chapter 5

Robyn felt her hand cramp as it clenched over Dash’s mouth. Her eyes watered as she bit her bottom lip. She tightened her grip further despite the pain. So tight that she was not sure that Dash could breathe. It did not matter, as long as he was quiet.  He was startled when she grabbed him, but now he heard them too.

They both huddled in a patch of thick foliage, crouched low to the ground. Their faces were so close they could feel each other’s breath. Robyn relinquished her hold, slowly as not to make any noise. There were still men searching nearby. She could hear them poke and prod bushes with the butt of their spears. She listened in deathly silence as they called out to each other.

“I don’t know about you lot but I’m heading back to camp. They’ll be nought left to eat at this rate.” One of them complained.

“What if they’re others out here?” One called back over murmurings of agreement.

“A few pups in the wilderness won’t cause me to lose no sleep.” The first one shot back.

“They’re old enough to be snooping about. It’s who they could tell that causes me concern.” The second one countered.

“You sure that’s not your piles talking?’ Another sniped.

“No, but it might be the crabs your mother gave me.” The second one replied as the others broke out in laughter.

It went back and forth like this for a few moments before they reached a consensus.

“Let ‘em tell I say. The Crownlands are ours now. Besides, the Boltons will soon find out who they are. I almost feel sorry for the poor blighter we caught.” The first one explained.

To this they all seemed to agree.

Robyn pressed her finger to Dash’s lips as he slowly reached for his dagger. She warned him with her eyes not to move. There were at least six of them, all armed as best she could tell.

“Aye, there’s nought out here but animal dung. I don’t relish trampling in it in the dark. Let’s be getting back to some warm stew and a decent spot by the fire before both are taken.” The first one declared as he marched off.

With that they all gradually faded from earshot. Once they were Robyn began to breathe normally again.

“I should have fought them.” Dash hissed as he clenched his fist.

She shrugged.

“If you did we would both be dead.” She replied as if the point was obvious.

“I could have taken them.” He declared as he looked away, his face screwed in defiance.

She knew the reason for his anger. It had all happened so fast. They had been marching for the best part of the day. Finn was complaining about his hunger for none had eaten since the evening before. The rest had learned to ignore him as best they could. They were all tired and hungry and both only worsened as the afternoon waned. That is when they were discovered.

The going had been slow once they left the Riverlands. None of them knew the area beyond that well. The soggy mornings soon got their boots wet and dampened their moods. They were someway south of Riverrun and east of Pinkmaiden as best as they could tell. They avoided towns. Strict curfews were put in place until the rebellion was concluded. Strangers would no doubt attract unwanted attention and possible detention by the guards.

They would happen across the odd cabin or lodge on their way. These were typically abandoned, with nothing left behind save straw beds and crockery. Still, these were things the group used gladly. Though their supply of corn flour was running low and meat was getting harder to find as Robyn’s strength began to ebb away.

 She refused to sacrifice those she melded with in spite of Finn’s protests. They did not understand that the bond formed was more than physical. When completing the joining it was if she and the animal became part of each other.

Dash was more sympathetic, but he likely agreed with her to annoy Finn. She soon grew tired of trying to explain. She resorted instead to prompting the poor creature to attacking him if he got too close. If they wanted to eat meat they would have to catch it themselves as far as she was concerned.

More than this they looked to Robyn to report on the surrounding area. None of them were experts in ranging, despite their boasting. The numerous mergings soon took their toll on her. She would become dizzy and stumble more and more often. Lately she had even fainted.

It took considerate effort to form a new bond. If she rushed the process, the creature’s fear and panic could cut the link before it was fully formed. This she kept from the others. The comments about her weak constitution irked her greatly. All three of them still saw her as a small girl despite all she was doing. So lately she had pretended to form a link just so she could recover. She reasoned that a single day should not be too dangerous.

“Let’s see them last a day without me.” She reasoned to herself.

The first sign of danger was an arrow whizzing past Toby’s face. She felt the impact as it embedded itself into a nearby tree. They all froze in their tracks. Robyn felt her breath catch in her throat as her instincts screamed at her to run. She was good at that, especially in the woods.

Without thinking she grabbed onto Dash’s wrist, yanking him towards her. The second arrow passed overhead, breaking the spell of the first. Dash had screamed at everyone to run as he allowed himself to be pulled away. They had all turned to flee as more arrows whistled in their direction. It was not long before they became separated in the dense wilderness. Robyn could sense Dash close behind as she darted nimbly between the trees.

Shouts and curses could be heard from the men chasing them. They were not far behind but the deluge of thickets made it hard to judge their distance. After a few moments she heard Dash call out from behind her. She turned, and instantly felt a stitch in her side. She clamped her hand to it and desperately tried to catch her breath.

She spotted Dash caught on a thorn bush. It was thick and seemed to have a firm grasp on him. He was tearing at his jerkin in a bid to free himself but only entangled himself further. Her instincts screamed at her to keep running. If she turned away and kept on she could be free of them all. She could be alone again.

She had cursed her own stupidity as she hurried towards Dash. Frantic now he hacked at the branches in a mad flurry. His face had lost of his usual composure exposing him for boy he still was. Upon reaching him she swatted his hands away and began to untangle him methodically. He stopped struggling, signalling his trust in her. 

She ignored the yelling of their pursuers and the cuts from the thorns as she pressed her thumbs to them. He was almost free when she heard the sound of someone crashing through the undergrowth nearby.

Robyn saw Dash’s eyes widen when he heard it too. Without hesitation she pulled on him with all her weight so that he collapsed on top of her. She stifled a yelp as she felt something sharp dig into her back. She opened her eyes and saw that his own were only a nose breadth away. They had both become entangled in the thorn bushes. But it was the one thing that saved their lives.

How long they remained there, it was hard to tell. She had felt the thorns bite into her but she dared not move. Not until she heard the last of them disappear.

“We have to find the others.” Dash declared in a hushed voice rose slowly.

 It was no easy feat among the thorns. He was cut in several places upon his arms and cheeks, but all of them looked to be shallow.

 “Stupid.” She thought to herself as she watched him look about tentatively.

 “How do you intend to do that without getting caught?” She asked annoyed at his temerity, her voice louder than his.

 “Hush! Or we will get caught for sure.”

“Better now than in the middle of the night when we’re cold and hungry.” She shot back, her temper beginning to flare as she climbed out of their thorny refuge.

Dash was about to reply but then stopped as if he was chewing something over. His eyes narrowed suspiciously and when he spoke his words were slow and full of accusation.

“How were we discovered anyhow? I thought your little friends were keeping an eye out...” He observed.

She was too angry to lie.

“They were never keeping an eye out. They would simply share what they had seen. But even this became too taxing, not that you lot cared. So...”

She bit into her bottom lip. A mixture of shame, guilt and resentment grew in her as she confessed. She wanted to cry and lash out at the same time.

“So?” Dash prompted her.

He wanted the whole truth regardless of her turmoil.

“So I stopped.” She shot back, her face reddening.

She saw Dash blanch as he shook his head. She did not know why but she felt the urge to justify herself. When she spoke her words tumbled out quickly.

“Doing these things I can do... there is a cost. Animals that I do not know take more out of me. I am accustomed to avoiding danger, not following it. Not that any of you noticed!”

She paused to catch her breath, which was becoming hot.

Dash shook his head again.

“You should have said. It would have been better to rest.” He said simply.

His suspicion seemed to dissipate as his proud shoulders slumped.

“It’s all my fault. I was so desperate to press ahead that I had not considered those around me.” He said apologetically as he glanced towards the ground.

She was not used to seeing him like this. Ever since they had met he was always full of confidence and determination. To see him begin to mope now was unsettling. She may have wanted him to come to his senses and abandon this folly of a quest. But she hated seeing him like this even more. She also felt partially responsible. She was not used to consoling others.

“What was I hoping to achieve? Even if we reach Duskendale and somehow got a message to those inside, what then? We should have stayed back at the cave and now the others are likely dead.”

“All because I tried to play the hero.” Dash trailed off as the realisation hit him.

“We are not done yet. We will find Finn and Toby.” She answered resolutely.

Dash barely seemed to hear, lost in his despondent reverie. Robyn sighed and left him to seek out what she needed. She stopped at the base of a large oak tree. It roots extended as if reaching out to the others of its kind. She could sense the life teeming within and upon it. She sat with her back to the bark, her legs entangling themselves into the roots as if merging with them. She closed her eyes and felt her consciousness expand.

At first her mind became cluttered with the calls of nature. There were sparrows calling out to any others that may trespass onto their territory. Their chicks made their hunger known. Magpies were frantically searching and scanning the forest floor. A chipmunk flurried between the fallen leaves, its mouth full of acorns. She could sense its urgency in the autumn afternoon. She expanded further. She ignored the bleeding from her nose and the ache in her chest. Because she had found what she was looking for.

A squirrel, hot in the pursuit of a sow. He chased her around the tree trunk, spiralling ever upward. He had spent the better part of the day fending off his competitors. All of the local boars could sense the residing sow in heat, just as he had done. It had been a long day but he was determined to father a litter. She had been watching from atop her tree, sizing him up. He had stood on his hind legs showing of his stature. Any that neared him he would chase and nip until they fled the area.

Finally and none too soon, she had scampered down. She had approached him cautiously, her nose twitching. Still he waited. To approach too soon was to risk being attacked by her. He had learned that the hard way the previous mating season. He stood like a statue, fighting his urges to mount her. She was close now and with one final twitch of her nose she had darted back up the tree.

Without hesitation he chased her. This was the final trial to prove himself worthy. Around and around he followed her. Reaching ever higher to where the tallest branches awaited them. All his thoughts were on one thing, and one thing alone. Then, just as she leaped onto one of the branches ahead of them, he stopped suddenly.

A new thought overcame him. He abandoned all thoughts of copulation as the sow was forgotten. Instead he turned his head back towards the ground. And without knowing why he began to descend down the trunk. To where a small girl sat completely still.

He hesitated at first as he hovered just above her head. He sniffed in curiosity as he made his way to one shoulder then the other. As he did so a warm feeling came over him. Images of two other humans entered his mind. One he seemed to prefer over the other. Regardless he had a strong sense to find them both. He turned his head into the afternoon breeze and began to smell the air. Then he did something he had never done before. He began to chase after the scent of humans.

He did not know how long he spent like this; darting between the trees, avoiding predators and rival boars alike. The air was becoming cooler and sleep was threatening to overcome him. He pushed on. The smell of humans was stronger now. He could even detect smoke. Something he would usually flee from. But now he was strangely drawn to it.

Tentatively he continued onward. Eventually he heard the sounds of man. It was always easy to hear them. Of all the creatures he knew, they were among the loudest. Almost as loud as the foxes that screeched through the night. They will be out soon he realised as the sun began to set. Usually he would be snuggled up in his den by this part of the day. He pressed on nonetheless.

He crept forward, every so often rising up on his hind legs to gauge his bearings. He looked about for a tree near the humans. The first two had unfriendly inhabitants and he did not have the strength to fight them off. The third had the smell of a nesting sow, but he could see no sign of her. This one he decided to climb.

Nimbly he jumped onto one of the branches pointing in the direction of the fire. He grunted at a resting pigeon to move it out of the way. She chirped her annoyance at being disturbed before flapping to another branch. He ignored her as she stared at him from her new purchase above. No doubt intrigued as to why a squirrel was so busy at this time.

He looked down and saw them. Smoke rose from their midst. It appeared to him that there were two packs. One pack was dressed in the colour of moonless nights. They sat closest to the fire and were busy eating. The smell did not appeal to the squirrel. The other group sat further away and seemed to be bound to each other with vines. Neither pack had human sows among them.

He scanned both groups looking for a match to the image embedded in his mind.

It was difficult at first as the smoke soon stung his eyes, causing him to blink continuously. More than once he had to turn away and rub at them with his paws. He moved between branches to improve his view. 

He was about to give up and move on when one caught his eye. His hair was the colour of fallen leaves before the long dark cold came. He was bound like the others around him.

Without knowing why he had a strange feeling of familiarity. He scoped out the gathering one last time. Satisfied, he scampered off. This was not his part of the woods and he did not belong here. Last thing he recalled there was a sow he was courting. He would have to try again tomorrow now.

Hungry and tired he made his way back to his den. He entered nimbly enough and snuggled into his bed of moss and leaves. He nibbled on a left over acorn and soon began to drift to sleep. The last sound he heard were foxes beginning to awaken nearby. He hated foxes.

Back at the oak tree Robyn opened her eyes. It took a moment to readjust back to her own consciousness. A full melding would often leave her disorientated and feeling nauseas. She slowly unpicked herself from the roots of the tree. Her movements were sluggish at first as her head swam. She closed her eyes and concentrated on just her breathing. As she exhaled she felt her dizziness begin to dissipate. Hunger pangs replaced the nausea. This she ignored, as she did the throbbing at her temple.

Dash made his way over to her, concern in his eye.

“Did you...” He made a start to a question he did not know how to finish.

She nodded.

“I found Finn.” She stated simply.

Dash made to ask another question. He stopped when Robyn began to walk away. It was important that she avoided distraction as she tried to recall the squirrel’s journey.

The route she settled on seemed familiar as if she had walked it recently. She paused occasionally to confirm where she was heading. She would close her eyes and recall the sights and smells left to her. They were beginning to drift from her as if they realised they had been stolen from their true owner. Before long she began to stumble and her head began to swim.

Noticing her fragile state Dash offered her some rabbit meat. Usually she would scoff at the offer but she snatched it from his hand, barely chewing as she wolfed it down. Despite feeling a little guilty she felt better for it. After washing it down with her water skin she pressed on.

Half a league or so they travelled like this in silence. The sun was beginning to disappear and the shadows from the trees had all but merged. She was beginning to worry that she had taken a wrong turn. She did not have the strength to meld again, not until she rested. Those they were tracking would be long gone by then.

She was about to voice these concerns when they both heard something. It was distant and faint but there was no mistaking the sound of people. They both crouched and strained their ears.

The sounds of men conversing cut through the woods. Keeping low they crept forward. It was not long before she saw them. With her own eyes this time. She numbered them around two dozen. A few busied themselves about the camp, preparing bedding and cleaning crockery. Those closest to the fire were all garbed in black, seven of these she counted. They were also armed and entertained themselves with talk of the prisoners.

“My money’s on the chubster. The wildings will have him before he’s done pissing his breaches. Mark my words, I’ve not got one wrong yet.” One of them guffawed.

“Bah, you still owe me money from last year’s crop. But I’ll happily double what’s due to me.” Another called out over the others.

“The toes that I’ve got left tell me it will be the tall one to peg it first. He’s all skin and bone that one. The frost will take him before he wakes.” He countered.

“If not then a wildling’s axe will do the job. They seem to have it in for the taller ones.” A third one chimed in to the agreement of the others.

“Must be the night’s watch.” Dash whispered in her ear.

“They come down south every so often to recruit, mostly from prison cells I hear. The wall or the gallows, not a choice I would want to make.” He finished explaining.

Robyn thought she detected sympathy in his voice.

She knew of them of course. Everyone in the north did. They say the north remembers. It was hard to forget with a towering wall of ice on the horizon as a constant reminder.

The debate finished and odds were offered. Robyn looked past them at those they were debating over. It was difficult at first for the campfire only illuminated so far. But there they were, sat huddled together with their heads bowed. Forced to listen to what awaited them.

“This chill will seem like a hot summer breeze soon enough lads. Enjoy it while you can.”

One of the captives called out to them gleefully as he urinated on a tree adjacent to where they sat.

“Please, I have friends looking for me!” One of the captives begged.

His voice almost broke at the end, causing his captors to burst into laughter. Robyn recognised the voice immediately and tried to find his face among the throng.

“Aye, I’m sure you do. And when they get here perhaps they can explain why you were attacking our camp.” The one by the tree replied as he did up his breaches.

“I told you before, I was being chased!” Finn called after him as his captor returned to the fire.

“By ghosts was it? They say the dead leave no tracks.” He snorted back.

“Hey Marvin, you’ve usually got a good’un or two to tell. Any of them involve spirits in these parts?” His captor asked one of the others who was rolling out some bedding.

“Hmm these parts? Can’t say I have. Thieves and bandits are two a copper though.” The one called Marvin scratched his beard as he replied.

“Sal’s having a look now. He’s not as nice as us though mind, so watch what tales you spin his way.” The one before called back to Finn.

She saw him then. His flamed coloured hair was a dead giveaway. He appeared to be shivering. Whether it was from the evening chill or fear she did not know. Part of her wanted to leave him here and be rid of his complaining and pox mark. But she knew Dash would not abandon him, despite their fierce rivalry.

She had an idea to cause a distraction with nearby wildlife when she suddenly felt something cold and sharp pressed against her throat. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Dash was held likewise. Both of them froze where they crouched.

“Looks like two more little songbirds come to spy on us.” The man that held them called out to the others.

“Bind them. I would hear what songs they have to sing.” He ordered the others.  

Robyn rose as the dagger lifted her at the chin. In desperation she closed her eyes and tried to reach out to any nearby wildlife. Doing so caused her head to swim once more. She pushed through it and called out with her mind to any that would heed her. She blacked out as a fox screeched in reply.

She hated foxes.