Wanderlust

Chapter 4:

Merida rode along the shores of DunBroch. Angus, her Scottish Shire horse, had become accustomed to the glenns and sure-footedly leaped through the tall grasses. As they twisted their way through the fields and over patches of stones he appeared almost like a shadow from a distance, flashing across the horizon. "There's a good boy," Merida laughed, yelling to be heard over the wind. She patted the horses neck, but kept a steady eye ahead of them.

Merida hadn't kept track of how far they'd gone from the Castle, but after they'd slowed down and she pushed away some of the bright red curls from her face she looked upon an unfamiliar bay. "Aye," She sighed. "Looks like we're a little lost, huh Angus?". The rocky cliffs had subsided, changing into small, stone littered beaches in place of the otherwise mountainous landscape.

Stopping just short of the beaches edge, Merida jumped from the saddle, landing ungracefully onto the stoney ground. She took a deep breath, enjoying the warm, salty air. Standing up, she brushed off her burgundy-colored dress and hooked Angus's reigns to a fallen tree that was suspended slightly against one of the larger boulders. 

Watching to make sure he was secure, Merida took a seat atop the stone. Digging into her satchel, she removed  two lush green apples, and held one in front of the horse. With a soft nicker of thanks, Angus took and apple. After re-securing the small bag, Merida leaned back against the cool stone, and closed her crystal blue eyes before taking a bite out of her own apple.

Somewhere in her mind two green, reptilian eyes stared back. "Toothless and Hiccup will be bringing mum home soon," she spoke in a hushed tone, as if the wind would steal her words if she spoke any louder. "I can't believe she's coming home Angus." Squinting up towards the Scottish Shire, the horse let out a small neigh, kicking at the ground as he did so. "I know, I'm excited too." The princess laughed, leaning against the stone. "I hope their winter was alright."

The pair had spent most of the last week along the beaches, or in one of the surrounding fields or forests of Dunbroach. With the Queen's arrival home so close, the castle was abuzz with excitement. Merida had snuck away at any possibility, not wanting to join in the chaos.

Merida opened her eyes, wanting to forget about the viking boy. It had been almost a year since she'd last seen the boy or his dragon. She thought of the him, Hiccup. How his dusty brown hair had eternally covered the edges of his earthy green eyes, and how his freckled face and brow was forever in a confused, furrowed position. She smiled, almost ready to laugh at the memory of him.

"Alright Angus" Merida sighed, rising from the sandy stone after only a short while of rest. "How lost do you think we are?" The large shire horse neighed, but otherwise showed no interest in his rider. Rolling her eyes, Merida got up from the stone to stroll near the water's edge. Picking up a few of the smooth stones littered across the beach, she tossed them slowly, watching them bound across the surf. Afterward, she stared farther off towards the setting sun that had began etching it's way down towards the horizon.

"Come on Angus, nap times over. It's getting late," Loosening his tie, Merida took the reigns and began to walk the horse back towards the forest, and towards the castle. When approaching the thick brush, she mounted into the saddle, beginning the long ride back towards Dunbroch. "Who know's," She muttered. "If we're lucky, Mum could be back by the time we get there." She looked down towards her horse, but was again met with uninterested eyes.

She raised a brow at Angus's attempt to ignore her. Pulling lightly on the reigns, she gave the horse a quizzical look at his lack of response. "Angus? What's wrong?" She pulled a little tighter on the reigns, but the horse showed no signs of moving. Instead he began looking in every direction, afraid.

Instinctively, Merida drew her bow and an arrow from the quiver at her hip. "Alright boy," She cooed, patting the horses neck. "It'll be fine."

There was a russeling somewhere in the brush. It wasn't close, but was near enough to reach the horse's ears. Tightening her grip on the bow, Merida jumped to the earth, looking back at Angus as she took a step forward.

 "Alright," She hollered. "I'm done playing games." At the first hint of noise she took aim and fired. The arrow disappeared into the brush, and a loud noise signaled than it had missed the target, colliding instead with a tree in the distance.

Where the arrow had past, instead sat a small, blue orb. It flickered like a small flame, and the noise it created sounded almost like a child's laugh. Merida's ocean blue eyes focused on the familiar shape.

"Not this again," she sighed, raising her eyes up to the increasingly darkened sky. Looking back to the ground, she watched as -one after another- the blue flames multiplied, forming a path wrapping deeper into the forest. Looking back, Merida noticed that Angus still lingered, waiting for a sign of what to do. "I swear," Merida muttered, turning her attention to the first Willow o' the Whips "if this is some sort of game, I -"

Before she could finish the blue flame disappeared into the night, no doubt to appear to another person, whether to lead them to their fate or astray was anyone's guess though. Merida ran a hand through her red curls, frustration bubbling as she continued to think of her options. "Alright," She sighed after a moment, giving up and taking Angus's reigns again. "C'mon Angus." She commanded, pulling the Horse lightly behind her, guiding him though the thickening brush.

----------------- Author's Note/Questions --------------------

Alright guys, here's a new chapter! But I was wondering: Would you mind if this was more than just a Merriccup book? Like if I threw in other characters from the Big 4/ROTBTD (ex. North, Bunnymund, Mother Gothel?) although not necessarily those particular characters?

Just curious if you think it'd be to weird/uninteresting... because I do have particular plot in mind involving some of them.