18 The Shadowed Woods

The forest was dense. Moreso than any that he had seen elsewhere. And Wuying understood at once why the place had been left in the hands of the tribes at once, the moment that he arrived there. The Kingdom's army would have had a hard time, trying to take it. And the rough terrain within the place would have made it almost worthless as farmland as well. In fact, trying to take the Shadowed Woods would have been near impossible for them, who were mostly trained in open field combat.

And according to the rest of the books and records that he had managed to get a hold of, back while he was at Kongmin Town, most of the deep woods to the South, and to the North, were similarly rugged. Something that the Long-lived preferred, it seemed.

Just as they disliked cooperating and trading with the rest of the folk in the Kingdom. Which was probably why the White Tiger Region was taking so long to recover from those Shadow Beast attacks in the relatively recent past.

Not that it mattered now. Given the number that he saw, the tribe in the woods had been seriously hit by the Shadows in the recent war, even when compared to the White Tiger Gate. He could only see a double handful of warriors, moving in the trees as the three of them followed the trail, no doubt watching them. From what he had noticed, most of them were armed for hand-to-hand combat.

And they were all more than cautious as they watched the trio keep to the narrow trail. That was a little more troublesome than he had initially expected.

The three of them had gotten off their horses as soon as it was clear that the trail was narrower up ahead. Riding in that dense wood was going to pose problems for them, if not for the nags that they managed to grab off the Garrison stables. Leading them as they walked seemed a much safer way to go about this.

But Wuying kept his eye on the trees, and their tail, as he followed the trail.

"Concerned about the tail that we had picked up? They had been following us since we rode in," Wumu Qian whispered to him then, as he led his horse closer, "But most of them have their weapons sheathed, so they aren't hostile. At least, not openly."

"Oh, you've noticed too? I am more concerned about why they haven't stepped out and greeted us. We are invited, aren't we? And why are there so few of them?"

"Have they lost all of their combat troops? Or is this just a scouting party? It does not look too professional, and they won't last, if the Shadow Creatures are using their usual swarm tactics. The forest is too close for them to support each other," Qian commented at his side, as they strode beneath the trees.

"It would explain why they are asking for help now," Wuying pointed out, "Of course, we do not have enough information, this early. Let us follow the trail and wait to meet with their leaders. Hopefully, we can find out more about the enemy after we have talked to them. Maybe even formulate a plan."

They had come East from the Gate, and it took them close to eight days, given the condition of the road. The autumn weather was dryer and colder. And they had only managed to stop over at the larger towns along the way. Fortunately, the Shadow Wood was not too far away from Kangning City, so they didn't really have to push themselves.

They had decided to stop over at Kongmin Town and visit with the Yue Family there, but had only spent one night at that place, since he was told that his wife had gone off to Kangning City to deal with an emergency at her grandmother's. And from what he heard about it, Wuying decided to skip that place altogether, and move on to the woods instead. Honestly, he still had a bad impression of all her relations there.

One thing that they had managed, along the way, was to find out a bit more about this Yinling Tribe that they were supposed to deal with. Apparently, it was a small but rather influential group that had quite a following when it came to the local crafts.

Although they were still not quite decided, when it came to how they were going to be supporting the tribe against the Shadow Creatures. The letter that they received on the subject had been rather vague. Could it be that they were going to toss the entire task of fighting off the Shadows to the trio from White Tiger Gate? That couldn't be right, could it?

"I wonder at that. Do we want to include their forces? Or do we do the initial scouting on our own? I'm not sure that they'll be able to keep up with us, if they do. Their gear seems a little sparse, and we don't know about their level of skill, or if they are trained in anything resembling our formations," Qian sighed again, "It will not be comfortable, I believe. For us, or for them."

"True. But the Captain mentioned that this is supposed to be a support mission, and that we were just doing an assessment. So we'll have to find out. It's not like we have any previous contact with this tribe. We'll have a lot to learn."

Yet, even as he said that, Wuying wondered if the tribe's idea of support matched that of the Captain. The message that they had received was vague, and he was having concerns now. Especially when he saw how their allies were armed. He did not like it. And the reception that they had received this far was far colder than what he had imagined it would be. Or was it just a difference in their culture?

He shook his head then. He didn't know. No one did. But it was something that they would have to find out. And soon!

The trail ended at a small clearing that held a single building - a crude hut of wood and clay, and thatched with leaves and straw. Junhe looked amused at the sight, but Qian merely frowned. Clearly, the latter did not believe that it was defensible. It was details like that which usually bothered the youngest man, rather than the niceties.

Their silent escort vanished through the trees then, just as they arrived at the open space before the hut. There was a man, clad in the crude cotton and leather trousers that most in the tribe wore. He had on a tunic, made of some cloth as well. Less fine than anything that the trio had on, for certain. He bowed, and waved at the entrance of the hut, even as the three of them dismounted, and tied their horses to the nearby trees. Then he bowed, and vanished into the woodlands around them.

"That is a little surprising. Are we to go inside on our own then? Their manners leave something to be desired surely," sighed Wuying then, giving voice to the same misapprehension that the others felt, "They do not follow the etiquette of the Kingdom, no doubt."

Junhe, surprisingly, stepped into the herald's role at once, and he moved to the fore as if he had been trained to. "Well, it is not as if we have any choice in the matter. Besides, it would be interesting, to say the least," he laughed.

Then he turned back to the cloth draped over the entrance of the hut, and spoke more loudly. "These are the ones sent from the White Tiger Gate, come as requested by the one by the name of Fire Snake. We are coming in," he declared, before he reached out to pull aside the curtain of worn, grey cloth.

The three of them pushed into the small hut, and were greeted by the sight of a small collection of glowing stones, set in the center of the floor. Around the light were three tribesmen, two of them looking as though they were forty or so, and one who seemed significantly older. It was one of the younger-looking ones, with his hair pulled up into a topknot who spoke first:

"Three of you, eh? Auspicious enough, I suppose. But where are the rest of your soldiers? My hunters reported that they saw none."

Qian's reply was dry and without emotion. "They saw none because there are none. This is a support mission, is it not? We three are sufficient for support," he answered quietly, "If there is need for more men, we shall send back for them."

The one with the topknot was red in a face as he stamped to his feet, glaring at the trio. "Three of you? We bend our necks and beg for help and they send just the three of you? What sort of game is he trying to pull here?" growled the man as he leaned forward, "Is he playing us for fools? What can the three of you do?"

Junhe, as usual, jumped in to play peacekeeper before things got out of hand. "Now, now. No need to be so hasty. As I remember it, the Captain mentioned that you sent for veterans of White Tiger Gate, did you not? And there was no mention of a troop, or a band of any particular number, was there? Well, we are the veterans that he has decided could be spared. So we are to examine your problem first. If there is a need for more of our men, we shall send for more. Or, if we can deal with the issue on our own, we shall. I trust that is acceptable?"

The bare-bodied one with the topknot growled again, and stamped away. There was another doorway to the hut, draped with another piece of grey cloth, behind the locals, and he fled through that, even as the other pair were staring at each other. Then the older of the remaining pair sighed, and gestured at his companion.

The last, who wore a half-cloak of feathers rather than a tunic or vest, bowed almost apologetically at the trio then, and his bow to Qian was a little deeper than his display to the others.

"Our apologies, warriors of White Tiger. Our ... hunters have tried their best to hold back the tide, but the sea of monsters that crash ceaselessly upon our shore seem relentless, wearing them away as if they are but soft sand. We were hoping for a ... sizable force of boulders, to help stem the flow. You will forgive him if he is a ... little disappointed to receive ... a handful of pebbles instead."

Wuying blinked. The speaker was using a manner that he had only heard of but never witnessed before. So, there were people who spoke like that, right out of the old fables! This trip was proving to be more informative than he had expected!

Duman Junhe, on the other hand, was not fazed by that at all. "That is only to be expected. He has clearly not seen our skills in a fight. But, talking about that, what can you tell us about the enemy? What sort of creatures are we likely to face out here?"

"What sort of creatures ...? What do you mean? The Beasts have always been the same, and they do not leave any remains, so I cannot begin to describe them in the first place," said the older-looking man then. Unlike the other that had remained, he wore a simple vest of leather, over trousers of the same. The latter was covered with swirls and dyed patches, in a tasteful pattern. He looked as though he was a man in his seventies, with grey-white hair and pale blue eyes. And like everyone else that they had met so far in the Shadow Woods, there was no trace of a beard or a moustache on him.

"Ah. What Junhe means is if there are different types that are bothering you in this place? Or is there only one? We are plagued with creatures that resemble dogs, wolves and snakes, back at the Western Gate. Each of these have different ways in which they move, attack and react to attacks. That is what we hope to learn," Wuying interjected then. These people would not be familiar with some of the terms that they used, back at White Tiger Gate.

"In that case, I must confess that we have very little to tell you. Those who have fought the creatures usually do not survive for very long. But some of them were injured by what seemed to be horns. The hunters are the only ones who we know have managed any success at all, and half of them come away from the fight with dreadful wounds."

"But there are survivors?" Junhe pressed.

The older of the pair smiled sadly at that. "I am afraid that they are berserkers, so they have very little memory of how they dealt with their enemies," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "We can only tell you that they are horned, and their hooves are also deadly."

"Berserkers? What are those?"

"It is a term used to describe those who ... go mad in battle. They fight and kill despite injuries that might stop another. And they tend to be unable to differentiate between friend and foe, when so affected. I would not advise joining them when they are ... so involved."

The older man sounded sincere, and Wuying saw no reason to doubt his warning. In any case, he doubted that the warrior would welcome them even if they offered. So he turned to another topic quickly.

"We would like to learn more about the enemy, and what they are likely to target. Is there a particular site that they are likely to attack? Or a place where they tend to appear more often than anywhere else? Back at the Gate, we have the Gray Robes, who are able to work a magic, that deters the Shadow Creatures from approaching us. Do you have something similar here?"

The man in the feathered robe sighed. "Ah! You speak of Barriers, and of the Castings! That is my role, to tell the truth. But I do not have these magic incantations that you speak of. Our Barriers - the ones that I cast, hinder the Beasts somewhat. But they do not stop or destroy them. Perhaps it is because I am still rather new to my role," he added somewhat apologetically, "I have barely been at this for thirty years."

The trio's eyes went wide at that, and that look remained even as Wuying nodded back at the colorful man. This one was one of the Long-lived for certain. Then he gestured at the pair at his side.

"I see. Then we shall have to find a way to deal with the threat ourselves. Again, is there a spot where you would like to concentrate our efforts? We are only three, and it would be better if we can work together, rather than to spread ourselves out."

The pair exchanged a look, before the one in the crafter's leather tunic nodded at the three of them. "I could use some help around my crafting hall. The scent of ... my work does appear to attract the Beasts. I have had to shut it down. But with the snows coming, it would be better for all the tribe if we could prepare ... more resources there. If you are willing, I shall reopen it tomorrow, and call in two of my apprentices. It will take some work, defending it though," he said to them in a rather neutral tone.

But Wuying heard his anxiety all the same. This was supposed to be a test for the three of them, to see how they dealt with the creatures, no doubt. They would have to be careful. The three of them knew far too little of these people's ways, after all, to draw any conclusions just yet.

"Of course. We shall be glad to be of assistance there," the merchant's grandson replied, and the other two bowed in agreement.

Qian, on the other hand, seemed more determined to extract more information from the two tribesmen. "Perhaps you can show us the site now? We shall need to have a better understanding of the surroundings, and the likely points of attack, so as to prevent them from getting to close to your ... crafting hall."

"Likely ... points of attack?"

The one in the feathered cloak scowled as he cocked his head that the guards. "We usually do not have to worry too much about that. The magic that I use on our people usually allows us to tell when and where the enemy are coming. And we have alarms all over that wing of the woods," the younger man said, "Is it really necessary to go through all of that?"

"Magic?"

"Alarms?"

Qian and Junhe looked at each other in surprise, before the former held up a hand to forestall all further questions. Then he turned back to the tribesmen.

"The early warning would be useful, I am sure. But we are new to your forest, and I'm certain that there are places ... that can be dangerous for the unwary. Best that we learn about the terrain now, before we engage the enemy. We do not wish to stumble upon these ... more hazardous sites during the fight ahead."

"Ah! That makes sense now."

The one in the feathered cloak smiled then, as if he had made his point, before he gestured at Junhe, who stepped in with questions of his own. "You had mentioned magic, and alarms. We should like to know more about these too. It would be rather embarrassing if we triggered them by mistake. Not to mention the waste of your effort."

The old crafter smiled as he nodded at his companion at that. "That is true. Hoshendanggir. Perhaps you should grant them the sight as well, so that they do not go tripping over all of our own traps?" he said to the younger man then.

"Oh, yes! Of course! You are correct, Tanggellir. Here! I shall begin!"

And he stood up quickly, even as he spoke, and began to wave the reed fan that he held in his hand, as he chanted in a singsong fashion. He waved the same over the heads of the seated trio, drawing a scowl from Qian as he did so. Junhe, of course, merely looked amused.

But after the space of a short song, the man in the feathered coat stopped. And he sat down once again, breathing a little heavier for his effort.

For a moment, Wuying wondered what the dance had been about. Then Junhe gasped, followed by an exclamation of surprise by Qian. He frowned then, as he turned to face the pair. Then he blinked. There were lines of light - colored light! These seemed to lie across his vision like a net, over everything in the room! And over the pair of tribesmen as well!

"I believe that the three of you shall have no difficulty ... sensing the traps about the place from hereon. The effects of the Danggir's Blessing should last for the duration of your stay here, so you should be able to find your way about. They usually cover the trails and such, about the place. You should have no difficulty ... "

Wuying suddenly sensed a subtle difference then, in the network of lines that covered the land, and held up a hand abruptly, to cut the crafter off. "Apologies. I believe that the ... Shadows that we sense are caused by the presence of the enemy then? There are ... six of them now, and they are headed towards a place where ... many lines of yellow light meet!"

Tanggellir, if that was what he was called, cursed loudly as he saw it too. And the caster wailed at the same instant. "The mothers at the birthing place! The birthing place is under attack!" the latter cried as he sprang to his feet, "I must go to them!"

"Not alone! Lead the way, and we shall follow!" cried Junhe as he got to his feet as well, pulling out his longbow and shouldering one of his quivers in a smooth, practiced motion. Then, with a simple nod at the other pair, he sprang after the man in the feathered cloak!

Wuying and Qian were on his heels. And so was the older man, although he seemed to struggle to keep up with them after a while. But Wuying ignored that. Clearly, this birthing place was more important to the tribe than its name suggested. Perhaps it was a place where the pregnant were held, isolated from the rest of the tribe? He did not know, and he did not have any inclination to guess. At least, not right at that moment.

Instead, he focused his attention on the Shadows, and how they moved. And he seemed to be able to sense which direction they were in, and where they were running!

As well as the best place to intercept them!

"Go left at the large tree in front, then straight on!" he called out to Wumu Qian as they ran, "The Beasts will be in that grove beyond it soon! We'll hold them off there, while Junhe goes on with the others!"

The spear-man made the Guard gesture with his left hand, that signaled that he had received the order, and did what Wuying had said, at the tree. Then he gave out a loud cry, as the first of the Shadows stepped into sight!

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