There was an awkward silence, which Gilan broke by asking, "What makes Crowley think that Morgarath is using them?" Halt hesitated. He'd been told Crowley's thoughts in private council, Then he shrugged. They'd all need to know about it sooner or later and they were all members of the Ranger Corps, even Will. "He's already used them twice in the past year – to kill Lord Northolt and Lord Lorriac." The three younger men all exchanged puzzled glances, so he went on. "Northolt was thought to be killed by a bear, remember?" Will nodded slowly. He remembered now. On his first day as Halt's apprentice, the Ranger had received news of the supreme commander's death. "I thought at the time that Northolt was too skilled a hunter to be killed that way. Crowley evidently agrees."

"But what about Lorriac? Everyone said it was a stroke." It was Merron who asked this question. Halt glanced at him briefly, then answered. "You'd heard that, had you? Well, his physician was most surprised. Said he'd never seen a healthier man. On the other hand…" He paused, and Gilan finished the thought. "It could have been the work of the Kalkara." Halt nodded. "Exactly. We don't know the full effects of the freezing stare they've developed. Maintained over a long enough time, the terror could well be enough to stop a man's heart. And there were vague reports that a large, dark animal was seen in the area."

Again, silence settled over the small group under the trees. Around them, Rangers bustled to and fro, striking camp and saddling their horses. Halt finally roused them all from their thoughts. "We'd best be moving. Merton, you'll need to return to your fief. Crowley wants the army alerted and mobilized. Orders will be distributed in a few minutes." Merron nodded and turned away toward his campsite. He paused and turned back. Something in Halt's voice, the way he had said "you'll need to return to your fief," had made him think. "What about you three?" he said. "Where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make it any less terrifying or blood-chilling when the words were said, "We're going after the Kalkara."

Chapter 25

THE CAMP BUZZED WITH ACTIVITY AS TENTS CAME DOWN and Rangers repacked their equipment and tied on their saddle bags. Already, the first few riders had departed, heading back to their own fiefs.

Will was fastening the ties on their saddle packs, having replaced the few items they had taken out. Halt sat a few meters away, frowning thoughtfully as he studied a map of the area surrounding the Solitary Plain. The Plain itself was a vast, unmapped area, with no roads and few features indicated. A shadow fell across him and he looked up. Gilan stood there, a worried look on his face." Halt," he said in a low, concerned voice, "Are you sure about this?" Halt met his gaze steadily. " Very sure, Gilan. It simply has to be done."

"But he's only a boy!" Gilan protested, looking quickly to where Will was tying a pack roll back in place behind Tug's saddle. Halt let go a long breath, his eyes dropping from Gilan's as he spoke.

"I know that. But he's a Ranger. Apprentice or not, he's a member of the Corps, like all of us." He saw that Gilan was about to protest further, out of concern for Will, and he felt a surge of affection for his old apprentice.

"Gilan, in an ideal world, I wouldn't put him at risk like this. But this isn't an ideal world. Everyone's going to have to play his part in this campaign, even boys like Will. Morgarath is preparing for something big. Crowley's agents have got wind that, on top of everything else, he's been in touch with the Skandians."

"The Skandians? What for?"

Halt shrugged. "We don't know the details, but my bet is he's hoping to form an alliance with them. They'll fight anyone for money. And apparently, they'll fight for anyone as well," he added, his distaste for mercenaries obvious in his voice. "The point is, we're shorthanded enough while Crowley tries to raise the army. Normally, I wouldn't go after the Kalkara with a force of less than five senior Rangers. But he simply can't spare them for me. So I've had to settle for the two I trust most – you and Will." Gilan grinned crookedly. "Well, thanks for that, anyway. " He was touched by Halt's confidence. He still looked up to his old mentor. Most of the Ranger Corps did. "Besides, I thought that rusty old sword of yours might come in handy if we run into those horrors," Halt said, The Ranger Corps had chosen wisely when they allowed Gilan to continue his training with the weapon. Although very few people knew it, Gilan was one of the finest swordsmen in Araluen.

"As for Will," Halt continued, "don't sell him short. He's very resourceful. He's quick and brave and a damn good shot already. Best of all, he thinks quickly. My real thinking is that if we get on the trail of the Kalkara, we can send him for reinforcements. That'll help us and keep him out of harm's way." Gilan scratched his chin thoughtfully. Now that Halt had explained it, it seemed the only logical course for them to take. He met the older man's eyes and nodded his understanding of the situation. Then he turned to organize his own kit, only to find that Will had already repacked it and tied it to his saddle. He smiled at Halt.

"You're right," he said. "He does think for himself."

The three of them rode out a little while later, while the other Rangers were still receiving their orders. Mobilizing the Araluen army would be no small task, and it would be the Rangers' job to coordinate it, then be ready to guide the individual forces from the fifty fiefs to their assembly point at the Plains of Uthal. With both Gilan and Halt assigned to searching for the Kalkara, other Rangers had to be tasked with coordinating the forces from their fiefs as well.

There was little said between the three companions as Halt led the way to the southwest. Even Will's natural curiosity was subdued by the magnitude of the task ahead of them. As they rode in silence, his mind's eye kept conjuring images of savage bearlike creatures with the features of apes-creatures that might well prove to be invincible, even for someone of Halt's skill.

Eventually, however, as monotony set in, the horrific images receded and he began to wonder what plan, if any, Halt had in mind. "Halt," he said, a little breathlessly, "where do you hope to find the Kalkara?" Halt looked at the serious young face beside him. They were traveling at the Rangers' forced march pace – forty minutes in the saddle, riding at a steady canter, then twenty minutes on foot, leading the horses and allowing them to travel unburdened, while the men ran at a steady trot.

Every four hours, they would pause for one hour's rest, when they ate a quick meal of dried meat, hard bread and fruit, then rolled into their cloaks to sleep.

They had been leading the horses for some time now and Halt judged that it was time to rest. He led Abelard off the road and into the shelter of a grove of trees. Will and Gilan followed, dropping the reins and allowing their horses to graze.

"The best way I can think of," Halt said, in answer to Will's question, "is to start at their lair and see if they're in the vicinity."

"Do we know where that is?" Gilan asked. "Best intelligence we have is that it's somewhere on the Solitary Plain, beyond the Stone Flutes. We'll scout around that area and see what we can find. If they're in the area, we should find that the odd sheep or goat is going missing from villages nearby. Although getting the villagers themselves to talk will be another matter. Plainspeople are a closemouthed bunch at the best of times."

"What's this Plain you're talking about?" Will asked, through a mouthful of hard bread. "And what on earth is a Stone Flute?"