They came ashore, in a small bay, heavily wooded to the edge of the water, a dark fringe of trees mirroring the slope above. Together they pulled the small boats up the beach and into a clearing. Máel collapsed on the ground to catch his breath, he lay back for a second closing his eyes, he could feel his heartbeat begin to slow as he looked around. Lugh and Oran had the small boat push deep into the undergrowth, rooting around for broken breaches to hide it as best they could, Máel staggered to his feet, tying his bundle up.

"Lugh how long do think it will take us to get home "? Máel was placing branches around the boat making it almost invisible. Lugh stood up and paused looking in the direction that the path took through the trees, before he answered Máel. , "I reckon we have a few miles to walk before we get, to the Rath at Dun Mor, if we set a good pace it won't take us long to get there, I have been there a few times, but not from this direction, are you ready, then lets get on".

The path through the woods was broad and well used; Lugh figured that they would be safe enough, until they got a bit closer to the Rath. Sun light filtered through the trees, turning the way ahead into a tunnel of green gold, the song of the birds still trilled and the small animals still snuffled in the undergrowth, there was nothing to show the threat out there on the water, except the hammering of their hearts and the knots in their stomach. Oran tried not to think, just moving as fast as possible, keeping pace with the others, which was difficult at the best of times, and this was not a good time.

"I need to stop, please, Lugh just a minute, I have a stitch, I have to get my breath", Oran flung himself on the ground, glad to have stopped if only for a minute. He closed his eyes and felt his cheeks burn with exertion as the pain in his side eased and his breathing slowed.
He felt the crunch of leaves at his ear, as footsteps came to stand by his, opening his eyes, to see a tall man emerge from behind a tree, armed with an axe, as more men circled them from behind, arrows pointing straight at them. Oran looked up into the dark eyes of a tall man, an ornate golden pin glinted in the filtered sunlight and he held a large double bladed axe.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here at Dunmore", the dark eyed man with the axe challenged, his voice booming with authority .

Oran screamed and sprang to his feet as Lugh scrambled up beside him. Maél who was still sitting on a stone, just looked bewildered.
"I'm Lugh and this is Oran, and Maél, we are from the rath at Dun Lethglaise, we were out fishing and were cooking it on Dun na na gill, when we seen the raiders sail into the lough, we want to get home quickly to warn them, in case there is an attack, we hid our curragh back there. Please can you help us? Do you have a horse that I could borrow so I could reach home and raise the alarm quickly? Please will you help us?" Lugh cried in voice full of anguished, showing the man just how up set he was. The men around them had relaxed their stand and put down their weapons and were looking at them kindly.

"Warnings have already been, sent to Dun Lethglassie, messengers were sent, as soon as the raiders were first sighted, the alarm should have been raised by now, so your family will have taken shelter. I'm Laogh, from Dun Mor, come up to the rath, and we will see what we can do for you". Oran felt giddy with relief, "Thank you", he cried.
Lugh pulled Maél up beside him, “Are your people still at the fort? There might be more than one ship, we need to be prepared for any attack that they launch at us," he said as he walked along side Laogh, trying to match his stride. "Only seen one boat but there may be others."

The boys followed Laogh up through the wooded slope and into a palisade, armed men stood around in small groups, looking suspiciously at them as they entered. Women were busy packing bundles and organising children, all seemed chaos. "We are ready should the raiders come back this way, we have look outs spread across the area. Come, refresh your selves, you can do nothing else but wait for news of any attack. The women and children are getting ready to leave, until it is safe to return, so I will serve you", as he spoke Laogh, showed them into a large round hut.

He crossed the room, and bent over a large crock and began to pour a dark golden liquid into some wooden cups, which he handed around to the boys.
"You look like you need this, my wife make's this mead, it is the best drink you will taste for many a league."
Oran took the cup and drank quickly, the fiery liquid choking him as it burnt his throat. “That is fierce he croaked ", Laogh laughed as he coughed and splutter, as the fiery spirit caught in his throat, the others drank more cautiously, was thankful for the warmth that radiated to his belly.
"This is wonderful stuff, your wife is most talented as a brewer, and we can only thank you again." Lugh bowed his head to Laogh as he spoke.

"I must leave you now, but rest, I will return with news as I receive it. It is better you stay here, until it is safe for you to go home, when the messenger returns from Dun Lethglaise, I will send him to you and then you can decide what to do. There is barley bannocks and cheese in one of the baskets and apples, take your fill, till later”, and he left the hut with a swirl of his green cloak. Lugh turned to the others, “At least they have had a warning, and will have got away on time. It is great that Aillel got a warning to them, but they could still have burned the place, and attack here, on the way back, look what they did at Bangor and Movilla. We may as well lay down and rest, we might have to be on the move quickly so let us make the best of it now". Lugh said as he wrapped his cloak around him and sat on the settle covered in skins. Oran looked around and found a spot in the corner that the sun lit up and rolled himself into his brat and snuggled into it. Maél turned to Lugh, " Budge over you, there is room enough for us both" and he flung himself on the bed beside Lugh, and it was not too long before there were snores coming out of his cloak.

*******

The sun was setting in the west, when Aillel returned; he stood paused in the doorway, speaking over his shoulder, to man who was entering, just behind him, he announced to the boys who were sitting up yawning and rubbing their eyes.

"This is Ruray, he took the message to your people, and he says that Báetáin has ordered the rath cleared of the women and children, just in case the raiders attack and warning had been sent far and wide".
He had crossed the room and was pouring drinks for them all. He gave one to the small dark man, who took the cup and knocked the liquid back as if it was water.

"I needed that, it has been frantic, l got there, just before the raiders, but they just sailed past as if they had the right to be there, Báetáin thinks there is more to come, so we wait and watch, they didn't’t have their shields up so they weren't’t looking for a fight, but can take that for granted. That drink is divine; your wife has the touch of the Gods for brewing, thank you," he said as he drained his cup, Laogh quickly refilled it and he continued. “The women and children all left very quickly, so your mothers and little ones are all safe. I think they will be worried about you three, you being out on the lough when the raider came, you were lucky, three fine boys like you would make them a pretty penny in the slaves markets in Cumbriam,". Oran’s hair stood on end when he heard this and he looked in horror at Maél who stared back, white faced at the thought of being sold into slavery.

Laogh poured him another "We all need our strength, for what may follow, so drink up". Turning to the boys, "I think you should stay here tonight, and return home in the morning, all will be confusion there, there is no point blundering through the woods in the dark when the light of day will do better. You can sleep here, if there is a raid, we will give you plenty of warning to be away. So get some rest, there are apples and dried fruits in a basket there, no cooking will be done tonight, mead and water is in jars in the corner, take your fill. I will return if the raiders come, otherwise it will be the morning. Sleep well". Ruray, waved farewell and followed Laogh, leaving the three boys to think of their narrow escape from the Vikings and what was in front of the tomorrow.

"I never thought about what they would do to us if they had caught us "said Oran "It would be awful to be a slave, I'll never complain about my mother, ever again asking me to do something".

"It makes you think, what could have happened, but we are here safe now, so let’s some sleep and get back home tomorrow early", said Lugh as he lay down. “Goodnight ".

The darkness was broken by a lantern as Laogh shook Lugh awake, he sat up as, Maél stirred beside him, Oran snored gentle in the corner.
"Quick get dressed, you must be ready to get out of here."
Lugh sprang out of bed pulling on his tunic; shaking Maél awake. “What is it Lugh, let me sleep" he dozily groaned. Across the room, Oran was awake and flinging his smock over his head, as a sleepy Maél bent to retrieve his boots from under the settle. Laogh came stood above them holding his torch high,.
" A few raiders have landed on the shore, the men in the woods will hold them for awhile, Lugh, you boys should leave the fort now, head south, head for home on foot. There is still only one boat, sighted, so you should be safe, in the woods. You must hurry." He led them out of the enclosure, and pointed down the wooded slope.
"Keep the lough on your left, it is not far, there are many places to hide, but speed is your greatest weapon now, don't tarry", Laogh saluted them with a wave and strode away full of purpose; with a shout of farewell they turned plunged into the dark wood.

As they ran the brambles and thorns, rent their clothes and scraped them. Oran could hear Lugh, beside him as they crashed along. His heart was bursting in his chest, a stitch made his side ache and he wanted to stop, but Lugh held his arm hand very tightly and pulled him on. Each time he faltered or tripped, he steered him up and onward.

Metal clanged, voices screamed, the sound, magnified in the dark by fear, rang around the trees, transformed by the growing gray dawn into black sentinels, watching their flight as the shouting grew faint behind them.

"How far did that sprint get us, it has quieted down, what do you think, did Laogh hold them, won't know tonight. We best keep going, the greater, the distance between us and them, the better I will feel, Oran, you alright, Maél ready, let's get on", Lugh panted as he knelt beside him. Oran lay against a tree feeling his chest heave.
"Come on, we must make this effort now, it is not that far from home, I have been here with Donal and Rurie hunting, it is but a few hours walk from here, let's be away."
"We will need to be as quiet as possible and quick as well, so let us be onward. Can't hear any more fighting, just hope that Laogh and the rest got the better of them".

As they approached the ford they could see men hidden in the dark undergrowth, Lugh signaled the boys to a hollow between a large oak and a thicket of hazels.
"Lets wait here a few minutes and see who these men are, I think I recognize that tall man with the red hair, have seen him at the Beltaine fire's last spring".
In the silence of the woods, no animal stirred, no bird fluttered, hardly a breath of wind shivered the leaves, the night seemed charged with a potent fear; the trees seemed to be listening to the stillness.

Oran sat, head bent over his knees, taking, great gulps of air, trying to still his heart, as Lugh lay beside him, flat out, his breath coming thick and labored. As their breathing slowed, the night sounds of the wood grew louder, as the shouting grew faint behind them.

The dawn was breaking. Under the trees the light, flickered golden, as the high summer sun rose.
"Yesterday was such a perfect dawn, so full of hope. Now we do not know if the raiders will attack or not, or where our families are. How it all could change in a day, what will we find at home, Lugh", cried Oran, his tiredness coming out in the tremor of his voice.
" It will be alright Oran, we will be home soon, let us wait for bad news, its only one boat, a raid might not have happened at all? ", Lugh reassured him.

The dense shadow among the trees had lessened and the golden pink light tinted everything rosy, but it was with worry that they climbed the slope that would give them the first glimpse of home.
"See the smoke, it looks like every day cooking going on. You can see the roofs of the huts, they haven't been burned, from here there does not seem to be any damage".
As they climbed down the hill they could hear dogs barking and men's voices coming closer, they juked out of sight avoid detection. They were close by the Ford of Cuan, they could make out the shapes of men hidden in the undergrowth.

"Listen, I think that it is Diarmurid, I recognize that deep laugh".
Maél nodded "I think your right, no one else sounds so like a drum, it sounds like him all right" as he spoke the men came into view and Lugh stood up and called them.
"Diarmurid, it's us, Lugh, Oran and Maél, what has been happening? We were out on the lough when we seen the Raider, did the Norse men attack the rath? Is everyone safe? We staid the night at Dún Mor with Laogh, their was a bit of a show this morning but we don't know what happened , he sent us away through the woods before anything happened in the rath.

The water was chill as they waded across the shallow ford but they did not feel it as they ran to meet the men guarding the way. They were surrounded, the men grim faced and dirty, but not down hearted, dogs jumping up to lick them and barking happily.
Diarmurid, handed them a flask, "Well lad, there was a skirmish but not much of one. There was only one boat for now; we have been out in the woods scouting about. We think there is going to a big raid so Báetáin sent us out to gather any information we can. Every one at the fort is fine, except your Mother's who are crazy with worry about you lot, out on the lough when the raiders arrived. They will be pleased to see you both, so I would hurry on home and put them out of their miseries. We will be back in a few hours, are going to meet the men of Dún Mor rath they sent the first warning yesterday".

The boys smiled with relief at the news from Diarmurid. "Send, Laogh our greetings, he was very good to us. We left just before dawn, as an attack began, we ran into the woods and have been making our way back since, best get on home and relieve our Mother's, said Lugh, "We shall meet later".
With a salute, the men soon disappeared into the dense copse, breaking twigs and barking dogs followed their passing.

"What a relief, that they are all right, but we are going to get a right ear bashing and no mistake. I know what my Ma is like when she gets upset, yours too I'll bet, but we will stick together. We did nothing wrong but be together out on the Lough, we did not know the raid would happen, we are all fine, so no harm done ", sighed Maél, "Now we must face the music", and he started off through the woods with the others not far behind him, eager for the sight of home.