A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor
Chapter 1482 - 1482: A Passing Breeze - Part 13

With that jump, the tracks began to run colder. As much as Oliver strained his eyes, the mud trail that he'd left became increasingly difficult to spot. He hadn't touched the ground in some time, so there was nothing to re-wet the ink of his brush, as he painted on the canvas that was the tent roofs.

Oliver found himself standing still an increasing amount. Nila, naturally, saw through what was happening, without him needing to say. Throughout their pursuit, they'd come closer and closer to the edge of the tent encampment, and now they were almost about to dive straight into the plains, with just another few tents to go.

They could see the perimeter of Blackwell and Karstly soldiers that had been set up. They could only hope that the killer hadn't managed to make it beyond their border before the order had been given for his capture.

"If the tracks are running out, we might have to begin guessing his intentions," Verdant noted.

"There ought to be something else that he has left, to give us clues," Nila said thoughtfully, though naturally she was rather inexperienced when it came to the tracking of men through what was more an urban environment – with the number of tents and the like that had been put up – than it was true wilderness.

"I don't have any ideas," Blackthorn offered helpfully. Nila stared at her for a second, deciding whether she should bite on the comment or not. But from her sigh, apparently she'd quickly given up any irritation that she'd had. Blackthorn was Blackthorn at the end of the day. It was pointless to grow angry at her nature.

"Hm…" Oliver said, standing atop the last tent that he could confidently track the killer to, and casting his awareness outwards, with the help of Ingolsol. Here, the number of individuals were too many to count, with the amount of soldiers, and how frequently the walkway was used, by both peasants and the nobility and the Serving Class. These were soldiers' tents now that he jumped through, eliciting many odd looks from the men that he passed.

Amongst all those presences, however, there were just a single few oddities that he could make out from the rest. Three distinct points that Oliver would have struggled to call human.

A throaty bellow, followed by a bark, only added to that assumption. He almost felt foolish when he realized what they were. The oddity in their lack of humanity was something he had only looked into more deeply because he was hoping to find something else – a strange state of being like he'd found in the old woman assassin that they'd captured. This strange sense of being, however, was simply down to the fact they were dogs. And naturally, the presence of a dog was entirely different.

From the barks, he could well put a voice to all three of them, and he heaved another sigh, as the last of his hopes went dry, and he found himself all but stuck in place, trying to decide between whether the killer had headed to the left along the perimeter, or the right, or whether he had simply backtracked entirely in order to confuse his pursuers. Would the killer even yet know that he was being pursued? Oliver was inclined to hope that he wouldn't. But he naturally wasn't entirely sure.

The barking came closer, enough to turn the heads of the rest of his companions as they waited. Nila's eyebrows raised, as she realized something. She hit a fist against her palm. "Damn it. I wasn't thinking straight," she said, scolding herself. "I ought to have sent someone to fetch our hunting dogs before coming… Maybe we still have time to send someone now… But I ought to have thought of that earlier."

"There's likely still enough time," Oliver said. "Perhaps we can ask the gentlemen passing through if we could borrow his hounds. If we paid him, I'm sure he wouldn't be so quick to refuse."

"I suppose we'll see what kind of person he is first…" Nila said. "Some people really don't like the idea of someone else using their dogs."

But with a round in the tent, their worries were immediately abated, as a familiar – and rather ragged looking face – came quickly into view. Sweat was pouring down off his forehead, and his usually greasy hair was even greasier, and glued right against the side of his face. Even his beard was a mess, not to mention his robes. The mud that ran up the left-hand side of them spoke of a tumble that he'd taken earlier. And he seemed well inclined to take another, as he dragged along unsteadily by the three muscular hunting dogs whose ropes he held.

"Hahhh… Hah… Hahh…" The man's heavy breathing stopped him from getting a word out. Oliver's face widened into a grin. It was likely the only time in his life that he'd been happy to see the man, with how wretched a person he was. Even with his wretchedness, Oliver had to remark that the man's wit was not to be underestimated. His timing could not have been better.

"Greeves… Who let you have my dogs?" Nila said accusingly, narrowing her eyes at him.

The three giant beasts, seemingly half horse, only stopped their relentless dragging when they arrived before their mistress. The long curves of their tails wagged, and their menacing barks turned into something more puppy-like, as they squeaked their excitement.

"Yes, yes, you've done a very good job finding me," Nila said, praising them. "Bunny, you especially. You lead them here, didn't you? Or was it you, Ritter? You can stop looking offended, Ebby, I know you haven't led them a single time on any of our hunts. You wouldn't lead them now."

"Bloody beasts…" Greeves complained, now that he had his breath back. "They drag me all over, and then they go meekly to your hand like they're a different bloody creature. Foul animals. If it was up to me, I'd have them put down. And calling a dog that size Bunny? You're out of your bloody mind."

Nila gave him the harshest glare that it was possible to give anyone. It wouldn't have been altogether surprising if she'd threaded an arrow through the bow slung over her shoulder, and aimed it at the man there and then. "What did you say, Greeves?"