Just Like Magic

Chapter 28: Being Followed

When you opened your eyes in the morning, the gave felt colder and looked darker than you thought it would. You rubbed the sleep out of your eyes and looked at Arlutrix, who was still sound asleep. You didn't want to wake him up, so you took his arms and unwrapped them from your body. Then, standing up, you felt the cold air hit your body, but when you turned to look at the cave entrance, you finally understood the situation.

   " Well, it looks like we're trapped. "

The entrance had been blocked with snow from top to bottom, leaving no room for you to escape. The sunlight from outside bounced off the snow wall, lighting the cave in a white glow, but it still wasn't bright. You walked toward the snow and poked your finger through it to see it wasn't that thick. You made the hole wider and looked at the world through the hole but froze, covering your mouth.

Guards in silver armor walked through the snow outside. Some walked, while others rode on horses, through the thick snow. Their swords were tightened to their belts at their sides, but the silver swords shone so brightly in the light it blinded you as you looked through the hole. Backing up from the hole, you didn't expect to back up into someone's chest. Looking up, You saw Arlutrix's smile, but his smile soon faded, seeing the look on your face. 

   " What's wrong? " He whispered, afraid of more snow collapsing on the entrance.

You clamp your mouth shut and point toward the snow wall. Arlutrix left your back and walked up to the wall, spotting the hole you had poked through. His turquoise eye looked through the hole, with his shoulders stiffening upon seeing the guards. He could hear their arguments as they walked through the snow, but he knew they were looking for him after seeing the Vumaedal crest on their armor. 

   " Damn it! Their footprints are gone. How are we going to find them? " An irritated guard shouted, frustrated with his captain.

   " We keep going forward. With that blizzard, we wouldn't be the only ones stuck in it. We'll check the closest villages and ask around if there was a man that came through yesterday. We have his description, so we'll find him easily. "

   " But, with the blizzard, their tracks are hidden in the snow. "

   " All we can do is ask the surrounding villages. Stop your crying, and lets get a move on. "

The mage stepped back from the wall, turned toward you, put a finger to his lips, and nodded. You were glad he understood the danger of speaking. If you spoke too loud, the snow could fall from the wall, revealing your location. But if the wall didn't fall, the guards could still hear you and spot the hole when they got closer. Silence was the key to the game, and you both remained silent for an hour inside the cave before Arlutrix looked outside again.

   " They're gone, and I don't hear them anymore. Let's move. "

   " Okay. "

Arlutrix started, waving his hand through the snow, fall, making all of it fall, and revealing your hiding spot. Stepping out of the cave, the sun warmed your body, making your face warm. You walked toward the guard's tracks and looked in the direction they were walking.

   " They're walking in the direction we need to go. We'll need to take a detour. "

  " We'll head further South before turning to go back East. We can stay along the border before entering Madrathia, and then we'll be safe to travel to Silv. "

   " But that'll take too long. I don't think it will get any lighter with how the weather has been to us. The sun's shining now, but it won't be later. Temperatures are already dropping, but at night it's going to get colder. "

   " You're right, and there are still large clouds in the sky. It'll take longer, but if we start in that direction now, we can get ahead of the guards. By the time they get to the border, we'll already be in Madrathia. "

   " We don't have the resources to last that long. We have to go through the villages and make a straight shot East. "

Arlutrix contemplated what to do before nodding. 

   " Alright, we'll go through the villages and continue East. When we get close, I'll see what magic I have the energy to perform. "

You nodded and started walking East, with Arlutrix beside you, holding your hand as you walked. It was quiet around you, with a few birds chirping occasionally. Along the way, you spotted a fox walking through the snow, and you had to restrain Arlutrix from getting closer to the fox and making it his pet. Even as you walked away from the fox, he still argued that the fox should be welcomed on your journey. 

   " You know, some warlocks have animal friends. Why don't you let the fox join us, and he can be a friend? "

   " Arlutrix, the fox is back there. We're not turning around now. "

   " You don't have to, but I will willingly return and retrieve the fox. "

   " The fox will be fine on its own. Just let it be itself within nature. "

   " Oh, I will, but it can be within nature, beside me, as we travel. "

   " Here's a deal, the next time we see a fox, you can pet it, okay? " You said, laughing at the man.

   " Deal! Now, I'm just going to turn around and--That's. . .not good. "

You stopped walking, looked down at the guard's tracks, and understood what Arlutrix meant. The group of tracks, spread out, with two sets of people and two sets of horses, walking in the same direction while the other footsteps traveled in a different direction. So the army had split into groups of four and traveled in different directions, each set of footprints going a different way.

   " They've separated. " You said, looking at the footprints. 

   " Yes, and we need to head in this direction, if we want to continue East. " Alrutrix said, pointing toward the foot and hoof prints leading to the group's left.

   " Then, let's head that way. "

Without any argument, you walked in the direction of the footsteps but stopped seeing the trail change. You pulled Arlutrix close and whispered what you noticed, a change in the snow in his ear.

   " Arlutrix, you noticed that two sets of feet and two sets of hooves went in each direction, right? "

   " Yes. The army split into groups of four. Two men walking with two men riding horses. "

   " Then, why are there only two tracks of hoof prints in the snow? "