I would hae time tae get m’bearings and tae find a meal and a place tae sleep afore nightfall.
Then I heard voices.
I scrambled up, rushed tae the trees and crouched in the darkness. Och, I wished I had a horse so I could get from this place.
Two men on horseback rode up, their swords drawn. One man said, “The storm was centered here.”
I peered out, wonderin’ if the person was friendly, but he looked villainous.
The other said, “We need tae search the forest, he’s likely on foot. He’s got it on him, we need that vessel.”
I silently crept further back in the dense underbrush, until there was enough distance, then I turned and ran. They yelled when they saw me and began tae pursue.
I racedthrough the forest and continued on, until the trees thinned, and I kept going even though m’chest ached from the pounding, and my legs were weary from the chase.
I found m’self racing across a wide field. I looked over my shoulder,were they still in chase?When I turned back, I was at a cliff’s edge, I slammed tae a stop, m’arms careening against momentum — I was dangerously close tae fallin’, pullin’ against the air. I swayed for a moment, but then the ground slipped away and my foot descended, gravel and dirt, spilling down the side. I was goin’ over, swinging — I grasped frantically and found a root, hanging by my good arm. The root was rope-like, but the surface was smooth and hard tae grasp. I slipped down an inch.Och nae.Wincing with pain I pulled my other arm up, and tried tae get purchase, higher up, but the pain near knocked m’breath from m’lungs. I glanced down, the drop was not sheer, twas a steep incline. I was about forty feet up, below me were large rocks that would break me when I fell.
Dampened with sweat, my hand slipped, I dropped another inch.
I looked down again. Twas makin’ me dizzy, my body ached —could I survive the fall?
Twas unlikely.
But then from a distance, I heard Max’s voice, “Torin!”
I yelled, “I am here!”
“Hold on, I’m coming!”
He sounded far away, “Hurry, I canna hold on!”
I had tae climb up, but m’other arm was useless, then above me a man chuckled, “Och, ye are in a bind, Torin?”
Twas nae Max’s voice.
I looked up, the face was in shadow.
“Where’s Max?”
He glanced over his shoulder. “He winna make it in time, ye’re about tae fall.”
I groaned.
He said, “And ye hae something that is mine.”
I joked, “It is about tae break upon the rocks, perhaps ye ought tae help me up from this precipice so Max and I can discuss yer property.”
The man flicked his boot, sending a cascade of gravel down on my head. “How about ye pass up the vessel?—”
“Why does everyone want this blasted thing? Tis nothing but a pain in the arse.”
I slid another inch down, and groaned, twistin’, lookin’ down at my certain death. I yelled, “Max, hurry!”
There was nae answer.
I told the man, “Ye are about tae lose it on the rocks if ye daena help me up.”
I couldna hold on with one hand much longer. I jammed the other hand in my sporran, rummaged around, and wrapped it around the vessel.
