Free Lady of Poison by Bruce R. Cordell Page A

more than a day’s travel, but of course wending through the trees will slow us. I estimate we’ll reach the Mucklestones tomorrow evening.”
    Ususi shook her head and said, “Not soon enough for me. Even one more-night of ‘camping’ is more than I can handle.”
    Gunggari grinned at the mage’s words but said nothing. Marrec forbade comment, too, realizing that for the city woman, stone-like skin or not, their trip must have been hard to endure.
    “What?” Gunggari snapped, stepping back and looking intently up into the leafy foliage ahead and above them. The Oslander had pulled out his dizheri just as quickly.
    The others all reacted with alarm, peering ahead and grabbing up their weapons.
    “What’s going on?” demanded Ususi.
    Marrec strained his eyes but saw nothing unusual amidst the dripping leaves. It was midmorning, but the light, already filtered by lowering clouds, was further reduced under the trees.
    “Gunny, what is it? I don’t see anything.”
    “It’s gone now, Marrec,” responded the tattooed warrior, still looking forward intently, “but something was watching us—some sort of ape.”
    “There are no apes in Lethyr,” pronounced Elowen.
    “It wasn’t exactly an ape,” continued Gunggari. “At first I thought a man’s face was staring at me, but then I saw that gray-white hair covered its twisted limbs, and it had more than just two eyes—many more than I could count in the heartbeat it appeared to me.”
    Elowen. frowned.
    “Uthraki?” she murmured, almost under her breath.
    “What’s an uthraki?” wondered Marrec.
    “A nasty beast native to Rashemen. I have never heard of one so far west. They are confined to Rashemen and further east—or they were.”
    “Anything we should know about these uthraki?” asked Marrec.
    “Yes. They can assume forms other than their own.”
    Gunggari narrowed his eyes, and gripped his war club all the tighter.
    ŚŠŚŚŠŚ<§>Ś
    All variety of trees were contained within Lethyr, Marrec realized: maples, firs, aspens, pines, holly, oaks, tulip-trees, crabapples, and many more that the cleric could not name, despite his familiarity with forests to the west. Of wildlife, they heard and saw many birds, a fox chasing a rabbit, more squirrels than could be numbered, a sleepy owl, and once, far off, the yip of a wolf.
    A full day of travel under the dark boughs saw light
    give way to nearly complete twilight. The white trunks of the aspen grove through which they currently wended glowed all the paler for the growing dimness of the surrounding pines. The green leaves glimmered and shook in a sudden breeze of colder air. Night was coming on, and the sounds of the forest began to change, as some creatures sought their lairs, and others, stretching, began their nightly rounds. At the urging of the wind, the rustling forest leaves sounded their nightly chorus.
    Elowen walked at the head of the group, leading her mount. The elf finally paused and smiled, saying, “Ah ha. I knew there was a waycache around here. Come on, follow me.”
    The elf hunter dropped the reigns of her horse, moved along the side of a massive boulder that was butted up against a cliff, then dipped around behind it out of sight.
    Marrec shrugged and dismounted. Before hobbling his own horse for the night, he helped down Ususi. Ususi plucked Ash from her pony then moved to follow Elowen, leaving Marrec with the job of grooming, feeding, and hobbling the horses.
    “They know the silent art of delegation,” noted Gunggari, as the Oslander helped Marrec take care of all their mounts’ needs.
    Marrec grinned but added, “You have to admit, there is something about the mage…”
    “My people ask if beauty at a steep price is still beauty, Marrec.”
    The unicorn warrior laughed, saying, “Don’t worry, Gunny. I’ve got enough on my plate with just the two women in my life, Lurue and Ash. I don’t want to add a third to the mix.”
    Despite his pronouncement, he knew himself well