Post by yaruka on Dec 6, 2008 2:19:31 GMT
It was a bright, sunny day with no clouds to speak of the and breeze virtually stilled. The late afternoon sunshine fell on a small group of horses making their slow, but steady, way along the gap. The little group was comprised of four horses, two mares and their foals. A tall bay mare stopped and raised her head, gazing ahead warily. Despite the seemingly peaceful afternoon she felt uneasy-why had their little herd seen no wildlife to speak of? Why were the birds so silent? Flaring her nostrils she could catch no threatening scent, nor could she hear of any danger to speak of. So, cautiously, she continued, her leggy roan filly a constant shadow of her mother's elegant figure.
It was a couple hours later when they caught the first hint of the trouble ahead. Galloping hooves could be heard thundering below them, strangely loud as though the noise was caused by many, not simply one single herd. Irawaddy flung her head up anxiously and flared her nostrils. What was that strange scent that mingled with that of the horses? It was unlike anything she had ever smelt before. It was so unnatural. Stepping the last few feet forward to look down into the valley below Irawaddy froze in horror. Below her a sea of horses fled a, as yet, invisible enemy. She could hear it though, whoops and hollers of a most terrible and rough pitch. Finally, the hunters came insight themselves, creatures on the backs of horses bound by some material. Irawaddy snorted in alarm, these terrors could only be one thing-men. Shuddering, Ira recalled the stories her dam had told her of these strange predators. In agitation she swung round to her friend Coorah, "We must go!" she said nervously "We have to get back to Nandalie and the fillies as soon as possible and leave no trace of where we have been! The foals are too young to gallop in a stampede such as this, and I fear the men may be more than we can defend them against! Let us go! Quickly, but silently. And leave no trail!" Spinning around she called to Amarina, a instinctive but in this case, unnecessary action as the foal was already scampering to her mother's side. Ira nuzzled her young daughter comfortingly but gazed with troubled eyes over the back of her filly at her friend.
It was a couple hours later when they caught the first hint of the trouble ahead. Galloping hooves could be heard thundering below them, strangely loud as though the noise was caused by many, not simply one single herd. Irawaddy flung her head up anxiously and flared her nostrils. What was that strange scent that mingled with that of the horses? It was unlike anything she had ever smelt before. It was so unnatural. Stepping the last few feet forward to look down into the valley below Irawaddy froze in horror. Below her a sea of horses fled a, as yet, invisible enemy. She could hear it though, whoops and hollers of a most terrible and rough pitch. Finally, the hunters came insight themselves, creatures on the backs of horses bound by some material. Irawaddy snorted in alarm, these terrors could only be one thing-men. Shuddering, Ira recalled the stories her dam had told her of these strange predators. In agitation she swung round to her friend Coorah, "We must go!" she said nervously "We have to get back to Nandalie and the fillies as soon as possible and leave no trace of where we have been! The foals are too young to gallop in a stampede such as this, and I fear the men may be more than we can defend them against! Let us go! Quickly, but silently. And leave no trail!" Spinning around she called to Amarina, a instinctive but in this case, unnecessary action as the foal was already scampering to her mother's side. Ira nuzzled her young daughter comfortingly but gazed with troubled eyes over the back of her filly at her friend.
