The Dark Ages of the Synakoy; The Past Forgotten, Wolfheart [top ebook reader .txt] 📗

The child came up to pet her and the dog barked and jumped up to lick her face, excited.
“Then she needs a name, doesn’t she?” Ivory came up and patted her head. The dog licked her hand.
“Sure. I’ll know what to name her when the time comes.”
“Try finding her real name first; she’s a little old to attempt to rename her.”
“I don’t think so. She may be a stray or something.”
He shrugged. “Eat and let’s go to bed. I’ll take you back home tomorrow in the truck.”
“No thanks. We’ll ride.”
He sighed. “Fine; I’ll take Champion out.”
“Why don’t we detour into the woods? Fall is a great time to spot foxes, and I know Kai loves hunting season.”
He nodded. They ate and retired to bed.

Kiyoshi shook her head at the heeler. Knee-deep in mud, holding a collar and rope in hand, she had to wonder why a dog so well-behaved would give such a fuss over a leash. Straining out of the mud, Kiyoshi hoped she was trained enough not to go after the horses.
As soon as she put the collar and leash in her hunting bag and checked to make sure her violin was secure, the dog came to her knee and looked up at Ky, wagging her tail. It was almost as if she were telling the girl she was good. Shaking she head clear of the silly thought, Ky headed for the stables.
The dog, of course, came along. She danced around her feet as they approached the stable, suddenly thrilled. It was as if she were rushing Ky. She tossed her a piece of meat. The dog sniffed it cautiously and licked it. Then her tail wagged and she gulped it up.
Just before Ky and the pooch reached the stable, four horses burst out, racing around her in a wide circle. Levin rode a chestnut quarter horse in the front, with the mares closely behind. Tempest rode so close to the quarter horse’s heel, Kiyoshi knew he wasn’t happy; he was pissed at being debunked by another stallion.
“Release Tempest, Levin. He’s fine.” She looked the horse over. “Where the hell is his saddle?”
“I couldn’t saddle the beast. He kept biting me. I barely got the bridle on.”
She sighed. Oh well. She’d ride bareback; she’d done it before on the trail. “Oh well.”
She came up to his right. Tempest nickered at her and nuzzled her shoulder. Grabbing his neck, she gracefully mounted him.
“Alright – let’s go.”
Levin stared at her, while the girls snickered. “What?”
“Aren’t we going on a ride through the woods? Shouldn’t you get a saddle on that wild beast?” Levin asked.
“Why? He hates them as much as I do, and I can feel his movements better without it. Besides, he's better trained than your cattle drivers.”
She took the lead. Looking down, she saw the heeler at the heel of Tempest. She was suddenly very serious and watchful. She kept her ears perked and her eyes flicked to Kiyoshi often. She left the horse’s heel only long enough to circle the other horses. It took Kiyoshi a minute to realize she was making sure everybody was in line and close together.
When she nipped Ivory’s mare – Bell – in the fore hoof and the Appaloosa spooked, Ky stopped Tempest and gave a sharp whistle. The dog came at her immediately. Just as she was going to discipline the dog, Ivory cried “snake!”
Kai drew her pistol from her hip and shot it. Looking down, Kiyoshi saw it was a dead copperhead with a bullet through its head.
“She just saved Bell’s life – and mine.”
Looking back at the dog, she stared at her a minute. Then she tossed the dog another treat. “I think we’ll call you Viper.”
“Isn’t that a little guyish?”
“It isn’t for a tomboy like this dog; it suites her.”
“Your choice…”
“Heel, Viper.” She pressed her knees deeper into Tempest’s ribs, getting him into a walk and then a trot. “Let’s hit the woods.”
The others, including Viper, followed.
As they entered the forest and left the trail, a feeling of restless energy settled down upon Ky.
Something isn’t right. The forest doesn’t welcome us…

Trees surrounded Kiyoshi, making her feel at peace. The sound of the birds in the trees and wind in her ears gave her a sense of freedom. The feel of Tempest’s steady, powerful trot gave her joy. And the laughter of her sisters and Levin had pushed away the majority of her restlessness.
The sun was at its zenith, and Ky was in no hurry to turn around. Still, Kiyoshi noticed behind them the birds were quiet. Viper was on edge. She would pace and whine if a horse paused, if they fell back a little, or if they changed direction.
“What’s wrong with Viper?” Ivory asked, taking a late notice.
“I don’t know.” Ky answered quietly. “She probably knows the forest pretty well, though, and something is making her nervous. Maybe we’re in coyote territory or something.”
Just before anybody could protest, there was a growl, deep and brutal, from behind them. Champion and Bell spooked, side-stepping into Wildfire. The mare kicked, nearly throwing Kai. Then she took off. Tempest fought at his reigns, backing up and sidestepping. Viper barked and snapped at Tempest’s heels. Losing control, all Kiyoshi could do was hang on as the stallion took off at full gallop. She could hear the sound of the other two following him out of pure instinct. The air began to grow denser. The light was fading rapidly. There was a bizarre silence and an absence of even the wind.
By the time they caught up with Bell, they had left the forest. All four horses were exhausted. Viper broke away to inspect behind them, as if she knew there may be something following them. When Kiyoshi’s breathing was under control, she slipped off Tempest’s back to check on the others, who were already off their mounts. Other than scratches from thorns and tree limbs, every human and animal was alright – even if all the animals were tense.
A more pressing matter, however, was where they were. It was nothing like Ky had ever seen. There wasn’t a flat place in sight; all of it was sheer cliff, pine and gleaming, white snow. Where there was no snow, ice-glazed rocks reflected harsh white light. The sky was a gray-white blue, hazed with scattered streaks of cloud and a pale winter sun.
“Ky…” It was Ivory; her voice shook. Kiyoshi turned to her grimly. “Where are we?”
The girl shook her head, already shivering. “I’m sorry, Ivory. I don’t know.”
“You’re home, Kiyoshi. You’re finally home.”
Ky whirled around, looking for the owner of the voice. It was female, and almost soft enough for her to mistake it for the wind. Just as she was about to deride herself, however, a woman stepped out from behind a huge boulder. Several men surrounded them. There were at least ten people surrounding them, both male and female. Most were armed with crossbows and daggers or swords. The strangest thing was…they were riding huge white canines the size of horses. The animals had amber eyes and black paws. They were saddled like horses, but looked a hell of a lot more aggressive.
“And I am the one who brought you back.”

Chapter Two

The Winter Wolf Riders

Rage glazed Kai’s mind for a second. She was furious. This was this weirdo’s fault?! She began toward the woman with clenched fists, but Kiyoshi’s arm blocked her way. She shook her head. Still steaming, Kai nearly didn’t listen. Then she saw the look on Ky’s face, and nodded. She took a step back. Shivering from the cold, the girl watched as the teen closets to her mother approached the woman until she was only a few feet away.
Long fur brushed her leg. Absently, she reached down and stroked Viper’s head and listened to her sister talk. She was amazed by her emotionless face and even, calm voice.
“I’m sorry, miss, but I don’t believe we’re from around here.” Her words became visible with puffs of white clouds in the frigid air. “And we came on our own. Exactly who are you? Since you know my name, I think I’d be a start to tell us yours.”
The woman’s smile infuriated Kai. She sincerely wanted to draw her bone dagger and carve it off her face. The thought of how infuriated and revolted Ky would be held her back – just barely, but it did. Besides…the huge dogs with saddles kind of gave the group their edge.
She would never speak to me again for drawing on a person, let alone hurting one with it. And she wouldn’t have the chance to kill me herself, with those huge beasts being used as mounts.

The woman even laughed. “I apologize, Kiyoshi. My name is Riviera Nightstorm. And when I say I brought you here, I mean my friend did. She’s quite the intelligent one.” She nodded at Viper. “She missed you dearly while you were away.”
“Away?” Ky asked smoothly. “I’ve never been here in my life.”
Kai noticed the sudden shift in the woman’s features. She slumped slightly. The grin left her face. But her ice blue eyes held something back in them Kai couldn’t identify. She wasn’t sure what this woman was playing at, but Kai knew an actor when she saw one.
“You…you don’t remember?” Her voice shook, but something in Kai told her it wasn’t with sorrow. It seemed like she was…trying to suppress something. “You were born here, Kiyoshi. You, Levin, Lykaios and Ivory were all born here.” Tears came to her eyes.
Are those real? Or is she hiding something? What’s going on?

“Is that so? How old are we, then?”
She looked hurt. “Levin is twenty-five. You are nineteen. Ivory is fifteen, and Lykaios is fourteen. How would I not know my own family’s ages?”
“You think we're your our family? If you’re family, what are our last names?”
She sighed. “Levin Fray Dovewyng, Kiyoshi Sylva Wolfshard –“
“Amazing; family who doesn’t even know our last names – or our middle names, at that. I would love to get my hands on your informant; I’d tell them what deranged idiots they are just before I strangled them lifeless for doing such a terrible job.”
Now she was shocked. “Those are your last names! I knew all of your parents myself!”
“All of them?” Kai laughed. “We’re sisters.”
The woman shook her head. “This has gone wrong…so very wrong…”
She turned around and called out “Tenzik! Could you come here?”
A tall, lean and muscular man in black leather and brown fur dismounted his beast and came to stand before her. Kai noticed Ky look at him strangely, and paid more heed. The man kept his eyes slightly lowered and stood at a respectful distance. But his eyes shone with warm pride.
“These girls may not believe me, but I will not leave them to the ice storms and wryms. Their clothes are far too thin for this weather. Get them my extra Icilan furs. Their…” She paused and looked closely at their horses “Winglesses will need grain and warm blankets; any extra of both needs be given to them as well. They need a tent and fire wood; I suggest you collect the wood and make the fire…”