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Raen was so taken aback by Hama's remarks that he slackened the pace of his horse to a near stop; with Sandrina's rebuke of the man still ringing in his ears. For a brief moment resentment flashed through him. Who was Hama to speak with such scorn? He had not spent months in the wilderness searching for the woman, but acted as though Raen should have nothing to do with her. Was it... anxiety? Jealousy? Or perhaps overprotectiveness... but whatever the cause, the ranger was not about to let it lead them to their deaths, and he tried to view his quick conversation with Sandrina as a success.
He quickly turned to Braedon. "We should approach on foot. It will be far less noticeable. Who knows what is waiting down there." The ranger nodded, and they both trotted their horses back down the path and dismounted, tying the halters to a tree. Raen readied his bow, pulling a shaft from his quiver and setting it on the string. The pair moved back up the hill to where the others remained on their horses, conversing.
"We're going to scout ahead," said Raen, which drew a nod of thanks from Sandrina and no response from Hama. Pushing the frustration from his mind, he followed Braedon down the hill in a crouch. Quickly reaching a band of trees, they spread apart and checked for sentries; bowstrings taunt. No one was in sight outside the estate. But it was sound, not sight, that brought the rangers the information they needed.
In the distance, a horse neighed, as if in pain. An angry voice was heard also, and then another. An argument among the enemy, most likely. "Run back and get the others," Raen whispered to Braedon. "We can approach unseen from this angle, and the trees extend almost to the far wall." The man was already on his way back up the hill before the sentence was complete.
Raen turned back, wondering if the enemy he so desired to meet was slipping right through his fingers.
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