Book 3. The saga continues. With her mating to Haku rapidly approaching, Chihiro has a number of new problems to face. But these are nothing compared to the plans a new foe has for her. Sequel to Enchantment of the Heart.
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Snaffu returned just before sunset. "I found a place!" he whinnied. "Not far from here, but you will have to hurry, there is a storm coming."
Linca looked at the clear, slightly purple sky. "You're talking rubbish!" she scoffed. The nygal flattened his ears and bared his teeth at the sprite.
"Actually, Linca," panted Chihiro, struggling to wade between them, "as far as predicting bad weather goes, I am inclined to believe Snaffu. He is a water spirit, after all." Snaffu snorted and tossed his head and eyed Linca balefully.
"Will you ride me now, mistress?" asked the nygal politely. "I can take you the distance and then come back for the tasty Scotsman."
"You hear that?" said Scott to Rin, who was pulling him out of another sucking mud hole. "Snaffu thinks I'm tasty."
"I would be questioning Snaffu's taste in food," grunted Rin as she pulled at Scott's hand.
The large young man was yanked from the mud with a wet slurp, but Rin had been a little heavy-handed. His momentum carried him forward and he crashed into his rescuer. Rin squeaked and she was knocked backwards into the mud and a large human fell on top of her.
"Ahh! Get off me, you clumsy fool!" she screeched, beating on Scott's back with her fists. Scott was laughing so hard he could not have moved even if he wanted to. Linca rolled her eyes and went to peel her friend off the top of her sister. Scott struggled to his feet with Linca's help, apologising to Rin between chuckles that shook his entire frame. Rin looked down at herself; she was covered in grey mud. It even matted her hair. She kicked her legs in the air and sprang to her feet. Chihiro sighed. No matter how much Rin's lessons had improved her fitness, she knew she would never be that agile.
"You giggle like a drunken air spirit!" snapped Rin, glaring at the still laughing Scott.
Scott tried to straighten his face but Linca had been infected by his laughter. When he stopped, she snorted and burst into her own fit of giggles. This started the poor human off again. Rin's dark eyes regarded them both icily.
"You're cackling like harpies!" she growled. "I should cut your tongues out!"
Chihiro shook her head. She was too tired for this. She patted the water horse's flank and murmured that she would gladly accept a ride. The creature graciously bent down for her and she swung onto its back.
"I can hold you in place," it whinnied kindly.
"Thank you," Chihiro sighed.
"OI!" said Linca, noticing what was going on. "What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm going to find a place to spend the night," Chihiro said without energy. "You three can continue annoying each other without me. Snafu will come back for Scott." Before there were any protests, the water horse galloped away. Chihiro nearly swallowed her tongue in surprise. The creature was unbelievingly fast; her hair streamed behind her as its hooves ate away at the ground. The creature had been right, she hardly moved at all. Tears began to tumble from her eyes.
