Safe, page 11
Anna put her thumbs up.
‘Let’s go!’
They started to weave side to side, crossing each other, and the horses appeared confused initially, but it worked. They all slowed down, jostling, snorting and nipping at each other. Keeping this up, back and fore, they got the herd walking and a lot calmer again.
Jakob came charging up. ‘What on earth happened there?’
Kizzy said, ‘A blooming pheasant spooked them!’
He spotted Anna’s head. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes, I’m fine. Thanks to Kizzy.’
‘Let’s stop, just for a bit. It’ll give Strom a chance to catch up,’ suggested Jakob.
Anna looked around. ‘We shouldn’t wait for long. We won’t find any water until we’re on the other side of the mountain. I wouldn’t mind riding Bilko again though. Perhaps just a few minutes?’
‘Of course,’ said Kizzy.
The three worked together to bring the herd to a halt. Once they’d all stopped, Kizzy pulled Bilko to a halt and jumped off his back. Anna climbed down too.
Kizzy had a quick look at Anna’s cut. ‘That won’t wait. Hang on. I’m going into the woods for a minute.’
She didn’t give Jakob or Anna a chance to argue. Swinging herself onto her horse, she rode into the forest, urging Eda between the trees. She knew what she was looking for, but could she find any?
She smelt the tree before she saw it, much to her relief. She couldn’t spend hours looking for it. They hadn’t got the time. There, up ahead, Kizzy could see the pine trees she wanted. Taking her trusty knife, and reaching up, she cut a thin strip of bark from one of the smaller branches, then raced back to Anna and Jakob.
‘Quick, let me apply this.’
‘What the…?’ asked Jakob.
‘It’s pine bark. The sap is antiseptic and sticky, it’ll help it heal,’ said Kizzy. She pulled Anna’s scarf over it. ‘There, sorted. Has Strom caught up?’ Jakob nodded. ‘Let’s get a move on then!’
Anna looked surprised. ‘Thank you.’ She climbed slowly onto Bilko’s back.
‘Do you think you are all right still riding these two or should you swap for fresher horses?’ asked Jakob.
Kizzy looked down at Eda. ‘They’ll need resting soon, but I’m not sure the herd will follow different horses at this stage. I think we just need to take it relatively slowly.’
Jakob nodded.
Kizzy looked back at the herd. ‘Now, no more nonsense, you lot.’
Jakob disappeared back to the others, shouting, ‘Definitely not!’
‘Ready?’ Kizzy asked Anna.
Anna put her thumbs up. ‘Ready!’
Kizzy waved her arm so the others could see and shouted, ‘Wagons ho … again!’
Chapter 25
After an hour or so, the trees thinned out as the track moved up and across the mountain. A silence had fallen over all the children now. Tiredness had wrapped itself around them. Kizzy knew they still had a distance to go. The horses seemed weary too. Looking upwards, she watched threatening dark clouds tumble down over the top of the mountain. She hoped the others hadn’t spotted them.
Using the happiest voice she could muster, she called out, ‘Come on everyone, not much further.’
As the words left her mouth, the clouds opened. Water poured down; the sort of rain that drenched you and went right through your clothes in seconds.
Kizzy sighed deeply before shouting back to Strom and Jakob, ‘Are you all right back there?’
‘Yes, we’re trying to cover as much as possible with the tarpaulin,’ Strom yelled back. ‘Trouble is, it’s so slippery.’
Glancing across at Anna, she realised how pale and cold she looked. ‘We need to get a move on. Let’s push them into a trot. The path doesn’t seem too bad for a mountain path.’ She looked ahead. It went downhill. Luckily for them, it didn’t go too far up the mountain, but skirted around the lower hills.
Anna glanced at her and smiled. ‘You’re right, I’m glad I suggested it.’ She pushed Bilko along.
Kizzy’s hair stuck to her head. The water trickling down her neck made her shiver. She didn’t think she could get any wetter. All the horses lowered their heads against the rain and wind. Kizzy pushed Eda on. ‘Let’s get there.’
The rain continued for another hour as they plodded down the mountain. Kizzy was relieved the gradient wasn’t any steeper. Less chance of them slipping. Eventually, the slope led them to flower-filled meadows and back into woodland.
As the number of trees increased, the sun burst forth. Steam rose off the horses. But Kizzy shivered as the wet clothes still clung to her skin.
‘I don’t think it’s much longer,’ said Anna. ‘Do you know clearings like this are called Schachten. They consider them islands in the forest sea.’
Kizzy smiled. She could see Anna’s lips were almost blue with cold. ‘I love that idea. Come on, Anna, let’s go faster. We need to get everyone warmer. Could you bear it?’
Anna nodded. Her white-knuckled hands gripped the reins and the front of the saddle.
Kizzy squeezed with her legs, pushing Eda into a canter. All the horses followed suit.
Within fifteen minutes, they found themselves in a clearing. A brook burbled through its centre. All the horses headed straight for it, drinking thirstily as they stood in the water.
Kizzy slipped her feet out of the irons. Her legs dangled down, feeling unbelievably stiff after the long journey. She tried to stretch them out, easing her muscles. She saw the others doing something similar. Jakob had lain back across Krasava’s back, his eyes shut. Apart from the sound of horses drinking and birds singing, there was silence in the clearing. Everyone was too exhausted to talk.
Kizzy eased her leg across, so she sat side-saddle. ‘Steady, Eda.’ Launching herself from the horse’s back, she managed to land on the bank of the brook and keep her feet dry, or drier than they would’ve been if she’d landed in the brook. They were still sopping wet from the rain.
Strom grinned at her. ‘That’s impressive!’
Jakob sat up. ‘What was?’
‘The way Kizzy got down, keeping her feet dry!’
Kizzy could see Jakob realise he had the same problem with his horse standing in the river too. He shuffled around in the saddle and swung his leg over. Unfortunately, as he launched himself towards the bank, his horse Krasava moved, and Jakob landed with a splash in the brook. Kizzy, Anna and Strom were all biting on their lips to stop themselves from giggling. Damek wasn’t so polite. He let out a loud belly laugh.
Jakob looked up at him, sitting on the bank with his feet in the water. Kizzy wondered what he’d do. A look of thunder flashed across his face.
But then Jakob gave him a broad grin. ‘That serves me right, doesn’t it?’ He looked at Kizzy. ‘You always were better at these things than me.’ He laughed.
Everyone joined in. The despair of the rain lifted.
Strom helped the children down from the cart. Zuzu was crying. ‘It hurts, Strom.’
He hugged her tight. ‘I know, I know.’
Kizzy looked at Strom. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘She got really cold in the rain.’
Anna pulled a vast blanket out of the cart. ‘This is pretty dry. Let’s get her out of her wet clothes and wrap her in it. Strom, do you mind if I help her? I think we need you to organise other things.’
Strom nodded. His face wracked with worry. He half-smiled. ‘That’s all right, isn’t it, Zu?’ He gently wiped the tears from his sister’s face, who tried to smile back at him. She was pale and drawn. ‘You sure?’
Zuzu took his hand and squeezed it, ‘Yes, Strom. Anna’s kind.’
Strom let out a deep sigh as he put her down and turned away. Kizzy realised quite how much pressure he was under. He turned to her. ‘Shall Damek and I use the rope to create the hint of a corral? Hopefully, it’ll be enough to convince the horses they’re in one!’
‘Good idea. Is everyone wet? If so, everyone needs to find some dry clothes to put on and then hang your wet clothes out to dry.’
Anna carried Zuzu over to the younger children, while Kizzy and Jakob started sorting out the horses. Everyone worked hard and silently. Exhaustion had a grip on them all.
Kizzy and Jakob worked efficiently, untacking all the horses, and were soon finished. He tapped her on the shoulder. ‘I should get a fire going, shouldn’t I?’
She nodded. ‘I’ll see if I can find some food. Jakob, at some point, I need to have a chat with you about something, though.’
He looked confused. ‘Is it urgent?’
She thought about the forged papers that sat in her bag. She wasn’t looking forward to telling him. ‘Well … no, I suppose not.’
She hesitated but then she heard Anna calling her.
‘Kizzy, can you come here a moment? I need you to check something.’
Anna was bent over Zivan. Matylda, his sister, held his head in her lap, tears silently slipping down her cheeks.
Anna said, ‘Kizzy, what do you think? He seems incredibly hot to me. Do you think he has a fever?’
Zivan glanced up, his eyes huge, like saucers. As Zivan never spoke, she didn’t ask him how he was feeling, but his distress was clear.
Kizzy bent down, feeling his chest with her hand, then his forehead with her lips. The touch of his skin scalded hers. She was worried by his white face. If only you could tell me what the problem was, she thought, closing her eyes.
Anna shivered and Kizzy realised how pale she looked too. Please, not her as well.
Touching her friend’s forehead, her worst fears were realised. ‘Oh, Anna! You’re burning up too.’
Turning to Jakob, she shouted, ‘Get that fire going and then get some water boiling. I’ll be back. Anna and Zivan have got fevers.’
Kizzy asked Matylda, who looked terrified, ‘Can you look after these two for me? Make sure they rest – and that includes you, Anna. Keep them covered with blankets. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
Matylda nodded. ‘I’m a good nurse. My mamma always said I should be one when I grow up.’ A whisper of sadness slipped across her face. She forced a smile. ‘I’ll make sure they’re all right. Get what you need to. You can trust me, Kizzy.’
This comment surprised Kizzy. Putting her head to one side, she touched Matylda’s hand. ‘I do not doubt that.’ Matylda beamed.
Kizzy squeezed her hand before leaning over to touch Zuzu’s forehead. She was worried that, with all her pain and having got so wet, she might have got a temperature too.
Zu grinned at Kizzy. Her forehead felt cool. ‘Zu, will you keep an eye on the others with Matylda? Helenka, can you help your brother?’
Zuzu put up her thumb.
Helenka and Kizzy went over to Strom. Kizzy told him, ‘Zivan and Anna have fevers. I’ve checked Zu and she hasn’t. Thank goodness. I’m going to get the plants I need to help them. Helenka is here to help you. I’ll be back soon.’
Strom frowned. ‘How do you know what stuff to get?’
Kizzy hesitated, knowing that this could go badly wrong if he didn’t like her people. ‘I’m Roma. My ma was a healer. She taught me how to use plants.’ She looked down, not sure she wanted to see his face if he hated her.
Strom touched her hand. ‘Our mama was Roma too. We know what it’s like. We got trouble from all sides because she fell in love with someone who wasn’t. Be proud, Kizzy, we are.’ He leant right forward so he could whisper in her ear, so Zuzu or Helenka couldn’t hear. ‘Some people told Mama that Zuzu getting ill was a punishment for her choosing our dad.’
Kizzy gasped and her hand shot to her mouth. ‘That’s awful. How could they be so cruel?’
Strom looked across at his sister, a smile stretched right across his face. ‘She’s the best thing that ever happened to us. She brings sunshine.’ He looked up. ‘You better get going before it gets dark. Stay safe, Kizzy. See you soon.’
She ran off, feeling sick at the thought of the prejudice Strom, Zuzu and their family had faced.
She passed Jakob. He had got a fire going. He’d also tacked up Ferda, a placid bay, ready for her to ride. He gently took hold of her arm as they stood by Ferda. ‘Kizzy, you look shattered. Shouldn’t you be resting?’
Every bone in her body ached. ‘If I don’t go, we might not be able to travel tomorrow and we may not get away from here before someone finds us.’ She frowned. ‘We don’t have time to wait.’
Jakob nodded and gave her a leg up. She eased herself into the saddle.
‘Please be careful,’ he said. ‘Come back soon.’
Kizzy started crying from sheer exhaustion, but she couldn’t let him see that. She had to do this and there was no time to waste. As she cantered out of the camp, Jakob, Strom and Damek made sure the herd didn’t follow her.
Chapter 26
Soon all she could hear were Ferda’s hooves and birdsong echoing around her as she retraced her tracks back up the mountain. She needed to get to where she’d seen all the flowers. It felt as if she moved a lot quicker when it was only her. She soon found herself in the middle of the meadow. Jumping down, Kizzy let Ferda graze while she hunted.
‘Perfect!’ The meadow was sprinkled with white among the yellow buttercups. These were the tiny daisies she needed, with their delicate white petals and golden button centres. Kizzy spent ages picking the flowers, using her knife to help, until she felt an ache in her back. Swifts and wagtails swooped above her while larks serenaded her. Straightening up, her back clicked and crunched.
‘That should be enough,’ she said to Ferda. She’d brought a pillowcase with her and it was now a quarter full of daisies.
About to place her knife back in its sheath, she noticed a hare sitting a little distance away in the field, quite oblivious of her. Kizzy felt a pang of regret, looking at the beautiful animal, but she thought of all the hungry children waiting for her and knew she had only one chance. With a flash, she threw her knife at the hare, catching him on his neck and stunning him. She raced across and finished the job quickly.
‘That’s a total fluke. I could never do it again,’ Kizzy told Ferda. ‘But we won’t tell the others that, will we?’ she grinned. ‘He’s scrawny so won’t go far, but at least it is some meat for tonight.’ She tied the hare onto her saddle.
Remembering something else, she told her horse, ‘Stay there a moment,’ and wrapped Ferda’s reins loosely around a branch of a tree. She nipped into the wood where she cut some more pine bark for Anna’s cut. She could hear foxes calling and the clatter of a deer. Or that’s what she hoped they were.
Walking back to Ferda, something in the sky caught her attention.
Smoke!
Standing by the bay, she scratched Ferda’s neck, breathing to calm her thumping heart as she tried to work out the direction it was coming from.
‘Ferda, that can’t be our smoke. It’s the wrong way.’
Ferda pushed Kizzy gently with his muzzle, wanting more attention.
The girl glanced down at the horse. ‘Are you feeling left out? How about this?’ She scratched gently nearer his ears, as they flitted to and fro. ‘Now, do I find out what is causing that smoke or do I head back? I know the sensible answer…’
Ferda lifted his head and looked at her.
‘You’re right. I’m going to check it out. You stay here.’
Kizzy untied his reins and led Ferda a little further into the woods. She checked there was still grass around for him to munch on. ‘Here will do. Nobody’ll see you. Wait for me, I won’t be long. I hope…’
Quickly and quietly, she moved through the woods, circling round the meadow towards the smoke. Now and then she trod on a twig and the crack echoed throughout the trees. ‘Ssh,’ she said to herself. ‘You need to be quieter.’
Whoever was making the smoke wasn’t being quiet. She could hear them from quite a way away. Kizzy gulped. They were speaking German.
As she got nearer, she started to crawl, hidden by ferns and bushes. She did her best to make sure she did not attract attention.
Lying flat on her stomach, she peered through the foliage. In front of her were her worst nightmares.
A group of five soldiers sat around a fire. They seemed quite relaxed. She soon saw why. A bottle was being passed from person to person. Each one took a swig. One soldier stood up and stumbled towards her, weaving back and forth. You’re drunk, she thought. Please don’t come my way. But he was.
Having decided he needed to go to the loo, the soldier walked into the bushes, stopping only a metre from her. Kizzy knew she couldn’t move or breathe, she daren’t make a sound. She kept her eyes shut until the sound of trickling stopped.
The Nazi rolled back towards the others. ‘We’re going to show those Russians what for!’ he shouted before sitting down, clapping the soldier next to him on the back. They all cheered.
Kizzy decided she’d seen enough. Stealthily, she sneaked away. Once she was far enough away for it not to matter, she ran, twigs and branches whipping at her face. She didn’t stop until she got to Ferda.
Scrambling up onto Ferda’s back, she headed back. She knew she needed to move fast. The sun seemed low in the sky and it wouldn’t long before it was dark. She needed to tell Jakob.
Chapter 27
‘Come on, Ferda, we need to get to the camp.’ Her heart hammered in her mouth. Ferda’s hooves pounded a beat on the track. Kizzy felt so relieved when she saw the campfire. She arrived with the others just as total darkness wrapped itself around them all.
Jakob grabbed hold of Ferda’s bridle. ‘Thank goodness you’re back. I was getting really worried.’
Kizzy leant forward and whispered in his ear. ‘You and me both, but don’t tell anyone.’ She fell into his arms as she dismounted. The two friends hugged each other tightly. When they let go, she pulled him to one side.
