Page 2 of Cree & Dawn and the Wolf

“Wolves!” a warrior cried out.

“Keep close, do not let distance linger between you. We are not far!” Cree called out and felt his wife shiver as she did as he ordered, keeping herself pressed tightly against him.

Another lone howl sounded and was soon joined by a chorus of howls.

“A pack of wolves,” a warrior cried out and even the horses protested with snorts and pounding hooves.

Cree’s concern grew. Wolves could prove a serious problem, their keen sense of smell giving them an advantage. The wolves could be on them before they even realized they were there, giving themselves little chance to defend themselves. The boulders would offer at least some protection from where they could fight if necessary.

Cree felt his stallion hesitate, the howls spooking him, but he urged him gently forward and he soon felt the brush of a boulder at his foot.

“I have reached the boulders,” he called out. “Proceed carefully, and once we are all gathered here, we will keep a close formation until the heavy mist passes. Dylan, have the men call out as each one arrives here.”

“Aye, my lord,” Dyland cried out, sounding close.

Cree had never seen anything like this mist, heavy to the point of no visibility and cumbersome as if wadding through thick muck, and it had raced with a strange force toward the boulders, reaching them before Cree did. It was as if the mist hadmade it clear it was in command. But Cree surrendered to no man, least of all a mist.

He carefully maneuvered his horse forward, leaving room for his men to enter and circle within the boulder formation.

“All is well, Dawn,” Cree said when he felt her tremble. “We will wait out the mist here and when done make our way home, arriving in two days’ time. And we will not be leaving there any time soon no matter who commands it.”

Dawn nodded vigorously against his chest so he could feel that she overwhelmingly agreed with him.

Cree listened for the crunch of the leaves beneath the horses’ hooves as they moved within the rock formation. It was good he had made them tether together and they would remain that way until the blasted mist faded away.

A strong wolf howl tore through the mist and was joined by vicious growls that sounded so close it frightened the horses, and fearful they protested ready to run.

Cree fought to keep command of his stallion as he yelled, “Hold your horses steady!”

His stallion pounded the ground and snorted agitated, and though Cree kept him from breaking into a run, he could not stop him from turning. Once he got him under control, he listened for his men.

Cree scrunched his brow when he heard Dylan order, “Call out!” He sounded at a distance instead of close. He listened as the men called out their names one by one and each shout sounded fainter than the next.

“Dylan!” Cree shouted.

“Lord Cree,” Dylan yelled out, “I can barely hear you.”

Cree realized then that the rope he had fastened around his wrist was gone and that he probably had lost it while fighting to keep control of his horse and in the process had inadvertently drifted away from his men.

Cree dug deep to make his voice as powerful as he could. “Dylan, keep calling out so I can find my way to you.”

He waited for a response and could only catch a few faint words. “Rope. Not attached. Lost.”

With wolves in the area, he could not take a chance and keep moving. Besides, it would not be wise when he was not familiar with the terrain. He would have to hunker down where he was with his wife and wait it out.

He felt her quiver against him and went to reassure her and warn her not to let go of him when a sudden wolf’s growl sounded so close that it spooked the horse, and he reared up on his hind legs with such power that Dawn went flying out of Cree’s arms and into the thick mist.

CHAPTER 2

Cree cursed the blasted horse. His heart pounded viciously, fearful Dawn could be lying helpless beneath its hooves, and he would trample her. His strength and commanding tone brought the animal quickly under control. He listened for his wife to clap as he had told her to do if they were separated in the fog.

He heard nothing and he called out, angry he had failed to keep hold of her, “Dawn! Dawn!” He was met with nothing but silence, and his anger and fright grew. “Damn it, Dawn, answer me!” He swerved his head to the right thinking he heard something. “DAWN!”

A wolf cried out in a soulful howl as if commiserating with Cree, though more likely alerting his pack to a hunt.

What that meant had him rushing to dismount. He had to find his wife before the wolves did.

“DAWN! ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!”

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