Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #15 June 2015 | Página 100

dust down to a tolerable level, at the canter, or faster,
the men would be choked by the sand and dust, not to
mention producing a cloud that would alert the rebels
to the patrol’s location.

guards in and mounted, then he turned north, weaving
between the outcrops of rock and the banks of dirt that
made up the ground there.

The dark blue jackets of the lancers became grey as
they were quickly covered with dust, their white pith
helmets had been stained with something to darken
them to the colour of weak tea and they quickly became as dull as the jackets. The horses likewise quickly became covered in dust and the lancers seemed to
vanish against the desert background.
The northern patrol spent several hours trying to circle
the town through the hills and broken ground. They
quickly found themselves reduced to a slow walk and
spent most of their time back tracking when one trail
or another came to a dead end. By the time they had
reached the far side of the hills and reached the valley
behind the town it was mid afternoon. They had found
and made note of two trails that seemed to lead to the
town and fort, both suitable for men afoot. No route
for horse or cart could be found to the north.
Captain Greyling and the southern patrol made better
time. They were riding along the road then out into
the valleys and open ground several miles south of
the rebels. The ground was broken by many wadis
and hillocks, men or horses could cross it with care
but no cart could possibly come that way. By mid-day
they had reached the far side of the rebel valley and
the hills behind the town stood in front of them, they
paused here to water the horses and several men were
posted on higher ground as guards while they rested.

After a few minutes of travel they found themselves
alongside a steep wall of rock and dirt, several of the
vultures could be seen circling something on the other
side of this wall.
The captain quickly ordered the lancers to dismount.
He told two to remain with the horses while he led
the others up the steep slope. Each man left his lance
behind, instead they carried swords and either carbines
or pistols. Greyling’s insistence on training and equipping his men to operate as anything but traditional
lancers proved its worth yet again.
The slope was steep and made of loose rocks and
dirt, the men took several minutes to scramble up the
steepest section but once did they found bushes and
scrub grasses gently sloping up to the top of the hill.
The lancers were able to crawl up to the top of the
hill and look down the other side. What they found
was a clearing perhaps seventy feet across set within
the hills, almost completely flat and with a wide path
allowing exit to the north.
The ground in the middle was where the vultures were
concentrated though there didn’t seem to be anything
there. Greyling ordered the three men armed with
carbines to remain on the hill top on watch and then
led his remaining two men to scramble down the steep
slope on the other side of the hill.

All three made it down to the dust and sand that made
“Captain, captain. sommat up this way sir, sommat
up the floor of this flat and open bowl, each drew and
died by the look o’ them birds.”
readied a pistol, and then with the captain in the lead
they carefully walked across to the open area toward
Captain Greyling climbed up to where the guard stood whatever was attracting the vultures.
and shading his eyes with one hand looked to the
north. Vultures, a dozen or so. Some flying just above
The birds squawked and screeched and launched
the ground in a circle. Others seemed to be landing
themselves into the air where they circled low overand taking off. Whatever was of such interest to them
head, calling nosily. With them out of the way the
was hidden from sight by the broken ground.
three men could clearly see the middle of the bowl, it
was empty, other than some dark patches on the sandy
The c