"That sounds like a pretty handy device," Tara nodded. "But we don't have anything like that in Abbynthia. We could go to the blacksmith to see if he can make you a new knife or a sword. Although judging by the way you were wielding my knife in there, I'm not sure that's the best choice."
"What about a bow and arrow like yours? I'd rather keep my adversaries at arms’ length, so I don't have to smell their foul odor."
"You still need a bit of practice to become competent using a bow," Tara said. "Besides, it would be better for you to carry a different weapon so we've got more flexibility handling special circumstances. Come with me, I have an idea."
The girls walked a short distance down the main drag, then Tara led Clover into a store marked Tannery.
"Hello," Tara said, walking up to the counter where an old man stood, buffing some hides.
"Hello," he said, peering at the two girls curiously. "What can I do for you ladies?"
"Do you carry bullwhips?" Tara said.
"I think I have one or two in the back," the man said. "I haven't been asked for one of those in a long while. Whatever do two pretty girls like you want with one of those? You don't exactly look like the rancher type."
"Protection," Tara said.
The old man nodded, then excused himself as he went into the rear of his store. When he returned, he carried a thick, snake-like leather strap bundled in a coil.
"Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?" he asked, handing it to Tara.
Tara took the strap from his hand and uncoiled it, feeling its weight in her hand as she waved it up and down slowly.
"Here," she said, handing it to Clover. "You try it."
"What exactly am I supposed to do with it?" she said, flapping it from side to side.
"You aim it at something, then snap your hand to make it straighten out and crack at the tip." Tara pointed to a wooden sign hanging on the far wall. "Try hitting that. I shouldn't create too much damage."
Clover peered at the target about twenty feet away then she flapped her arm like she'd seen Indiana Jones do in the movies, and the whip see-sawed sideways, tipping a bottle off the wall over the proprietor's head. He ducked just in time to catch the falling object, looking at the two women like they were fresh off the boat.
"Sorry about that," Tara said, passing the man a handful of coins. "Will this take care of the cost?"
"That should do it," he nodded. "But you girls be careful with that thing. You could take someone's eye out with that thing if you're not careful."
"That's the idea," Tara said, coiling Clover's whip back up and attaching it to her belt as she headed back out the door.
"Sorry," Clover said when they exited the store. "It looks like I'm a bit of a slow learner when it comes to using all these medieval tools."
"Don't worry," Tara said, noticing the two ratcatchers staring at them from the tavern porch. "We'll get you trained up soon enough. Right now, I think its best we clear out of this place and head toward the warlock's house. It's getting dark, and there'll be new matters to deal with before long."
6
The two girls continued up the dusty road heading north as the bar maid had indicated, but by now it was pitch black outside and it was difficult to make out the color of any buildings. Many of the houses were set back some distance from the road, and as they squinted into the inky darkness, Clover shook her head in frustration.
"How are we ever going to find the warlock's house in this light?" she said. "Haven't you guys ever heard of electricity?"
"What's that?"
"It's a kind of man-made power that creates artificial light and..." Clover paused, realizing how insane she must have sounded trying to explain all the modern conveniences she'd taken for granted to people stuck in an older time. "Never mind."
"He's a warlock, right?" Tara said. "So he probably has a lot of people coming to him for help. And I'm guessing he doesn't do it for free. He probably lives in a bigger house than most people around here. You keep your eyes on houses on the left side of the road, and I'll scan the right side."
After another mile or so, Clover noticed the outline of a large two-story building set back a hundred feet or so from the main road, surrounded by a tall copse of trees.
"This place looks a little larger than most of the others," she said, pausing at the side of the road and pointing into the thicket.
"Yes," Tara nodded. "And it's about the right distance from town. Let's check it out."