Kared's Children - Chapter 15

Raven’s mouth opened and he looked at Morgan, who sat, his hands crossed tentatively over his horse’s saddle-horn, while Raven waited.

"I was kidding," Raven said.

Morgan grinned.

Benjamin’s horse, a filly, whinnied once or twice. Nodding, he whispered again.

Raven patted the black on a flank. "Uh, I’d hate to interrupt."

"No problem," Benjamin said. He whispered again to the horse. The filly stepped sideways toward him. He put his foot in a stirrup and lifted himself upward. The black neighed.

Raven watched in amazement, the loops of his horse’s reins forgotten in one hand, as the black turned, apparently without Benjamin’s guidance, and aligned itself roughly with Morgan’s brown. "How did you do that?"

Seated primly on the saddle, Benjamin looked down at him. "I asked it to help me. Like you said."

Morgan laughed.

"What did you say?" Raven asked.

"Hello."

Morgan laughed again. It was a musical laugh, like a child’s giggle.

Gerald, ahead with Dox, turned toward them. "Raven, let’s go."

"Yeah, yeah." Raven climbed onto his horse and turned the animal.

Morgan’s and Benjamin’s edged forward. "Did you ask it its name?" Morgan asked.

"She doesn’t seem to have a name," Benjamin said. He barely was holding the reins. "She wasn’t sure what one was."

"You didn’t explain it?"

"I asked her what the soldiers called her, but she didn’t seem too happy with the soldiers. I tried to explain a little more, but I didn’t have much luck. As near as I can tell, the closest thing she has to a name would be ‘Sheeh.’"

Raven pulled up beside them. "You have to teach me those tricks."

"No trick. I just pay attention."

Morgan guffawed.

Dox and Gerald started their horses; they veered upward and away from the Caravan. The others followed. Picking their way casually through the brush, the horses headed toward the ridge.

Gerald hung back from Dox for a moment and waited until the other three caught up. "We’ll try to make Elisabeth by sunset. But we won’t kill ourselves trying. Let’s just ride steadily and see how far we get."

"It won’t be like in Taroc," Raven said. His black clopped across a tiny outcrop of rocks. "If we get there at night, we won’t be able to see what we’re doing. We won’t know the village’s streets."

"It may not even have streets," Morgan said. "Not the way you mean."

"The point is," Gerald said. "A good point. Let’s see how it goes." He glanced at Benjamin, who still didn’t seem to be using his horse’s reins. "How about you, Benjamin? How are you holding up on that fine animal?"

"We’re doing well," Benjamin said. "Sheeh has agreed to help."

Gerald eyed him momentarily. "Well, good. It’s always important to stay on terms with one’s horse." He made a clicking noise and his brown moved up toward Dox.

Morgan collapsed with giggles.

"Incredible," Raven said. "Just incredible."

Benjamin leaned toward his horse’s ear and whispered again.

. . .

Shaerden had been dismayed as he’d watched his friends leave; it was a sensation unusual to him, and that in itself intensified the feeling. He was used to paying attention, but he wasn’t used to worry. He didn’t like it; it made him feel out of control. He’d felt out of control for days. And, right now, he wasn’t the only one.