Pursued

“You did what?!” stormed Tavalox. “You deliberately disobeyed the Council. Have you no respect for our rules, our way of life? You will be punished for this.” Tavalox was pacing back and forth arms flailing about as he spoke. He was so angry with Glottack that his face turned a deep shade of red. Glottack feared the elder centaur might collapse if he didn’t calm down.

“I saw the stars the night she arrived, she isn’t meant to die yet, she’s not even supposed to be here. The gods speared her life years ago; they have something planned for her. We have interfered with their plans for too long. Maybe they wanted us to be wiped out by the humans .”

“Nonsense,” broke in Salmurk, “the humans came here uninvited when their world fell apart. It is they who disrupted the gods’ plans.”

“How do you know? You do not read the stars, you are a Keeper. Ask Serataom, she knows…”

“I will not seek the advice of a female! You don’t know what the humans did to us, you were but a colt.”

“I know what the stars tell me, and she has a task before her that is yet unfinished.” Shot back Glottack.

“Enough!” demanded Tavalox stamping his hooves impatiently upon the floor boards. “What is done, is done. She will die all the same, for no creature can survive that deep into the forest without shelter. The dark creatures will still get their “toy” and all will be made right.” Glottack flinched at Tavalox’s calloused words. “Let us go home for now. The Council will decide what to do with you later.” This last part he spoke directly to Glottack. Tavalox left the room, muttering to himself as he went.

“You should have gone with her, " sneered Salmurk, “for you are dead to me now.”

“Brother, I . . .”

“I have no brother,” hissed Salmurk.

Glottack watched Salmurk walk away. He knew he had disappointed the centaurs but he felt sure that they would see the truth in what he said. Looking out into the forest he wondered how the girl was doing. Night would soon be upon them, he now wished that he had shown her how to use the pebble for he felt sure she was still in the forest. Shaking his mane in an attempt to erase his thoughts, Glottack started towards his hut.


* * * *

“Come on you stupid rock, show me the way out of here,” Alex shook the rock in a vain attempt to understand its picture. Glancing up at the sky, she knew that night would soon be here. ‘I’ve got to find a place for the night.’ Quickening her pace she continued on, racing the setting sun.

She stopped at a cluster of boulders to rest her weary feet. Relieving her back of the knapsack, she pulled out the pebble again. That’s when she heard it, a strange rustling sound in the trees to her left. Quickly jumping to her guard she reached for her pistols only to be reminded that they were gone. Picking up a stick lying at her feet she stood listening for the sound to come again. And it did… but this time it came from her right as well as from her left. Alex felt a sudden need to run. Not being one to ignore her guts, she grabbed up the rucksack and high-tailed it out of there.

After a short sprint she stopped to catch her breath and listen. The sound was still there but the number seemed to be increasing. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something moving to the left of her, and then another one ran past. Looking to the right, she spotted more creatures running about. She knew she was being set up for an ambush but she had to believe that they hadn’t surrounded her just yet. Once again she took off in a dead run.

The sound of crunching leaves and thumping feet was coming from all sides. Breaking through the dense underbrush she stopped short. There in front of her loomed a tall black rock wall. Looking up she saw that she was standing at the base of a mountain.

Suddenly she heard a familiar shrill scream and the sounds of hundreds of feet stamping on the ground. Slowly she turned around to face her pursuers. She opened her mouth to scream but before a sound could escape her lips she felt a hard blow to the back of her head, then all was black.