"Hrung." Jarmok indicated his understanding. Jarmok took the proffered water, but did not drink of it just then. He listened intently to the Arch-Duke's request, and when the weary ruler had finished, Jarmok briefly scurried on haunch-and-hand about the camp fire to collect a cubit-long stick and then clear a patch of dirt where he could draw.
"Is first traitor." He said and he swiftly began sketching out the Ambush Site that only a fortnight ago he had inspected. That trip had been much on Jarmok's mind during the intervening weeks; the site was fair etched in his mind at this point. As he drew the north-south road and the cut-off where the party had bivouacked for that fateful night, and the protected hollow, and all the elements that made that site, he spoke rather tersely.
"Councilors from Rivercliff tell story. Ambush at night. Find place and look...old, but many tracks. Much learn." He didn't look at Corwynn as he spoke. He was busily creating something of a battle map in the dirt.
"Is road, Threshold [drew an arrow] long day, maybe two short days. Kurr [another arrow]. Party camp here...hill..hill...tree. Good place for camp. Enemy [drawing arrows indicating that the enemy forces that surrounded the little camp came from various directions, as if coming to a meeting at the sound of a call], man and shadewolf, on hill, on hill, arrows to kill soldiers."
Jarmok began digging in his satchel for a moment, but continued to speak animatedly. "Councillors say dark. Not just night...dark [with emphasis]. Am think shade wolf dark. Found [holds up the claw that he found at the ambush site so that Corwynn might inspect it, if he so wished]"
"But arrows only hit soldiers, not Councillors. Is aim good."
"Is traitor on horse." He stated somberly. "Is only one horse in Kurr company. Find horse prints here [pokes the dirt], here, [poke], and here [pokes the south hill side], on top of hill. Shadow Riders not ride horse. Horse from Kurr." He stated firmly. "Rider up on hill is signal to Shadow Riders: come kill, think."
"Am yesterday Sayer told...when get to Kurr...man on horse is back, say, 'all good... Councillors at Threshold'. Is lie. Is traitor."
Pleased with his battle map, and his narration, Jarmok sat back on his haunches and drank of the cup that Corwynn had handed him. He made a few minor additions to his map.
"Man on horse is traitor." He reiterated. "Who is?"
"Is first traitor." He said and he swiftly began sketching out the Ambush Site that only a fortnight ago he had inspected. That trip had been much on Jarmok's mind during the intervening weeks; the site was fair etched in his mind at this point. As he drew the north-south road and the cut-off where the party had bivouacked for that fateful night, and the protected hollow, and all the elements that made that site, he spoke rather tersely.
"Councilors from Rivercliff tell story. Ambush at night. Find place and look...old, but many tracks. Much learn." He didn't look at Corwynn as he spoke. He was busily creating something of a battle map in the dirt.
"Is road, Threshold [drew an arrow] long day, maybe two short days. Kurr [another arrow]. Party camp here...hill..hill...tree. Good place for camp. Enemy [drawing arrows indicating that the enemy forces that surrounded the little camp came from various directions, as if coming to a meeting at the sound of a call], man and shadewolf, on hill, on hill, arrows to kill soldiers."
Jarmok began digging in his satchel for a moment, but continued to speak animatedly. "Councillors say dark. Not just night...dark [with emphasis]. Am think shade wolf dark. Found [holds up the claw that he found at the ambush site so that Corwynn might inspect it, if he so wished]"
"But arrows only hit soldiers, not Councillors. Is aim good."
"Is traitor on horse." He stated somberly. "Is only one horse in Kurr company. Find horse prints here [pokes the dirt], here, [poke], and here [pokes the south hill side], on top of hill. Shadow Riders not ride horse. Horse from Kurr." He stated firmly. "Rider up on hill is signal to Shadow Riders: come kill, think."
"Am yesterday Sayer told...when get to Kurr...man on horse is back, say, 'all good... Councillors at Threshold'. Is lie. Is traitor."
Pleased with his battle map, and his narration, Jarmok sat back on his haunches and drank of the cup that Corwynn had handed him. He made a few minor additions to his map.
"Man on horse is traitor." He reiterated. "Who is?"