Ranger's Oath by Blake Arthur Peel

Author:Blake Arthur Peel [Peel, Blake Arthur]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blake Arthur Peel
Published: 2018-06-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Zara

"C'mon!" Owyn urges, grabbing me by my sleeve. "We need to leave here. Now!"

I do not argue. Whatever had made that horrible sound is close.

And it sounds dangerous.

We sprint across the open clearing, jumping over the decomposing remains of the deer and making for our mounts, which are tethered just outside of the wide ring of trees. When we arrive, both of them are pulling against their restraints, whining nervously and stamping their feet.

"Whoa, whoa," Owyn says soothingly, spreading his arms wide and gently rubbing his fingers on the nose of his horse. "Easy there, girl."

I wince, attempting to do the same with my mule, who seems to be even more spooked than Owyn's horse. Its eyes roll back in its head and it tugs hard against the reins, trying to break free. Please don't step on me, please don't step on me. I timidly touch its neck and try to speak comforting words, but it doesn't seem to do much good.

Having successfully calmed his own horse, Owyn intervenes. "Easy now, easy." His touch soothes the mule almost immediately, as if he has a special connection with the animal. He seems to be rather good at this, I think to myself, chagrined.

We quickly untie the reins and clamber atop our mounts, pulling away from the clearing as fast as we can.

Another long howl echoes around us, reverberating off the wall of trees. The sound pierces my ears, igniting a very primal fear I have never felt before. It makes the hair on my arms stand on end, and my hand starts shaking as I hold the reigns in a white knuckled grip.

"Try and keep up," Owyn shouts over his shoulder, before kicking his horse in the flanks and tearing off through the underbrush.

Steeling myself, I do the same. The mule lurches forward and it is everything that I can do not to fall out of the saddle. Using my legs to guide the horse, I do my best to follow the mad ranger through the maze of trees, cringing as trunks and branches fly past me at terrifying speeds. The horse, frightened by the second howl, needs little urging to move swiftly, and we actually manage to maintain a good distance behind Owyn as we go.

Despite the circumstances, I find that I am actually smiling as I ride. The exhilaration that I feel, the raw fear, is thrilling. It fills my stomach with butterflies and makes me feel alive. When Owyn looks back and sees the big grin on my face his eyebrows go up in shock. Then he turns away, shaking his head in bewilderment.

A third howl rips through the air and my smile vanishes. That one sounded much closer.

"It's gaining on us!" I call out, but I'm not sure that he can hear me. He merely keeps riding at the same reckless pace.

The beat of the horse's hooves sounds thunderous in my ears, and the wind in whips my hair and my robes around me, cooling my skin and making my eyes water.

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