Tip's gaze followed Bekki's outstretched arm. Against the stone of the mountain he saw-"That dull gleam, what is it? The mineholt?"

"Aye," replied Bekki. "The shut gates cast back the light of their fires."

"Tell me, Bekki," said Tipperton, "just how did you come to be outside when all your kindred are shut within? I mean-"

"Hist!" shushed Loric, and he cocked his head this way and that in the twisting wind, drums now and then sounding. "Down!"

Along with the others, Tipperton dropped to the rugged ground where moonshadows lay. His heart in his throat, he listened intently, but heard nought but the wreathing air and the sound of his own pulsing blood. He turned to Loric and breathed, "What is it?"

"Rupt," replied Loric, pointing down the ridge, "a patrol, and they come this way."

Tipperton looked rightward, and just topping a rise no more than thirty paces off and advancing toward them came trodding an armed squad of Spawn-a dozen altogether.

Down beside Tipperton, Bekki growled and hefted his war hammer, and Loric and Loden drew swords. With trembling fingers Tip fumbled for an arrow as the maggot-folk came tramping on.

Chapter 34

Tipperton turned to his comrades and hissed, "Save me from behind," and then leapt to his feet and shouted "Yahhh!" and loosed an arrow at the oncoming Spawn. And even as the shaft sissed through the air to fell the Ruck in the lead, Tipperton, shrieking, dashed toward the startled maggot-folk and then veered in among the sparse pines.

Bekki, cursing, started to rise from the moonshadows, but Loden grabbed him by the arm and hissed, "No! The Waldan's plan is sound."

Yawling, the Rupt darted after the fleeing Warrow, and then Loric and Loden and Bekki sprang in pursuit, Loden, with his longer legs, racing before the Dylvana and the Dwarf, though they flew right on his heels.

In the moonlight ahead, howling Rucks and Hloks dodged among the pine trees, chasing their small quarry, the buccan shrieking and drawing them after. And one of the maggot-folk hurled a short spear, the shaft flying at Tipperton's fleeing form to fall just short and stab into the ground.

And as the yawling Spaunen patrol hurtled past the embedded spear, the Rutcha who had cast it slowed to snatch the shaft up, and Loden's blade ran him through from behind.

His scream was lost among the howls of pursuit, as Loric and then Bekki ran past, now at the tail of" the yowling pack.

Loden wrenched his blade free and sprang after, to pass by Loric and a beheaded Drokh, and then to overhaul running Bekki just as his war hammer crashed through a Wrg skull.

But the eight howling Spawn yet chasing the shrieking Warrow noticed naught at all. Even so they had nearly caught up to the wee buccan, short-legged as he was. And as victory seemed within their grasp, three more of the Rflpt were felled from behind, one of them shrieking in death.

And at this shrill cry from the rear, the next one in line looked over his shoulder and screamed in alarm, his squeal of terror lost in the howls of his four kith, yet intent upon catching the foe at hand.

And the Hlok running in the lead yowled in victory as he snatched the buccan by the collar and wrenched him up in the air, the kicking Warrow flailing away as the Hlok turned to the others to display his catch, only to find that of the Spawn he alone was yet standing… and he faced an Elf'and a man with blood-slathered swords and a Dwarf with a grume-clotted hammer.

And then Tipperton twisted and kicked him in the face, and the Hlok dropped the Warrow and reeled back, a long-knife to tumble through the air and take him in the throat.

Panting and puffing- "Oh, my. Oh, my. Oh, my"- Tipperton looked up at Loric as the Elf retrieved his long-knife and wiped the blade clean. "I thought I was a goner when he snatched me up off the ground."

" 'Twas a foolish thing you did, Tipperton," said Loric.

"But clever," amended Loden.

"And honorable," growled Bekki, "even though you did run."

"It was the only thing I could think of," said Tipperton. And of a sudden he burst into tears.

Bekki looked down in consternation, but Loden said, " 'Tis relief, Lord Bekki."

Bekki frowned, then clenched a fist and grunted in agreement. "As sometimes sweats the steel of a sword in the forging."

Loden raised an eyebrow, but Loric, kneeling beside the buccan, looked up and nodded at Bekki and said, "Just so."

Loden looked back at the string of corpses sprawled along their route. "We must hide the evidence of this ambush, else the patrols will double."

"Ambush?" queried Bekki.

"Aye, a running ambush from the rear."

"Nay," growled Bekki. "It was a full frontal attack from behind."

In spite of his tears, Tipperton began to giggle.

Two days later at midday, with Brandt in the lead, the vanguard and cavalcade and wagons finally arrived at the Daelsmen's hidden stand.

At last Tipperton saw Beau come riding up the slope on his pony, and he set aside his lute and ran down to greet his friend. Beau leapt to the ground and the Warrows embraced, glad to see one another again.

"I say, Beau, follow me. I'll show you where to corral your steed. They've plenty of grain and water, these Daelsmen."

As they started up the hill and across the plateau, Beau asked, "What about food, Tip? I mean, I could stand a good hot meal."

" 'Fraid not, bucco. We're too close to the maggot-folk for fires, you see."

Beau groaned, then said, "Jerky and crue, I suppose."

Tip nodded, then his eyes lit up. "Oh, but they do have some early apples, it being nearly October and all."

"A bit green?"

"Some. I wouldn't recommend eating very many."

They came to an overhanging bluff, and in a simple rope pen holding the horses of the Daelsmen, Beau corralled his pony next to Tip's and one other.

As Tip unstrapped Beau's bedroll and medical bag from behind the saddle, he said, "I'm glad to see you, Beau. How was the trip? Anything exciting along the way?"

Beau sighed and shook his head. "The trip? Ploddingly slow. Excitement? Oh, we did see a bear, but that's it. Although it did seem a bit strange, the bear ambling along as it did on a course paralleling our own. The Baeron seemed to think it was special, though it was nought but a bear." He lifted the saddle up and away, the pony shaking side to side to be free of it. Beau rummaged through his saddlebags and retrieved his curry comb. "But how about you, bucco? Any excitement on your part?"

Tip fetched his own curry comb and started on the opposite side. "Not much," he replied, "a minor tangle with some Spawn. And, oh, we did see the Horde in their siege on the mineholt. In fact, there's to be a war council this afternoon, after the wagons and all get settled in. Bekki says he'll find me when it's ready to begin. We three, we'll go together."

"Bekki?"

"A Dwarf, Beau, and a fine one at that. That's his pony behind you." Of a sudden Tip stopped currying and looked at one of the nearby horses. Then he resumed combing knots and tangles from the pony's hair, there where the saddle and trappings had ridden. "You know, Beau, just like the Dwarves at Annory, Bekki won't ride a horse, either. What do you think it all means?"

Beau looked across at Tip and shrugged.

Ruar gazed 'round at the war council. "We are gathered to decide on how best to deal with the Horde setting siege on Mineholt North.

"We are one thousand Dylvana, five hundred Baeron, seven hundred Daelsmen, two Lian, two Waerlinga, and one Drimm: altogether, two thousand two hundred and five."

On the left of the circle, one of the Daelsmen laughed. It was Brandt.

Loden scowled at the youth. "You have something to say, Lord Brandt?"