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“Sois the camp close?” she asked. “IthoughtIremembered seeing a tunnel around here?”
Hergaze settled on the small clearing up ahead, where there was an obvious firepit, surrounded by a stand of tall oaks and pines and hemlocks.Andbeside her,Ulfarrnodded, twitched a small smile, and looked… up.
Louisafollowed his eyes, blinking up at the heavy cover of leaves and branches above them — but wait.Dottedhigh amidst the trees, interwoven with the thick branches, there were… platforms.Bridges.Andwere those…tree houses?!
Louisa’smouth dropped open, her eyes snapping toUlfarr— who was still smiling, warm and rueful. “ManySkailike to live in trees, for it is safer, and more secret.Shallyou come up, and see?”
Louisanumbly nodded, and then shot a searching look back atJoan.Whowas looking just as stunned asLouisafelt, but then she sighed, and nodded too.WhileUlfarrsignalled up toward the huge pine tree beside them, to where a lean, grey-skinned face poked over the edge of the nearest platform.
“Needthe ladder,Wolf?” called a voice, and with it was another new face, joining the first. “Bringingwoman up?”
Ulfarrnodded toward the faces, and then his big hand began… making movements.Pointed, purposeful movements, his fingers fluently shifting in midair, and above them, the new face rolled its eyes, and huffed a loud sigh. “Ach, ach,” the voice said. “Watchyour head, lady.”
Withthat, something hurtled down over the edge of the platform, something big and wooden and coiled.AndLouisaducked just in time as a large rope ladder rapidly unfurled and swung over them, swaying back and forth from the platform.
BehindLouisa,Joanlet out a low, muttered curse — and no wonder, because while the ladder did look relatively sturdy, with solid wooden rungs, the platform above was still at an alarming height.AndthoughLouisapersonally wasn’t bothered by heights, she’d still never climbed a tree that high in her life, and she couldn’t imagineJoanhad, either.
“Ach, naught to fear,” cameUlfarr’ssteady voice, as he reached toward the ladder, and pulled it taut. “Thisis strong, and safe.Halthorr, you go first, to show them.”
Halthorrnodded and winked towardJoanbefore leaping lightly onto the ladder, and climbing up with swift, impossible ease.Andwithin a matter of breaths, he bounded onto the platform above, and his grinning face joined the other two — no, three — now watching them from above.
“Show-off,”Joanmuttered, frowning up toward him — but then, toLouisa’sever-rising astonishment,Joansighed, and lurched for the ladder, too.Climbingit far more slowly thanHalthorrhad, butUlfarrheld the ladder firm as she went, and soonHalthorrwas reaching down a hand, and helpingJoanover the top, too.
“Nowyou,Louisa?”Ulfarrasked. “Ishall be sure to catch you, should you fall.”
Well.Louisadrew in a breath and nodded, and accordingly reached for the ladder.Andwhile it was indeed awkward going — especially with her damned swinging skirts — the ladder did seem sturdy enough, andLouisa’sfeet moved faster and easier as she went.AndsoonJoanwas hauling her up over the platform, too — and thenLouisafroze, her breath catching, her eyes sweeping over the sight before her.
Itwas — a whole treetopvillage.Acozy, clever collection of platforms and small wooden structures, embedded into the trees, and connected by those long, dangling rope bridges and ladders.Spreadingas far asLouisacould see into the treetops all around them, and how — how was this even possible?Andhow had she not once noticed it, when she’d come here before?
Butthe longer she blinked at it, the deeper the comprehension sank into her thoughts.Itall seemed to have been intentionally built to blend in as much as possible, each platform shaped to mimic the branches above and below, and all of them camouflaged with leaves and canvas and furs.Andthe huts were small, and sometimes open on the sides and tops, and nowLouisacould make out a smattering of hammocks, swaying within and beside them, the brown and green ropes and furs blending with the rich foliage all around.Justthe same as the bridges and ladders, and it occurred toLouisathat they would all be easy to hide and remove, should the necessity ever arise.
Itwas truly a marvel of engineering, of sheer damned cleverness, andLouisacouldn’t stop staring at it, as the awe caught and convulsed in her throat.Andshe gave a shaky exhale at the feel ofUlfarrstepping beside her, his hand again clasping hers — and when she turned toward him, he was watching her closely, his eyes warm and maybe even hopeful.
“Isit… what you expected?” he asked, quiet. “Doyou… mind it, being here, thus?”
Louisashot another glance at the sunlit, shimmering greenery all around them, and all the cozy, camouflaged little shelters.Alltucked in with such obvious care and respect for the surrounding environment, just asKillik’scontract had promised — and suddenly there was only longing, or perhaps even envy, clutching in her chest.She’dspent most of her life living in cold, drafty houses, full of heavy furnishings and empty rooms, and surrounded by large, manicured lawns no one ever used.Andwhat must it be like, to live in a place like this?Tohave this closeness with nature and the trees and the sky?Tofeel such freedom?Such… peace?
“OfcourseIdon’t mind,” she said, blinking towardUlfarr’swatching eyes. “It’s— it’s beautiful.”
Hervoice was low and fervent, her hand squeezingUlfarr’s, and oh, the way he was looking at her, his swallow bobbing in his throat. “Iam glad,” he murmured, with a gentle squeeze back to her hand. “Itis a good, safe home for our kin, ach, my brothers?”
Heglanced backwards as he spoke, toward — right.JoanandHalthorr, and the three new orcs.Allof them younger, perhaps in their early twenties, and all eyeingLouisaandJoanwith open, incredulous curiosity.
“Uh, this is the landlady, ain’t it,Wolf?” one of them finally asked, high-pitched. “How’dyou get in bed withher?!”
Therewas an instant’s awkward stillness, during whichLouisa’sface heated, and redness crept upUlfarr’sneck, too — but then he raised his hand, and began making more of those swift, purposeful movements.Movementsthat clearly meant something to the three young orcs, because the one who’d spoken grimaced, and then bowed low towardLouisa, his long braid falling over his shoulder.
“Sorry, woman,” he said. “An’ welcome to the camp.I’mRagni, and these are mySkaibrothers,KoriandFasti.Wethree live here, and oft serve as the camp’s scouts and guards, whenKillikandWolfain’t around.”
Hischest puffed out, a proud smile drawing at his mouth, andLouisacouldn’t help a warm smile back toward him. “Thatsounds very important,” she replied. “Thankyou so much for welcoming us to your lovely home.”
Theorc’s chest puffed out even further, and after a glance towardUlfarr, he wavedLouisatoward the rope bridge at the platform’s edge. “Well, come and see it, then,” he said. “Watchyour step on the bridges!”
Louisashot a rueful grin atUlfarr— hopefully he didn’t mind? — but he was smiling fondly towardRagni, and his hand had slipped to her back.Guidingher gently forward, toward whereRagniand his brothers were already breezing across the bridge.
Itcertainly wasn’t as easy as they made it look, but asLouisacarefully followed, she could almost hearKillik’svoice, firm and decisive in her thoughts.Breathe, feel the earth, draw it up into your foot.AndUlfarr’ssteady hand on her back helped too, and thankfully, they reached the next platform without incident.Wherean eager-lookingRagnihad already begun talking, and waving at the attached little cabin, which apparently served as both a defensive structure, and where they kept all their tools and weapons.
“There’sonly one easy way up for humans, see,” he said, pointing back toward the ladder, “and you gotta get past this to get to the living quarters.Keepour kin safer this way, ach?”
