The Deepcombers

Chapter Ten

Daoda's Gift baked the four fugitives as they ran beside the river. Lon snatched glances at the waterfall any chance he got and because the mountain was so tall, some piece of the spectacle was always there to behold. The attraction mesmerized his eyes and seized his mind as he jogged ever closer through the thickening jungle.

Wherever possible, the lad chose paths under the lindens that grew by the stream. It was a few degrees cooler under their boughs and these waterholes offered the best chance of finding edible game. Sadly, for the hungry runners the creek was entirely void of animals and yet this region teemed with life. As they progressed Jarl pointed out paw prints, hoof marks and tufts of brown and white fur on coarse bark trees. The group constantly passed grass beds that were trampled and matted with dung.

The trumpet blast meant they were prey to be hunted, yet when Lon gazed around this empty land he felt only freedom and happiness. Their escape route was so obvious, but so daunting that he doubted any soldiers would dare pursue them up the mountainside. It was a simple plan and with these hearty companions he was sure it would succeed. He was firmly in command of his destiny now and he'd even built-up some momentum. The murderous priest would be hard pressed to catch him out here. With these friends he could easily cross the hundred mile square island, infiltrate the port in disguise, and find passage away somewhere in under a month; that was achievable. His mother wouldn't recognize him when he came home, but in time she'd accept his changed body because he was still her son and still Lonastasius Treanole and still entitled to his birthright.

The terrain changed and the ground became soft as they approached the mist maker. Lon felt its hot moisture in the air around him. This is a rain forest. The meandering river straightened and the water ran faster as the ground ahead sloped higher. Sturdy conifers found deep soil here and grew tall with wide trunks. Their mass blocked everyone's view of the falls.

All four runaways dripped with sweat as they groped ever-higher uphill. Tharus removed his slave tunic and tied the ragged garment around his waist. Clyde was still fully dressed, and he huffed and puffed at the rear of the party.  He appeared uncomfortable in his quilted jacket, heavy trousers and boots. The sight of him trailing behind made Tharus and Jarl queasy and they quick-marched ahead so they wouldn't have to consider him part of the crew.

The riverbank was smooth rock, and in some places it was slippery and dangerous beside violent rapids. The roar of the falls overhead deafened their ears and yet Lon still couldn't see the impact point.  It was clear the smooth cliff behind the downpour returned the sound. The steady pace he set for the pack stalled in the dense thicket that surrounded the spray-shrouded mystery above.  

Lon decided to leave the river and find a new route around through this last ring of trees. Tharus and Jarl followed, and Clyde trailed behind. The young lad really wanted to see the lake at the bottom of the drop. He'd worked towards this momentous discovery all day. But he froze when he sensed movement in the canopy. He looked up just in time to see a brown smear move through the trees.

"Monkeys !" Jarl shouted. The sight of the furry critters excited some latent instinct in his brain and he tore-off after the chattering chimps. He only got a few paces before it became clear there was no apprehending them. The hungry lion looked back at Lon and Tharus and he twitched his cat-ears and waggled his shoulders to encourage them to follow.

Tharus was ready to try, and he stepped forward, but the sea drover wasn't interested in the lionfeigor's loose foray to find monkey meat and he shook his head no.

"You'd have to fly to catch them." Clyde huffed, out-of-breath, as he caught up to the others.

Jarl glared daggers at the scribe and sneered contemptuously as his expensive clothes, soaked with sweat.