Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 13)

Jerica prickled. She said she wasn’t going to do it. Why wasn’t that enough for D’Ara? And who did she think she was anyhow? She took orders from Derik. No one else, unless she chose to. And she didn’t need saving from anyone, either. She lifted her chin, expression hard. “I-“

Derik had been approaching the litter from behind anyhow because a gut feeling told him he shouldn’t leave Jerica alone with D’Ara. And his gut was, yet again, spot on.

“Ah, threats aren’t necessary!” Derik said with a warm smile, maneuvering his own horse between Jerica’s and the litter. Just in case. It was easier to shut her up when he was physically in the middle. “We can acknowledge Jerica is a formidable warrior, while also recognizing she’s a disciplined one who does as I say.” Not Harold. Not D’Ara. Not anyone else. The only other person who held any sort of legitimate authority over Jerica was Levin, and she only listened to him because Derik said she had to… usually. Jerica wasn’t the type that could be threatened into obedience. It had to come from a place of her respecting you, not fearing you. And he hoped to the gods above that D’Ara wasn’t going to provoke Jerica into feeling the need to prove herself. “And I wholly agree with you that we are here to establish rapport, not meddle. Nothing to worry about from us.” He cast a side glance at Jerica, gaze sharp.

“I said I wasn’t going to do it,” she grumbled, still pissy but now deflated. Right. She was running her mouth. Again. Making Derik’s life harder for no reason. Again.

“Wonderful! So we’re all agreed!” Derik was forcing himself to be cheery. Trying to placate both at once. Now to deflect. “Are we going to be reaching our destination soon?”

"Soon," D'Ara huffed, settling back on her pillows with a wrinkled nose. "In the next half hour, I'd guess. The road is less traveled here but you can see tracks." She pointed to the hoofprints in the snow. "They look as of they're headed toward the village."

Derik glanced where she gestured. “…small party.” Not many horses, from the looks of it. “Do you suppose they all went?”

"Definitely not. Lord Ash doesn't go out much; I'd bet on it being some servants off to fetch supplies." She sat up suddenly, listening intently. There was a faint crackling and bending of trees in the distance. "What do you suppose that is?"

Kieran started and nearly tumbled off the side of the litter. He was already so anxious to be in the middle of this hostility — even though none of it was directed at him — and D’Ara’s suddenness was the last straw.

Derik reached out quickly and caught him before he could actually fall, depositing him back on the litter. His face flushed cherry red and he wanted nothing more than to disappear into thin air or at the very least jump off and go hide somewhere. But that seemed inconvenient. So he managed a sheepish “sorry” and did his best to make himself as small as possible.

Jerica was alert in an instant, sitting up straight and yanking her bow from its tube. She notched an arrow but didn’t draw the string, eyes flicking around the area.

“…spider?” Derik suggested, also looking around. He’d had more than enough of those to last a lifetime.

"No." She shook her head. "I've seen my fair share of spiders and none of them are big enough to make that kind of sound." She was silent again, peeking her face up over the scarf.
The cracking seemed to be moving parallel to them, a good distance away--far enough that they couldn't see the trees shifting.
"Hmmm." D'Ara frowned. "Don't like that. Don't like that at all."

Derik didn’t, either. And he liked it even less when she said that. “Perhaps we should speed up a bit?”

"Doesn't seem like it's getting closer." She leaned forward, resting her arms on her legs. "And we're nearly there. The horses are tired enough already."

“Mm.” Derik nodded. She had a point. And local knowledge. He’d defer to her… at least until or unless evidence to the contrary presented itself. But at the very least—

He caught Jerica’s eye and gestured with his chin for her to switch to his other side, slowing down his horse so she could cross his path. She didn’t like that. She was still pissy about how D’Ara had talked down to her. But she also didn’t disobey Derik — at least not when it came to orders like these. So she silently obeyed immediately, letting Derik take her outside flank, closer to the distant sound.

D'Ara kept her head turned toward where the sound was coming from, brow furrowed. "I suppose Lord Ash will know what that is better than I do. He knows his lands."

“Hopefully nothing too concerning,” Derik murmured, also watching intently. “Sounds big, though.”

"Very," she agreed. "Big as a tree, or big enough to knock one over from the sound of it."

Derik nodded in agreement. “Let’s hope it doesn’t end up between us and the Keep.”

"Let's." She stayed upright, glancing around at her soldiers. They seemed ill at ease now, and the horses were whickering nervously.

“Ma’am?” Kieran’s voice was small and timid.

“Mm?” Jerica glanced at him, furrowing her brow slightly when she saw the expression he was giving her. It was pleading. Desperate.

“Can I…?” He glanced at D’Ara uneasily then looked back at Jerica. “…ride?”

“Oh… uh…” Jerica glanced at Derik instinctively.

Derik hesitated, considering the matter. Where would the boy be safest? He glanced at D’Ara. “It should only be a few more minutes now, right?”