Chasing Sparks

Chapter 10.2

Wren took a long slow breath and began to creep forward, keeping as low to the ground as possible, pausing after each movement, making sure his belly didn’t leave the floor. He made no sudden movements. One arm, then one leg, patiently moving forwards, gradually getting nearer to the fire.

He was about ten paces away now. The fire was in a slightly more open patch of forest. The six lumps seemed to be sleeping soundly. He hadn’t seen the two other sentries or the missing tenth person, but that couldn’t be helped now. He needed to focus entirely on the job in hand. He looked carefully at the third lump round from north. It would have to be the biggest lump wouldn’t it, Wren thought.

He remained in the trees and slowly slithered to where he was as close as possible to his target lump without having to break cover. He lay there quietly, calming his breathing. If he wanted to get closer now, he would have to leave the bush and venture out into the open.

Wren knew this was ridiculous. There was no way he was going to get the key, but he also knew he had to try. So he took a final deep breath and started to crawl forward out of the trees. One slow hand and foot after another.

He froze as one of the men on the other side of the fire rolled over. Wren waited for the shouting and screaming to start, but it stayed quiet. The restless man seemed to scratch and figit for an eternity before his slow snoring started up again.

Wren realised he’d been holding his breath and released it, slowly trying to relax his tensed limbs. But he was scared and knew he was well out of his depth.

The man he was aiming for was only a couple of paces in front of him now. Fortunately, the man was facing the fire, with his back to Wren. Unfortunately, he was wearing a big thick cloak pulled up over his head, so Wren had no idea if he had the key or not. He just had to trust the strange little woman was right. Holding his breath again, he crawled closer. Slowly, slowly.

He was close enough now to touch the big man, so when he gradually reached out towards him, he started feeling around the hood towards the man’s chest. His hand eventually came to rest on a leather breastplate. He slowly moved his hand along the front rim of the breastplate feeling for a necklace underneath.

He felt his fingers brush a leather cord and carefully wrapped his hand around it. With a firm grip, Wren started to apply a little pressure trying to pull the cord free from under the breastplate. It didn’t move. Daring not to move any other part of his body, Wren pulled on the cord a little harder but it still didn’t move.

Then suddenly the man stirred and rolled to face Wren, his foul breath hitting Wren full in the face.

Wren froze, his hand still holding the cord.

The big man moaned loudly before opening his eyes and looking directly at Wren.

What happened next must have only taken a few seconds but it seemed to unfold in slow motion to Wren.

Before the big man started to realise what was happening, Wren had grabbed the leather cord with both hands and pulled the key clean over the man’s head. Then, key in hand, he was on his feet and running for the trees.

The big man recovered from his initial shock and started bellowing loudly. The others were waking up and scrabbling around trying to get to their feet and reach for a weapon. The camp was in chaos.

Wren leapt into the trees, only to see a sentry coming directly at him, his short sword drawn and ready. Wren veered to the right at the last moment, just missing the arcing slash from the guard. But he didn’t miss the waist high tree stump sticking up from the ground and crashed into it with considerable force. Wren winced as the branches protruding from the stump ripped into his thigh.