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between farms than a real road watching her, while the rest of the party took the
chance to eat. As he studied her angular features, her brows puckered together, and a
look of consternation crossed her face.
Trouble? he asked, unconsciously shifting his weight into a ready crouch.
Everyone else fell instantly silent at the word.
She sighed and opened her eyes. I don t know. Maybe. She took a sip of water
from her canteen. This road will take us out to a crossing with a larger highway. I saw
soldiers there.
Stands-in-Smoke straightened, a look of fear and hate darkening her eyes. We ll
have to wait for them to be long past before we chance the road, then.
Gwendith shook her head. They aren t traveling. It looks like they ve set up a
roadblock and are questioning people.
Can we go around them? In the woods?
There s nothing but fields for miles. They d be sure to see us. Unless Johann
can hide us somehow?
But Johann made a negative gesture. I m not even certain I can disguise the
ghost eater for very long, let alone make all of us invisible, or look like farmers. A few
minutes, probably, but not long enough for us to cross a wide field and get out of sight.
Then we have no choice but to go ahead as we d planned, said the ghost
eater, feeling an odd combination of trepidation and relief. After days of dreading just
such a confrontation, he was almost glad to have the suspense over with.
They set off down the road, Johann riding his horse out in front, Gwendith
walking beside with her coat parted to display her twin pistols, and the rest trailing
behind the horse. Stands-in-Smoke reached out and took No Tongue s hand silently,
though whether she comforted him or herself the ghost eater couldn t guess.
The road came into sight within the hour. It was set up on a high berm above the
level of the fields, and well out of reach of any save the most severe floods. The track
they followed curved up steeply, meeting the main road beneath the bud-swollen
boughs of two enormous oak trees. Even from a distance, the ghost eater could see the
sunlight flash off the buttons of the soldiers identical coats. As if on cue, Johann s
travel-stained clothes took on a newer, finer look. The ghost eater glanced down at his
hands, saw a woman s slender fingers.
As they approached, the soldiers rose to their feet from where they had been
resting under the oaks. The ghost eater immediately turned his eyes to the ground,
trying to look the way he imagined a prisoner might. Stands-in-Smoke had made
references to the servitude of her people and members of her own family, but he wasn t
really sure he understood the concept. A war captive seemed the closest analogy he
could make. Although he kept his head bent, he glanced to one side, and saw that
Stands-in-Smoke s lips had tightened and her face gone pale.
Be calm, he willed her. You didn t survive the Sanctuary by being completely
foolish.
A small rabbit suddenly emerged from the row of cedar trees that lined the field
boundary. It hopped along, pacing them, before suddenly swelling to the size of a dog.
A mica gorget dangled and swayed about its short neck. Startled, the ghost eater
looked around, but no one else seemed to notice Rabbit s presence.
Better worry about this one, Rabbit said, hopping just before Stands-in-Smoke s
feet. The ghost eater winced, thinking she would tread on him at any moment, but
somehow he stayed just ahead of her. Looks like she might snap any minute now. Bet
she could scorch a couple of them pretty good before they shot her, though.
Johann slowed his horse, calling a cheerful hail to the soldiers. One of them
moved forwards, while the others touched their guns and stared suspiciously at Stands-
in-Smoke, No Tongue, and the ghost eater. Morning, folks, the first man said. His idle
tone belied the sharp look in his eyes. We ve got some renegade muddies on the
loose, and we think they might be heading this way. Haven t seen anything strange,
have you?
Rabbit darted forwards, changing his shape to that of an Ahkan i man as he did
so. A warrior s crest of stiffened possum fur adorned his long hair. Grinning, he slipped
around behind the oblivious soldiers and started making rude faces at them. The ghost
eater, torn between amusement and the fear that they might be given away, barely
remembered to keep his face neutral.
I assure you that all my muddies are well trained, Johann was saying in a lofty
tone. And as you can see, I have already hired a bodyguard to protect my person from
brigands. I m sure her bullets will work just as well against renegades.
Rabbit moved to stand just behind the lead soldier. Leaning forwards, he blew
lightly on the man s neck. The soldier jumped and slapped at the spot. Rabbit repeated
the action, then pinched him behind the knee.
Johann lifted a brow at the soldier s slaps and scratches. Embarrassed, the man
grinned wryly, obviously fighting not to scratch at the spot on the side of his face where
Rabbit was tickling him with a feather. Bugs are out early this year.
Probably lice, Johann said acerbically. Really, gentlemen, I appreciate the
warnings, but I have pressing business in Whitefoam.
The soldier stepped out of the way and waved them on. Be on your way, then.
But if you see anything suspicious, go to the nearest army post and have word sent to
Colonel Talys at Fort Reed.
They moved on past the soldiers, crossing the main road to take a smaller track
that continued its way between fields. Rabbit capered past, stopping to pantomime
Johann s stiff posture.
We made it, Gwendith said once they were well out of the soldiers sight.
No thanks to our ghost eater, Stands-in-Smoke snapped, giving him a rough
shove. You almost gave us away, you fool! Standing there ogling the soldiers instead
of looking at your feet you re lucky one of them didn t decide to drag you off into the
bushes for a quick tumble.
Rabbit hooted with laughter. Now that would have been something!
It isn t funny! the ghost eater snapped, humiliated.
No one s laughing, Gwendith said gently.
I wasn t talking to you. Now they were all looking at him as though he had lost
his senses. The ghost eater remembered how the old one used to talk to people who
weren t there. It was generally considered the first sign that a ghost eater was losing his
grasp on sanity.
That s right, he was talking to me, Rabbit declared. Instantly, everyone else fell
back, gaping at the man who hadn t been there only a moment ago. Both Gwendith s
pistols were in her hands, their bores trained on Rabbit s chest.
No! the ghost eater exclaimed hastily, moving to put himself between the pistols
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