The Green Grass Fox
Chapter Fifteen

Carver and Tora were approaching the border of Loran and The Fire Lands when they saw smoke. They got off their horse and ran to the border, which was a drop-off. Tora nearly fell off the edge. Carver pulled her back from the edge. Far off they could see a large fortress. There was smoke coming from it. “The Fire Fortress. It guards the border of all four kingdoms from The Fire Lands. From the tallest tower, you can see all four kingdoms. We’ll have to be careful.” Carver told Tora.

Suddenly the two heard horses coming. “One of the horsemen patrols that guard The Fire Lands.” Carver said. Five Horsemen began coming around the border. “Hide.” Carver told Tora.

“What about you?” Tora asked him.

“I’ll be fine.” That was all Carver would say.

Tora gave him a curious look and hid behind a bush. Carver went behind a tree and brought out his bow and five arrows. The five came by.

Carver waited till they were a few feet past him. He then jumped out of hiding and shoot down three of the men. The other two men turned around, startled. Carver took them down with the other two arrows. The five horses began neighing with terror. Carver took four arrows out and shot four of them. He then ran to the fifth and calmed it down.

Tora came out of hiding. “You shot them.” She said looking the same when she had heard that Carver was the son of The Fire Prince. Carver gave her the horse’s reigns.

“Hold the reigns. We need two of their uniforms.” Carver said, going to the five dead men. Carver took his arrows out of the dead bodies. He took two of the uniforms and shoved the bodies off the drop-off. He gave Tora one of the uniforms. “You go back to the other horse and get changed. I’ll keep this horse and keep watch.”

Tora went back into the forest.

Carver took the reigns as she left. He then looked to The Fire Fortress. As he was looking that way, he saw a group of about one hundred people coming from the southeast. Carver then saw the purple armor with stone wolves on their chests. They were carrying a banner with a gray wolf on it. Warlock’s men. He thought. He knew of only two things in the east from his position: Warlock’s village and the mountains.

Carver heard someone coming behind him. He spun around, drawing his sword out. “Its just me.” Tora said, coming out of the forest with Carver’s horse.

Carver put his sword away. “Keep watch.” He said, taking the second uniform. He gave Tora the other horse’s reigns and went into the forest.

Tora looked towards the spot Carver was looking at and saw the group heading to The Fire Fortress. “Who would be going to a fortress from the east?” She asked herself.

Carver reappeared two minutes later. “Lets go. We’ll bring our old clothes.” He told Tora. He was referring to her dress and his cloak. They then got onto the two horses.

Just as they were about to go, they heard people coming. “At least the bodies are gone.” Tora told Carver, making him smile.

“Act like we’re patrolling the boarder.” Carver told her.