‘There are hunters with dogs headed this way. This track is good. Hurry, I’ll guide you,’ she added and took off again. She found a wider trail and led him to it. He was now able to move at a gallop putting good distance between them and the hunters. She was still able to fly faster than his best speed and check the way was clear ahead of him. He paused a short time later to swap horses, sharing the burden of his weight between the two horses.
‘Slow up a bit but keep going on this trail. I’ll just go back and check where they went,’ she told him.
He’d travelled quite a distance before he sensed her returning. He slowed and she flew alongside.
‘It’s ok. They caught the deer and are busy butchering it. They may return home this way, but as long as you keep moving I’m pretty sure you’ll remain ahead of them.’
‘Rest for a few minutes,’ he urged and held out his arm again. She landed and he immediately transferred her weight to the pommel of his saddle. As an eagle she was quite heavy and had dagger sharp talons on each foot. He slowed the horses to a walk, glad for all of them to get a breather. Whilst her talons gripped the hard leather pommel of the saddle, the rest of her body was burrowed into his coat, leaning into his warmth. Amelie was breathing heavily. The flying she was doing was very physically demanding, not to mention the effort required to maintain an animus shape. But she never complained. He wrapped his spare arm about her helping support her position.
‘So what’s the route like in this direction?’ he asked once her breath seemed easier and she brought her head out.
‘It’s quicker and easier terrain, but we will have to cross farmland.’
‘Daniel recommended the other way.’
‘Yes. If we’d come down where we’d intended there wouldn’t have been much in it distance wise, but now it’s much further. That way the country is wilder and less populated but slow going. It was the route I was going to suggest, but those hunters have rather decided our course for us. We’ll be adding days to our journey if we turn back and go around now.’
‘When do you think we’ll reach the first settlements?’
‘Late tomorrow; you’ve made good progress today.’
‘It’s being able to use both horses,’ he explained. ‘One is always resting its back and so is fresher, while still moving at a good pace.’
‘Is that your way of saying you prefer me to be flying?’
‘It does have its benefits, but I’d rather be able to talk to you. How are you feeling? Need something to eat?’
‘Not yet. I’ll have another look around and check the way ahead is clear before we stop for lunch.’
‘Good idea.’ He watched her launch herself and gain height quickly. He pressed on at a slow canter that comfortably ate up the miles. The trail he followed was a broad grassy avenue cut through the forest. It was clearly being used, but was only lightly churned up by traffic; perfect to hide his tracks. He reflected that the locals must come this way often to justify cutting such a wide path. Keeping the forest from encroaching or reclaiming this land must take constant work. Perhaps it was a fire break in the forest or perhaps it was meant as a military route? You could certainly march an army along here, impossible to do otherwise through dense forest. He also pondered that with their neighbours being at war, it was likely that the borders were being closely watched. The security checkpoint at the pass would need to be re-supplied often.
13
Forest’s End
The forest ended abruptly late afternoon. The sky leaked drearily from dark clouds and the evening twilight was coming early. They stood amongst the last trees and looked across a post and rail fence to rolling fields of cow pasture. As far as the eye could see all the land had been neatly divided up into fenced fields. Beyond, the hamlet served by these fields was visible and that was where all the available path ways led. The way ahead blocked, they had two options; either return to the trail the hunters would be using, or breech the fence and attempt to cross the pasture unnoticed.
‘Can you fly that way and see if there’s a way to skirt these fields to another road?’ Jim asked. ‘I don’t want to get shot trespassing on someone’s land but the forest is so dense.’
‘Did you want to try and stay ahead of the hunters and pass the village in the dark?’
‘I don’t know what’s best. They might have dogs close to the road or they could all be in the hunting pack behind us,’ Jim said anxiously. ‘I suppose I’d rather go now while we’ve the last of the daylight so we can see where we’re going. We’ll look very suspicious otherwise. But then we are strangers so will be regarded as suspicious anyway.’
‘You worry too much,’ she laughed softly. ‘Don’t borrow trouble for us please. I’ll go look,’ she added and tucked her clothes into her saddlebag. She noticed his gaze lingering over her bare body before she turned into her owl. She quickly launched herself, wondering if she was wise to tempt him. She shook herself, now was not the time to be distracted. She needed to be sure he was safe first, that no-one lurked nearby. Rain pattered on the leaves all around them and the fitful wind blew it into curtains across the open field. She blinked water from her eyes and was glad her feathers repelled the rain and kept her cosy.
Suddenly she felt a presence, glanced round and saw an enormous eagle-owl coming straight for her in attack position, talons outstretched. She desperately swerved and felt the wind of the other’s passage. She flew higher as quickly as she could but the other was closing fast. She knew this was no ordinary bird. She closed her eyes for a moment, doubling her size. Now the other did not have such an advantage over her in speed and strength. She screamed a challenge and dived, talons outstretched. He met her head on, with talons also outstretched and they locked claws. He’d obviously done this before and knew the trick of it. Desperately she lengthened her legs, keeping out of reach of his savage beak. He was obviously shocked by her action and she managed to twist free. She tucked her wings back, diving as fast as she could, to get away from him. But he still followed. She flew out across the pasture as though towards the farm buildings on the other side. Then at the last moment she circled back and landed in the large solitary oak tree in the field not far from Jim. She positioned herself where the stranger couldn’t dive at her unless it was by flying up from the ground, in which case she had the advantage.
‘By what right do you attack me without provocation?’ she said angrily when he swooped into the tree.
‘Spy!’
‘What on earth is there worth spying on out here?’ she asked disparagingly. ‘I am no slave. And I work for no-one,’ she added forcefully.
‘Liar,’ he shrilled. ‘A female animus and wizard were seen given safe passage out the city gates by Lord Dirk’s wolf-man. But you can’t have had permission to enter Edmoston or you would have used the proper border crossing. You came in secret over the Woodsman’s pass. You avoided us somehow coming down, but now we have you.’
‘Is that so?’ Jim asked having arrived quickly out of sight of the creature. ‘And where are the others you refer to?’
‘They’ll be on their way,’ he said quickly and glanced through the branches uneasily. He hadn’t been worried about tackling a lone animus owl, but the man was rumoured to be a wizard of some strength.
Amelie decided not to change form unless she had no alternative. The fewer who actually knew for sure she could change into anything she wished, the better. No-one in the city had seen her in animal form. There were only rumours of her being a horse. She’d noticed Julie’s people had been sceptical that an Animus could have had the strength to act as an armoured warhorse in battle. They all thought a normal horse had been mistaken for an Animus. She hadn’t enlightened them at the time and decided she would be sensible to continue keeping them guessing. Jim had broken the fence to come to her aid. Both horses were with him so they could move swiftly. But with this dangerously vicious and officious border guard on their tail they were going to struggle to get free. South Rosh was at war,
not with Edmoston, but all the bordering countries would be screening whoever entered. Their caution was understandable, but she could do without the local authorities’ attention.
Jim watched the animus carefully. Amelie didn’t have a clear path to the eagle-owl to make a surprise attack, but then he couldn’t get to her either. ‘Return to human form,’ Jim ordered using a little magic to enforce his command. The owl helplessly thrashed as his body changed. Clawed feet turned into human feet and he lost his grip on the branch and fell to the ground. Jim was on him in a moment, Amelie by his side.
‘We are not your enemy, yet,’ Jim said. ‘Do not follow, or track us, or tell others you have seen us,’ Jim added, again infusing his command with a tiny spurt of magic. He then questioned the now semi conscious man; discovering that he came from the local town they were seeking to avoid. But more interestingly he discovered that he had friends amongst the “discarded ones” in Lord Dirk’s Old Town.
‘So that’s who Julie and that man in the brown coat were reporting to,’ Amelie mused and Jim nodded.
They also quickly learned where the lookout posts were located and that it was only by chance he’d spotted them tonight. No-one was as close by as the owl had tried to bluff. ‘Sleep now. You have had a very boring day keeping watch and are tired.’
Amelie hastily dressed and took her horse. ‘Will he sleep like that for long? It’s making me shiver just looking at him,’ she added glancing at the owl-man.
‘Should do,’ Jim said eyeing the stranger lying naked in the tree’s shadow and out in the rain soaked open field. He couldn’t help being angry for the vicious way Amelie had been attacked. She could easily have been badly hurt. ‘Although the cold might awaken him early I suppose.’ He gestured and the carpet of fallen leaves under the tree landed on him. ‘That will keep him warm enough to sleep for a few hours and hide him from casual notice,’ Jim remarked. He patched the fence as best he could before they mounted up and cantered swiftly across the field.
They let themselves out of the gate at the far end and moved into the shadow of a nearby barn. They kept to the grass edging the little lane, walking quietly. It was early evening but so overcast it was already quite dark. Fortunately the villagers were busy with their evening meal or putting little ones to bed. The pouring rain was also a deterrent to anyone lingering outside. Amelie’s belly grumbled at the enticing cooking smells emanating from the nearby houses.
But soon enough they’d passed by the houses unnoticed in the sheeting rain and moved onto the larger lane beyond. Now it was safe to do so, they increased their pace. On either side were mostly bald harvested fields awaiting spring for the next set of crops to be planted. Little storage barns were sited near the road at fairly frequent intervals to serve many of the larger fields.
‘Maybe we could sleep in one of those barns?’ Amelie suggested.
‘There isn’t much else in the way of cover, is there,’ Jim acknowledged. ‘Let’s get a bit of distance from that owl man first. Hopefully we can find a barn surrounded by cover and not far from the road. I’d rather be able to come out in the morning unnoticed and continue on our way.’
‘How about this one?’ Amelie suggested about an hour later. The barn was on a corner with trees around it on one side. Jim nodded and she dismounted to go in and check it out. ‘The odd rat, but I think I got most of them,’ she said grinning. She’d turned into a black leopard this time and the rats had fed her grumbling belly. The rest had run. She reverted to human form to lead Nugget inside out of the rain and lit a torch for Jim to see once inside. She could see reasonably well, but human eyes were far poorer at night than hers.
‘It’s certainly nice to be out of the rain,’ Jim said looking round. ‘They think so too,’ he added watching the horses wander round curiously then find a spot out of the draughts to settle down. He rubbed both horses down, then fed and watered them while Amelie rigged the bear hides into a cosy tent and began preparing some dinner.
‘This’d be nicer hot,’ Amelie said gesturing at the pot. ‘Can we have a fire? It’d keep the rats away too,’ she added, amused that he shivered at the thought of them. They seemed to be the one creature he really didn’t like.
‘Have you seen anything like a metal sheet or bucket?’ he asked. ‘I’d rather our fire was contained in something we could take away with us. Fire does leave distinctive marks and we could do without people knowing strangers have been camping in their barn.’
‘I’ll go look,’ she offered and took the torch. She found an old metal milking pail that had rust holes all over, but that didn’t matter. In fact the small holes would help the fire breathe.
After a hot dinner for a change, followed by coffee, they sat around the warm glow of the fire.
‘How did you make that eagle-owl do as you wanted?’ Amelie asked.
‘The same way I did with that thug in the old town. Although I tried not to use so much magic this time. Could you feel it?’
‘Yes, but it wasn’t so obvious and was very quick. Does it sap your strength?’
‘Yes. All magic use tends to. It’s one of the laws of magic, the bigger the spell, the more energy it takes to feed it. If I was to over-reach myself without proper limitation safeguards or preparation I could die. I was always taught to use the smallest spell possible and be careful to set limits on the spell parameters. I will feel it if that man is asked about us. My failsafe is the command that he fall asleep if he’s asked.’
‘What if he’s flying at the time?’ Amelie asked.
‘Who’s going to be speaking to him in flight? Besides, the way he attacked you I wouldn’t care unduly if something did happen to him. He deserves it.’
She nodded feeling much the same way and pleased he felt so protective of her. She took his now empty cup. ‘Why don’t you get tucked up? I’m going to have a quick look round.’
‘Don’t go far,’ he said through the tent wall and suddenly her clothes landed near him in the tent doorway. He peeked out and met her blue eyes but now housed in the form of a black leopard. He sighed softly watching her pad silently away; she was not only beautiful but constantly amazing. He changed and wriggled into his sleeping bag. Witnessing her graceful owl suddenly under attack had left him breathless with fear. He’d felt completely helpless. He’d grabbed his bow but they were both flying so fast and veering about each other so quickly that he’d been frightened of hitting her instead. He’d kicked his way through the fence dragging the horses with him and rushed to her. By then she no longer seemed in such danger and she was already questioning the stranger. The red haze of anger lifted from his eyes enough for some sense to return. Only the thought that a strong spell would cast a very detectable power signature had stopped him killing the stranger where he sat in the tree. Then it had occurred to him he’d actually be wise to interrogate the man. Now at least they were a little better informed.
He sat up feeling her return although he couldn’t see her outside the tent. The blue eyed feline pushed her head through the doorway her gaze locked with his and slowly came in. She stepped either side of his legs trapped in the narrow sleeping bag and rubbed her head against his bare chest using her soft fur to caress him. He buried his hands in the soft ruff then dropped his head to her shoulder. Sleek black fur abruptly gave way to pale bare skin and long dark hair. She met his eyes again and then kissed him. Something about her kiss felt different but he wasn’t sure exactly what. He paused suddenly realising he’d turned her over onto her back and taken control. She watched him with eyes gone dark and lay in the furs naked beside him. No wonder he’d found it difficult to stop.
‘It’s time,’ she said simply and held her hands out to him. He tangled in his blanket in his haste to climb out and she chuckled. She sat up and pushed him down on the furs. ‘Let me look at you,’ she whispered and ran her hands all over him. But she couldn’t resist kissing him again.
Now he knew what was different; no hesitation. Her feathery touch grew more ardent and
sensuous, exploring him as he was her. He gladly made love to her as he’d been wishing to for months. When they finally fell asleep, hours had passed and they contentedly lay snuggled together.
‘You’re not in season just now are you?’ Jim suddenly asked next morning.
‘I don’t think so,’ Amelie said frowning. ‘Can’t you tell?’
‘No. Humans don’t work so obviously, unfortunately,’ he said.
‘Why is that unfortunate?’
He eyed her, wondering what tack to take. ‘Most women would be upset to have a child at your age. Usually they prefer to be a little older and settled down.’
‘You don’t want me to have your children? Be a family?’
He heard confusion and hurt in her voice and his gut twisted. ‘Actually I do,’ he said honestly and took her into his arms. ‘I’d just rather know you actually wanted that first. And also I’d rather wait until we were somewhere safe.’
She realised he was deep in thought and that his musings troubled him. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said abruptly rising. ‘I’m a hunted outlaw and won’t be welcome in your home. You’re right not to want to tie yourself to me so strongly.’
‘Amelie please,’ he said and held her from running away. ‘You’re not being very fair.’
‘Aren’t I? It’s the simple truth. Much as I’d love to be someone your family would welcome, the fact remains that I wouldn’t be. They would be disgusted to think of my blood polluting your family’s wizard legacy.’ Pain filled his eyes and he opened and closed his mouth, shocked mute. She ran from the barn, tears pouring down her face and crumpled beneath a tree. She was completely gutted and humiliated. Would he abandon her now she’d slept with him? It suddenly occurred to her that since she’d met him she’d passed over to him responsibility for her wellbeing. She’d looked to him to guide and protect her from the world. She couldn’t bear the thought of trying to make her way in this hostile world alone. She’d fallen for his gentle generous nature finding him worthy of her trust. But they had to fit into a world that found her unworthy to be a part of it. Fresh sobs racked her as she remembered just how at home she’d felt last night in his arms. Was that the first and last time she’d feel so happy? Even if he stayed with her now, would he abandon her once he got home? Then he would be surrounded by other wizards and would meet acceptable, sanctioned women.
Amelie: Wizards of White Haven Page 19
