Ch 9
The trail took us deep in to 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.
“Lets 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.
“Thats 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.
“What were you thinking? How the hell are we gonna catch them now?” Jude asked, out of breath.
“You’re on your own for catching them now,” Felix added also trying to rein in a breath. The other two nodded, too tired to talk.
“Okay,” I was simply, I’m fine with that. I walked towards the little beach next to the beautiful lake. As I watched it I walked into the shallow end, the stones under my feet were so smooth, like the orcas rubbing rocks in the sea. I don’t know how long I stood there but I heard splashing behind me. When I turned around there was chick, hock deep in the water.
I smiled and waited for her to catch up with me before wading out abit more. Soon enough she was up to her back in water and I was treading it. I swam to her back and patted her before swinging up on to her. She stood for a second before turning around and heading for the beach. I didn’t guide her, I just wanted to see what she wanted to show me.
When her knees were above the water she picked up a trot. There was a half a mile of beach. She kept trotting, keeping to the wet sand. We picked a canter and before I knew it we were flying. She was fast, her feet barely touched the ground. Though I have a fondness for her, she is not mine, nor is assault or army. I can create empathy bonds with them but my horses are the ones I don’t need to create that with. I will feel that instantly, it would be so strong I could feel what they feel, and I could almost hear their voices in my head.
When we got back to the boys they were slack jawed. “What’s wrong guys?” I had to ask.
“She’s never gone that fast before,” Felix said, still in a daze.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Dez said shaking his head slightly.
“How… What… When?” Jude couldn’t make a clear question or sentence.
I didn’t get a response from Dale.
“Alright guys, time to pack up. It’s getting late,” I said pointing to the setting sun.
That got them motivated, they started packing up the picnic we had set out earlier. It was easy to catch the others, considering I already had chick with me. Putting everything in the saddle bags, they started coming back to their old selves. After we mounted up they commented that they had never seen anything like what I did.
Our voices echoed throughout the cave, the light reflected off the water making different colors on the walls. When we reached the other side the sun was on the horizon, it would be dark before we make back. What is more important is to make it to the plains before dark, before things come out to hunt.
“I hope we can make it there before we get stalked,” Felix said, watching the trees. We nodded not wanting to draw attention from other animals. It would be bad to get back to the farm after dark, it would be even worse if we were back after dark with a cut up horse or human.
Half an hour later, Felix broke the tense quiet again, “we’re almost there, just-” He got cut off.
A long scream, and an inhuman one at that. My eyes got huge, as did theirs. I was the only one to say what they were afraid to say, “Cougar.” So much for safe.
