Bruce stayed with Isabelle and the horses while Humphrey and Barker moved quietly on foot toward the voices. Screened by ferns and thick tree trunks, they approached a wide clearing to find a number of soldiers setting up a small camp, no doubt to prepare their own dinner. In silence the two warriors watched the soldiers for some time, then slowly backed away from the clearing. When far enough away, they stopped to discuss what they had seen.

“I saw only seven soldiers,” Humphrey said, quietly.

“Aye, but I counted eight horses, so one of them must be out making water or searching for firewood,” Barker said. “An’ these be naught the same group of soldiers from town.”

“Another scouting party, then,” the knight decided. “They must have been sent recent information that we be headed north, else there would nae be such a concentrated search for us in this area.”

Barker nodded. “We could mayhap circle wide around them, though that would take some time.”

“Aye, and we might run into yet another party of soldiers,” Humphrey growled. “We know this group be here, now, so if we go straight through them there should be nae more for some way ahead.”

Barker’s moustache twitched and his eyes lit up. “Aye,” he said, “that would work.”

Humphrey clapped the man on his shoulder. “Stay here while I bring up Bruce, then we shall make our plans.” Barker nodded as Humphrey slipped into the forest growth and disappeared.

Their plans made and directions given, Humphrey waited until he felt the others were in position before he moved. He checked to see that Star Born was loose in its scabbard and then entered the clearing and moved forward. He stared straight ahead at the soldiers and it wasn’t long before one of them noticed him moving toward their makeshift camp.

“Here, now, and what be this, then?” the soldier asked. His companions turned to see what he was talking about and several got to their feet, hands going for weapons when they spied the dark stranger coming toward them.

The leader of the group stepped forward to challenge Humphrey’s advance. “Stay yer ground, sir, and state yer business,” the captain said, but Humphrey continued to move forward, silent and dark as death itself. The soldier drew his sword and took up an attack position. “Stop, cur, or die,” he warned.

Without slowing his advance, Humphrey drew his own sword. Sunlight caught the blade and flashed across the clearing. All now had weapons in hand and the soldiers moved to form a loose semicircle behind their leader. Some wore wicked smiles, thinking this arrogant stranger would be easy sport for them, but their smiles quickly vanished when howls were heard from either side of the clearing. Soldiers turned in surprise as Bruce and Barker exploded from the brush with weapons raised and rushed both flanks.

The man who faced Humphrey knew immediately they had fallen into a trap. He took a step backwards to have a quick look at the situation. When he saw only two other attackers, the captain knew he still had a numbers advantage and felt his trained men could easily dispose of these bandits. He turned his attention back to Humphrey in time to see a sword blade coming down at his head in an overhand strike. He brought his own sword up high and easily blocked the attack, but Humphrey followed the blow by stepping forward and as both swords were locked together in the air, he plunged his dagger up to its hilt into the captain’s chest below his right arm.

A look of shocked surprise crossed the captain’s face as he realized his fatal mistake. Humphrey jerked the bloody dagger free and stepped back to give him enough room that he might drive his sword through the man’s chest. He then placed a foot against the dead man’s stomach and pushed the body from his sword in time to meet two other attackers.