| For two more days the foursome continued their journey. Fred didn't
see a soul the entire time; not a farm, a ranch or a homestead. Nothing.
No one. But from time to time Fred would get the feeling that they were
being watched. His only relief was that they had not met up with any more
Taxmen. Whatever kind of country the Salmonshire Confederacy was, Fred
knew that it could not be anything good and he wanted as little to do with
it as possible.
When they finally reached the Fox's Forest, they set up camp for the
night. Rift was barely able to contain himself, but the setting of the
sun made any search for the entrance of the Dragon's cave impossible. Astra
and Rift spoke together over the fire, discussing their plan of action.
She looked up at the small peak that rose above them just beyond the forest
and pointed. Luckily, the craggy mountain was but the closest and not the
greatest of the rocky heights of the Goth Range; it was more akin to the
rising hills that surrounded them then to the sharp alps of the snow tipped
Goth. Ascending it would be no hardship. But while reaching the dragon
cave would not be a problem, finding it was a different matter. When she
and Fred had entered the lair the first time, they had used a tiny opening
on the lower slope of that peak. But even if the opening were still there,
it would be useless. The battle between the two dragons had destroyed most
of the cavern and had certainly blocked up the passage.
And so they would instead search for the opening that they had used
when they had escaped from the Dragon's caverns. It was hidden somewhere
further down the slope, concealed behind a large fence of giant thorn bushes.
Rift was angry that Astra could not say with exact certainty where it was
located, but then neither she nor Fred had bothered to make a precise note
of it. At the time, the two of them had had an urgent need to get out of
there and find the mysterious Synizn. Fred was sure that Rift's pique would
goad Astra, even perhaps to the point of striking him. But she calmly waited
for his angry harangue to quiet down and then continued with the discussion.
Fred was almost troubled by her outward calmness and wondered what she
would do when they finally found the Dragon's treasure room and Rift would
no longer need them as guides. He wondered what Rift was going to do as
well. As for what Fred intended, the knight planned on looking for the
first opportunity and taking advantage of it, however it might turn out.
Astra and he were the same in one thing if no other; if death was his lot
then he wanted to die in combat and not trussed up like a pig.
The next day they made their way through the forest and up onto the
mountain proper. They soon located the mighty thorn bushes and Tarin hacked
a way through. The black opening seemed gouged out of the rock wall and
even though there was not a mark or a rune or a sygll cut anywhere into
its grey stone, it was clear to all that this place was one of danger.
But with the Dragon dead, what danger did they need fear?
They stepped into the ominous black hole and disappeared from view.
The passage led upward, but after only a few feet the light from the sky
outside grew dim. Fred was about to suggest lighting their torches when
the sunlight filtering in at their backs darkened and the sound of crunching
rock reached his ears. The band turned and all but one of them was shocked
at what they saw. At the mouth of the cave stood a silent group of fully
armored four foot tall men.
Rift's face went pale and he turned on Tarin. The dwarf smiled at him
and said, "I asked some of my friends to join us. Why do you think it took
me so long to catch up with you?"
Rift's voice quavered, but he mustered as much bravado as he could and
replied, "In case of trouble. A very good idea Tarin. And they will be
useful in retrieving our treasure."
Tarin shook his head. "Our treasure? I told you that I would
get half of whatever treasure we found in this dragon's cave. That is true.
But I never said you would get the other half."
-
 The dwarves marched up
to them.
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