With the recovery of most of the nomad’s horses, the clan was ready to move within a day. Judd and his companions struggled to match the speed at which the nomads could disassemble their homes, turning the campsite into a barren patch of land surrounded by a palisade. Thankfully Quell and Zeke had avoided being turned into unicorns and were happy to be back with their Fort Bastil liberators. Despite their initial flight when the unicorns attacked, Judd suspected the formerly fort bound horses had been overwhelmed and dismayed at so much freedom. They gave no sign that they yearned to run free again, keeping close to Giordi and Verne even when not required. They might have hovered a little more closely to Judd also but Xenon’s presence was a formidable one. The stallion was taller than the fort horses that looked little more than ponies in comparison. Xenon seemed to have bonded with Judd.

  “Either that or he’s just waiting for an opportune moment to buck me off.” Judd admitted to Verne who chuckled, buckling a pack onto Zeke. “Think he’ll let me load him up with a pack or two?”

  “Only if you want to see how far he’ll throw them.” Verne shook his head. “You’re going to have to ride him, Judd.”

  “While you all walk?”

  “He’s your stallion…and you need the practice.” Verne put his hands on his hips. “Or are you avoiding Mavrish as much as you’re avoiding a sore backside?”

  Judd grimaced. “It’s definitely a combination.”

  The nomads, Judd and his companions travelled west, leaving the eastern steppelands behind before dropping further south into the prairies that covered the land in front of Fort Mavour and Fort Verion. The giant forts and enormous wall were mere specks on the horizon, only visible on a clear day at the top of a rise but they were enough of a warning that they were heading further south, into land that had never been settled permanently. Not even the hardy shepherds they’d run into weeks and weeks earlier would dare venture so far south. The only ones willing to reside in the prairie expanse where there was no fortification or wall apart from the sharpened tree trunks of a palisade fence, were nomads.

  And while the eastern nomads who had taken Judd and his companions into their company so warmly after Aalis had been instrumental in healing Chief Bear’s son, were weather beaten and tough, the western nomads were downright stoic and grim.

  At the gate that would lead them through the palisade into the campsite, Judd watched as Chief Bear spoke sternly with the gate keepers then gestured for Judd to come forward.

  Judd did so and stood next to Chief Bear, whose name was still out of his ability to pronounce, as he dealt gruffly with the nomadic guards. They eyed Judd with a great deal of suspicion. Judd wanted to shift away, sensing that he was somehow causing problems for the eastern nomad clan by simply being there but Chief Bear gave him a look that rooted him to the ground like a statue.

  Finally the guards, after conferring with someone inside, allowed the eastern nomads to enter. Judd stepped to the side and allowed Chief Bear to lead his people into the safety of the palisade, trusting that they would know where they were to set up their tents and what space they were allowed to use. This western palisade was not only twice as large as the one they’d stayed in, in the east but the tree trunks were bigger and Judd saw that many of them were tipped with metal, possibly silver.

  “This clan does not mess around when it comes to their fortifications…” He swallowed then gestured for the others in his party to ground around him. “Let’s let the professionals do what they do best. I’d rather keep out of everyone’s way and just take any space left.”

  “What was the hold up at the gate?” Suvau asked. “Was it the colour of my skin?”

  “Actually I think anyone not a nomad is held under suspicion.” Judd admitted. “I suspect Chief Bear had to vouch for us…which means we are to be on our best behaviour.”

  Giordi gave a small huff. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “You do have a reputation…” Verne said sharply.

  “As far as I recall, I’ve never been a guest of a nomadic clan before.” Giordi insisted then brightened. “Have no fear, I will win these nomads over…”

  “Giordi…”

  “With music,” he finished pointedly, “after all, one who does not appreciate music has no soul.”

  “Why is everyone looking at me?” Caste demanded. “I appreciate good music.”

  Before the tempers could descend into an argument, one of the eastern nomads jogged towards them and spoke briefly, pointing.

  “We have been allocated a place to set up.” Emeri interjected. “Perhaps we should save this debate for another time?”

  With help from the nomads, Judd and company were able to erect their tent, pegging it down and laying the floor with rugs, overlapping them so that the hard, barren ground was covered. Outside the tent, Suvau put his impressive muscles to work, hammering the pegs deep into the ground. Judd kept a look out for Aalis and Yolana who would probably tell Suvau off for overworking his arm.

  “It’s been two weeks,” he had insisted, “I need to start conditioning it again.”

  Judd chuckled. “Fine…but if you’re discovered, I’ll disavow any prior knowledge.”

  Suvau laughed and hammered the peg further into the ground.

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  Judd put his hand out onto one of the sharpened tree trunks that formed the palisade and took in the view beyond. Endless plains of grass, shifting constantly in the ever present breeze that only varied in its sharpness from icy to chilly. The hills rolled with gentle slopes and the grasses made it almost impossible to discern the top of one hill to the next. They all blended into a sea of grass with little to no cover.

  Judd whistled. “It’s so lonely out there…not a scrap of life…”

  “So why the palisade?” Suvau asked, burying the tent peg so far into the ground Judd wondered if they would ever get it out again.

  “That’s what worries me.” Judd shook his head. “So far south…we saw just how big the monsters can get when Maul released that hydra…”

  “There are two forts south of us,” Suvau put the hammer down, “and the most fortified portion of the wall in between. Whatever gets through that…”

  “Must either be sneaky or tough.” Judd sighed. “Unless they’re like that cave that made unicorns out of horses and narwals and are produced north of the wall.” He peered at the landscape. “It’s impossible to see where anything could be hiding. It all looks like one flat plain but I know just how treacherously valleys can hide beneath a shifting fa?ade.”

  “I didn’t think you’d been this far south except for Fort Omra.” Suvau wiped his brow.

  “I’ve seen it in the ocean,” Judd explained, “big dips between waves, large enough to swallow entire boats…yet it looked just like that.”

  “Judd?” Aalis appeared around the corner of the tent, Suvau tipping the hammer towards Judd who caught it. Aalis’ eyes narrowed for a brief moment. “Chief Bear is asking for you.”

  “On our way.” Judd said, trying to lift the hammer over his shoulder and nearly falling backwards.

  Aalis rolled her eyes and walked off. Judd looked at Suvau who shook his head.

  “I’m gonna hear about that later, aren’t I?” He muttered.

  “Better you than me.”

  “Wait until she tells Yolana.”

  Suvau cringed. “Ugh…”

  Chief Bear was studying their tent at the front. Judd wondered if their abode was up to nomad scratch. He knew they’d taken twice as long as the eastern clan to erect it and hoped he wasn’t embarrassing the stoic chief with their incompetence.

  Caste hovered near the chief, his bright red hair the source of much amusement by the nomads. He had to keep batting their hands away from it.

  “You’d think they’d never seen a red head before.” He grouched.

  “They’re patting your head, not beheading you.” Judd reminded him, “Chief Bear, you wanted to see us?”

  Chief Bear had become accustomed to the translation time and spoke to Judd after Caste had relayed what Judd had said. He grunted in his usual manner and Caste cleared his throat.

  “Chief…Viskalt?” Chief Bear nodded. “Chief Viskalt who is in charge of this clan deigns to meet you. It seems Chief Bear spoke of your deeds regarding the unicorn attack and wishes to make your acquaintance.”

  Judd saw Caste’s pained expression. “Caste?”

  “I’m just…getting the impression that Chief Bear has gone out on a bit of a limb with Chief Viskalt…which means elk, by the way, in allowing us into his clan.”

  “Then we’d better not be tardy.” Judd straightened his tunic and pulled his cloak around his shoulders properly. “Where’s Verne?”

  “Keeping an eye on Giordi,” Caste said none too pleasantly, “it seems the minstrel’s curly blond locks are equally as fascinating as mine.”

  “I’d like Verne to meet Chief Vis…vis…Chief Elk,” Judd muttered then straightened, “we’ll just have to trust that Giordi won’t get into trouble.”

  They followed Chief Bear across the campsite towards the meeting hall. There was a large main bonfire in the middle of the camp, surrounded by stone pillars. Judd marvelled at the size of them, wondering how they could have been set in place, let along dragged from wherever they’d been carved. The closest quarry was Quarre and Judd suspected the stone pillars had been arranged in the prairie long before Quarre had been settled. The stone pillars also trailed up the large natural steps towards the meeting house, each one an irregular shape yet cut from the same soft grey stone, their bases lightly covered in moss. Each of the pillars had holes cut through them, some round and some oval with symbols carved down their length. What story or laws they told Judd couldn’t discern but he liked their elegant and timeless presence that would outlast all of them.

  It was a simple matter to work out where Verne would be as Giordi, as he was prone to do, had drawn a crowd near the main campfire. Verne was standing nearby, arms folded with an unimpressed expression on his face. He caught sight of Judd’s wave and left his post, falling into step.

  “That didn’t take Giordi long.” Judd remarked.

  “Blond curls seem to work better than actual merit or deeds.” Verne agreed bitterly.

  “Not to mention flirting transcends language barriers.” To this Verne only huffed in agreement.

  They left Giordi behind to entertain his adorning fans, his lute already beginning to pluck out a melody and arrived at the meeting hall. Unlike Chief Bear’s tent that could be disassembled and moved, Chief Elk’s meeting hall was an actual structure with a floor of stone, pillars of bound tree trunks and an A-frame roof with a large hole in the middle of it, a woven chimney suspended from it over the fireplace. There were nomad guards at the front, each glaring at Judd and his companions but at a word from Chief Bear, they stood down and allowed them to pass through.

  Chief Elk awaited them.

  Judd was more than a little surprised by his appearance. Chief Bear was burly and barrel chested, wearing heavy black furs and had dark, glittering eyes. Chief Elk was tall, dressed in silver and grey, his eyes were grey as well but they did not glitter with life. They were stern and as cold as the breeze that caused the flames to flicker in the fireplace. Judd would never have described Chief Bear as friendly but compared to the steely demeanour of Chief Elk, Chief Bear was downright cuddly.

  They spoke briefly before Chief Bear gestured to Judd. Feeling the need to respect Chief Elk’s position, Judd bowed deeply, hoping the others were following his cue. When he lifted himself up, he saw a faint glimmer of respect in Chief Elk’s eyes…although it could possibly have been amusement.

  Given how grim Chief Elk was, Judd would take either response.

  Chief Bear continued to speak with Chief Elk listening.

  “He’s telling him about the unicorns, about the centaur and the cave.” Caste whispered as loudly as he dared.

  Judd and the others waited patiently for Chief Bear to finish the tale, however, it never happened. Chief Elk’s attention was fractured when a young man arrived, similarly dressed to Chief Elk although without the grand adornments and so Judd guessed that he might be the chief’s son. Chief Bear immediately paused as Elk gestured for his son to step forward, their shoulders touching as the young man relayed a message. Judd saw Chief Elk’s eyes sharpen like no other gaze before. He could even leave Aalis’ scathing glare in the dust by the way his countenance went from mirthless to downright deadly.

  Without a word to anyone, Chief Elk strode out of the meeting hall, his robes flowing behind him, edged with fur. Judd looked at Chief Bear who, for once, was unguardedly surprised.

  “What happened?” Judd asked.

  “Your guess is as good as mine.” Caste protested. “He didn’t say, did he?”

  Curiosity drove them to the end of the meeting hall, trying to see where Chief Elk had gone. For a minute they couldn’t make out anything for all the fleeing bodies of the female nomads who were scattering across the campsite. When the cloud of frightened young women dissipated, Judd saw Chief Elk striding towards them, his face as dark as thunder. Behind him, being dragged by Chief Elk’s son and another nomad guard, was Giordi.