Part 22 (2/2)

”It's completely different,” Nori returned sharply. She scowled at Kettre's knowing look. ”I'm different,” she said finally. ”She'd tell me if anyone other than the Ell or Hafell asked her to do the same thing.”

”Of course. MaDione.”

”Moonworm c.r.a.p,” Nori muttered. Kettre was right. As usual, the message master had a.s.sumed that, if Nori asked for help, it was really for her mother.

It was quiet as they started up the narrow path. Even the jackbraws seemed subdued and lazy in the warming sun. Small goldencups grew out of the bark on the sky side of the trees, and the scent of lemon and cloves was heavy in the air. Nori noted it all, saw and smelled and heard it all, but she'd left the cozar behind in her mind. Her senses stretched now for something else. She didn't have long to wait.

Forty meters up the trail, Rishte slipped out of the brush. Kettre stiffened in her saddle, but Nori grinned.

The yearling bared his teeth. He was poised with eagerness. Nori didn't even look at Kettre. She simply leaned forward, spurred her dnu, and jumped the riding beast forward. Rishte turned and pelted away.

He seemed to laugh in her mind, and she felt her muscles loosen with speed. Up, up- ”d.a.m.n you, Nori!” Kettre belatedly spurred her dnu after the wolfwalker.

The trail wasn't yet steep, and the dnu charged up the trail after the wolf. Rishte leapt a half-cut log, and Nori sailed after him. Her dnu landed with bunched legs. It bucked itself up, then bounded over the next log, and Nori threw her head back and laughed out loud. Rishte howled in her head.

She finally pulled up at a switchback where the trail began to steepen. Kettre caught up a moment later.

”By the molded cheese of a forgotten Tumuwen herder, you might give a girl a warning.”

Nori laughed. ”You never used to have trouble keeping up.”

Kettre made a face. ”Wait till we're back in the city. Then we'll see who falls behind.”

Nori grinned. ”Speaking of the city, did you see Surah before you left?”

”No, but I heard she's now down onSilverheart Street .”

”That sounds pretty, at least.”

Kettre sighed. ”It's a wh.o.r.e street, Nori.”

”Oh.” Nori felt like an idiot. She glanced at the wolf. He stood on the switchback, panting easily and waiting for them to go again. Up? he seemed to ask.

At least there she knew what to do. She nudged her dnu after him again. The riding beast was used to wolves and didn't blink at the command, but Kettre had to urge her own dnu hard.

It took two hours to reach the ridge. From there, they could see the message tower that squatted one hill over. It was a newer stone structure, fully enclosed, poking out from the trees like a multieyed monster.

A set of ma.s.sive, tubed mirrors were mounted on the top, two facing south, and two facing north. Each was covered with lines of shutters to close it off when not in use.

”Predator flag is up,” Kettre murmured.

Nori nodded slightly. ”It's a hungry spring.”

As they watched, the shutters flickered, and a mirror began to flash. The light flashed on the edge of the cylindrical s.h.i.+eld, and Nori's eyes narrowed as she squinted at it.

”Anything interesting?” Kettre asked.

Nori watched for a moment, then shook her head. ”Nothing that affects us. The bridge is still out on the lowerRaineRiver , so those elders will be late to council.”

”What a tragedy.” Kettre laughed at her expression. ”You can't claim you're thinking otherwise.”

”What I think and what I'll admit are two very different things.”

”As always, Black Wolf. As always.”

Following the wolf, they clambered down the next stretch of trail. Rishte stayed ahead of them, turning every now and then to wait. Up two more switchbacks, a steep stretch that would have had their calves aching if they had been jogging . . . Rishte was trotting ahead, looking back, trotting ahead again. Nori felt her lips stretch in an answering grin. Not even the threat of predators could make her feel trapped out here.

When Rishte paused and growled softly in her mind, Nori pulled up. Mudslides, rockfalls, and old trees had broken most of the barrier bushes. What was left was a ragged line of pitiful shrubs clinging to the side of the hill in a desperate attempt to stay rooted. She nocked her bow with a borrowed arrow and kept her eyes sharp.

Kettre followed suit. She'd learned long ago that the wolfwalker had sensitive ears and eyes. When Nori eased forward, Kettre kept her distance so both had room to run.

They had almost reached the tower when Nori pointed. Kettre saw nothing, but ahead, Rishte's bristle was up. Their riding beasts were uneasy, and starting to chitter with fear. Kettre could feel hers tremble.

Like Nori, she crooned to soothe it.

Someone in the tower noticed them down on the trail. A small face appeared, disappeared, then leaned out, pointed to the right, and waved another red-striped flag. ”Watch for . . . ba . . . ,” he shouted. ”Ba . .

. bear . . .”

Nori raised her hand in acknowledgment. She waited a moment listening to the trees. Then she nodded at Kettre, jabbed her heels in the sides of her trembling dnu, and loosed him. Kettre reacted instantly.

Both creatures jumped. Somewhere behind, the women caught a glimpse of reddish brown fur, but Nori yelled wildly and charged the tower. Kettre was on her heels. They didn't even try to dismount and open the gate. They simply hunched down, sailed over, and skidded into the courtyard.

”Moons!” Kettre burst out as they reined in.

Nori was laughing. She pushed her braid back over her shoulder and grinned at the other woman.

Frustrated, the badgerbear flowed near the gate, stretched up and clawed the top of the beams, then padded back along the wall. Nori listened to it retreat. Then she tucked her bow back in its holder and dismounted.

The tower man called down, ”Have a nice ride?”

The wolfwalker grinned back up. ”Two hours of boredom for two seconds of fun.”

”Come on up, then. I've got your packet ready.”

Kettre just shook her head.

”Nine messages, none urgent,” Nori reported to the lanky man and his partner when they reached the high message room. She had known Jezeren since they were children, but she didn't know the woman with him, and she didn't like the avid look in the tower woman's gaze. ”Your duty,” she said formally, handing over the packet. She let her fingers tap it meaningfully before letting go.

”My duty, acknowledged.” The lanky man looked through the messages. He hesitated almost imperceptibly when the count came up short, but logged them in, and reached over to pick up his own packet. ”I've got five going back down. Your duty, Black Wolf.” He handed them over and logged them out.

”My duty, acknowledged,” she accepted. She counted the four slips of paper, then rolled and tubed them tightly. The fifth message, the wooden message ring, was more formal: a small carved invitation hoop for Ell Tai, with beads, knotted line, feathers, and an ebony centerpiece. ”Lovely,” she murmured.

She added slyly, ”Although I hear the artist is a bit hung up on himself.”

He chuckled. She knew he'd made the ring. ”I hear the other carvers are jealous.”

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