White - Pathfinders Way

Pathfinders Way

T.A. White

This book is for my family and friends, who werealways willing to listen while I babbled on about plot andcharacters. This book wouldnt have been possible without you.

Copyright Tobey White, 2016

All rights reserved

Table of Contents

ChapterOne

For Gods sake, woman, the village willstill be there if we take an hours break.

Shea rolled her eyes at the soaring mountainsbefore her. This was the third rest stop the man had called forsince setting out this morning.

We must be half way there by now, hecontinued.

Maybe if they hadnt stopped several timesalready or if they had moved with a purpose, but as it stood thegroup had probably traveled less than two miles. Half of thatnearly vertical. At this pace, it would take an extra half day toget back to Birdon Leaf.

And who would they blame for the delayedarrival?

Shea. Even though it wasnt her needing tostop on every other hill when they felt a muscle cramp orexperienced shortness of breath. Since she was the pathfinder, itwas obviously her fault.

She could hear it now.

The pathfinder sets the pace. The pathfinderchooses when to take breaks. Yada. Yada. Yada.

She hated running missions with villagers.They thought that since theyd gone on day trips outside theirvillage barriers as children, they knew a thing or two about trailsigns and the Highlands in general.

It was always, We should take this route. Ithink this route is faster. Why is it taking so long? Thesemountain passes are sooo steep.

Never mind it was her that had walked thesedamn routes since the time she could toddle after the adults orthat the paths they suggested would take them right through abeasts nest.

Nope. She was just a pathfinder. A femalepathfinder. A female pathfinder who hadnt grown up in the samevillage as them. Obviously, she knew nothing of her craft.

The man yammered on about how they couldnttake another step. Any reasonable person could see how worn outthey were. She wasnt the one carrying the gear or the tradegoods.

Whine. Whine. Whine.

Thats all she heard. Over the last severalmonths, shed perfected the art of tuning them out without missingpertinent information.

It was all in the pitch. Their voices tendedto approach a higher frequency when they regressed to bitchingabout what couldnt be changed. As if she could make theswitchbacks approaching the Garylow Mountain pass any less steep ortreacherous.

Well take a rest once we reach the pass,she said for what seemed like the hundredth time.

They had begged for another break since aboutfive minutes after the last one.

She had a deadline to meet. Sleep to catch.Most importantly, she didnt think she could last another half daywith this lot.

Were nowhere near that pass, the manraged.

The rest break obviously meant a lot tohim.

Its just over that ridge, Shea pointedabove her.

Well, over that ridge and then another slightincline or two. It was just a small lie, really. If the man knewthe truth, hed probably sit down and refuse to take anotherstep.

Thats nearly a half mile away. The mansface flushed red.

Really if he had enough energy to be angry,he had enough energy to walk.

Quarter mile at most.

Were tired. Weve been walking for days.First to the trading outpost and then back. What does an hoursdifference make?

Shea sighed. Looked up at the blue, blue skyand the soaring pinnacles of rock then down at the loose shale andhalf trampled path theyd already traveled.

Youre right, an hours rest wont make muchdifference. His face lit up. However, youve already wasted twohours today on the last two breaks. You also wasted several hoursyesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. We shouldhave been back already.

She held up her hand when he opened hismouth.

Now, we are getting up that pass. We need tobe over it and down the mountain by nightfall. Otherwise youregoing to have to fend off nightfliers. Do you want to fend offnightfliers when you could be sleeping? Or would you rather suck itup and get over that damn ridge?

The man paled at the mention of nightfliers,a beast about three times the size of a bat that had a disturbingtendency of picking up its food and dropping it from a highaltitude. It made it easier to get to the good parts on theinside.

Well wait to take the break. He turned andheaded down to the last switchback where the rest of their partywaited.

Oh, and Kent. Sheas voice rose just loudenough for him to hear. Please let them know that if anybodyrefuses to walk, Ill leave them here to fend for themselves.Nightfliers arent the only things that roam this pass comenightfall.

He gave her a look full of loathing beforeheading down to his friends. Shea kept her snicker to herself. Goodthings never happened when they thought she was laughing atthem.

Idiot. As if pathfinders would abandon theircharges. If that was the case, she would have left this lot behinddays ago. There were oaths preventing that kind of behavior.

What she wouldnt give to enjoy a littlequiet time relaxing on the roof of her small home right aboutnow.

They didnt make it back to the village untilearly the next morning. Shea brought up the rear as their groupstraggled past the wooden wall encircling the small village ofBirdon Leaf.

The village was a place that time hadforgotten. It looked the same as it had the day it was founded, andin fifty years or a hundred, itd probably still be the same. Samefamilies living in the same homes, built of wood and mud by theirfathers, fathers, father. Most of the buildings in the villagewere single story and one room. The really well off might have asecond room or a loft. Nothing changed here, and they liked it thatway. Propose a new idea or way of doing something and theyd runyou out of town.

They didnt like strangers, which was finebecause most times strangers didnt like them.

They tolerated Shea because they needed theskills her guild taught to survive. Shea tolerated them because shehad to.

Well, some days she didnt.

A small group of women and children waited towelcome the men.

A large boned woman with a hefty bosom andash blond hair just beginning to gray flung her arms around a tallman with thinning hair.

Where have you been? We expected you backyesterday morning. She smothered his face with kisses.

You know we had to keep to the pathfinderspace. The men didnt feel it would be right leaving her behind justbecause she couldnt keep up.

There it was. Her fault.

Anytime something went wrong it was due tothe fact she was a woman. Even looking less feminine didnt helpher. A taller than average girl with a thin layer of musclesstretching over her lean frame, Shea had hazel eyes framed by roundcheeks, a stubborn mouth and a strong jaw-line shed inherited fromher father. Much to her consternation.

What the guild was thinking assigning awoman to our village, Ill never know, the woman said inexasperation. And such useless trail bait. They must have sent thelaziest one they had.

Trail bait. Dirt pounder. Roamer. Hot footed.Shea had heard it all. So many words to describe one thing.Outsider.

Shea turned towards home. At least she wouldhave a little peace and quiet for the next few days. She planned tohide out and not see or talk to anyone.

Just her and her maps. Maybe some cloudwatching. And definitely some napping. Make that a lot of napping.She needed to recharge.

Pathfinder! Pathfinder, a young voicecalled after her.

Shea turned and automatically smiled at thegirl with the gamine grin and boundless enthusiasm racing afterher. Aimee, Ive told you before you can call me Shea.

Aimee ducked her head and gave her a gaptoothed smile. She was missing one of her front teeth. She musthave lost it while Shea was outside the fence.