THE EMPERORS WOLVES - Gathering the Wolfpack

THE EMPERORS WOLVES - Gathering the Wolfpack - Chapter2 pt1

Chapter2 pt1

They started out at a good pace making the most of the cooler morning air. The crunch of their caligae, the nailed legionary boot, on the stony path was the only sound they made. All of the squad, except Catulus, were experienced soldiers and they knew how to behave when away from camp. The chat was kept to a minimum and any unnecessary noise was avoided.

As the morning progressed the sun became more extreme, the rocks and ground reflected the heat, adding to its intensity. The men sweated heavily under their armour, they were starting to feel the pace that Titus was setting.

‘Another sweaty one Titus’, Vello declared. His new black eye was still sore. ‘Get some of this down you.’

Vello handed over his water skin. Titus gulped down a couple of mouthfuls while he tramped on.

‘How many times do I have to say sorry, it was that twat from Buxentum in seventh squad who sold them to me.’ he paused. ‘You weren’t complaining when we ate them.’

Titus shot him a glance. Vello had hoped the conversation would result in a rest but Titus carried on down the path. He had already set his stopping points in his mind and was not going to be swayed. More time dragged by and they had been walking for almost three and a half hours. The sun was at its highest in the cloudless sky.

Titus approached a massive boulder and jumped as a small green lizard ran across the face of the rock.

‘Okay, take a break. No fires, we won’t be stopping long. Flamminio take watch down where the path turns away to the right.’ Titus pointed, then removed his pack and sat against the boulder trying to find some shade. He watched Flamminio trudge off down the path.

Vello sat next to Titus. ‘Thanks Titus, my bloody feet are killing me. Here have some more water.’ Vello handed over the skin again.

‘I didn’t stop for your feet you pain in the arse. You’d better have buried those sodding chicken bones like I told you.’ Vello sat grinning; he knew Titus’ mood was lifting.

‘I did better than that. I gave them to the Optio’s dogs. If the bones are found it’s nothing to do with me…. or you.’ Titus smiled as did Vello. Nobody liked the Optio he was a genuinely mean man. His two dogs had his personality and were equally disliked.

‘How much further do we walk today matey?’ Vello was confident that the issue had been resolved and was busily removing his caligae.

Titus revealed his plan for the afternoon. ‘We should be near the road. We follow it for three maybe four miles and then start to turn back across to the other side of the valley.’

Vello was busy rubbing his feet when Titus handed the water skin back.

‘Ah, that’s better,’ Vello stretched out his legs and wiggled his toes. ‘Why can’t the bloody cavalry scout for water? Look at this place, fucking rocks, lizards and dust. There’s nothing here worth having and the only sodding water I’ve seen is the stuff we brought with us.’ Vello picked up his boot and started to refasten it.

‘You’re a whingeing bugger Vello. You know it’s too uneven and stony for the horses; they can only travel down the decent paths and tracks. You on the other hand can be sent up and down these hills and if you end up lame you can be put out of your misery and not missed.’

Titus looked back to his friend. Vello could complain about anything and frequently did.

‘Sodding fancy boys they are. Always poncing around and those bleeding horses are looked after better than we are. If it was up to me I’d kill the lot and have a fucking big roast up. Horse steaks. That’s what we should be eating.’

‘You’d probably burn them.’ Catulus added.

The group had rested for ten minutes. Vello took another drink. The water was warm but still welcome. The heat enveloped each man like a cloak. Vello wet his scarf and replaced it around his neck. The scarf was more than insulation for the cold of the nights it also stopped the chain mail shirt from chaffing against your neck. Today though, it was a sweat catcher.

Vello nudged Titus’ arm and nodded towards Catulus. The young legionary was brushing stones off the ground to make his bottom more comfortable.

‘Very hot here Titus don’t you think?’ The older man winked and pointed at the youngster.

‘I agree Vello, it’s hot, but that means there are more flies than normal following our young Catulus.’

‘No Titus, the flies are attracted by Vello’s old man feet.’ Catulus retorted.

Titus smiled he was warming to Catulus. ‘Do me a favour mate, go take over from Flamminio on watch for a few minutes. Remember keep your eyes open, you know there may be warriors in the area. You saw the state of the patrol yesterday, stay alert.’

‘I will Titus. The lads last night said there were hundreds of barbarians. They were surrounded before they knew it.’ Catulus stood and brushed the dust off his bottom.

‘I’m sure you’ve been told that Parthian virgins can spin wool into gold, haven’t you? The reality is that soldiers exaggerate, especially when they’ve seen action for the first time. Just be careful, okay?’

Catulus stood and bowed. ‘I will keep my eyes open, Titus. Your concern for my health and well-being warms and elevates my heart.’ The men laughed as the teenager jogged away down the path followed by a couple of poorly aimed stones.

‘You settled him down well.’ Vello said as the youngster disappeared behind the bend in the path.

‘You know what it’s like, he’s only young. That was me a few years ago. Those lads in the sixth would have been telling their stories. He was up till late with them drinking and watching the pyres burn.’ Titus sat back and sweated.

A few minutes later Flamminio called out and approached the rocks where the others rested, Vello tossed over the skin and Flamminio drank hungrily.

‘Anything to report?’ Titus inquired.

‘Yes, it’s too fucking hot.’ Flamminio wiped the sweat from his face as he approached Titus.

‘Okay smart arse, anything we don’t already know to report?’

‘Nah, I did see some goats away off in the rocks. They were about a hundred paces past the road. A couple of them were nice big fatties. They had plenty of meat on em, ideal for a hungry legionary.’ Flamminio rubbed his stomach.

‘Typical Flamminio, you always go for the fatties,’ Vello teased.

Flamminio’s reputation for preferring the larger women was well known. He threw down his two javelins and took a step towards Vello. Titus raised a hand and Flamminio glared at his tent mate, finally he sat and rested his head against the inside of his scutum. The shield was five foot high and provided a little respite from the sun’s glare.

Titus decided to lighten the mood. ‘Well at least we’ll eat well tonight lads even if it’s goat instead of horse steak. As long as no herder was with them they’re fair game. Once we get down there, you two can go and catch one, each.’

‘Something’s wrong.’ Vello was looking down the hill. A sharp movement had caught his eye.

Titus stood and shaded his eyes with his hands trying to see clearly. ‘What the hell is he doing?’

Catulus was running full tilt back towards them.

Titus reached for his shield. ‘Get on your feet, weapons ready. Something’s spooked him’, the men got to their feet taking up their weapons.

Flamminio climbed slowly to his feet. ‘He’s probably seen a fucking lizard.’