Translated From Sarconian Scout

After Alethea left, Jasper continued to find himself to be very busy.  Jack and Melissa were settled down at the Breaker Ranch, and Jasper would often help them with the unicorns they raised.  He loved working with the intelligent animals, and Jack enjoyed having him around.  Jack watched his friend as he worked with the thoroughbreds.  Jasper had a knack for handling the proud, touchy unicorns, and all of the creatures seemed to like him to an extent.  But there was one... Jack scanned the corral again, looking for the tall gray unicorn that he had picked out earlier as having a marked liking for Jasper.  There he was, nipping at Jasper's collar again.

Jasper sighed impatiently.  Thunder had been following him around all morning, nipping him gently, nudging him and pawing him.  "Thunder," he groaned, "quit it."

Thunder butted his head against Jasper, nickering, as Jasper left the corral.

Jack watched as Jasper rode away, then turned his attention to Thunder.  The unicorn was standing at the edge of the corral, his ears pricked forward.  Thunder whistled loudly and plaintively, rearing.  At last he trotted over to Jack, nosing the boy and whimpering. Jack scratched the unicorn behind his ears.  "What is it?" he asked.

Thunder looked toward the horizon over which Jasper had vanished and whinnied loudly.

Jack patted his neck.  "Alright then," he said, opening the gate and letting Thunder out.  "Go find him."

Thunder galloped off.  Jack watched him as he faded quickly into the distance.  Thoroughbred unicorns were believed to be as intelligent as humans and almost always picked their own master or mistress.  Once the choice was made, unicorn and rider would stay together for all of their lives, though the unicorns usually out-lived their riders.

 

Harried shouts and neighing drifted towards Jasper as he moved through the halls.  He ran out onto the steps with several other people to see the cause of the ruckus; six Scouts and a unicorn he recognized as Thunder.  The animal reared and neighed wildly.  The Scouts drew back from his flailing hooves, circling and trying to grab the halter.

Jasper pressed his way to the front of the crowd.  "Let me try," he said.  "He knows me."

One of the Scouts turned.   "He knows you?"

"Yes," said Jasper.  "I've been helping care for him for the the past several weeks."

"Alright then.  But be careful, he's very upset."

Jasper nodded, then, moving slowly, approached the unicorn, hand held out.  "What's wrong, Thunder?" he asked softly.  It was all Jasper could do to maintain a steady tone of voice. Thunder's muscles were bunched, and the whites of his eyes showed.  "Here now," Jasper crooned, "you know me.  I'm not going to hurt you."

Thunder's muscles began to relax, and the whites of his eyes vanished.

"There now," Jasper said, letting the unicorn smell his hand.  Slowly, carefully, he took the halter.  "Now then, what got you so upset?" he asked, stroking the creature's muzzle.

Thunder was standing quietly now, swishing his tail.  He nuzzled his head against Jasper, making contented sounds.

"Right then," said Jasper as a Scout came to his elbow.  "He's okay now."  As he handed off the lead rope, Thunder began rearing again.  Once more, only Jasper could quiet him.  "What's wrong?"  Jasper asked the Scout.

The Scout thought for a moment, then said, "Actually, it's very likely that there is nothing wrong.  Have you ever tried to ride him, Jasper?"

"Ride him?" Jasper gasped.  "He's a thoroughbred!  He'd kill me if I tried to ride him without his permission!"

The Scout shook his head.  "I don't think so." 

Thunder was nipping at Jasper's collar again, butting him with increasing impatience.  Jasper turned and looked into the unicorn's liquid brown eyes, hesitating.

"Go on," the Scout urged.  "I don't think he'll harm you."

Jasper untied the lead rope, coiled it, and hung it on a nail that protruded out from the stables.  He hesitated once again, then vaulted onto Thunder's back.  The unicorn stood, ears pricked.  Jasper touched him lightly with his heels, and Thunder sprang away, tearing through back alleys and deserted streets at high speed.  They stopped at the edge of town.  Thunder reared, then galloped on to the lake, racing through the shallows and sending water flying up on either side of them like wings.  Then Thunder turned and galloped across the valley, the wind drying Jasper's wet clothing.  Jasper reluctantly turned the unicorn back toward Sarconia City, knowing that he could not be late for his next class.

 

Now that Jasper was forming a bond with Thunder and the wild storms of winter were drawing to an end, he began to go on mock missions.  The students would go in groups of two or three, tracking  and sometimes clashing with a group of Scouts posing as Aranara.    Jasper loved these expeditions; they challenged him to the utmost of his skill, and now he stood in the courtyard with Lar and a girl named Nyssa, getting directions from an instructor.  "A party of Aranara have penetrated far north.  Your job is to track them and find out their intentions.  Do not attack them unless you absolutely must.  Have you got that?"

The three nodded.  

"Jasper," the instructor continued, "You are in charge.  You make the final decisions, so you are responsible for whatever happens."

Jasper nodded.  "Yes, sir."  He felt excited and nervous.  These exercises were his favorite part of training, but this was the first time he had ever been put in charge of an expedition.

"Ride south," said the instructor.  "You'll come upon their trail about here."  He pointed to a place on a map.  "There'll be a Scout waiting for you to give you any information you may need.  Any questions?"

Jasper, Nyssa and Lar were silent.

"Very well.  Godspeed."

They mounted their unicorns and rode south.

Jasper moved easily with the gait of his big gray unicorn, Thunder.  Unicorn and rider understood each other very well, and Jasper had never once fallen off the big animal.  Jumped off, yes, but fallen off, never.  Once he was on Thunder's back, the unicorn saw to it that he stayed there.  Nyssa rode to his left.  She was at the top of the unarmed combat class, and known for her impatience. Her white unicorn was smaller than Thunder, but kept up easily with the bigger unicorn.  And then there was Lar.  Jasper was very happy to have Lar along, for the tall boy had become a deadly archer. His unicorn was as black as his hair, and he moved almost effortlessly with it.

They were keeping a fast pace, and found the waiting Scout in the first hour.

"That way," said the Scout, pointing west.  "There's thirteen of them, and they're well armed.  Be careful."

The three students nodded and picked up the trail.  For a while, it was fairly clear, and they followed it easily, Jasper leaning down from his saddle to examine the tracks.  Nyssa and Lar rode behind him and a little to each side, making sure that no tracks led away from the party.  After a while, the trail began to get dimmer.  Jasper dismounted to see the tracks better.  They came to a stream.  The 'Aranara' had gone across it, and the tracks did not pick up exactly on the other side. 

"They may still be on this side," said Lar.

Jasper nodded in agreement.  The party could have walked down a ways and gotten out on the same side as they entered.  But they could have also gotten out on the other side.  "We'll split up,"  he said.  "Lar, you and Nyssa go that way, one on each side of the stream.  It's wider down there.  I'll ride Thunder down this way; it's narrower, and I can keep an eye one both banks.  Everyone can imitate a wild turkey, right?  Okay, if any of us finds the trail, gobble three times in a row.  Hopefully no turkeys are around to fool us.  Owl imitations are easier, but it's still daytime."

They moved off in their respective directions.  Jasper and Thunder splashed slowly down the stream.  Jasper would have been more concerned about the noise, but the tracks were a few hours old, and he knew the 'Aranara' wouldn't be able to hear him.  A few minutes later, three gobbles interrupted his scanning of the bank.  He rode back the other way and found Lar kneeling next to some tracks.

"They went this way," the boy said.

Jasper looked at the tracks.  "I'm not sure I recognize that print," he said, pointing.

Lar nodded.  "No.  That one came from this way, see, through here.  A scout, perhaps?"

"Why hasn't he been with them, though?" Jasper asked.

Lar shrugged.  "Maybe he's stayed a little away from the main party the entire time."

Jasper examined the tracks again.  "It's just...they don't quite look like the ones we've been following.  Besides, don't you think the Scout we met would have known about this new person and told us?"

"Are you suggesting that this might be an actual raiding party?" Nyssa demanded.

"Well....I have a hunch that it might be," said Jasper slowly, not entirely sure of himself.

"We would have been warned already," said Nyssa confidently.  "Sent back, out of danger.  We're loosing time, Jasi," she added impatiently.

"Don't rush me, Nyssa," said Jasper.  "If this is a real Aranara raiding party, we're not the ones to track it.  I want to be sure.  The trail's fairly clear, and the unicorns can make up for lost time."  He and Lar stalked around, looking closely at the tracks without disturbing them.  At last they stood up.  "Well," said Jasper.  "I haven't seen anything too strange.  There's fourteen instead of the thirteen we were following, but they appear to have been joined by someone.  So...mount up.  We'll follow them.  But be ready for action.  I don't altogether like the feel of this."

The rode on cautiously. Jasper noted that the unicorns were becoming more and more nervous.  He didn't like the feel of this.  Not at all.  He held up his hand to signal a halt.  The ground was muddy, and several footprints were well-outlined.  He knelt over them and felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach.  "Lar...Nyssa.  We've got to ride the other way.  Now.  The tracks are all wrong.  We're on the trail of an actual raiding party."

"What?!" gasped Nyssa.  "We're - ah!!"  She bent forward over her unicorn's neck, gripping her arm.  An arrow protruded from it.  The bushes rang with war cries.  Lar flung himself off his unicorn, not wanting to be a target, and  Nyssa followed his example.  Jasper cast desperately about for a defensible place and spotted a pile of rocks. 

"Lar, Nyssa!  To the rocks!" he yelled.

Another arrow hit Nyssa, this time in the leg.  She fell.  Jasper flung her over his shoulder and somehow managed to run to the rocks, carrying her.  Placing her quickly in a crevice that at least partially shielded her, he turned back to stand beside Lar, who was already firing his arrows into the attacking Aranara.  Two of them went down.  The rest dove out of sight.  Jasper knocked an arrow to his own bow, whispering a prayer for deliverance, realizing with surprise that, instead of calling on Darti, the star goddess, as he always had, he was praying to the Lord.  He had no time to think on this, however for, the  Aranara crept forward, trying to keep from being shot by the two young archers.  Then, suddenly, they rushed, wielding swords and yelling wildly.

Jasper tossed his bow aside and drew his sword; he could use it more effectively.  Two Aranara attacked him at once, but Gilthoniel had trained him well, and his time with the Scouts had only honed his skill with a blade.  He fended them off easily but hesitated to kill.  The combat grew thicker, however, and the awful sound of his sword cutting through badly made armor, flesh and bone rang in his ears.  He didn't like that sound, but there was no time to think about it.  More Aranara were converging on him.  He seized the dead Aranara's sword in his left hand, using both it and his own sword to defend himself.  Lar rained arrows at his attackers; no one got near enough to hit the dark-skinned boy.

Suddenly, it was over.  Two Aranara fled into the trees; the others lay dead.  Jasper stared at his sword in horror, for it was embedded in the skull of one of his attackers.  He pulled it out, staring at the blood that ran down it.  Five of the twelve dead Aranara lay at his feet. Lar had shot the other seven.  Jasper leaned against the rocks for a moment, then threw up.  Lar wasn't looking very well either.  Both boys turned towards Nyssa.  Though his mind was fogged, Jasper knew he had to form some kind of plan.

"Uhhh...Lar.  Ride for help.  Watch out for those two Aranara.  Somebody's gotta know about this.  Find the other group if you can."

Lar looked quite dazed, but he nodded.  "Okay."

Jasper turned to Nyssa as Lar left.  Whistling for Thunder, he dug in his saddlebags for what he needed to help her.  He was finishing the task when Lar and a group of people raced into the clearing.  Jasper was feeling more and more dazed by the minute.  What?  More Aranara.  Oh great.  But...why is Lar with them?  Oh yeah, the other party...the fake Aranara.  This must be them. 

"Jasper!!"  He heard his name called by a familiar voice.  Jonathan Carzim, looking very strange in an Aranaran costume, was running towards him, dodging the dead bodies.  At the very thought of the dead that lay in front of the pile of rocks, Jasper felt a wave of nausea hit him. Jonathan gripped his shoulders.  "Jasper.  Are you alright?  What happened?"

"Followed the wrong group," said Jasper.  "I don't know who got the worst of the fight."

To Jonathan, it looked like the Aranara had gotten the worst of the fight, but he knew what Jasper meant.  None of the Scouts liked killing people, and it was always hard to handle the death the first time you saw it like this.

"Do you get used to this?" Jasper asked in a voice that was almost a whisper.

Jonathan shook his head.  "No.  It gets easier to handle, but you don't exactly get used to it."

"Nyssa?" 

"The others are taking care of her.  She'll be fine."

"I screwed up," said Jasper dejectedly.

"No," said Jonathan.  "You kept yourself and your group alive.  Two of you fought off a party of fourteen Aranara!  That isn't exactly screwing up."

"But I missed the trail."

"You wanna head back there a take a look at it so we can figure out what went wrong?"

"But Lar and Nyssa..."

"The others will look after them."

"Alright then."

They swung on their unicorns and rode back along the trail.  Inwardly, Jonathan was very impressed by Jasper's behavior.  From what he had seen and from the account they had gotten from Lar, Jasper hadn't been originally certain of the trail.  He had turned back almost as soon as he had sensed serious danger, and, though it hadn't been soon enough, it was as soon as they could expect from a student whose senses weren't tuned like those of a Scout.  When under attack, Jasper had kept his head and moved the group to the most defensible location available.  Then, dazed as he was after the assault, he had tended to his wounded comrade and sent for help.  Now he was pulling himself together and going to find out what had gone wrong.  It was under-pressure behavior of the highest quality.  Jonathan said nothing, however, feeling like Jasper wasn't in the mood to accept praise.

They dismounted at the bank where the Aranara scout had joined with the group.

"This is where I got off," Jasper said.

Jonathan dismounted and looked over the tracks.  Jasper and Lar had done an  exceptional job of leaving them intact.  To Jonathan's practiced eye, the tracks were quite different than those made by the fake raiding party.  To the unpracticed eye, however, he could see how they would be mostly the same, with only a few differences - the differences that had put Jasper at unease.  He stood from where he had been kneeling over the tracks.  "I can see how you got confused," he said.  He walked back over to his dejected friend.  "It takes a long time to develop the eye for this; until then, you do the best with what you have.  You did your best, Jasper, and no one can do any more than that."

"But Nyssa-"

Jonathan cut him off.  "You thought it was an exercise.    You weren't looking for an ambush because that wasn't part of the drill.  You couldn't have been prepared for the challenges you faced today because you don't start preparing for these kind of things until you're in your Junior Scouthood, so it didn't happen because you didn't pay attention in your classes.  It happened because you yet lack the knowledge to stay out of such an event.  But even with what happened, you did well."

"You really think so?" said Jasper slowly in a low voice.

"You didn't lose your head, Jasper," said Jonathan.  "That's the important part.  You had split seconds to apply what you'd learned to the situation, and you did a good job of it.  Learn everything you can from this and move on."

"So, what went wrong?" asked Jasper.

"Well, the tracks are different.  If you'd been following trails for three to four years like I have, you would have known.  But you haven't been tracking Aranara for that long - you haven't really tracked Aranara at all until now - so you didn't know.  The real problem, though, was the lack of a proper patrol around this area.  You should have been warned as soon as someone knew about the presence of the Aranara.  Since your guide said nothing, he didn't know, which means the Aranara entered the area very quickly and secretly.  So it wasn't altogether your fault."

Jasper still looked depressed.

Jonathan put a hand on his shoulder.  "Shake it off.  I went through Scout training too, remember, and at this point in your instruction, you couldn't have known."

"Okay."  Jasper shook himself slightly as if to throw off the gloomy event.  "I should probably go back and make sure Nyssa is alright."

Jonathan grinned.  Jasper's sense of responsibility was certainly stabilizing him at the moment.  "Good idea."

They trotted back.  Jasper dismounted beside Nyssa.  "Are you alright?" he asked.

"For the most part," she said, smiling.  "They tell me it will feel better when it stops hurting."

"Most injuries do," he said, returning her smile.  There was color in her face and a sparkle in her eye, and Jasper felt much better.  He would never be able to forget how she looked after getting shot - pale with shock, teeth gritted against the pain.  For some reason, it made him think of Kaia, his sister.  He didn't think of Kaia that much anymore, Jasper realized.  She was a foggy figure of his past, growing swiftly more distant.  His life with his family on the plains was like a memory from another world.  He felt at home in the mountains now and could hardly imagine any other kind of life.