Hunters of Sian - Book 2. The Užaren Canyon

Salt and Sorrows

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Chapter Twenty-Six

Salt and Sorrows

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The ride back through the canyon was a long journey. Nell couldn't stop himself from jumping every time one of the dracks knocked a rock or brushed past some dried foliage. Every rustle or creak was something about to leap from above. The walls of the slot canyon felt even more claustrophobic than before.

The blistering sun, dry air, close walls and broken saddle made Nell extremely uncomfortable. He felt every one of Thorn's flinches. Shade and Thorn were travelling much slower than usual. Shade, in particular, was starting to limp. Sallos dismounted and led the beast on foot, his javelin at the ready. Nell was desperately grateful to Jezire and Blair for the escort. Despite the bedraggled look of the hunters in the centre of the pack, Titan and the filly drackina, Nettle, looked fresh and strong.

Nell was almost certain that something had moved above them, spying down at the group with interest before slinking away. The Callidus were not gone, of that Nell was certain. The only slight upside to this horrific ordeal were the near priceless ingredients Sallos had harvested from the dead Callidus and the extra supplies they had been able to take back with them.

Each day Nell had continued to forage on their trip, so they still had some fresh vegetation back at the cabin. He'd also planted a few wild weeds and herbs in the patch of garden. The overgrowth they had continued to cultivate for just a moment like this. They had often taken the dracks out into the canyon to eat the reptiles, cactus, and rodents they found whilst leaving the vegetation in the garden just in case they were ever trapped in the cabin for a few days.

It seemed to take much longer to finally reach the dried-up riverbed. The sun had sunk someway. They still had light, but they would need to go straight to their camp.

'We should leave you here if we are to ride hard back to our own camp this afternoon,' said Jezire, breaking the silence.

'I understand. We will be fine from here,' Sallos said. Nell wasn't so sure. Jezire and Blair gave them both a nod.

'Until next time then. Rest up,' Jezire grunted.

'Bye,' Blair said, waving.

Nell couldn't unglue his tongue from the dry roof of his mouth, so he just waved limply. They set off one way and he and Sallos went the other way. Now that they were on their own, they picked up the pace. Shade was still limping, but he seemed to want to be back at their camp just as badly as his rider because he sped up despite his bad leg. Thankfully, at a swift walk, they covered a decent amount of ground and not too much time passed before they finally reached home.

Dismounting was not an easy activity. Nell's injured leg threatened to buckle as he eased himself from the saddle. Thankfully, Thorn was too tired and too sore to go for his rider, instead standing still for once. Sallos was already down from the saddle and moving. Nell followed at a slower pace. They went straight to the guard stones.

To Nell's immense unease, there were fresh prints around the outskirts of the camp. The Callidus had come to test the sigils whilst Nell and Sallos had been away. There were some scorch marks on the rocks but the sigils themselves still looked whole and unbroken. Sallos inspected each one very carefully before powering them up. The man still had not spoken a damn word to Nell this entire trip and whilst Nell was not exactly in the mood for conversation, he had still expected... something.

The dracks stood still as Nell and Sallos pulled off their riding tack and saddle bags. The extra supplies were carried into the cabin. Shade and Thorn limped their way over to the rock stalls and curled up inside. Nell wished he could do the same. He ached in more ways than one. Sallos went by him and got a fire roaring in the hearth before dumping rice and water into the pot. It was a lot of rice, and he didn't bother washing it. As it was brought to the boil, Nell suddenly understood why as he followed Sallos back outside and watched the demon begin to cut up several armfuls of the spiky thick weeds from the garden patch.