Hunted

Ch. 6

My eyes shot open. The barn was dark but the sky was just turning grey through the cracks between the old wood boards. I was up in an instant. A slight chill rested in the barn since the fire had burned out. I took several moments to listen for any noises outside the structure. But other than a few bird calls and gentle snores from the others all was quiet. I got up and went from sleeping form to sleeping form, it was harder than I thought but eventually I had them all up. Nate rubbed his eyes.

"What time is it?" He moaned.

"About five in the morning." I replied with out even looking at him as I busied myself with scattering the fire.

"Ugh by back is stiff as a board. Who's idea was it to sleep on the ground anyway." Bay complained. I ignored her. A barn floor was luxury compared to some of the places I'd slept in, knotty old tree branches and old sewer pipes for example.

I eyed the ground where the fire had been. Even a trained eye would have a hard time telling six kids had lit a fire then slept around it the night before.

"Come on lets go" I said placing my hand on the barn door.

"But what about breakfast?" Erica asked. The others mumbled in agreement. I sighed internally. "Breakfast." I said pushing the door open and gesturing to the lush carpet of grass beyond. The hopeful looks on the other teens' faces fell.

"Humans can't eat grass" Bay pointed out as if she were talking to a young child. I was getting annoyed with her. "No but horses can!" I said and turned into a tall black horse. The others stares wide eyed for a moment before following suit.

I was intrigued to see a palomino stallion, a petite bay mare, a pale cremello mare and a painted grey mare step from the barn. They hesitated before lowering their heads to graze.

"Don't worry. It'll taste better after a few weeks." I said encouraging them. I was very pleases to see that while Bay was taller than be as a girl, I now towered above her small elegant frame. Both Bay and Erica were dainty and had more Arabian builds. Sky was more of a sport horse, with stocky legs and broad shoulders. Nate was almost as tall as me and he was sleek with the lines of a racing horse. I didn't need a mirror to see myself. I was wild and rugged. Tall and powerfully built with tangled hair. Mud crusted the thick feathering about my hooves. Across my chest was a ragged scare, a reminder of a previous encounter with the E.S.R.D.

I gave them about ten minutes to graze before I trotted off. "Come on, the it won't take the scientists long to find the barn now that the storm is past." I called over my shoulder. Several horsey noises of complaint were made but the others followed me.

"Where are we going?" Bay questioned.

"Further into the woods. The land gets wild a few miles on. It will make it almost impossible for the scientists to get their vehicles in. They will be restricted to air surveillance." I said eager to push on and leave this humanized place behind.

"No."

I froze and turned around to face the others, my ears flicked back in irritation.

"No." Bay said again in a stubborn voice.

"What do you suggest we do? Walk up to the scientists and ask for a ride to their lab?" I hissed through clenched teeth. It took everything I had not to knock some sense into her silly head.

"I suggest go to my house. I'm rich you know. And my father will protect us. Anyway it is much better than the woods." Bay said having to tilt her head back to look up at me. Sky pushed forward. "Yeah she practically lives in a mansion! No scientists can just barge in that place!" I looked to Sky realizing I was loosing support.