want to eat.

That was because she was in terrible pain from the wound that would keep her up all night. Every time she whimpered, Glenn would feel his heartbreak in his chest. He had used everything to keep the wound from getting infected, but because of their constant movement, it had, and he almost cried like a baby.

He had thought the child would have died from the infection, but she continued to fight the pain and forced herself to eat to build up her system. In those life-death days, he had bounded with the child, her determined eyes giving him the hope to continue.

It was another hot day, and they were finally out of the daft forest. He e had come to stand in front of two familiar twin and long boulders. Holding the shivering child against his chest, he felt a wave of relief cascade over his person, for he was closer to home than he expected.

Wobbling, he continued, the boulders bringing shade onto his person. Chapped lips, for he hadn't had a good drink of water for days, Glenn felt he had reached his limit but pushed his tired body to finish the trek through the boulders.

Soon, he was walking out of the other side, the sunlight beating against his exposed skin and turning darker than it already was. He was about to take another step and fully into the open when he heard gruff voices. Bristling, he took a couple of steps back into the shade.

"Couldna keep it in for longer?"

One man spoke with a huff, the loud crushing of leaves indicating he was walking to the place; Glenn once stood. Searching around the area with agitated eyes, Glenn hid behind a flat boulder that had enough space to keep both he and the child's body from sight.

Slightly lifting his head, he spied on the man, who had made himself comfortable on the flat stone there.

"Highlanders."

Glenn whispered, but he did not know which clan they belonged.

"Ye ken ye cannae keep that in."

Another answered in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, but he was no-where in sight.

The man in front of him scoffed while plucking the thin stem of a lime grass and placing it into his mouth.

"Make it quick. Ye ain't got all day."

"I cannae do that."

The unseen man retorted, but the sitting man was unbothered.

Suddenly, Glenn heard snorting from horses as they came into sight with their noses buried in the tall grass. It was also at that moment, the child had lowly whimpered, and Glenn's breath hitched.

"Did yer hear something?"

The unseen man shouted, his voice filled with trepidation.

"Hear what? Is not yer pissing that is making that sound?"

The other man responded with a careless huff.

"Nae, nae. I heard a bairn's squeak."

Spitting the stem out of his mouth after the taste had disappeared, the man barked.