Silent Symphony

Chapter Three: Gone and Left With Excuses

The ride back to the town was a long and tiring one, but fortunately we encountered no more crazed, flying creatures, nor the men who sent them. We slowed to a walk about a mile out to give the horses a rest, and ourselves a chance to speak.

    "What do you think that was?" I asked when Aldyth moved Bethor to walk by our side.

    She looked down at the reins for a moment before shaking her head. "I haven't the faintest idea. I've never seen anything like that before in my life...in fact, I was hoping that you would know."

    "Me?" I asked incredulously.

    "Yes," she looked up at me with a smile that failed to reach her eyes. "I was thinking that it may be in one of those books you're always reading. Have they no mention at all of giants with wings and teeth? Think hard, Eli. They could disturb the deepest predators of the forest; there must be mention of them somewhere."

    I thought for the longest moment before shaking my head. "I'll have to check when we get back...I do not remember..."

    Aldyth nodded slowly. "Alright then, Eli." She looked ahead and clicked Bethor's reins gently. The two of them took the lead, leaving me alone with nothing but my thoughts and the unusual silence of the forest -- and the horse.

    "What could happening?" I asked Ashless quietly. She didn't appear to understand the question and simply tossed her mane. "Lot of help you are," I muttered before urging the mare forward.

    Her hair fell in a dank curtain over her face, and she barely moved to acknowledge me when the horses fell into step with each other. "Eli?" She whispered.

    On any other day, I wouldn't have heard her. Her voice was to soft, but even the wind seemed to fall silent to her words. "What is it?" I asked nervously.

    "What did they mean by...stragglers?"

    My hands tightened around the reins, forcing Ashless to a stop. The horse whinnied indignantly, but suddenly my heart was racing to loudly to care. "We need to go," I gasped and lashed the reins down against Ashless's neck. "Now!" Her hooves pounded into the earth, mirroring the blood screaming in my ears.

     The voices in the forest were searching for stragglers.

    And stragglers could not exist unless the masses have moved on.

    Unless the masses were gone.

     We were using the main path now, pushing the horses as hard as we could toward Gris. The silence grew louder in my ears as I urged Ashless to go faster. Suddenly Aldyth's horse reared onto its hind legs and let out a mighty scream. She shrieked and  clung on in surprise, but hadn't the time to collect her wit before Bethor reared again. Ashless ground to a complete stop and cantered back several step as Aldyth went flying.  I leaped from the saddle and raced to where Aldyth was slowly trying to sit up. "Be still, be still," I panted.

    "It's alright, Eli. I'm fine, really. Help me up," she assured me as she massaged her scalp.

    "Are you sure?" I asked and helped her to her feet.

    Aldyth combed her dark hair out of her face with her fingers. "Yes, it's not like it has never happened before." She turned to look at the horses who were skittering back nervously some distance farther than we had left them. "Something is frightening them. I doubt that they'll go any further, at least not willingly."