Six Will Stand (First Draft)

Chapter 11

Raining. Thanks, fate. Fai had his hood up, the horse's thundering hooves spraying water up from the flat ground. "Ugh, it's gonna make us even colder...."

Fai looked back at the others, hoods of their own over their heads. He was quite a ways ahead of everyone else, he realized. He sighed. "What's wrong with me, Checkers?" He patted the side of his horse's neck, its checkered muzzle steaming with every puff of breath in the cold air. The animal only whinnied softly in response. "Heh, right...you're a horse."

Galloping faster, Fai and Checkers dashed across the open field. The redhead flung back his hood, the icy droplets of rain pelting his face, refreshing him. He let Checkers slow to a trot when an even greater distance was put between him and the group.

Far across the plain, there seemed to be a thick forest they had to go through to reach Sina City. Fai looked back again, seeing the rest of his party as pretty big pinpricks on the field. He shook out his soaked hair. "Heh, I'm probably gonna get a cold or something...."
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Caleb shook his head. "He shouldn't get that far away from us."

Josh's horse trotted so that he and his brother were riding side by side. "You know how he is. I think it's better to just not argue."

Caleb sighed. He knew his brother was right, but he still didn't like it. He turned back to the others. "You two holding up okay?"

"Yes, we're fine," Cade called out to them through the rain. He sounded irritated; probably because of Fai. Marion hid her face in Cade's somewhat-dry back, trying to keep her face from becoming wet.

Caleb looked back at his brother and lowered his voice as he asked, "Should we tell them?"

Josh looked at him. "I don't know. Do you want to tell them?"

"Fair point. No, but.... I dunno, Fai seemed a bit irritated that he didn't know what Granger and Lavender were talking about."

Josh rolled his eyes. "Fai's always irritated. It seems to be his thing."

Caleb sighed. "I know, I know, but—" he broke off, staring at something in the distance. He leaned toward his brother and asked, "What are those figures coming up to Fai?"

Josh looked for a moment, then his eyes widened. "Dag!" The twins exchanged a startled look and immediately kicked their horses into a full gallop. They had to reach Fai before it was too late.

Fai had stopped his horse; he didn't want to reach the forest before the others did. He leaned forward on Checkers, groaning in discomfort. "Why is everything wet and cold?" He put a hand on his throbbing head. "Ugh...."

Not even losing speed, Josh threw a dagger at one of the three riders. The rider howled in pain when the dagger struck its mark. Clutching his hand, the rider slowed, almost falling off his mount. The other two kept going.

Fai turned to look behind him at the others. "Wha...?" Quickly flicking the switch on his arm brace, he rode in a half-circle detour to Josh and Caleb to keep out of their way. He looked behind the twins and saw that Cade had taken out his bow and Marion her whips. "What's going on?" he called out to them.

"Josh and Caleb spotted those same people who attacked us in the forest last time!" The blond yelled back through the rain. Fai looked back to the twins, unsure if they wanted their help.

Caleb had dismounted as his horse was still galloping and had caught the fallen rider and thrown him to the ground. Caleb's knees were on his chest, and Cade and Marion recognized him as Dag. Josh and the other two riders had gone too far to be visible to the eye, but the company could hear shouts from a distance. The three approached Caleb and Dag cautiously.