Charles had turned to study the board. “Ithink we need another board and maybe a couple more journals. I canmake this bigger and better. Maybe we can give those journals to aperson from every scout team. What do you think?”
He didn’t wait for her response, moving asfast as his limp would let him, presumably to track down pens andjournals, leaving Shea standing there by herself.
She looked over her shoulder at the board,letting herself feel a small sense of accomplishment. Clark andCharles deserved the credit, but it made her feel good that she’dhad some part in this no matter how small. Perhaps her time herehad done some good after all. A little worried that this might maketheir jobs easier in conquering the Broken Lands, but for the mostpart she felt good.
She stepped out of the canopy’s shade. Thisexcursion had taken time that she didn’t really have, and though ithad been a welcome distraction, she needed to figure out what shewas going to do about the conversation she’d overheard. Until then,she needed to get back to work on preparing to be sent backout.
Procuring supplies didn’t take long, andsoon, she joined her party back at the corrals to prepare for theirjourney.
“You know what this is about?” Shea askedBuck as she made short work of saddling her horse. She cinched thelast buckle tight and patted the beast on the neck. It stamped onefoot and shifted but held still as she secured a sleep roll on theback of the saddle.
“No idea.” Buck hurried through hispreparations so he could start on Eamon’s horse. “Whatever it ishas the higher ups walking on hot coals though. My friends in theStray Wind Troop said the heads are at each other’s throats.”
The Stray Wind Troop from what Shea had beenable to gather was made up of, for lack of a better word, spies.Its members belonged primarily to Horse Clan but Snake and LionClan were always trying to get its men in there. Word around thecampfire said the Stray’s were all over the army, listening forplots against Fallon and doing his bidding. If they were involved,it wasn’t good.
“Here comes, Eamon,” Phillip warned. Hiswatchful gaze was even more intent than usual, and his featureswere tense. He didn’t look like he was willing to share whateverwas bothering him.
“Good, you’re ready.” Eamon shooed Buck awayand made short work of preparing his horse. “Sorry we’re leaving sosoon, but we have a mission.”
“Eamon, can I speak to you?” Shea asked. Shedidn’t want to reveal her knowledge in front of the others.
“Not now. We need to get moving.”
“It’s kind of important, and I think it mightpertain to the mission at hand.”
“What is it?” Eamon asked impatiently, hishands making quick work of readying his horse.
Shea’s response was cut off when another manshouted from the entrance of a tent. “Scout master, get a move on.You needed to be on the trail yesterday.”
“Alright, alright. We’re going. Keep yourpants on,” Eamon yelled back. To Shea, he said, “This’ll have towait. People are acting like the sky is about to fall. We need toget moving.”
Shea tried to protest, but Eamon had alreadyswung onto his horse.
“All of the scouts are on this mission itseems,” Buck said.
“Doesn’t matter what they’re doing; we justneed to follow our orders. Are you guys ready?”
Her chance missed, she nodded with theothers.
“Good. Then let’s head out, I’ll tell youmore when we’re underway.”
“Are there any others joining us?” Sheaasked.
“We’ll be traveling alone, but if we findwhat we’re looking for, we can call for help with this.” He held upa long, slender black tube with red painted on the bottom ofit.
Buck whistled, impressed. Even Phillip raisedan eyebrow.
Shea looked from man to man. “What isit?”
“It’s a beast.”
“That?” It wasn’t very impressive, or alivefor that matter.
“You probably wouldn’t know about it as theygrow on the plains, but when you light a match at the bottom, theanimal inside starts to glow. When it gets hot enough, it’ll eruptfrom its shell to shoot into the sky. We use them to send messagesor to warn of attack back home.” Eamon handled it carefully as heset it back in his bag.
“They’re getting scarce the further into theLowlands we push,” Buck told her as he mounted, “so only commandersand above are allowed to use them. Whatever we’re looking for mustbe pretty damn important.”
“It’s a who, not a what,” Eamon said.“Whoever he is, I hope someone finds him alive or blood willspill.”
