Book One: Rise of the King

Chapter Sixteen

 The beach gradually shifted into the Plains within less than a mile the entire next day. The third day, there began a shift from flat land to cliffs that rise high above them. By early morning of the fourth day, as they contemplated going back and taking a different route, Daniel noticed a figure above them on the cliff. It was too far away to make out any particulars and at first he thought it was an animal. As the horses walked, though, the shadow walked, and when they stopped to eat, it stopped to watch.

"There's someone watching us." Daniel said, getting back on his horse.

"Been there since yesterday." Gray replied.

"Huh. I only noticed them this morning."

"I guess I've got eyes on the back of my head these days."

It wasn't long before Gray asked if he saw the smoke. Daniel had. They would be there soon. The smoke was drifting out from behind some boulders. Even though they made no motion, their shadow began to run and soon disappeared over the cliff.

Gray cursed and gave Horse a kick that sent her charging down the beach. Daniel hurried to follow them. Without stopping Horse, Gray slipped off of his saddle and ran the remaining hundred feet or so. Daniel joined him within a few minutes and they moved quietly among the boulders, listening. There were voices and the sounds of children, but no panic as Gray had feared, expecting to have been given away. He motioned for Daniel to stay down and raised his head just enough to get a look. There were no houses but there were people of all ages and genders milling about, sitting and talking or playing. He saw the mix of clothing styles and knew all ethnic groups were being represented here.

Gray eased back down next to Daniel.

"Well?"

"There's gotta be a hundred people."

"So what now?"

Gray looked around, then decided to just do it. "Come on."

He had no idea if this was going to work, but he did it anyway. He just stood up and started walking through the crowd. He suspected that it wasn't likely that a group that large would be frightened by seeing someone they didn't know. Daniel followed, thinking Gray was crazy. It worked, though. They blended in easily.

"Where do we go?"

"Into the cave, I guess." Gray answered, making his way there, eavesdropping.

The conversations he heard were generally humdrum stuff. One child was in trouble for picking on his brother. Two women were talking about dinner. There were two people who noticed their weapons and the word began to spread. Daniel didn't know and Gray didn't react until they were stopped at the cave entrance.

"No." a man said from their side.

Gray stopped and looked at the man, knowing he was from the river.

"I want to enter." Gray told him in Jakara.

The man chuckled. "You cannot enter here with bow and sword."

"I wish to see the leader. Bring them here. I will not give you my bow or sword." Gray told him.

The man shook his head. "Who are you to see Mahain?"

"I'm Seloch, son of the Na'adneh of the Adna'neh." Gray spoke with a tone of authority and the man's expression, which had been pretty relaxed and somewhat amused, immediately changed to complete seriousness.

He looked passed Gray to another man of the village. "Go get Mahain."

"What's happening?" Daniel asked quietly.