Retracing their steps, they took up the trail once more, Neko now part of the expedition. They trekked deeper and deeper into the mountains. The land became more rugged and remote, spears of rock rising all around them. Approaching mid-afternoon, the trail led them up a hair-raising path cut into a cliff face before entering a narrow gorge.

‘How much further, do you think?’ Jack called to Miyuki.

She turned to reply, but Sora interrupted her.

‘Quiet!’ he hissed, putting a finger to his lips.

The three young warriors went for their weapons. But on looking around, the gorge was deserted.

What is it? mouthed Jack.

Sora pointed a finger upwards and whispered, ‘Danger of avalanche!’

Above them, a colossal wave of snow teetered upon the edge of the gorge’s upper lip. Maintaining their silence, they cautiously edged further along the ever-narrowing chasm until, at its farthest end, they saw a sheer rock face blocking the gorge.

‘Are you certain they went this way?’ whispered Jack.

Miyuki nodded and pointed to the two tracks that continued ahead of them.

‘Maybe the bandits lost their way?’ suggested Hayato.

‘I don’t think so,’ replied Miyuki, under her breath. ‘There are no fresh tracks leading back from here.’

‘Then let’s keep going,’ said Jack.

Walking on, the walls of the gorge pressed closer until only a thin blue line of sky could be seen between the ridges of snow above. It was as if the mountain itself was trying to crush them.

‘We should turn back,’ said Sora, glancing up to spot dark clouds gathering. ‘I don’t know this area and there’s a storm coming.’

But Jack was determined to follow the trail to its end. As they neared the end of the gorge, he couldn’t believe his eyes. He now saw that the rock face cut hard right at the last moment. The optical illusion gave the appearance of a dead end, when in fact the track led to a narrow gap in the mountainside.

Passing through, the five of them were stunned to discover a hidden valley.

32 Akuma

32

AKUMA

A waterfall cascaded down a cliff into a crystal-clear sliver of lake. Near the shore a patch of hardy trees clung to the steep valley sides, while further along the snow-clad bank was a knot of wooden buildings, protected in the lee of an overhanging crag. There was a storehouse, a stable and a large wooden bunkhouse, smoke rising from a hole in its thatched roof.

‘This has to be it!’ exclaimed Jack.

‘We should wait until dusk,’ said Miyuki. ‘To avoid being spotted.’

Hunkering down behind a boulder, they watched the camp for signs of life. A few men wandered around tending to the horses, but it appeared that most of the bandits were within the bunkhouse itself. Snatches of raucous laughter and drunken singing could be heard drifting across the lake.