060

Their movements, their horses, their clothes, and the way they looked at the forest told Gregor that wherever they were from was very different from Moss-Head forest. They were skilled at what they did though, their camps were clean and they had not trouble finding food.

The man with the tattoos came back holding a plate of roasted tubers and what appeared to be boiled leaves of some sort. He said something and placed the plate on the forest floor in front of Gregor. The large horses sniffed at the air and turned as if to examine the food. The man laughed and barked a command to the animals whom obeyed and went back to ignoring Gregor.

Gregor nodded to the tattooed man trying to convey his thanks. The man shrugged his shoulders and walked back to the camp. Gregor knelt on close to the plate and awkwardly lowered down to eat the food. He rested his elbows on the ground and brought the food to his mouth using both hands. He was no longer concerned with cleanliness or embarrassment and ate as best he could.

When he was finished he sat back on the ground and tied to wipe any food the remained from his face. While he had been eating the man with the tattoos had returned and placed a metal cup of water beside him. He reached for the cup now and drank it in three large gulps.

A strange bird's call broke the low hum of the forest sounds. It was a call the Gregor had never heard before. Immediately he saw the men spring into action. The strange bird called out four more times in quick succession. The men circled the with with heir weapons out and their skull masks on, watching the forest.

A call went up and men ran into the clearing, knowing that their ambush had failed. As they ran towards the men in the skull masks arrows flew from the trees overhead taking many of the men down. Gregor moved as close to a nearby tree as his tied hands allowed him. He pulled on the rope trying to get any slack from the horse picket line but the horses were beginning to get agitated. They were war horses and Gregor knew that they longed to be off the picket and in the fray with their masters. With a jerk of his ropes Gregor was pulled forward. He lost footing and fell to the earth, his arms being pulled in the air above him.

"Circle them! Get closer! Mind the archers in the trees above!"

Gregor pulled himself to his feet and struggled to remain standing. He looked at the battled and watched in amazement. It was a Contubernium unit of the Electorate army. Not many men but at one time they would have doubled the Gregor's captor, now after the failed ambush the numbers were equalling. The men in the skulls were ferocious and attacked in a manor that obviously surprised their would-be ambushers.