Free Outcasts of Velrune by Isaac Crowe

clothing. Packed on their horses were the pickaxes, shovels and other tools that represented their trade.
    The woman, the acolyte, presented a bigger mystery to him. He had never heard of the Children of the Immortals.
    Are they some secret organization working with the Protectors?
    The cape and hood hid the woman’s features as if she did not want anyone to take notice of her nor did she take any notice of him. She rode her horse with confidence with the diggers following behind her.
    At noon, Tyco brought them to a stop. “Dismount and let the horses drink from the river. Meanwhile, grab some lunch. Be packed and ready to leave again in half an hour.”
    Maxwell hopped off Starlight and led her over to the water. He gently patted her on the shoulder, speaking softly.
    “How are you holding up, old girl?”
    Starlight lifted her head, snorted at him, then went back to drinking water. Just as he had suspected, she would have little trouble with the trip. He turned his attention toward something that did have him concerned.
    “And how are you holding up, old girl?”
    Eve had sat down next to the water’s edge at their arrival. She had one shoe off with the other soon to follow.
    “Okay enough to knock you into the river if I wanted to. You know I can keep up with Starlight. We’ve raced plenty enough times.”
    “Yeah, but those were short sprints, and this is for five days straight.”
    Eve stood up and took a couple of steps into the Clanrye. She closed her eyes as she wiggled her toes in the cool water.
    “That’s better.”
    Eve opened her eyes then glanced back toward the others before switching to a whisper. “It is going to be a long trip, Max. My feet will be killing me by the time we get there. I’ll make it though, if for no other reason than to irritate Tyco.”
    Max grinned then nodded at her shoes sitting on the bank. “I am surprised you wore those.”
    Max seldom saw Eve wearing shoes back home. The thick, tough skin on her feet provided natural protection for everyday walking. She also had a thin, silky layer of fur on both the top and bottom of them, providing extra padding. Unfortunately for him, the fur also made her footsteps deadly quiet.
    Eve crossed her arms. “I figured the trail would be really rocky. I didn’t want to chance cutting my foot; however, the trail is worn enough that I really don’t need them. In fact, they’re making things worse.”
    “Well, we can fix that.” Max picked up Eve’s shoes. “I’ll pack them on Starlight for now.”
    Max put the shoes in one of the saddlebags. Opening a different bag, he dug out their food. He returned in time to see Spook climb out of Eve’s pocket and run down her arm where she had cupped water in her hands. Spook perched on Eve’s wrist where she delicately drank the water.
    Max shook his head, laughing. “You’re very strange, you know.”
    “Yep, I know.”
    When the little mouse finished, Eve and Max sat down together. He divided the food and gave Eve her share along with Spook’s cheese. They had barely finished when Tyco signaled for everyone to mount up and be on their way.
     
    Two hours of daylight still remained when they arrived at the next camp. Smaller than the first, the entire camp was encompassed by a six-foot high stone wall. There stood another segment of wall that started out several feet away from the rest and ran out ten yards into the center of the Clanyre River. The trail led directly to an opening in the wall.
    After passing through the entrance, a short stone overhang along the north side of the wall offered at least some protection from the sun and the occasional rain. On the south side stood a small guardhouse and hitching post for horses. A stack of wood prepared for a fire sat just off-center of the camp. The trail continued out a second opening on the west side. Max guessed the entire camp measured no more than seventy yards in diameter.
    The group stopped by the overhang, the diggers and acolyte