Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 158

Chapter 158: Taking turns
Trace watched the sun rise while Anaisa took her turn to sleep.

The colors painting the rocky terrain were stunning, but his eyes kept drifting back to Anaisa’s sleeping face. Almost angelic in its beauty, he could hardly stand to look at her for too long or he felt like his heart might burst from emotion.

Her lips pulled into a gentle smile, and he wondered what she was dreaming of. Wished he could go join her.

But duty called. Ewan fussed, and Deborah woke again to feed him. Her eyes were tired from being up every two hours with the babe, but she did not complain. She smiled at the child and took him in her arms, turning away from the fire while Trace made a small breakfast for the group.

The doctor woke next, and examined the baby as the light of day grew.

“He’s… alive,” The doctor frowned, “but there are still no promises… especially while we live this wilderness life. He is weak, and not growing.”

“I do not know of a safe place for him to stay,” Trace grimaced. He’d thought of sending Deborah and the doctor to some small town to keep Ewan there, but the thought left him inexplicably uncomfortable.

Ewan needed protection, and Trace was reluctant to cede that responsibility to anyone else.

“I understand,” The doctor shook his head, “I just wish there were some more permanent shelter we could stay in. Though he is very small, the ingredients for my medicine won’t last forever.”

“He won’t have need of them forever,” Deborah said over her shoulder. “We will find a way to make him stronger.”

“You’re very optimistic,” Anaisa yawned, blinking.

“Sorry we woke you,” Trace frowned. He’d wanted her to get all the rest she needed.

“You didn’t, the sun did.” She smiled. “It’s a brand new day, and we’re going to find Emily and the others.”

“How, exactly?” The doctor blinked at her.

“First, I’m going to sneak up to the ridge, and watch,” Anaisa stretched. “Morning is the ideal time for them to be out and about, and to go get water if they need it.”

“Don’t you mean, I’m going to sneak up to the ridge?” Trace narrowed his eyes.

“Of course not,” Anaisa smiled, “You’re going to go around making noise in the narrow gorges like a deer that’s trapped. I bet they don’t get much fresh meat, they’ll surely come out and investigate!”

“I—What?” Trace was bewildered by the plan she’d come up with. “How do you figure?”

“They’re in a cave. What meat would be there? They’re probably living off of dried stores of things that Barnabas sent them. Wouldn’t you be ready for the chance at some fresh venison? How’s your imitation of a distressed deer?”

“I haven’t practiced it recently,” Trace deadpanned.

“Well, try it now. We’ll judge it.” Anaisa encouraged.

“I’m not sure I’ve heard a deer,” Deborah frowned.

“I didn’t even know they made noises,” The doctor shrugged.

“Your judges seem well-qualified to critique me,” Trace raised an eyebrow.

“Come on, that was the animal we heard the other day around dusk, don’t you remember?” Anaisa turned on the others.

“I’m so tired, I can hardly remember my name half the time,” Deborah yawned, and Anaisa heaved a sigh, and turned back to Trace.

“All right, so you’ll have to go with it. I’ve bet you’ve heard more deer than all of us combined!” She brightened. “You’ll do a great job, and I’ll watch from up there to see any movement in the area. Once I spot one of them, all we have to do is follow him back to the entrance!”

It wasn’t the worst plan in the world. In fact, it was more actionable than Trace’s loose plan to simply continue searching the area, possibly for weeks, until he found something more. It would be too late by then.

“Fine, we’ll try it,” Trace conceded. “At least with this plan, I get to be the bait.”

“Here,” Anaisa reached into her pack and pulled out a small looking glass. “If I see anyone, or you need to get out for some reason, I’ll use the sun to reflect this at you. Understand? And you signal me with your sword if you want to abandon the plan and regroup here at camp.”

“Fine, fine,” Trace nodded. “And have you already picked the spot where I’m to pretend to be trapped?”

“Um… no,” Anaisa bit her lip. “I thought I would let you choose that, but make sure it’s within my sight. It’ll do no good at all if you or I get snatched and the other doesn’t realize.”

“That would be awful,” Trace agreed. “All right, let me walk with you to the peak and we’ll pick a spot from there.”

“We’ll stay put, I suppose,” The doctor looked at the couple dubiously.

“Put out the fire so that no one can find you while we’re gone,” Trace advised. It wasn’t as big a risk here as it had been out on the open plains where one could see for miles, but especially with the day underway, the smoke would be visible.

The doctor nodded and stood to comply, while the rest of them ate the quick breakfast Trace had made.

“Well?” Anaisa jumped up impatiently. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

“Fine,” Trace sighed heavily. “I don’t really like this plan, but since I don’t have a better one…”

“You don’t have to like it, if it’s the best,” Anaisa grinned. “But if you do come up with a better one, let me know. In the mean time, perhaps you should warm up your deer impression.”

“No, I think I’ll save it for my performance,” Trace eyed her and grabbed a rope in case they should need it. Some of the slopes were quite steep. “No sense wasting perfection on a rehearsal.”

His wife giggled, and he shook his head as they began to walk. The fact that she came so alive at the prospect of danger and plots was something he still wasn’t used to.

They were just about to split up, when he heard a voice whispering in his mind.

[Trace? Are you real?]