The Search for Will

Chapter 9

     Cole was breathing hard. It was difficult to get a good mouthful of air with the pommel digging into his stomach. He was filled with despair, and he wanted to cry, but he had one last hope. That the ranger would save him.

     It had been hours, and they rode on for several more minutes. It felt like forever, but eventually when the sun was setting and Cole's stomach was rumbling, they stopped for a break in the trees.

     The bandit threw a wooden bucket at Cole after they had dismounted. "Go get water." So Cole set off grudgingly through the trees, hoping against hope he would run into the ranger. He searched for a stream, and when he found one, drank deeply. Then he filled the bucket and set it down by the side of the water. He began to walk upstream.

     Cole didn't know what he was doing exactly. All he knew was he had to find a way to escape back to Will. Surely if he didn't return the nurses and the baron would notice he was missing? But it could take days for someone to find him. He kicked a rock into the stream and sat on the dirt. "This is hopeless," Cole said to himself. Of course he could just run away, but they had traveled long and hard, and Cole had no idea where he was. Probably not in Redmont fief. His stomach hurt. His arm hurt. And his head hurt from hanging upside down on the horse. Nothing good comes from complaining. His mother's voice rang in his ears. He knew she was right. He should stop. At least he still had all ten fingers. 

     And his life.

     Cole scampered up a nearby tree. He wanted to get a glimpse of the countryside. He looked out from the vantage point. The sun had set but the sky was still bright enough to see around. A grassy plain was in the far distance to the west, the rest forest and mountains. He could see a river not far off. They must have followed it here. Probably the river Taurbus. He looked down to the measly campsite below. He couldn't see anything but a fire and smoke through the trees. 

     He looked to the east, where stars sprouted as the seconds went by. Then the west, where the sky still shone from the hiding sun. Clouds wriggled through the air hear and there. Cole sat on one of the trees limbs for a few minutes, enjoying the fresh, night air. He climbed down reluctantly.

     Cole had already been gone long enough. Any longer and his captor might become irritated. He grabbed the bucket, and, careful not to spill a drop, walked back to the small fire. A happy soul greeted him.

     "What took you so long?" He said gruffly. Cole wisely didn't answer. He knew he kept a whip in his belt. Instead he set the bucket down a few meters from the fire so the water wouldn't evaporate. But he wanted to dump it on Grumpy's head. "Go tend to the horse. He's been gettin' itchy waiting for you." Cole couldn't believe the man hadn't even loosened the girth straps yet. A loose knot that wouldn't hold the horse for a second was tied to a tree. Cole tightened it.

     After he had tended to the horse, collected more fire wood for the tiny burning embers, set up the tent, and done the late night meal's dishes (it could hardly be called dinner), he finally rolled up on the ground to sleep. There was no tent for him. Just the horses small blanket, which smelled horrible. But then of course he had to take the first watch. Probably the whole watch. The man roped him to a tree, just like the horse, but with more room to move around. Cole couldn't believe it. 

     Even if something came, he couldn't do anything about it. He could only move about two meters. And because his hands were tied behind his back, it was almost impossible to even try falling asleep. And Cole was unbearably tired. He started breathing faster and faster, feeling hopelessly lost and alone. If the ranger hadn't come now, he would probably never come. And what about Will? Cole had only just found him, only to lose him again. Or, to lose himself.