Jewel and the Mares of Fantasy [A Fantasy Novel]

C H A P T E R |7|

| The A U T H O R Brings back Old Friends |

Two days later, Whis was spread out in the field, her arms curled under her head and ankles crossed as she stared at the big open sky. Rain clouds darkened the horizon, but they were an hour away and Whis liked to feel the shift in the air, how the ground hummed with anticipation and the trees waved in the wind. It was getting cold, autumn deciding to leave early for a harsh winter.

Calium nickered near her face, the mare's long head coming down to move a twitching lip over Whis' cheek and mess up her hair. Whis giggled at the action, turning her face away. Calium relented with a snort.

A rowdy curse rolled out of the barn and Shansforth came running out, stampeding into the field with a herd of mares following. Calium didn't look incline to follow as they charged away from the barn and further into the meadow. Instead the mare repositioned herself and then folded her front legs to lay down beside the red-headed girl.

Ani's stomping steps could be heard marching up the stairs of the cabin and the front door slammed behind him. He'd been in a mood all day and Whis had gracefully stayed out of his way, realizing he needed to keep himself busy in case he were to explode. Which finally seemed to have happened.

"Today must be the day." Whis murmured to Calium, rolling her head to look at the brown mare. She was starting to look fat in the stomach, but instead of cutting her food, Ani had told Whis to give her more. She'd nearly smiled when the realization came the other day. Calium was pregnant. Of course, Whis had immediately been concerned. For the past week she'd been riding the mare, it couldn't have been at all good for her. She should have realized that Nyveari were special and that they used to go into war pregnant all the time. It sent a strange image of fat mares charging a horde of ugly Demons to her mind.

The mare nickered a response softly, almost sadly. Whis nodded slowly and looked back to the sky. She didn't know how long ago Ani's wife had died, but she was positive that today was the anniversary day.

"You'd be right."

Whis shot up at the male voice to her left, toward WILD Gate. A woman stood a dozen feet away covered in a rich black cloak, the hood up and a white bow in her hands. Beside her was a man with spikey blue hair and cat-like blue eyes. He grinned, the action reminding her of Ani's mocking smiles. They were both tall and the grace they held told of a warrior mind and skill. A wolf sat at their feet, her tongue out to create a happy smile.

"Who are you?" Whis asked slowly, climbing to her feet and backing away toward the house, eyeing them all carefully. Calium remained down, snorting at the three of them that she was trying to sleep.

The man's head cocked to the side. "He didn't tell her anything about us."

The woman's chuckle carried deeply from her hood. "Are you surprised?"

The man scoffed. "I suppose not." Then he sighed at the same time Whis flinched from the crash that came from the house. "I'll get him."

The woman gave a confirming sound and the man vanished, swallowed into the ground. Whis stepped back with a gasp. "Don't worry, Ani will calm down soon." The woman slowly pulled her hood back revealing a kind face with hard blue eyes. Black hair spiked out from her head, barely touching her shoulders. "My name is Smoke and this is Nim," she nodded down to the wolf that sat on her feet. "What's your name?"

Whis considered her, listening to the Fantasian accent and the strange air behind it, like she held the world on her tongue and had to be careful with what she said. It was a trait Whis was unfamiliar with. "What do you want?"