67 A Strange Feeling

I carried on walking toward the gorge itself, wondering where it went.
Several twists and turns held you in a gully open to attack on both sides.
'Perfect ambush territory,' I thought, 'but then, how safe is that ground?' I looked about to see whether antelope wandered there. I could see the fan shape of cascading sands and the more I looked the more of these fans came into view. 'Maybe not as easy as I thought.' 
Looking up higher, I realised the hills were in waves, 'you could hide a battalion up there. Archers would have a clear target and the men would be sitting ducks.'
I kept an eye as I walked on.
Turning the next meander in the river, I saw a lookout tower. 
It flew the flag of Zhang, 'ours then.' I continued walking forward. 

Something made me jump and instinct told me to drop down.
Hiding in the undergrowth, I loosened my hair and pulled it round my face as camouflage. Looking through the fringe I saw men chatting with another group. 
These had recently reached this point, I could tell by the loose dust on their boots and clothing. 
They were swapping things, what, I couldn't tell. 
Why are my hackles up?
I trust my instincts so watched closely. Why do I get the impression someone is being set up? Was there a pay off between sides? Which side were they? They flew the flag of Zhang but were they?
I stayed still until the men moved off, then took myself back round the meander picking up speed as I went.
For some reason I needed to find Hao Yang and tell him about this strange encounter. 
I headed back toward the town gates just as day was breaking.
Unexpectedly, the gates opened and a battalion of men began their procession out onto the road.
It was then I spotted Hao Yang.

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