Chapter 21

Razar pushed ahead through the thick underbrush leaving his companions a few steps behind.

“Hold!” Baran Wardex shouted at the hound for the tenth time in as many minutes.

Razar stopped but did not look back.  His nose turned in the air and eyes searching the dense cluster of trees.

“Father, do not shout at Razar,” Kyna said patting Razar’s wide black head.  “He is anxious for us to find Cade.  Can’t you feel his tension?”

“It will do no good if he loses us Kyna,” Baran bit.  “If we lose the hound then we lose Cade.  I am no hound or slip of a girl to slide in and out of the underbrush easily.”

Kyna looked at her father.  He stood well over six feet tall, and his body was compact hard muscle, his sword was strapped to his back in the manner of the Wardex.  Deep lines of worry around his mouth stood out in stark contrast to swarthy skin.  “We will find Cade Father.  I would know if…”  Her voice trailed away.

Baran grunted and stomped through the brush.  He looked down at Razar, “Well, what are you waiting for?”

Kyna sighed and patted Razar’s head.  Razar continued on at a slow trot.

“Two days,” Baran muttered.  “Two days Cade lies wounded and without the hound.  And that only if we find him before suns set.”

Kyna reached up and touched her father’s thick muscled arm.  Baran Wardex wore his black hair short, almost to the scalp.  His blue eyes missed nothing.  The traditional Wardex fur cloak draped broad shoulders.  There was a hard edge to his mouth, some would even say cruel.  But Kyna knew most of the lines on his face were not from training and sending out Wardex to protect and police the human race, but from losing her mother many years before in childbirth.

“We must be close,” she said softly.  “Razar is slowing and more vigilant.”

Baran took his eyes off the trail and looked down at his daughter.  Her fragile beauty took his breath away.  She was not large sturdy Wardex blood so often seen in the women of his clan.  They loved, nurtured, reared children and when needed fought fiercely.  The Wardex women were voluptuous, with a passion for living that kept their clan warm on cold winter’s nights.

Kyna looked just like her mother’s petite people, long blond hair plaited into a thick braid that brushed her backside, sparkling green eyes, and perfect white teeth. 

Baran thought of Ria as he so often did when looking at Kyna.  Ria was the most beautiful woman in the world as far as he was concerned.  He pursued her relentlessly and in the end, despite the objections from her father and brothers, they were wed.  Most of the objections stemmed from her family’s concern about leaving their gentle town and braving the harsher Wardex clime.  But his Ria always a fighter, prevailed.

He sighed.  Her family warned trying to birth the huge wardex children would kill her.  And it was something echoing in his head during her first two pregnancies.  But His Ria delivered two healthy strapping baby boys within five years.  They were overjoyed when many years later she conceived a third time.  There was no reason to expect things would go so wrong and Ria would lose her life.

Many men in the clan were starting to show an interest in Kyna.  In fact, two even offered for her.  Baran refused them outright.  Kyna would not marry a Wardex.  He would not allow the tragedy to be repeated.  He intended to send her to her mother’s people these past three summers, but always found reasons to postpone.  Looking down at her blossoming beauty he knew she must go soon.

Baran rubbed a thick hand over tired eyes from not sleeping the night before.

Kyna reached a small hand up to his face.  “You are thinking about mother.”

“I am,” Baran said softly.  “You look so much like her right now with her arrows on your back.  Your mother was a fine bowman Kyna, as are all her people.  You have their gift.” 

He saw the sad look in her eyes and tugged her braid.  “Don’t go getting all teary eyed on me girl.  We have to find your brother.”

She gave him a shaky smile.  If he only knew how guilty she felt for being the reason her mother died.  Some days the pain in his eyes almost buckled her knees.  But she would not burden her father with such a matter.  She would make him proud.

Razar’s harsh bark brought them back to their mission.  They followed the sound through the underbrush until it thinned and several small caves came into view.