Free Frozen Prospects by Dean Murray

Jasmin. "You're sure she'll be okay?"
    The
older wife nodded. "She's fine. She has a good heart that
one, but even so, she wouldn't exhaust herself like that for just
anyone. You're important to her, important to us all really, but
especially her."
    Va'del
nodded past the lump in his throat. The feeling he'd finally found
a family was back, and somehow he didn't think it would ever leave. As long as I have these
three, I'll never be quite so alone again.
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    The
leave taking from the village earlier that morning had been harder
than Va'del expected. It'd been obvious the villagers still didn't
know everything about the Guadel and their powers, but they knew
much more than the people in Screaming Wind, and as a consequence,
their welcome had been warmer, and their stay much more relaxed.
    The
villagers had actually been sorry to see the Guadel leave, which had
shocked Va'del. It was quickly becoming apparent that a small
change in how the villagers perceived the Guadel made a huge
difference in how I'rone's family was treated. More and more,
Va'del was realizing just how little sense it made for the Guadel to
exert so much effort to remain a mystery.
    The
path the small group followed had broadened out enough for Jasmin
and Va'del to walk side-by-side. The heavy coats and hoods they all
wore made it hard to tell much about what a person was thinking, but
Va'del nevertheless had the feeling Jasmin was deep in thought.
    As
reluctant as he was to interrupt her solitude, the questions pulling
at Va'del's thoughts were so insistent he finally cleared his
throat.
    "I
thought bag'ligs were lowland beasts—what brought them up so high?"
    Jasmin
picked her way across the hardened snow, her breath frosting the air
before her, for nearly a minute before answering. "They are
lowland beasts, but they do sometimes come up this high when they
have reason."
    "What
kind of reason would drive them up where there isn't really any
food?"
    The
hooded figure next to him stopped for a second before pulling on her
gurra's lead and continuing on. "I don't know for sure, none
of us really know why such a large group would come up this high,
but I'rone suspects that they were driven up here, possibly as a
kind of weapon. There aren't many lowlanders who can survive up
here, but if they wanted to make life more difficult for us they
could always push the bag'ligs up the mountain. The elevation
doesn't bother bag'ligs as much as it does people."
    Va'del's
question as to why someone would hate the People so much was cut
short as I'rone suddenly stopped, his head sweeping rapidly back and
forth, scanning an arc before them. Betreec took the lead to
I'rone's gurra as Jasmin and Va'del hurried over to her side.
    Jasmin
took Va'del's lead and tapped his sword hilt as she gave him a
nervous smile. Within moments both women had sunk into the trances
that would allow them to augment I'rone's speed and strength, and
Va'del's heart was racing.
    As
the now-familiar air of deadliness and grace settled on I'rone; the
Guadel pulled Va'del to him. "Be ready to protect the women if
I fall."
    While
the teenager was still processing the words, I'rone took off at a
run through the snow towards the unseen danger. The whole situation
seemed so surreal to Va'del that he had a hard time believing it
wasn't all a dream until six rough-looking men rose from behind a
snow drift and pointed crossbows at the lone figure running toward
them.
    Heart
in his throat, Va'del watched six quarrels leap from the crossbows
and streak towards I'rone. He's
dead. Maybe if I charge them before they can reload?
    Amazingly,
none of the deadly projectiles found I'rone. Instead, he dodged
some of them and even knocked one or two out of the air with his
weapons before rushing forward to engage the attackers.
    Va'del
nearly stopped his headlong flight towards the attackers, thinking
that if I'rone had been able to handle eight bag'ligs that he'd be
able to handle six men. But
the