The Lioness of Shadi

23 - A Glimpse of a Viper

The forest again opened to great plains several days before they reached Ulmanna, much to the great joy of the Sut Resi horses and their riders. Even Ilati, who found the sweet smell of cedar so enchanting, couldn't help the thrill of electric joy at the idea of riding free again. Youtab danced underneath her as the last of the trees gave way to the great expanse of the flatlands that led down to the valley of the Suen River, a distant serpent of silver surrounded by rich green farmland.

"Eager to run?" Ilati asked fondly, stroking her mare's neck.

Youtab answered with a huff and a toss of her head, muscles rippling with excitement at the idea of a chance to break loose from all the confinement of the trees.

Shir Del laughed. "Bring us back some breakfast if you are going to go darting off, lioness. It will be excellent target practice."

Ilati shook her head. She knew her accuracy still left a great deal to be desired, even on stationary targets. She had learned a great deal by practicing for hours every day, but she didn't consider herself anywhere near the mastery that her Sut Resi friends had achieved. "You mean a way I lose us many arrows? You would be better off sending Roshanak."

"I said practice, not perfect." Shir Del stretched lazily on Araxa's back, eyeing the woods behind them as Kulziya and his men followed them out, still engrossed in conversation with Eigou and Menes. The soldiers of Ulmanna seemed much more comfortable around the sorcerer and the charioteer, not quite certain what to do with the three women carrying weapons in their midst. They were even more careful around the Sut Resi horses, particularly after Youtab had nearly kicked one for coming too close. "We will see you when your wild one is ready to return."

There was a certain truth to that nickname for Youtab: the horse was wild in a way not even Thriti or Araxa were. They were fearsome Sut Resi horses to be certain, but they seemed far more used to people and were willing to permit Eigou and Menes close. Youtab barely tolerated even Shir Del's touch, always warning with her teeth and ears. She was still virtually a feral horse, gentle only with Ilati. Ulmanna would be a hard trial for her.

The priestess whistled sharply in the morning air, holding on as tightly as she could. The Sut Resi barely had a saddle and no reins or bridle, so staying on was something of an art form. Youtab let out a blown breath of delight and surged forward. The strange, burning connection between horse and rider was always at its strongest in moments like these, when Youtab's breathless joy crashed into her own exhilaration in a wave of elation. Ilati barely heard Eigou call after her and paid his words no mind, conscious only of moving and leaning in time with the horse beneath her.

There was a rhythm to Youtab's gait that her body matched automatically, and while she would be sore by the end of the day, her core and legs were finally strong enough to keep her seat properly all day long. She knew to stay as loose as possible and keep her weight in her heels. With her bow slung across her lower back and her quiver secured, nothing rattled or jostled her in a way that risked her balance, and Youtab had been kind enough to practice turns and maneuvers with her many times in the forest since their battle with the demon.

Ilati and Youtab raced forward together, neither aware of a place where horse ended and rider began. There was only the rush of wind, the thundering of hooves, the pulse in their veins, and the sudden delightful thrill of being so vibrantly alive. The grassland went whipping by in a blur as Youtab stretched herself to her full potential after days of being cooped up in confined spaces, Ilati's laughter caught and carried off by the rushing wind.

The horse only slowed when Ilati's still healing leg ached, gradually decreasing her pace as they neared a fork from the river so that she wouldn't abruptly dump her rider. Once they were down to a walk, Ilati leaned forward, stroking Youtab's neck and then whistled a different cue softly. The horse stopped obediently just before the mud, allowing Ilati to slide off and walk beside her.