The trail took us deep into the mountains and I kept getting odd looks from the other riders. It became quickly apparent that I had a calming effect on the horses. Chick was excited at first on the trail but quickly calmed and was currently the only calm one. Everyone seemed so unsettled, even the humans.
"Okay guys, what's going on?" I finally asked.
"Something's following us," felix whispered.
The rest of the guys nodded, let me explain, when word got out me and felix were going on a ride, guy with the muscular back wanted to come (you know from ch5) I found out his name is dez and he's a real comedian. Then Jude and Dale wanted to come too, saying they weren't spending enough time with me.
The horses shuffled nervously, and chick occasionally jumped at the slightest things. Dales horse, Tuck, was sweating uncontrollably, just glancing at his eyes spoke an unimaginable amount of fear. That went with the rest of the horses too. They were truly terrified, and whatever is stalking us hasn't shown itself.
"Lets keep moving, I'm getting a bad feeling," I muttered, urging chick on. The boys all muttered something close to agreement, our mounts eagerly obliging. The boys said they had something to show me, I was really curious and excited to see what was coming.
"Are we almost there?" I asked, I was pushing my nervousness down so chick didn't sense I was feeling the same as her. It's better to feel calm with a nervous animal. "Yeah, it's just through there," Jude said pointing at a small cave.
"Let's go, this feeling is getting worse," Jude shuttered.
Dale, with tuck went first, second Felix and his horse Tie then me and chick, after us came Jude and Wonder, and Dez with Shiloh came last. There was the sound of rushing water echoing throughout the cave. The cave was almost totally black when a bright light hit us suddenly.
This place was beautiful, a lake with a few waterfalls, there were walls of stone with other small caves inside, flowers and wild berries grew by the handful. When light shined just right the whole valley looked to be surrounded in a blue hue.
"It's beautiful," I gasped, the air is so clean up here.
"I thought you'd like it," Felix smiled.
"That's why when he said he was taking you up here we had to come along, could let him have all the glory," Jude said winking at me.
We dismounted, I watched the boys loosen their girths and tie their horses to a tree. Chick quivered under my touch, she wants to run in this magical place as much as I want to stay here. I took her saddle fully off, and the boys gave me a funny look, which turned scared when I had taken the bridle off with just the reigns on.
"Cora, what are you doing?" Dez asked nervously.
"Chick wants to run for a while," I stated calmly, on the inside I was giddy, I wanna see them squirm, "who am I to deny her?"
"But if you do, We'll never catch her again," Dale stated as if talking to a small child, I hate that voice.
I snorted and dropped the reins, and chick ran. The boys were screaming at me and running after her. They tried cornering her and roping her but she dodged everything. I sat back laughing, "she thinks its a game. She thinks you're playing with her!"
For 10 minutes they chased her before collapsing next to me. I didn't help matters because in the game I had stripped their horses and turn them loose as well. Turns out chick is a natural born leader, she took charge of the little herd and now was grazing on the other side of the stream.
