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A few minutes later, the occupants of the house emerged, with the war chief right behind. The four
also carried packs, waterskins, and weapons. Slith and Kang both spotted the scrawny dwarf, talking to
the war chief.
"You were mentioning a trap, sir," Slith whispered. "Think this is it?"
Kang mused. This was completely unexpected. "No, I doubt it," he said at last. "A trap for us would
have been more like two hundred dwarves, not twenty. No, I mink they're facing a logistical problem, the
same one we faced how do four dwarves carry back all that loot? Not to mention the fact that these
Niedar will be about as welcome in Thorbardin as we will, if they catch us."
The dwarves moved out.
"Quite the expedition, isn't it, sir?" Slith said.
"Yes," Kang agreed. "Somehow I don't imagine this is what our skinny little friend had in mind."
The dwarves swung past them, the war chief in the lead looking very smug and triumphant. The
scrawny dwarf and his three friends marched along glumly behind.
Kang glanced over his shoulder. "This is it. Gloth, prepare to move out."
Gloth crawled back into the underbrush. The draconi-ans were also well equipped, carrying heavy
packs containing food and, in addition, tools and equipment which could be used for tunneling, climbing,
building. Fifty-foot rope cords looped around their bodies like sashes. All wore swords. Kang had a full
complement of magical spells.
It might have been his imagination, but since he'd recovered his holy symbol, Her Dark Majesty had
seemed more gracious to him. More gracious, yet he thought he detected an undercurrent of unease.
Perhaps her dark knights were running into trouble.
Gloth crawled back. "We're ready whenever you give the word, sir."
They didn't have to wait long. The dwarves exited the village, heading north. No one came out to
cheer or wave or see the dwarves-leave. The High Thane was not making a speech, urging his men on to
glory. These twenty were sneaking out under cover of darkness. Kang could guess why. The dwarven
village was still expecting to be attacked by the draconians. And here were twenty able-bodied men,
who should be preparing to defend hearth and home, leaving it.
The dwarves marched straight for the Celebund pass. The night was extremely dark. It would be
some time yet before Lunitari rose, and then she'd be only a thin sliver of red, like a scar. The black
moon was full, though. Kang gave the dwarves a ten-minute head start.
"Move out."
Kang ordered Gloth to pass the order, which would be done by each draconian whispering the
command to the next in line. "I want absolute quiet," Kang reiterated. "Anyone so much as coughs no
dwarf spirits for the next two months."
This was a terrible threat, and completely unnecessary, as Kang knew. His troops were well
disciplined, well trained, and these were the best of the best. The draconians moved out of the north end
of the wood, marching along after the dwarves.
Kang led the troop up the rocky entrance to the well-worn path that wound over the edge and down
the side of Mount Celebund. Every time they topped a rise, he could see the line of dwarves, their bodies
glowing faintly red in his sight, trailing down the mountain ahead of him.
They'd marched about six hours and had just completed the crossing of the pass, when the dwarves
called a halt. They settled themselves in a glade, pulled out waterskins, and rested from their labors. i
Kang stopped the troop. Slith moved forward.
"What is it, sir?" he asked.
"Down below the ground opens up. We have to cross a meadow. We should increase the distance
between our two parties. At this rate, we should still reach Mount Bletheron by sunrise. Are they
following the same path they took the first time?"
"Exactly, sir." Slith's tongue flicked over his teeth. "I was right. They're leading us straight to their
secret entrance."
Kang's troop waited for the dwarves to move on. Half an hour later, the dwarves packed up and
continued their march.
The draconians reached the approaches to Mount Bletheron as the sky began to lighten.
"We'd better stop and take cover here," Kang said. "Once it's daylight, any dwarf who so much as
turns his head to look behind him will see us."
The draconians crouched behind boulders or lay down beneath bushes. Most fell asleep. Kang and
Slith took turns keeping watch.
The morning passed without incident. When the sun had reached its zenith, was burning down on
them as if it meant to roast each one alive, Kang decided that the dwarves had an adequate head start.
He woke everyone up. After a cold meal, they were on their way again. They crossed the pass over
Mount Bletheron just as the sun began to set.
TCang was beginning to worry. He had set his best trackers on the trail and they reported no sign of
the dwarves. Of course, it was difficult to track anything among the rocks and boulders. One thousand
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