How did they find me . . .

     Nom-Mee awoke with a start as Cleinags and Magsbraenty brought forth the intruder and threw him at her feet.  “Gruashe has been following us since the caverns,” said Magsbraenty.
      “I thought they were spies,” Gruashe begged.  “Please do not kill me.  My family lives beyond the ridge,” Gruashe pleaded rapidly.  “I was taken from my family as a seedling and sold to the Rock Monster’s grove.  I can help guide you to the ridge and my family will reward you for rescuing me.”
      “Toss him on the fire!”  Yeinar yelled.  “How can we trust this infidel?  You have worked for the enemy and you have eaten from his table.  How should we believe you?  You should have shown yourself sooner!”
      “How is it you have not shown yourself prior to this point?  You wait until we are asleep with our guard down.  Who sent you,” Nom-Mee asked as she paced.  “I knew he would find me.  We will not be safe.  I agree with Yeinar.  He needs to be destroyed and we must leave before dark before the rest of the grove finds us.”
      “Wait!”  Magsbraenty stepped forward.  “I have flown throughout the kingdom.  There is no movement in the grove.  Even the Janimglys are working in their usual areas.”
      “Yeinar, you are in charge of him,” stated Nom-Mee.
       “I still think we should kill him,” Yeinar mumbled under his breath.
      “That is exactly why it is now under your command,” Nom-Mee stated in frustration.  “For that comment it will now share more of your rations.  If you do not mind, I would appreciate some peace and quiet to sleep.”
     Nom-Mee awoke to the sound of the squad eating.  She looked at Terba questioningly.  Terba said nothing, but simply pointed Nom-Mee to her spot.
     Nom-Mee had had difficulty falling back to sleep after the familiar nightmare.  She wished just once she would finish the dream to see what happened next.  Nevertheless, she always woke up to the same sound, to the same disturbing image, and never feeling safe.  When she awakes the panic last far longer than she cares to admit to anyone.
     Terba stroked her hair.  “Where are you, my precious one?  Please stay with us.  Your problems cannot be fixed in your dream world.  You must find your peace among the living.”
      Nom-Mee wept, as she knew Terba spoke the truth.  She left the others, went to the fire, gathered a rock, inscribed a word, and placed it in her box.  “I cannot walk this path without you,” she whispered as the rock bounced inside the ornately carved box.  Nom-Mee lovingly traced her fingers over the familiar design.  She cradled it like a long-lost child finally brought home to her waiting mother’s arms.  A single tear fell upon the metal clasp revealing the silver forged into a lillyfruit bloom.  Nom-Mee wiped aside the tear with her thumb as she closed the box.  There were too many memories inside and outside of this treasure for her heart to grasp in one day.  She carefully placed it her pack when no one was looking.
      Yeinar found tasty tevfas (“rev”-fuss) and other edibles to place in their packs.  Again, they filled their canteens before ascending the cathedral walls within the mountain.  Before they exited at the Shepherd’s Peak, Magsbraenty flew out over the kingdom.
      The time passed slowly for the squad.  Though none would admit it, they each expected a look over the kingdom to be very quick, but it was harder as the sun set.  Terba had the best eyesight, which she almost gave up for Nom-Mee.
      Terba squinted as she scanned every movement along the horizon.  Soon Magsbraenty would not be able to see and would need to risk being seen by the moonlight.  Yeinar whispered to her, “Do you think she has been lost?  I do not want to lose another one to that … that monster!  He has taken too much!”
      Terba quickly covered his mouth as she pointed above and below them on the perilous outside rock face of the mountain.  They had gone as far as they could on the inside and this was the safest place to exit.  Above, Yeinar could see Magsbraenty was perched quite precariously on a precipice.  Below, was a grove patrol on a late march.  No one moved.
      Yeinar slowly crept back inside only to find the others just as frozen in place.  He stopped in time to see another grove patrol setting up camp for the night.  For now, they could not exit; they could not climb; they were miserably trapped.  Yeinar knew for certain Magsbraenty would fall to her death, if someone did not shoot her first.
      As they looked on the grove setting up camp began to fall asleep.  They looked on in awe, as it seemed a miracle they should set up and bed down so quickly.  The squad breathed a collective sigh.  They quietly gathered their belongings as they made their way to the outer face of the mountain.
       Suddenly, Yeinar heard shouting from outside.  Yeinar was able to investigate.  He could see Gruashe below causing trouble far in front of the patrol.  The entire patrol ran ahead to appraise the situation.  This left it clear for the party to creep onto the ledge.  Magsbraenty flew, almost fell, down to join them.  All moved forward around the edge of the mountain climbing higher toward the next range.
       Nom-Mee motioned for the group to stop to rest when she was sure they were out of sight of any of the grove troupe.  “Thank you, Yeinar, for carrying Magsbraenty.  Now, what are we going to do about Gruashe?  He has proven himself.  We must deliver him to his family.”
       Yeinar and the others agreed that indeed Gruashe needed to be rescued, but it was too risky now.  “I was too busy checking up on you, Magsbraenty, to pay attention to Gruashe.  I really wanted to kill that little twig, but I was beginning to get used to him,” said Yeinar as he held his head down.  He continued to chew on his favorite swugbly (swug-blee) as he tried not to cry.
      “I will remember that the next time you try to give me the dog’s rations,” Gruashe whispered as he crawled into camp.  All looked at him with questioning eyes. Gruashe held up a potion.  “I added my magic sleeping potion to your vutre recipe, Terba.  This is the same potion I would give to the other cave guards.  How do you think I always won for being awake?”  All laughed as they continued on their journey.
      “I suppose that was your doing inside the mountain, as well,” Yeinar whispered to Gruashe as the squad continued on.  “I have just one question.  What are you going to do when they wake up and find you gone?  Are they going to track us down and kill you and your sister?”
       “The potion also causes memory lose,” answered Gruashe before he realized what question Yeinar had asked second.  “What?  Wait … Wait!  How did you know?”
      “I cannot divulge my secrets, especially to such an infidel,” Yeinar said with a grin.  “We still cannot be seen together as the best of friends.  I did try to kill you and everything.”
      As the sun began to rise, Nom-Mee found a place to sleep.  She fell asleep quickly, unlike the night before.  The fog was thick as she ran.  “How did they find me,” Nom-Mee wondered to herself as she ran from the Janimglys.
      The faster she ran, the closer they got to her.  She found a rock face and climbed it quickly in her mlooks.  When she looked down the mlooks disappeared and all she could see were her deformed feet.  As she began to slip, the Janimglys began getting closer.  She knew she had no choice.  There was no escape this time.
       She was brought before Rock Monster as she had on many other occasions.  The crime this time failure to eat vutre in a proper manner.  Once again, Spear Bearer sat silently as Rock Monster ordered Nom-Mee stripped of dignity.  Nom-Mee cried and pleaded, but the pleas fell on deaf ears.  Rock Monster laughed as he prepared his weapon.  His eyes began to glare, ignoring Nom-Mee’s tears; he raised his weapon to …