Kuerolong took a handful of minotaurs west of Saddle Rock to gather more forces for Los Verion. He took the fastest runners, leaving the slowest of his companions with the main army. Ranno went with him. Riser wasn't sad to see them go. They had suffered his presence and he had suffered theirs. It felt good to be among strangers again. At least nobody had any preconceived ideas about him. He could start afresh and see where life took him.
The minotaurs spent several hours gathering supplies and loading them onto low slung carts that they could pull behind them. Riser ate the last of Preya's supplies while he waited for them to complete their preparations.
He tried not to worry about Lisa, but he found himself thinking about her more and more often. Did she really know what she was doing? Should he have ignored her protests and insisted on accompanying her to the coast? He was more than a little relieved when the army finally started marching en masse towards Los Verion. At least if they kept moving he might be able to think of the future rather than dwelling on the mistakes of his past.
The army consisted of more than eight hundred minotaurs and perhaps half as many people. Twenty jeckos straggled along behind them, almost dragging their knuckles along the ground, and there were a few other creatures that Riser didn't recognise. Something resembling a pig dashed past him. He almost shot it, meaning to have it for lunch but the minotaurs became angry so he made light of the situation and smiled.
The army couldn't run because it was overloaded with supplies, and the people wouldn't be able to keep up with the minotaurs. It wasn't safe to split their forces, so they walked at a brisk pace, sending scouts ahead and behind to warn of any dangers they might find. The strong musky scent of the minotaurs was more noticeable than ever now. Their hooves left a muddy trail across the ground behind them.
'How long will it take to get to Los Verion?' Riser said as he loped alongside a man who was walking nearby.
The man looked up with a frown. He had a short red beard that was no match for Riser's extended appendage, but at least he was trying. He was tall and muscular by human standards but he was still dwarfed by the might of the minotaurs who loped alongside him.
'Three days,' he said. 'Maybe longer'.
'That's too long.'
'We could save a little time if we made carts for the people, but it would take just as long to find the right materials and build them.'
'What would you use for a power source?'
The man gave him an odd look, before nodding towards the minotaurs all around them. Riser had been thinking more in terms of fuel cells like the ones used by autonomous droids in Cinnamon City. Out here they took a more basic approach, but he guessed minotaurs could be just as effective.
'What's your name?' Riser said.
'Thacker.'
'Have you lived at Saddle Rock all your life?'
'Of course. It's too dangerous to venture far. We do travel to some of the other settlements from time to time but it's not something we would consider lightly. We've lost too many that way.'
'I didn't see any huts. Where did you all live?'
'Underground mostly. The hills are a mass of tunnels and chambers.'
Riser glanced around, noticing how the people were more battle hardened than the ones he had seen at Los Verion. They wore animal skins that helped them blend into their surroundings, and they carried short swords and slingshots at their belts. Some had longbows with quivers of arrows.
'What is that thing you wear?' Thacker said, gesturing towards Riser's exoskeleton.
'It's like armour,' Riser said, 'but mostly it helps me run fast and carry things. It has weapons too. It was old and clunky when I got it but I upgraded it at Los Verion.'
Thacker looked him up and down, taking it all in. 'I don't like it,' he said.
Riser frowned. He hoped Thacker wasn't going to be someone else he would disagree with about everything.
'But I see it has its uses for a fat man.'
'You'll see its uses when we face the clerics,' Riser said in an irritated tone.
* * * * *
The minotaur army headed north at a brisk pace throughout the day and into the evening, taking short breaks to eat every three hours. They ate well but their supplies wouldn't last long with so many mouths to feed. The supply carts were already emptying at an alarming rate. Those that had been emptied were quickly occupied by people who were too tired to walk. When they had recovered their strength they climbed down to make space for others who were even more exhausted. The minotaurs didn't need any rest. The pace was leisurely for them. They moved with patience, but Riser could tell they were aching to run.
The weather grew milder during the course of the day. The people reversed some of their outer layers of clothing, rubbing dust and dry plants on them to match the colours of the changing environment around them. It was going to take a long time to reach Los Verion at their current pace. Riser suggested that they split into two forces, sending a vanguard ahead to Los Verion. Thacker wasn't keen on the idea at first, thinking that the people would be left behind, but when Riser suggested taking the empty carts with them on board he was more in favour.
'Will it really make a difference if we arrive a few days earlier?' Thacker said.
'It might. We were attacked by an army of clerics at Wendle River. Another large force was seen heading south, but there could be others too. I think Los Verion is ill prepared for this kind of fighting.'
'How so?'
'The population is small, and they have poor weapons. Their men are mostly young and inexperienced.'
'Like you?' Thacker said.
Riser drew his lips into a thin line. 'I've been getting into trouble since before you were born. I've been taken prisoner many times. I've had more fights than I care to remember. I fought several clerics not so long ago. I even had a fight with a fucking jecko once.'
Thacker laughed. 'And how did that work out for you?'
Riser sighed. 'I got a big lump on my head.'
Thacker laughed even louder. 'You must get better at choosing your battles. Jeckos are not so bright,' he said, glancing around to make sure none of them were within earshot. 'They have zero fighting skills, and no tactics at all, but when they swing those fists even a fool knows he had better get out of the way.'
'I'll remember that next time,' Riser said with a nod.