Conway heard him out silently as Harold finished giving his report. Conall resisted the urge to shift his weight nervously. A silent Conway meant bad news.
Finally, the commander sighed. “Harold. Take two trainees and bring a message over to the Ranger field camp in Barton West. Give your report to their captain. Tell them I want to contact the new Sentinel commander in Aekea.” His gaze pierced Conall’s. Conall gulped. “I want this on the down low, understood? We are participating in a training exercise.” His eyes swept over Conall and Harold’s again.
“Yessir.”
A training exercise. Conall bit the inside of his cheek as Conway left, presumably <span id="test27342195">. . .</span><br/><div id="post27342195" style="display:none; margin-right:75px;"> to check in with the other trainees. Lying about a mission meant Conway was trying to prevent a panic.
Harold glanced around to be sure no one else was listening. “You think he suspects a rebellion?” he asked softly, voicing Conall’s thoughts aloud.
Conall met his friend’s gaze but said nothing.
Harold took a deep breath. “All right. Let’s move out, then.”
It took nearly two hours for Harold, Conall, and Abdul to reach the Rangers’ camp without using the Town road. The Village Greens, normally thick with Goof players this time of year, had emptied of everyone entirely except a few stray gnomes. Conall kept his hand on his sword. It seemed even the Animated sensed something was wrong.
A Ranger sentry met them at the Barton West border. “Trouble?”
“Just a message,” Harold said easily. “Captain Tamar?”
She pointed with her bow. “Follow the path. There should be a scout in that direction who will take you to him.”
Conall had no doubt they would need the scout to find the Ranger camp. The sentry that had met them at the border—the pretty brunette one—had taken both he and Keefe out with a tripwire during the mock invasion of Barton. He hadn’t seen her—or the wire, or the second sniper that had shot Keefe—until he’d been mock-dead for nearly an hour.
Predictably, Conall thought, the scout found them first. Harold saluted. “Message for Captain Tamar.”
The scout—Lothan, Conall remembered, the swordsman from the cliff—tipped his head to the left; a silent follow me.
Ranger Field Camp was tucked into a niche at the base of the cliff near the trenches, nearly invisible from the road. Captain Tamar—a faceless shadow until he stepped into the light—was quiet as he listened to Harold’s report.
“And Conway told you to keep this hushed?” Tamar rubbed the faint stubble on his chin, the lines around his eyes deepening in thought. “Good man.” Pulling himself out of his reverie, he nodded at the trainees. “Good. You boys go back to your camp. Take Phoebe—the sentry at the gate.” He glanced at the sun. “If you leave now, you should be back by noon.”
Harold touched his forehead in salute again. “See you on the other side, Captain.”
“I certainly hope not, trainee,” Tamar said, a bit tetchily.
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Note From the Author:
Sorry about the stiltedness of this chapter. I just wanted to be sure I got an update out as soon as the craziness from being featured died down to make sure you all knew I wasn't going to leave you hanging. Thanks!
Sorry about the stiltedness of this chapter. I just wanted to be sure I got an update out as soon as the craziness from being featured died down to make sure you all knew I wasn't going to leave you hanging. Thanks!
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Well... I dunno if I have anything new to add. (Those rangers sound interesting. ^^ *likes elves*) Somehow the feeling of the story reminds me of Dragonlance, though I dunno why. :3
*waits for more*