Chapter 18: Over the Mountain

SEAMUS

Seamus was grateful to be out of the cave, but he had to admit the wind was a little more bracing on the exposed mountain pass than he would have liked. He estimated if they made good time they would be able to camp on this side of the pass that night, and by noon tomorrow they would be over the pass and walking in the shelter of the mountains the following day. If his map was right, he estimated they would have a further three to four days walk to Sunnydale, depending on their pace.

Anxious to get as close to the pass as possible that day, Seamus set a cracking pace. After the first candle-mark or so, he had to slow as Aliah was struggling to keep up and her breathing sounded a little shallow. The slower pace helped a little, but he did not like the look of sweat on her brow. It looked more like a fever sweat than sweat from walking. However Aliah insisted she was not ailing and urged him to keep going.