2.5 - Sacrifice

As first light began to trickle in through the trees, everyone was awake. We needed to move now before they started another search in earnest. I wanted to go back in immediately, but my companions knew how foolish that would be and convinced me. It did not take much convincing as my broken ribs and multiple cuts or stabs had begun to really make themselves known once the chill of the lake and the heat of the battle wore off. The Commander pointed out that even raiders couldn't operate entirely on their own. There must a settlement nearby where they could trade for supplies, information, and where trade wagons would be moving through. He knew of a settlement to the southwest, Timberhold, but it would be too dangerous to go back along the road. We were on the Southeast side but we would need to go around the North side of the lake, along the mountain that it sat below.

We made good pace at first, getting away from the lake and up into the hills before the sun was truly in the sky, then we came to a river. The Blackmere is glacier fed, and its icy waters run down from the mountain through River Gryme. There was no bridge or easy fjord here to cross, we would have to swim. We sealed our packs as best we could against the water, but certainly everything would get wet. We climbed out the other side dripping and shivering, but could not stop to rest or make fire. It was not the time nor the place, but something stirred me upon seeing Sera climb out of the river, dripping hair, tight leathers and wet clothes sticking to her body. There was no time to admire her, however, and we moved on quickly.

The terrain opened up some, became easier to walk, it was brief respite. As it began to climb again and thicken we saw movement through the trees. Organized movement. Not looking our way, but it was a search party. We weren't in any shape to fight them and there were too many to do so, we slipped past. Sera lead, we followed. From tree to tree, moving when she beckoned, holding when she closed her first. Whether through skill or miracle we made it through unnoticed, and all released the breath we hadn't realized we were holding.

Then the worst came. The forest dropped away suddenly, a ledge. A 50 foot drop at least, and stretching too far to feasibly go around. We stood there for awhile, examining the options. First we fashioned a sling that would hold Vicejaw, then I took some iron pitons Brynn had been carrying and looked to hammer them into the rocky crags. Our intent was to secure a rope that we could use to lower Vicejaw safely and then climb down ourselves, but Sera's warning cut our plan short. The search party had moved up this way as well, unknown if they had seen us yet. We needed to get down the cliff before they got to us. I abandoned that plan, if they hadn't seen us then hammering a piton in the rock would surely alert them. Instead I hefted my pack over the edge, and threw it out as far as I could. It hit the ground below with a dull thud. I grabbed Vicejaw then, deftly wrapped the sling around him and hefted his bulk onto my back.

My wounds screamed but there was nothing for it. I grit my teeth and began to move down the cliff after the others. It went reasonably well for the first half of the descent but then we heard voices from above, and a shout. Brynn looked up at that and missed his footing. There was a long moment where time seemed to stand still, and then it all caught back up at once. He slipped, sliding and scraping against the cliff face a few feet before bouncing off and hitting the ground 20 feet below. A cry of pain as he hit the ground and I saw from above his leg bent at an odd angle. No options. Brynn down below us, unable to move, the enemy above us. I scrambled down as fast as I could, more of a barely controlled fall at that point then a climb. I dropped Vicejaw as quickly as I could moved to scoop up Brynn. We needed to get away from the cliff as soon as we could in case they had bows or decided to come down after us.

We made it the tree line, barely, before I stumbled. My own pain was too great and we went down together in a pile, both grunting with pain. Brynn knew what needed to be done then. We all knew, but none of us could say it. He volunteered to stay behind, to delay them, even if just for a few seconds. As I steadied him in the shadow of a tree I gripped the iron of his spear, and swore to return.