Belly of the Beast by Warren Thomas (story books for 5 year olds txt) 📕

legendary elven hearing he possessed. Tane was sure that if anyone was within a thousand paces Quinn would hear them.

            “Keep to the trail I’ve marked for you,” Quinn said, heading north. “I’m going to check for pursuit, and then circle around again. I’ll meet you just before sunset to guide you into the site I’ve chosen for our camp. Be alert, for I’ve seen several large groups of zombies today.”

Chapter 50

            Forty-two blank faces stared at Nizar from within the deepening gloom of the twilight forest. Most were Leltic warriors, clad in brilliantly hued clothes and scant armor. A few were Jarlander mercenaries, and one was a towering Tyrian warrior with graying brown hair and beard. All were well-armed by any standards. Those zombies without edged weapons had been sent on north.

            “You have seen the faces of our enemies,” Nizar said. “I want them all alive, if possible. But it is imperative that none of them escape alive. Understood?”

            They nodded. Nizar suppressed a grimace. He hated the zombie tendency toward silence. They would talk, if absolutely necessary, and asked a question that couldn’t be answered by nodding or gesturing. But he shouldn’t blame them, since it was Dakar’s will. Their Divine Master thought enchanted slaves should be seen and not heard.

            “Excellent. They will be stopping for the night about now,” he continued. “We’ll give the elf another two hours to complete his final reconnoiter, then move in. This time they will not escape me.”

            No.

            Nizar started, even as the zombies fell to their knees. Who had said that? Could it be...?

            Yes, it is I, Dakar said into his mind. I have a trap already set for Tane Kyleson and his companions. You are to continue harassing them toward my trap.

            “But I can capture them tonight, while they sleep,” Nizar said.

            Perhaps. But it is too important to chance. And it is My will that you do as I say.

            That final statement had the sound of a command.

            “Your will is my command, Divine Master,” Nizar said, dropping to his knees. Cold moisture immediately saturated his knees and lower legs. He fought the feelings of discomfort, now knowing for sure that Dakar could read his mind from afar. “Do You wish for me to just keep pace with Tane Kyleson?”

            No, Dakar said, sounding satisfied. I want you to attack tonight as planned, just give them an opening to escape southward. And then hounded them day in and day out. Give them no rest. I await them at a river to your south.

            “As you command, Divine Master,” Nizar said, bowing his head.

            The faint feel of Dakar in the back of his mind faded without another word. Nizar waited another moment, to be sure, and then lifted his head to regard the assembled zombies. They were staring back at him, blank-eyed as usual. Nizar smiled at them, a glint in his dark eyes.

            Dakar had sounded pleased with him. So even if he didn’t personally capture the swordsmith, Nizar was confident he would benefit handsomely by Tane Kyleson’s capture.

            “You heard our Divine Master,” Nizar said. “In one hour we move out. That will allow us to attack them before they bed down. And we will not give them a moment’s rest after that.”

Chapter 51

            Quinn paused, listening. The forest sounded wrong. Or more precisely, it “felt” different. It already sounded wrong, subdued, as if all the animals were hesitant to make themselves known. But now everything seemed more tense. The animals felt the danger more keenly than humans, or even the elves, and appeared to have gone to ground.

            “Not a bad idea,” Quinn muttered, unable to determine if the threat he felt was real or the product of nerves.

            Before he could turn toward camp, he heard a distant rustling of leaves. Sliding off the faint game trail, he eased through the undergrowth toward the sound. Within minutes he saw movement. A small group of men crossed a clearing, with the faint light of the cloudy night just allowing Quinn to make out who and what they were.

            Zombies.

            Sweet Mother of us all, he thought, watching the shuffling gait of the men and women. They’re heading south, toward our camp.

            Then he caught sight of a man walking differently than the others as he crossed the clearing. His confident stride and gray robes marked him as a free-minded priest. Then Quinn noted the turban and veil of grey cloth.

            Impossible! He’s the one who attacked us that first night. There’s no way he could’ve followed us. I personally covered our trail.

            Impossible or not, the priest and his zombies looked to have a destination in mind. Quinn was confident he knew where they were headed, so eased away through the night shadows. Once he was far enough away not to be heard by human ears, he found a game trail and took off at the ground-eating trot elves were known for.

~**~**~

            Tane finished picking the sticks and stones out of the pile of leaves that was to be his bed and turned at Raven’s return. She held six small tubers and an armload of pecans.

            “Ah, dinner,” Armin said, rising to his feet to greet her. “And finally something beside nuts and berries.”

            They all gathered together in a circle as she dumped their dinner on the ground. Raven quickly divided everything up, setting Quinn’s portion aside as well. Then she added the extra tuber to Quinn’s portion.

            “He deserves more,” she said. “He’s running twice as hard, twice as long as the rest of us.”

            No one disagreed. In truth, Tane was feeling a bit guilty. He was more than willing, as were the others, to share in the work. But Quinn insisted, and his superior woodcraft and physical endurance was impossible to argue with. No one, not even the Vikon ahorse, could come close to doing the job Quinn was doing.

            After rubbing