Beinn 4.7

Katashi and Jaala stood looking at the carnage that was displayed in front of them.  Neither spoke but clearly they were operating as if they had been trained by the same master in the same school.  Their first thought was of an ambush, that the people who wreaked such havoc were still around laying in wait for them to perhaps get a little closer.  They looked at each other and nodded quietly as each took off in an opposite direction from the other.  A wide sweep of the perimeter would surface anyone who may still be laying in wait. 

It took close to half an hour as they moved slowly, listening, watching.  They met at the other side of the battle ground.  Jaala was first to speak.  “No one is here but the souls of these dead.”  Katashi nodded in agreement.

Jaala appeared ready to move on.  He clearly had no interest in what had happened and indeed seemed to want to put as much distance between this scene and himself as possible.  Katashi found this curious even though it caused him little concern.  “I need to go and survey this destruction Jaala.  I must see if I can find out who these men were, and who it was that attacked them.”  What Katashi did not say was every bit is meaningful as what he had just said, and that was why he must do so.  The longer the two were together the more they revealed about themselves to each other. 

Jaala nodded, “I understand.  Let me come with you.  Perhaps two pairs of eyes can see that which one cannot.”

Being confident that their was no one left behind to attack them they walked easily, if alertly to the men laying dead on the ground.  That they were all dead was not a question.  The work of the men who did this was thorough. 

“It was an ambush,” Jaala said.  “They were surprised.”

“The attackers most likely hid to the left of the trail up on that ledge of rock.  I will go up there and see what sign they left.”

Jaala nodded and walked the remaining distance to the men.  He bent over one and immediately called for Katashi.

Katashi came and stood beside Jaala and they both looked at the dead highlander and the arrow protruding from his neck.

~ by ridgewalker on June 8, 2008.