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

“It wasn’t a dream…” and sat up.
Kiyoshi turned and shook Kai gently awake. The girl stared at her and sighed. Taking her head in her hands, she sat up and muttered something that made Ky smack the back of her head.
“Watch your mouth around me, Kai. I don’t want to hear you say that again.”
She smiled an ornery grin, but nodded anyway.
“You better. You’ll get more than a tap on the head next time.”
She glimpsed outside.
“Why is Levin chasing Viper in circles?” Kai asked, making a face.
Ivory looked. “And why is he in his boxers?”
Ky slowly turned around, her face turning red as she saw Viper taunting Levin to chase her in circles with his pants in her mouth. She would pause to push her rump in the air in a taunting, playful bow. Then, just before Levin would reach her, she’d dart away, tail wagging gleefully.
Everybody was staring at them, open mouths or laughing. Riviera was staring at him in disapproval, but made no move to stop the situation.
Sighing, Kiyoshi gave a sharp whistle. Viper froze, her ears perked. She dropped the pants at Levin’s feet and came into the tent, tongue lolling.
“Behave yourself, Viper.” She told the dog. “I don’t want to see that again.”
What am I saying? I should tell her she’s bad, not treat her like a person.

Viper, however, hung her head and whined as if she had understood. Levin came in, his face scarlet red, glaring at the dog.
“I’ve already disciplined her. Don’t you dare do it yourself.”
He sighed, putting on his pants. “What the hell was that for?”
“I had no idea she had a sense of humor.” Ky laughed. “I sent her in to wake you up, and apparently she thought she’d play in the snow with you as well.”
He laughed a little, but it was a little mean of a laugh.
“Lay off, Levin. Go pack your things.”
“Our horses can’t possibly carry all that stuff.”
Riviera appeared. “Good. You’re all awake. I came in to offer you a beast of burden. I understand wingless horses aren’t the strongest or most intelligent animals. They bond to a single person, no? So I have here a more prepared animal.”
She waved them out of the tent. Ky gasped when she saw the beast. It was an animal the size of an ox, with long, powerful legs. The fur was dense and curly, all white but for splotches of tan and light brown. It sported horns that twisted like a mountain goat. The shape of the head and muzzle reminded Ky of a caribou, though the tail was long like the ox.
“What is it?” Kai asked, astonished.
Riviera looked surprised. “It’s a Garix. What else would it be?”
“I have no idea what it is. It has features of three different animals – the ox, the caribou and the ram.” Kiyoshi told her. “I’ve never seen anything like this – not even in mythology.”
Riviera shook her head. “What a strange world you must have lived in, to have animals with such names. I cannot picture these animals at all.” She shrugged and handed the Garix’s reigns to Ky. “But it doesn’t matter where you lived; you are home now, and have much to learn. Garix’s are beasts of burden. I will have somebody help you pack. The Garix should be able to carry most of your load.”
Then she turned and went over to a young woman, who carried a sword on her back. The woman made a strange gesture to Riviera and approached them.
“Hello, Lady Kiyoshi. I shall assist you in packing. Where do we start?”
Thinking on her feet, she said “My tent; it has more stuff.”
She made the same gesture to her and headed for Ky’s tent. The four of them followed her. Ky picked up her violin and strapped it onto her back before the woman could touch anything. The girls began to fold extra cloths they found while Levin organized the books into a satchel the woman handed them. Ky packed away the food and helped the woman fold the cot, once she realized it was able to do so. Then they heaved the stuff outside and watched the woman pack the items onto the beast. They followed their assistant’s lead and took down the tent, rolling it up and allowing her to pack it. Ky thanked her, which seemed to dismiss her. Then everybody groomed, saddled and bridled their horses. Without breakfast, they mounted and joined Riviera’s waiting group.
“Finally; Let’s move.”
She turned and walked her mount into the front. The four followed her in the same style as last night. Kiyoshi yawned, and her stomach rumbled. Her hips and knees were sore still from yesterday.
But this bitch won’t catch me complaining!

She had no sooner thought that when she heard Kai grumble about being hungry. She noticed Levin rode very stiffly, and yawned often. Ivory’s stomach grumbled louder than Ky’s. Riviera glanced back and lifted her eyebrow. But she didn’t suggest a break or eating. She actually looked irritated. Kiyoshi looked her in the eye with a dead stare until she looked away.
This isn’t going to be easy. Apparently, we’re going to have to fight for freedom. This bitch is going to attempt to make us another one of her damn scouts.

Kiyoshi slowed Tempest to walk beside the Garix. She spotted the stored food and took it out carefully. Then she took out four cups and poured equal portions as she rode. Some of it didn’t make it into the cup, but most of it did. She gave Kai, Levin and Ivory each a cup, and kept one for herself.
They ate as they followed Riviera. The group of scouts mostly kept a small distance back from them. As they’d discovered last night, horses weren’t easy prey – but they were food for the scout’s mounts. They had to keep a distance, or somebody was getting hurt. The horses may spook and hurt somebody.
Kiyoshi was too raw and fatigued to really talk more with Riviera. Besides, the scout leader had proved she had no patience for her right now. She’d already slipped up. Why provoke her only hope into dumping her and leaving her in a place of ice, snow and stone?

They rode silently until noon. Ky was half-asleep on his back when Tempest stopped. His ears were pricked. Riviera paused, glancing back at Ky curiously. Wide awake from Tempest’s strange behavior, she listened. She felt Tempest’s tensed muscles. Then she noticed he wasn’t properly putting pressure on his left front leg. She carefully dismounted. When she felt down his leg, he spooked and jerked it away. Ky frowned.
If he walks on that leg anymore, he’ll go lame!
“He’s injured. I can’t ride him until I figure out what’s wrong. Either way, he needs at least an hour of rest.”
Riviera looked at the sky – into the sun – and sighed. “Alright; If you can walk him until we reach a safer place we can stop at least that long to rest and eat.”
Ky looked at him closely. He wouldn’t put weight on it, which would slow them down. Thinking quickly, she went over to the Garix and found a loose fur and a rope. Carefully taking that out, she returned to Tempest and wrapped his leg tight with the fur, using the rope to make sure it was tight. He snorted and whimpered, but didn’t pull away this time.
That looked broken. How did he break his leg? How are we going to save him with a broken ankle?

“He can walk, but it’ll be slow.”
“I’ll send a scout ahead to look for a place to rest. Then I will travel with you myself. That ankle doesn’t look right.”
Riviera waved Tenzik over. She gave him orders to take three others with him, in case something happened, and look for a suitable place to rest and build a fire for something to eat. He called out names and two women and a man broke ranks. They went off in the direction they’d been heading.
“Let’s head that way. We can go as slow as you need.” Riviera actually sounded concerned.
What’s up with this? Why would a leader of warriors be concerned over a horse? And one without the wings she mentioned the wild mountain horses have?

But Riviera did take their pace as Ky walked Tempest. In fact, the leader kept an eye on Kiyoshi as well as Tempest. About thirty minutes of walking, and the scouts returned. If Ky hadn’t been holding Tempest, the horse would’ve spooked from their sudden appearance. Champion did, though Levin calmed him quickly.
“We’ve found a place to rest. It’s in a small cave.”
“Good. They’ll be out of the wind.”
Is she talking about us?

“If we mean to make it before dusk, you guys should move as fast as you can.”
“We are.” Riviera told Tenzik. “Tempest can hardly walk.”
He nodded and moved to his place, followed by the other three scouts.
Knowing how cold it got at night, she walked the stallion as fast as she could, but it was still impossibly slow. About an hour into the walk, Riviera sent all the scouts but Tenzik, two men and the four of them to the place they’d found. They were to make sure camp was ready for the group for when they arrived.
Riviera paused in the travels as the sun began to set. The cave was in sight.
“Come here.” She called to one of the men. “You know a little healing, don’t you?”
“Yes, my Lady.”
“Heal that horse’s ankle. I thought we might be able to wait until we got to the Healer, but since you two are kin…”
He nodded. Dismounting, he approached Tempest slowly. The stallion’s ears went forward. His eyes grew wide. He snorted through his nostrils.
“Wait.” Ky held up her hand. “I don’t want you hurt. He’s not a tame animal. If you’re afraid of him, just one kick in the right place can kill you. He’s frightened and injured.”
“I can see that, Lady Kiyoshi, but I need to get close. Can you hold him still and keep him calm?” He asked. He was pale.
Ky sighed. “I can try. But you must keep calm.”
She heard Kai whisper something about him reeking of fear and held back a sigh. The man approached slowly, watching the horse. He was close enough to reach out and touch Ky when Tempest jerked back and attempted to rear.
“Whoa! Easy, Tempest!” Kiyoshi gently patted his nose, keeping the reigns firmly in her grasp. If she let go, he could kill himself and the scout. The horse slowly calmed down. But he wouldn’t take his eyes off the man.
“I’m sorry, sir, but he’s not going to allow you to get any closer.”
And there’s no other way to heal that damn ankle.

Ivory came over to her. “Ky…what are you thinking? That ankle isn’t just sprained. If this man can’t do anything, what are going to do? That won’t heal right with a splint like that.”
She looked her sister into the eye. The girl gasped. “But you helped that foal into this world!”
“That gives me a reason to make him suffer?” Ky asked in a whisper. She turned to Riviera. “Could you wait here? Make sure these