Between The Crystals

Ch 101 To the Sheep Farm!

Jasper, Citrine, and all the hunters dragged a massive log over to the crystal. It was far too heavy to lift onto the cart, so they left it within arm's reach of the spire.

I remained on the sidelines where I'd been exiled after a similarly-sized log had rolled off the wheels in my direction. I had been quick enough to skip out of the way, but after that, the hunters politely insisted they'd rather not have to explain any injuries to Grant. Citrine had joined the task force as if making up for my absence. That was also the last time the wheels had been used.

"I think that's about it for today," Clyde said, wiping sweat off his brow. "Running through the forest with a bow is one thing, but I'm getting too old to do this sort of heavy lifting all day."

"You're not allowed to retire," I promptly informed him. "Because then I'd have to find someone else who can put up with me, and that's a tall order."

He grinned in reply. I surveyed our small group; the other hunters were already putting the axes in the cart, so everyone was calling it quits. Citrine and Jasper stood to the side. I was vaguely surprised they had stayed here all day.

The airship had become just another background object, no longer a cause for concern, at least for us. A few other porting groups—only one of which I had recognized—had bounced the instant they spotted it or the Saursunes.

"Unless someone has a reason to stay, I think we're ready to go?" I asked the hunters as I moved into the gap between the crystal and the cart. "I can leave the melons and stuff at the Guard Station for Roxanne to take back home. It might be too much for her to port twice when she has some of my group."

"That works for me," Clyde said, coming over and holding onto my shoulder and the crate of melons.

As the others gathered around, I bowed my head at the two Saursunes and told them, "Thank you."

They replied with a hurr, likewise dipping their heads. Once all the hunters were hanging on, I directed my mind to the familiar scanning station. Light shimmered through my veins; the cart was heavier than when it was loaded with water—a weight that no longer bothered me.

The ends of the logs dragged in an unpleasant fashion where they touched the ground, but even with the cow, crate of melons, and hunters, not even the faintest hint of porting strain appeared. It was definitely a heavy port, but even after sharing my energy this morning and porting the cart back to the village half a dozen times to be unloaded, it didn't send me to my knees.

The hazy greens of the small saplings faded into the sandy color of the desert cliffside outlook. As I had hoped, we were the first group back, so I didn't have to worry about knocking someone over with the big cart.

The hunters reclaimed the axes and carried them over to our storage corner. As the guard circled us with the scanner, the light remained green. I didn't hold much faith in it anymore. It had never once betrayed the location of the trackers in the axes and spears.

"How about we head home in ten minutes?" I asked the hunters. "The Saursunes weren't wearing any pouches to hide trackers in."

They exchanged looks, and Clyde finally said, "I don't see any harm in it. Even if they did slip a tracker into the cart, I doubt our scanner would detect it regardless of how long we waited."

The guard with the scanner gave him a sour look but didn't comment. Everyone was convinced there were trackers in the Saursune axes and spears. The strangest part was that an airship had never come here, although some suspected an airship had snuck close at night to confirm this was a scanning location and not a village.

I grabbed a small melon out of the crate and carried it over to the elderly porter. "Could you please keep an eye on the sacks, crate, and cow, and ask Roxanne or Merryl to port them back?"