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’Quick Ben says it’s the condors and nothing else, Lieutenant, and they only take to the sky during the day So long as we keep under cover when the sun’s out, we should be able to pull this off’

Picker slowly nodded in the darkness ’Spindle agrees So do Bluepearl and Shank and Toes Captain, with us and just us Bridgeburners frog-hopping with the Black Moranth, I’d have little concern But since we’re flying point on-’

’Shh -- there, down belo so like a shadow, vanishing entirely for one, two, three heartbeats, then reappearing ten paces closer, zigzagging her way to where Picker and Paran waited

Though neither officer had moved nor made a sound, Blend had somehow found them Her teeth flashed white as she squatted down in front of them

’Very impressive,’ Paran muttered ’Are you here to report or will you leave that to thethat? Unless, of course, you’ve left Antsy and the rest stuue in your wake’

The smile disappeared ’Uh, no sir, they’re about thirty paces back -- can’t you hear ’e on a branch And those steps out front -- that’s Antsy, he’s bandy-legged, walks like an ape Those clunks? Hedge The quietest one of the lot is Detoran, oddly enough’

’Youthis up, soldier?’ Paran asked ’Because I don’t hear a thing’

’No, sir,’ Blend said innocently

Picker wanted to reach out and cuff the worowled If they’re that loud they’ve lost the trail, you idiot Not that they are Not that they have Paran stuck you right sharp and you don’t like it Fine ’Now’

’Aye, Lieutenant’ Blend sighed

They watched her slither and slide her way back down to the path, then vanish

Paran grunted ’She allanced over ’She thinks she’s done just that’

’That’s right, she does’

She said nothing, then grinned Daood one

’Here they come,’ Paran observed

They were a h tosilent, weapons bound, armourwith a gesture, then inscribe a circle in the air with his index finger The squads dispersed to the sides, each one seeking a place of cover The patrol was done

The sergeant made his way up to where Paran and Picker waited