Revenge

Chapter 2

Jacob and Holland followed Lauren's trail closely. The forest they traveled through had a lot of brush, so she broke a few limbs each time she crossed a bush to lead them on. Jacob stopped to see a tree that had a hoof mark in the bark. It pointed forward so he assumed it meant to keep going straight.

"Jacob?"

"Yes, Holland?"

"What do you think we're going to find in this castle?"

"Hopefully a few survivors and hopefully a few useful items that we can take back for the village."

"What if we don't find either?"

"Then we go back to the village, we explain our journey and we wait for the next mission."

"That's kind of depressing to think about."

"Then don't think about it."

"Yeah, okay."

The two fell silent for a while, until Lauren's path drew away from the river.

"Why is she moving away? This isn't the way to the castle on the map."

"Maybe she saw something and she wanted to investigate?"

"No that's not like her."

Jacob drew closer and saw a horseshoe print, dragged out about two inches.

"Her horse got dragged by something. Quick, dismount and look for blood!"

Holland jumped from his horse and quickly searched the ground. He saw a makeshift trail and followed it a little ways off to the side. "Jacob! I found her!"

Lauren was petting the horse slowly, calming it down.

"It's okay guys. Misty here just got spooked by a rabbit. We're not far from the trail, though I do want to travel together now since we're so close."

"Good idea. Holland go get the horses and come back here."

"On it, boss."

Jacob and Lauren moved to the end of the trail to wait on Holland, and once he got back, they mounted up and pushed forward.

About an hour later Lauren put on a spurt of speed, bursting through the thick foliage at the end of the treeline. Jacob and Holland followed closely, thinking something was attracting her attention. She and her horse were standing against a rocky stretch of road. Cobblestone pathways littered the sides, proving to be small walkways or traveling roads away from the building in front of them. Behind the building stretched a vast ocean, wider and deeper than ever before.

Holland kicked his horse into high gear, whooping his delights at seeing the ocean.

"Holland stop!"

Holland pulled against his horse's reins, turning back around and nearly growling out a, "Why?"

Jacob pushed forward more slowly, Lauren right behind him. "How in the hell do you know if this place is safe or not yet? Slow down, let me take the lead and I promise tonight we will camp by the ocean so you can satisfy your curiosity! Do you understand?"