A few hours later they heard faint squeals and occasional clashes of steel. Obviously battle had been joined. Fortunately, the first rays of sun were streaking across the sky.

Nobody said anything but with silent consensus they rushed forward, suddenly breaking into a small clearing.

Revealed before them was quite a sight. At the clearing’s far end two juvenile spiders lay dead. Near the corpses three men fought to subdue another juvenile and two adult spiders. Behind the mounted men, fifteen children of varying ages, partly concealed behind a girl not much older, who’s defiance stood clear to all. The children carried bags of various kinds except for the smallest who were being carried. Most of them were cowering in fear behind their defenders except for two who seemed to be preparing to join the battle.

Ruadh didn’t slow, drawing his greatsword he charged across the clearing. Jamie hopped down from his horse drawing his war bow. Hank directed his horse after Ruadh albeit at a more measured pace.

Relief showed on the face of one of the defenders. To see aid coming must have lifted his heart. Unfortunately it also distracted him and by the time Ruadh reached them, the adult spider hand pushed a fang through the distracted defender’s chest. Hank suspected, even with the best medicines and people in Indlu available, it would be fatal. The defender collapsed.

Hank then noticed a number of Ore Cane bodies scattered around the clearing. Six if he counted correctly. So now instead of it being eight against five it was now three on two. The spiders were winning. Hank didn’t count himself in this fight, his staff did minimal damage to those hardened spider carapaces. Jamie and Ruadh would need to make the difference.

The first of Jamie’s arrows overtook both Hank and Ruadh slamming into the side of the juvenile spider for precisely zero effect. It bounced rather harmlessly off the spider’s tough outer shell. It did however alert it to the presence of someone coming from behind. Causing it to turn and thus leaving the remaining two defenders to only look after the adults.

Hank was confused, why had Jamie decided to alert the spiders before Ruadh attacked. Surprise attacks usually allowed the attacker to inflict maximum damage often disabling or killing opponents. His confusion lasted only until the second arrow arrived. This time it didn’t bounce harmlessly off the spiders shell rather it plunged deeply into an eye. Moments later a second then a third arrow sprouted from the spider.

Hank wasn’t confident that the arrows would actually kill the spider, but it meant that he and Ruadh could focus on the adults. They were the principal threats, and if they couldn't do significant damage to them both whilst there was more than one defender left standing, maybe there wouldn’t be anything left to defend.

Ruadh got there first. With a desperate lunge he jumped off his horse and with all of his strength cleaved into a spider limb. It didn’t sever the limb but Ruadh’s luck was with him and the sword drew out of the wound without difficulty.

A sixth arrow sprouted from the juvenile’s eyes and in pain and rage it tore off across the clearing to attack Jamie. Jamie saw the spider coming in his direction and hurriedly started to remount his decidedly skittish horse.

Finally Hank arrived at the battle with the adult spiders. Unfortunately, in the last few seconds an Ore Cane defender had been skewered by a spider leg. The unfortunate man collapsed from pure traumatic shock, his body driving his mind into the black of unconsciousness. Hank couldn’t think about that as he beat his staff against the offending spider leg.

That same pitched ringing his staff had made previously returned. The response was as universal as it was involuntary, all spiders in the clearing reared up. It seemed like whatever sound his staff made, spiders could not avoid reacting they way that they did. Ruadh, had seen this before, so he knew the spider’s weaknesses. Without a moments hesitation he dashed under one of the immense adult spiders and with all his strength thrust his greatsword up into that vulnerable point later generations would call Sabine’s Juncture.

The spider squealed in pain as it descended once more to the ground. As it fell, it buried its foreleg in the torso of the last remaining Ore Cane defender. It’s fang came down grazing Ruadh’s back opening him up from shoulder to buttock, blood and venom pouring out over the collapsing Ruadh. Leaving Hank, the girl and the children verses the remaining adult spider. Hank wasn’t confident in any of their abilities.

Hank knew he would need to treat Ruadh straight away. Unfortunately the spider in front of him was a more pressing matter. He swept his staff around at the spider catching it on the foreleg. That sound and the spider’s reaction were as predictable as ever but nobody reacted quickly enough to take advantage. All it allowed was an opportunity to regroup.

A victorious shout rang out from the clearing’s far side. Obviously Jamie was victorious over the juvenile attacking him. Not that Hank could take his eyes from the threat before him. He swung again at the spider. Obviously it had learned not to let that sound ring forth. It dodged back. So began a game of cat and mouse. Both Hank and the spider attempting to attack whilst avoiding being hit by the other. The woman darted in a couple of times trying to help but her dagger was completely useless against the spider. The children had not been idle equipping themselves with slings and rocks they could throw. Stones started bouncing off various spider parts.

It was all to no avail. The spider was wearing the defenders down. Thankfully Jamie arrived. His quiver shot out he resorted to the long pike he had also brought along. Initially his attacks focused on the spider’s underside. The spider was smart enough, never rearing up it kept it’s vulnerabilities protected. Jamie had another advantage however, he was tall enough to thrust his pike through the eyes. Unlike the arrows which seemed a little hit and miss, the pike had no difficulty punching all the way into the brain space. It wasn’t the easiest of manoeuvres and he had missed a few times almost snapping the vital weapon a couple of times before eventually succeeding.

“Good, your translating.” Hank said to Jamie as he collapsed next to the dying Ore Cane. He knew that time was short for Ruadh and the unnamed defender.

“Tell the woman, introductions can wait. Unless we treat these men straight away, they will all die. Now has she got any lye pears? You may have to explain to her what they are. We also need thistle leaf and mint.”

“Greaetings dame, kinders. Ons moet vinnig beweeg of hierdie mense sal sterf. Het u enige munt, distelsblare of bosperke?" Jamie panted out as he lay flat on the ground.

“Nee, niks daarvan nie.” The response from the girl was short and sharp.

“No nothing.” Jamie translated.

“Well tell her that whoever the best person is at finding the pears needs to find some in a hurry. We also must have the mint.” Hank had tuned away from the healthy and commenced pulling ingredients, bandages and other items out of his bag. He continued over his shoulder. “The thistle leaves you can skip.”

Hank’s mind ignored Jamie’s translation has he started to focus on the wounded Ore Cane. “Sê vir haar dat elkeen wat die beste persoon is om die pere beter te vind, 'n bietjie haastig vind. Ons moet ook die munt hê. Die distelblare wat jy kan slaan.”

“Ons kan dit vind, maar hoekom? Dit sal tyd neem.” Hank couldn’t have told you who was responding much less what was being said. Or any further conversation. “Hy kan hulle genees as hy bestanddele het. Hy het al twee van ons van die spinnekoppe gered.”

“Oh and send someone to find more of this plant.” Hank knew that nobody would know about Novavita Sapiens so got up to pull some out of the bags on his horse and collapsed as his injured leg gave way.

“Are you ok?” Jamie asked

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” He struggled up, finally pulling some plant from his saddle bag. He couldn’t let his injury stop him from treating these men. “The people not harvesting can help pull Ruadh and the other man out from under that spider.” He waved at faintly moaning Ruadh before passing the Novavita Sapiens leaves to Jamie and returning to the patient before him.

Jamie struggled up and lurched over to group of young Ore Cane gathered around the girl. “Diegene wat uit oes is, moet ook meer van hierdie blare vind.” He handed the leaves over. “Die res van die kinders moet help om die spinnekop te skuif wat ons by Ruadh en die ander man kan kry.”

The lady took the leaves and started giving orders. Children dried eyes and started moving about the clearing. Over the next hour Hank was able to rule out treating any except Ruadh and the second last man standing. He was confronted with a particularly tough choice. Treat Ruadh and the Ore Cane here or transport and treat them with Marko and Gruffly. After examining his patients more thoroughly he went with the first option. Ruadh might survive the move, slim chance but he might. The other patient definitely wouldn’t.

Decision made, he set about remaking the wort he had previously invented. This time he attempted to refine it’s production by being more careful preparing the ingredients and more carefully in combining them. Once ready Hank applied it liberally to the spider wounds on Ruadh and the other still unnamed Ore Cane. It consumed most of his remaining ingredients leaving only fresh Novavita Sapiens leaves, mint and a couple of others.

Looking through his books and notes Hank realised there was only one concoction that he was even close to being able to make, hopefully it would suffice as a second stage spider treatment. One thing was for certain, when and wherever he set up his town, planting a medicinal herbs and plants garden would be a priority. Next visit to civilisation and the local plant place was going to get a workout.

Hank hobbled over to Jamie and the girl, women, he wasn’t sure he just knew his leg was stiffening up. He was going to ask them to send a child to bring his horse over but as he arrived Jamie spoke. “How’s Ruadh? It looks bad.”

“Yeah it is. I’m not sure he would survive travelling back to camp. My other patient certainly won’t.” Hank stopped fighting gravity and sank unceremoniously to the ground next to Jamie.

“That’s what I thought. I’ll take one of the older children with me back to the camp. We’ll pack up what we can and bring everyone here.”

Hank thought about it. “Fine. But a couple of things before you leave.”

“Oh?” Jamie raised an eyebrow.

“Firstly we have to move these patients into the shade. The direct sunlight is too hot. I don’t really want to move anyone but without tents that’s the best we can do. Secondly we need more ingredients. All the ones they collected before but also thistle leaf and burdock root. Pick up my pack when you are there. And tell Sabine that someone needs to dose both Marko and Gruffly with this stuff. Probably best before food three times a day.” He handed over a small pot with his latest concoction. It smelled foul, he was glad to be rid of it.

Jamie translated to the girl who then left to give instructions to the children. Hank described to Jamie where to find his pack before reminding Jamie that they would need more tents for the children. A couple of big tents would suffice. He was about to comment on the horses that were still alive in the clearing but Jamie beat him to the punch. “You seem to have forgotten who the Wanderer is in this group. I know what’s needed to survive wild places. I’ll make sure that our needs are covered.”

Hank nodded in agreement. “Oh, and tell the lady that the bodies, spider and Ore Cane alike need to be buried or removed from the clearing. Not burned, the smoke mightn’t be good for our patients.”

Hank moved off to drag Ruadh into the shade helped by one of the older girls and then he collapsed next to him leaning against a tree.

Sometime later Hank awoke with a prod, a girl beckoned him to follow. His unnamed Ore Cane wasn’t doing well. Hank wasn’t sure what else could be done. He was out of pears so no more wort. He consulted his notes, there was another recipe he could try he didn’t hold a lot of hope in it but he was desperate. Over the next three hours he made up his latest recipe. It had taken a group effort. Hank showing drawings and pantomiming to the female leader who sent groups of looking for the various plants. Hank wished Jamie was still there to translate. Invariably there were misunderstandings. Looking for one ingredient in particular had resulted in the death of four different plants before a bedraggled kid held up the correct water lily.

The following day Jamie returned with everyone else. Hank was too worn out to care. His life had devolved into sleep for half an hour maybe an hour, wake make treatment, dose one or all of Ruadh, unknown Ore Cane man, Marko and Gruffly. Go back to sleep.

After a couple of days Gruffly was released and Hank focused on the other three. Which, sadly became two, the unnamed Ore Cane dying on the third night. Hank knew he had a name but was too tired to register. His routine couldn’t change if he was to save his two other patients. Later that night his sleep deprived mind told him he could make others do the nursing. He finally managed four hours of sleep.

Day four, or was it five of the treatment program, Hank was so sleep deprived at this point that he didn’t know. Anyway one of those days he heard that Gruffly had gone wandering and was presumed lost. One of the Ore Cane kids, Jamie and Fritz had set off to search for him. Two days later they found him. He had rediscovered the Tabor river and a nice open place sheltered by cliff walls.

Treatment day eight, people were getting antsy. Gruffly was certain there was gold in the rediscovered Tabor. Jamie wanted to head south before the winter. Sabine wanted to get out of spider territory. Deciding discretion was the better part of valour, Hank determined Marko and Ruadh sufficiently recovered to move. Gratefully everyone packed up and moved on.

Two days latter Hank's palfrey trotted out of the forest into a small grassy area at the foot of a vast cliff face. It looked like a mottled curtain of rock extending north to south as far as the eye could see. A little way to the north, a river, appearing as if by magic, gaving lie to the optical illusion it was in that direction that group turned.

Riding towards the cliffs Hank realised they must be over five hundred metres high. Just when Hank thought they were going to walk into the cliff, a pass appeared. The rock strata was so uniform that, from the angle they had approached, both sides of the pass seemed to blend into a solid wall. The pass wasn’t wonderfully wide, which, to Hank’s mind, was all to the good. On the north side, the river flowed and on the south side of the pass a column thin, tall and straight seemed to stand guard. Hank just stared. It would be a perfect choke point he thought. Fantastic for defence.

Hanks thoughts were interrupted. “Gruffly calls the pillar, ‘the sister’, after Sabine.” Jamie remarked conversationally. Watching Sabine scowling he continued. “I’m not sure if that’s an endearment or not.”

Sabine growled in response. “He says it’s because I am straight and unbending but that I stand as a beacon to our people.” She paused. “I just think it was because he was trying to placate me after naming the pass after himself.”

For the first time in days Hank just laughed, “I am sure whatever spelling he uses, that name comes with a capital T and a capital S.”

“Don’t start with me. I already have one jackass to deal with. I don’t need two.” Sabine snarled as she rode away.

Hank just laughed harder.

A stern backward glance from Sabine seemed to intimidate Jamie into keeping his laughter to himself. It lasted for moment only. “I’m sure that naming a phalanx symbol after a girl isn’t ironic at all.”

“You will all keep.” Sabine growled as she encouraged her horse to canter ahead.