06-25-2009, 06:07 AM
1)
"Good. All right Daniel, lead on."
The boy nodded as he pulled his coat closer around himself against the cool wind. Bits of the landscape stirred faint memories of the day in his head.
"This way," he said after a moment, and the trio set off.
-----------------
It was around midday when they reached the rocky edge of the hills. Ground turned from dry grass to stone and pebble, making tracking difficult which meant the three were now relying on Daniel's memory for guidance and even that was starting to falter.
It had been too long. One group of rocks and shrub looked like the next, and none of them looked familiar enough to jog anything in his mind.
Daniel sighed. "It was around here, but... I can't remember."
"Are you sure, Danny?" asked Robin. "Not even a little something?"
He brushed some of his dark hair from his eyes and sighed. "I was just a little kid, and it was years ago. None of this looks familiar."
"Daniel, Robin."
"Yes Marcus?"
"Don't move."
The two froze.
Marcus gaze was glued to something up into the growth higher on the hillside. Very slowly, Daniel turned and tried to take a look for himself.
Hidden among the plantlife there was a man with a bow - no wait, two men... three? No, four. They were well hidden, almost blending in to the surroundings with ease of a practiced hunter, no doubt guarding the entrance they sought.
"Easy now," Marcus called to the archers, "We're not here for trouble."
There was no response from above save one of the guards shifting to a better position.
"A young girl named Samantha told us-"
"Samantha?" one of the men interrupted, his voice radiating concern.
"Quiet Bartel!" another man hissed.
"Samantha is being cared for at Takuro," Marcus called back, "She'll be fine."
Relief washed over the man named Bartel's face.
"However," Marcus continued, "We would like to discuss matters with you, preferably as civilized men, and not as archery targets. My name is Marcus, and these are Robin and Daniel, all friends of Javon. May we approach?"
After several moments, one of the men, apparently the leader, finally stood up and motioned to the others to lower their bows.
"Good. All right Daniel, lead on."
The boy nodded as he pulled his coat closer around himself against the cool wind. Bits of the landscape stirred faint memories of the day in his head.
"This way," he said after a moment, and the trio set off.
-----------------
It was around midday when they reached the rocky edge of the hills. Ground turned from dry grass to stone and pebble, making tracking difficult which meant the three were now relying on Daniel's memory for guidance and even that was starting to falter.
It had been too long. One group of rocks and shrub looked like the next, and none of them looked familiar enough to jog anything in his mind.
Daniel sighed. "It was around here, but... I can't remember."
"Are you sure, Danny?" asked Robin. "Not even a little something?"
He brushed some of his dark hair from his eyes and sighed. "I was just a little kid, and it was years ago. None of this looks familiar."
"Daniel, Robin."
"Yes Marcus?"
"Don't move."
The two froze.
Marcus gaze was glued to something up into the growth higher on the hillside. Very slowly, Daniel turned and tried to take a look for himself.
Hidden among the plantlife there was a man with a bow - no wait, two men... three? No, four. They were well hidden, almost blending in to the surroundings with ease of a practiced hunter, no doubt guarding the entrance they sought.
"Easy now," Marcus called to the archers, "We're not here for trouble."
There was no response from above save one of the guards shifting to a better position.
"A young girl named Samantha told us-"
"Samantha?" one of the men interrupted, his voice radiating concern.
"Quiet Bartel!" another man hissed.
"Samantha is being cared for at Takuro," Marcus called back, "She'll be fine."
Relief washed over the man named Bartel's face.
"However," Marcus continued, "We would like to discuss matters with you, preferably as civilized men, and not as archery targets. My name is Marcus, and these are Robin and Daniel, all friends of Javon. May we approach?"
After several moments, one of the men, apparently the leader, finally stood up and motioned to the others to lower their bows.