Kavio
Kavio returned to the camp.
Rthan had finished sewing the bark patch and was now brushing on the hot glue made of spruce gum, charcoal, and bear grease. When Kavio approached, Rthan's shoulders tensed. He spun around, frowning.
"Your steps are hurried."
"The Healer's serving maiden has gone missing," Kavio said.
Rthan stood still, waiting. He didn't see what this had to do with him. Normally, a leader would send a few warriors to search for someone of such low status.
"I'm going to search for her myself," Kavio added.
A flicker of surprise crossed Rthan's tattooed face.
"And I want you to help me."
Rthan's eyebrows rose. "Why you? Why me?"
Kavio searched for an excuse—anything besides shouting Because it's Dindi! at the top of his lungs.
"You, because you know these lands. Me, because who else can go with you? I'll need your word. You won't try to escape, or hurt me, or hurt the girl."
Rthan scowled. "Haven't I already proved I will honor my parole?"
"Yes. That's why I trust you now. But your earlier promises may not cover… these new circumstances."
"You mean if we have to fight Blue Waters warriors."
"Would you fight them?" Kavio asked.
"When Yellow Bear traitors attacked the peace party, you and I fought side by side," said Rthan. "If Blue Waters traitors attack anyone from the peace party—even a lowly serving maiden—I'll fight them with you."
"Well said," Kavio replied with a nod. He respected what Rthan had promised—and noticed what he hadn't. If the warriors who had taken Dindi were acting on the orders of War Chief Nargano, would Rthan still take Kavio's side?
Maybe not.
But this was probably the best Kavio could expect. If he had been in Rthan's place, he wouldn't have promised more either.
They went together to the tree where someone had scratched the bark. Kavio stayed back this time. He didn't think the leftover magic would hit him again—but he wouldn't take the risk in front of Rthan.
"What do you make of it?" he asked.
Rthan studied the scratches. He held his hand over the marks—his wide fingers made the claw lines look small.
"Human scratches, most likely," he said. "Made by someone small. But how do you know she was taken by men? Maybe an animal attacked her."
"Maybe," Kavio said.
But he didn't believe that. Even without the Vision, he would have doubted any wild beast could take Dindi by surprise.
"Let's look for a trail."
To their surprise, they found one easily. The kidnappers had hidden their tracks near the camp, but farther away, they chose speed over secrecy. Their path left broken branches, scratched bark, and even footprints in the mud.
The tracks weren't clear enough to tell if they wore boots, sandals, or went barefoot. But the steps were heavy and wide—human or something close to it. Likely male. That still didn't help Kavio know whether the shadows from his Vision had been men… or fae.
Either one was dangerous.
The trail wound and twisted, partly to follow the land, partly—Kavio guessed—to confuse anyone following. But the path always went downhill, toward the Selkie River.
It ended at the rocky beach where the seals had gathered.
Kavio and Rthan stayed hidden among the trees. They didn't step into the open, but they could hear the barking and honking of the seals. Brown, slick bodies moved just beyond a pile of large stones.
Rthan cursed softly. "This is not good."
"I don't think we're going to avoid dealing with seals after all," Kavio said. His voice was grim. "It looks like your warning about the shapeshifters might have been right on target."
Rthan looked hard at the beach. "How important is it to get the maiden back?"
Kavio's head snapped toward him. "You're not suggesting we leave her to the Selkies?"
"We may not have a choice. There are hundreds of seals down there. We don't know how many are actually Selkie shapeshifters in seal form. And I don't have to remind you—those shapeshifters hate my people. We Shunned them. We drove them out. They might see this as a chance for revenge."
"I don't care about their old grudges," Kavio said, eyes flashing. "I don't care how many of them there are. We will rescue the maiden. Or…"
His voice lowered, dangerous.
"If it's too late to save her… then we will avenge her. And woe to anyone responsible."
Rthan had finished sewing the bark patch and was now brushing on the hot glue made of spruce gum, charcoal, and bear grease. When Kavio approached, Rthan's shoulders tensed. He spun around, frowning.
"Your steps are hurried."
"The Healer's serving maiden has gone missing," Kavio said.
Rthan stood still, waiting. He didn't see what this had to do with him. Normally, a leader would send a few warriors to search for someone of such low status.
"I'm going to search for her myself," Kavio added.
A flicker of surprise crossed Rthan's tattooed face.
"And I want you to help me."
Rthan's eyebrows rose. "Why you? Why me?"
Kavio searched for an excuse—anything besides shouting Because it's Dindi! at the top of his lungs.
"You, because you know these lands. Me, because who else can go with you? I'll need your word. You won't try to escape, or hurt me, or hurt the girl."
Rthan scowled. "Haven't I already proved I will honor my parole?"
"Yes. That's why I trust you now. But your earlier promises may not cover… these new circumstances."
"You mean if we have to fight Blue Waters warriors."
"Would you fight them?" Kavio asked.
"When Yellow Bear traitors attacked the peace party, you and I fought side by side," said Rthan. "If Blue Waters traitors attack anyone from the peace party—even a lowly serving maiden—I'll fight them with you."
"Well said," Kavio replied with a nod. He respected what Rthan had promised—and noticed what he hadn't. If the warriors who had taken Dindi were acting on the orders of War Chief Nargano, would Rthan still take Kavio's side?
Maybe not.
But this was probably the best Kavio could expect. If he had been in Rthan's place, he wouldn't have promised more either.
They went together to the tree where someone had scratched the bark. Kavio stayed back this time. He didn't think the leftover magic would hit him again—but he wouldn't take the risk in front of Rthan.
"What do you make of it?" he asked.
Rthan studied the scratches. He held his hand over the marks—his wide fingers made the claw lines look small.
"Human scratches, most likely," he said. "Made by someone small. But how do you know she was taken by men? Maybe an animal attacked her."
"Maybe," Kavio said.
But he didn't believe that. Even without the Vision, he would have doubted any wild beast could take Dindi by surprise.
"Let's look for a trail."
To their surprise, they found one easily. The kidnappers had hidden their tracks near the camp, but farther away, they chose speed over secrecy. Their path left broken branches, scratched bark, and even footprints in the mud.
The tracks weren't clear enough to tell if they wore boots, sandals, or went barefoot. But the steps were heavy and wide—human or something close to it. Likely male. That still didn't help Kavio know whether the shadows from his Vision had been men… or fae.
Either one was dangerous.
The trail wound and twisted, partly to follow the land, partly—Kavio guessed—to confuse anyone following. But the path always went downhill, toward the Selkie River.
It ended at the rocky beach where the seals had gathered.
Kavio and Rthan stayed hidden among the trees. They didn't step into the open, but they could hear the barking and honking of the seals. Brown, slick bodies moved just beyond a pile of large stones.
Rthan cursed softly. "This is not good."
"I don't think we're going to avoid dealing with seals after all," Kavio said. His voice was grim. "It looks like your warning about the Selkie might have been right on target."
Rthan looked hard at the beach. "How important is it to get the maiden back?"
Kavio's head snapped toward him. "You're not suggesting we leave her to the Selkies?"
"We may not have a choice. There are hundreds of seals down there. We don't know how many are actually Selkie shapeshifters in seal form. And I don't have to remind you—those Shifters hate my people. We Shunned them. We drove them out. They might see this as a chance for revenge."
"I don't care about their old grudges," Kavio said, eyes flashing. "I don't care how many of them there are. We will rescue the maiden. Or…"
His voice lowered, dangerous.
"If it's too late to save her… then we will avenge her. And woe to anyone responsible."