Enjoy.
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Tanya had been riding by herself for almost as long as she could remember, and been given permission to ride whenever she wanted since she was thirteen. She had never had an accident—though there had been some close calls—and enjoyed the solitude it offered when she was troubled.
Today’s ride hadn’t given her the latter yet.
Katara had pranced anxiously beneath her the moment they left the stable area, chewing on the bit and flicking her ears erratically. Not wanting to lose control, Tanya decided to delay the usual gallop she liked to have as soon as they were on the trail, instead keeping the dark roan to a high-stepping trot.
Some five minutes into the woods, the rider reined in her horse. Both paused and stood still, listening, the back and forth movement of the mare’s ears the only sign of life from the pair. Tanya glanced warily around the forest, straining to hear the odd snuffling that had caused her to stop.
The same sound she’d heard yesterday.
After a time of restless waiting, Katara grew impatient and pawed the dirt trail. Tanya pulled the horse’s head up to stop her and patted the dark-haired neck soothingly, despite her own growing unease. “Easy, Kat.” She turned the mount so they were facing the opposite direct—toward home. “C’mon; let’s go back.”
Katara squealed suddenly, shying to one side and half-rearing in fright. Tanya yelled and tried to throw her weight forward to bring the mare down on all fours, but found herself rolling off her steed’s side. She hit the ground hard, jarring the breath from her. Only instinct saved her from Katara’s flailing hooves, as she rolled away and scrambled to her feet.
Her pulse pounded in her ears as the girl quickly surveyed the trail, which had exploded into action and sound. Huge boar-like creatures as tall as Katara had crashed from the undergrowth onto the path, wielding spears as long as Tanya was tall. Three stood around the crazed horse, trying to control it, while two others approached her from each side.
She kept telling herself she should run—move—anything to get away from them—but her mind seemed to have shut down momentarily, and her legs did nothing to obey her commands. The one on her left stepped one pace within reach of that amazingly sharp spearhead…
Tanya leapt back, eyes wide, as a light bay horse plowed past her. The monster fell to the ground, howling in pain and clutching a slice in its shoulder. Her head swiveled to the right as its fellow gurgled and tumbled backward, its throat open to the air.
As the horse wheeled to make a second pass, this time at Katara’s tormentors, Tanya could finally see its rider. The hood of his dark cloak had fallen back onto his shoulders, revealing a head of messy blond hair. He held a long silver blade in his left hand, now darkened with blood, and her expert eye caught sight of a quiver of arrows slung on his shoulder.
That was about all she could make out in the flurry of the fight and the short time she had to watch him. Katara came charging up to her, eyes rolling in fear as she escaped the boars that had encircled her. Taking a moment to calm the panicky mare, Tanya climbed back into the saddle and spun the mare to face down the path again.
Their unnamed rescuer took another slice at a monster attempting to poke him with its lance, wheeling his own mount around. "Follow me!"
Tanya didn't need to be told twice; following him was a better bet than staying here. Nevertheless, the sense of unease she'd felt—now something a little less than panic—never dwindled, even with the explosion of adrenaline now surging through her.
No sane person would be doing this. No normal person would have been attacked by other-worldly creatures and thrown into wild flight after an armed stranger.
Realizing this, it only took her a few more seconds to make up her mind. Tanya swerved off the main trail onto the first side path she came across, one which she knew would take her to another trail leading straight to her house. It was the only place that came to mind as safe enough for her to escape the situation entirely.
Entering the clearing around the house, however, proved her horribly wrong.
Tanya reined in Katara so sharply that the mare snorted in protest, but she hardly heard it. The sight of five enormous, armored creatures she vaguely recognized paralyzed her momentarily. As the first of the seven-foot-tall behemoths turned to face her, Katara reacted for her and wheeled back into the safety of the trees.
By the time they reached the main trail again, Tanya had regained her wits enough to squash the flames of true panic threatening to ignite in her chest. She pulled her horse to a stop again when the mounted warrior who had rescued her crashed through the brush along the path to her left.
One last slice felled the monster chasing him, and he scanned the area before settling his gaze on her.
Under the piercing blue eyes, Tanya could hardly think. “T-the house…”
He simply nodded and trotted his horse toward her. “I knew they’d have it surrounded.” He paused a yard or two in front of her. “I told you to stay with me for a reason.”
Regaining her composure, she scowled at his reprimanding tone. She opened her mouth to snarl a retort only to be interrupted by the ear-splitting bellow of a strange horn.
The rider snapped out what sounded like a curse word and spun his mare toward a pencil-thin track through the trees in front of Tanya. “No time to talk; we have to get them off our tails before I can properly explain.” He cast a backward glance over his shoulder. “And this time try to stay with me.”
Despite the urge to howl in frustration and anger, Tanya gritted her teeth and kicked Katara after the mysterious rider.
*glompouncetacklehugs*) for the support!! ^_^
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