Garinor looked at the shifting shadows and decided not to go in that direction.
“That doesn’t look good. Can we go around, do you think?” He wondered if the Seer had guided him to meet this army, but the horse’s discomfort told him otherwise. Besides, he doubted the Seer had planned on him catching up with a mobile group of people. He must have been directed toward something more permanent.
“We must go further east,” he decided then tugged the horse in that direction.
They went off the well-trod road and into some underbrush. The tall horse didn’t mind the overgrown landscape and it kept its pace without hesitation. Eventually they came to a rocky precipice and Garinor dropped down from the horse. “I think we’ll rest here a while.”
He set up a makeshift camp in the underbrush and realized that the events leading him onward were wearing down his resolve. He drifted off to a restless sleep where his dreams were plagued in mystery.
Garinor awoke with a start as night approached. He scanned around and saw a small band of travelers making their way toward him. He didn’t have any means of defending himself and he wondered if he would ever be able to mount the horse in time to escape. It took him too long to decide, though, and the band was upon him.
“Greetings, friend,” called one member of the troupe. “Might we join you this fine evening?”
Garinor inspected the group and then assented. They didn’t look like trained hunters, just a group of friends moving on from one place to another. They were experienced campers, though, and they struck up a basic fire in no time at all.
“We’ve been on the road about two weeks now, wouldn’t you say, Yallia?”
A young woman, about nineteen, nodded. “Yes, that’s about right. On our way to the desert town of Urdill in the west.”
The man laughed. “Eventually, anyway, but we’re planning on seeing the countryside before we get there.” He called out to one of the others, “Parinash, what’s for eats?”
“Roast hare tonight,” answered a strong young man. He appeared to be a year or two older than Yallia, and from the way he kept glancing at her, he was madly in love with her.
“Oh, you’ll love the way Parinash cooks hare. It’s absolutely amazing!” cheered Yallia, much to Parinash’s delight. Even in the twilight, Garinor could see him blush with her praise.
The other three members of the group kept mostly to themselves, though they weren’t rude to Garinor or the others. Yallia tried to explain, “We’re all heading to the desert because we’ve had too hard a time keeping our farms going. So we decided that that’s where we’re going to go to seek new lives.”
“And,” Parinash added, “Jaliper here is a true pest so they all stay away.” He laughed at the man who had initiated contact with Garinor and then dodged a stray swipe of his hand.
“Now, now, I’m not all that bad,” Jaliper commented. He then turned to Garinor and spoke conspiratorially, “Though I’ll admit I do tend to boss them around a bit.”
Parinash laughed. “A bit?”
“Shush now, Pari,” Yarria crooned. “Leave Father be.”
Garinor settled into a nice conversation with the troupe and offered to keep Parinash company on the first watch.
“You’re a good sort,” Parinash commented. “I’m glad we ran into you.”
“Me, too. You’re a good bunch of people.” He paused, looking at the man for a moment. “What are you hoping to find in Urdill?”
Parinash shrugged and sighed. “I don’t know, but times have been hard on us. Yarria’s mother died last year and her father hasn’t been the same since. The whole farm fell to pieces. Yarria and I were going to be married by now, but things have changed.” He looked off to where Yarria was blissfully asleep. “I’m hoping she’ll come to her senses before we reach the desert. Her father has family there, which is why we’re going, but if she and I worked at it, we could get the farm running again.”
“It sounds like a rough choice on your part.”
Parinash smiled. “You’re young. But when you fall in love, you’ll find you’d go across the sky for her.”
Garinor didn’t know what to say, so he asked the other question on his mind. “What of the other three? They don’t seem like they’re with you.”
“Not really, so you’re right there. They used to work on Jaliper’s farm and when he called it quits, they decided to tag along. Well, not all of them, but these ones did. They didn’t expect this to be a tour of the kingdom, though. Still, it’s been good having them. They’re excellent trackers and hunters, so they always help us find food if we’re stuck.”
“And you’re the main chef?”
Parinash laughed. “Yep, looks that way. Of course, I do a lot of other things too, but—” He interrupted himself and looked around at the others, then he leaned in and whispered in Garinor’s ear. “Yarria can’t even boil water, if you know what I mean, so if I don’t cook, there’s nothing worth eating.” He then pointed a finger threateningly at Garinor. “And don’t you go telling anyone that!”
Garinor chuckled and agreed. “Your secret is safe. And besides, how could I argue with someone who cooked us such an amazing dinner?”
He smiled. “Thanks. Now how about you go on and get some sleep and we’ll let someone else take over a while?”
Garinor slept peacefully that night, trusting his new companions, and he woke with his mouth watering at a sumptuous breakfast Parinash had put together.
Late into the day, they parted company. Garinor wished them well on their quest and he mounted his horse and continued to the north. The army he had seen had moved further along the path and set up camp as evening approached. He wondered again what he should do. He thought that if he strode purposefully into the settled camp and announced himself, he might be able to explain his presence and be permitted to pass. Or, he could take his chances and venture away from the troop and seek refuge to the east, perhaps avoiding the army altogether. His biggest concern with sneaking away was stumbling into a sentry and being treated as an enemy spy.