“Is it them?”

Sigrun lowered the telescope, her eyes hard. “Yes, and they’re definitely following us.”

The expedition had paused on the edge of a great cliff, the rocky outcrop under them providing good footing and a better view. The delvers had leapt from their mounts and caravans when Sigrun had but for once they weren’t setting their tents up and chatting or eating and complaining, they were totally silent, watchful and alert, even the droogs were affected standing deathly still apart from the plumes of steam left by their hot breath.

“Are they from the same group that ambushed us?” Ammeris asked her voice tense, she was still on constant medical duty and even Erika could see it was weighing on her. Thankfully her Well had finished draining itself at last but it would still need a half day to refill, Kara was the one that weighted on Erika’s heart the most, her right arm was still a broken twisted sausage casing, Erika had invited her to ride in her private caravan specifically so she could heal her the moment her Well stabilised.

Sigrun studied the view for a few moments sweeping the telescope left and right before sighing and slipping it back into a pocket. “No… their emblems are different, no injuries, different bandit group.”

“Isn’t that good?” Erika asked as the others cursed and groaned.

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Sigrun favoured her with a small smile. “I’m afraid not Erika, it just means there’s more than one after us.”

Erika grimaced and look over the ridge towards the approaching bandits. She couldn’t see them clearly yet obscured by the rolling planes and sparse trees of the Great Clearing, but Sigrun had spotted them two days ago prowling along behind the wounded expedition. She’d told them that night and now for the first time Erika could just barely make them out, every one of them was dressed in swathes of dirty yellow linen carrying what looked like spears, they looked better trained than the ambushers although these ones didn’t have a troll which was a blessed relief.

A few moments later the distant figures turned, one of them spotting the trail Alvis had carefully hidden.

“They really are quite good.” Nodded Alvis approvingly. “I'm surprised they spotted that.”

“You make it sound like you admire them!” Hissed Skarda fidgeting, he’d been getting worse and worse the last few days going through periods of anger and calm as fast as clouds crossed the sky, Erika wasn't sure what the Hel was wrong with him but even his brother seemed to have noticed it.

“I don’t underestimate a capable enemy.” Replied Alvis woodenly giving Skarda a long cool stare. “There is a difference, besides whilst you were riding for your life, I am the one who concealed our tracks and had Ammeris leave our pursuers a… present.”

In the distance a plume of green flame erupted into the air, a few moments later a muted boom washed over the expedition followed by distant screaming, Alvis smiled like a wolf.

“They didn’t see that coming.” He murmured happily.

Sigrun slapped her old friend on the shoulder, “that should slow them down.” After a moment she gestured to the expeditionaries. “Everyone get mounted up, we’re riding out! We’ll try to lose them in the singing cliffs.”