Gaurdian of the Woods- Chapter One

The Escape

Henry stood in the middle of the courtyard shaking his head at the raised and fast disappearing tail of Shadow Thief. The mare’s rider was urging her on in an attempt to gain as much ground as possible. The head groom, Henry, couldn’t even be bothered. The black hooded rider was too quick for him.
Once Shadow Thief had made good distance between the stables, she slowed to the commands of her rider. The sun was slowly sinking behind the ridged and mysterious snow peaked mountains, creating a hazy blue lighting effect all over the pine needles on the ground. The evening air was fresh from a recent snow fall, and the air smelt moist and clean. Shadow Thief cantered obediently down the small slope routinely, holding back her longing for speed. She was a fine creature. Slim and fit and hungry for adventure. Her elegant arched neck and dished face showed off her Arabian heritage and her silky coal black coat glimmered against the dusk sunlight. Grateful to be out of her stall, she contentedly stretched out her legs into an extended canter and stuck out her muzzle far into the cool breeze. Her smooth gait seemingly floated over the trail, and had she had wings, she would have spread them out wide and flown into the clouds, but her rider would not have noticed the difference.
After coming to the top of a hill covered in lush green grass blowing with the wind, a city of trees loomed high above them, blocking the last rays of sunlight and bathing them both in darkness. Shadow Thief whinnied and stepped back in protest but the communication on her reins told her to do otherwise. Cautiously, she carried her commander into the forest. After one hundred metres of nervous prancing, she began to relax, and felt the reins instantly loosen. But still she was not told to turn around and gallop back down the trail.
The pair plodded along at a walk through the maze. The shadows flickering in front of them sent them both on edge but they knew better than to think them any concern. The mare would have preferred to have gone back, though she’d do anything for the person wrapped tightly in a cloak on her back. The rider had been there for her from the start of her life- always the kind and caring one, always the comfort in each day. Now that she no longer depended on anyone as she had done, it was her turn to give something back to her friend. No one else was able to ride the horse, but for this one being, Shadow Thief would die.
As night blanketed the earth, the birds quietened down their singing and chattered gently amongst themselves, every so often chirping a little louder to tell the chicks to hush and get some rest. Other animals, however, made the woods feel very much alive with activity. Nightlife creatures squawked or screeched at the late travellers as they passed. The trees reached their bony fingers out towards the middle of the pathway, scratching their fingernails down Shadow Thief’s withers and tearing at her rider’s skin. Other woodland animals such as the fox trotted off the road in bewilderment and fear of the figures moving towards them, even darker than the night in which no stars shone.
After several hours of sedate walking, Shadow Thief was almost surprised by the order to halt. She felt her rider slip down from her stiff back and humbly followed the hooded silhouette into a clearing off of the trail. She vaguely felt her girth loosen and a weight being lifted from her back. The night was finally still- too still, but Shadow Thief was too weary to stay alert. She fell asleep to the crackle of flames warming her chilling bones that had been burdened all day.


They were on the trail heading north. After her refreshing rest, Shadow Thief was back to her old self, constantly testing to see if her rider would allow a little more slack on the reins. But her rider was not in such a playful mood; all night had there seemed as if there was another presence nearby, which bothered the horseman greatly. The last thing they needed to make the plan succeed was to have someone following closely behind them on their journey.
They walked comfortably until midday, when they stopped to have a break and eat some food. Shadow Thief happily grazed in a small glade while her rider cooled off in a river. They stayed there for over an hour before once more settling back into their long and intriguing journey.
They’d now been walking for an hour and twenty minutes since their stop before they heard something out of the ordinary. Just ahead on the trail another horse cantered towards them. On its back, a strong young man dressed in an olive green coat tied with a shiny leather belt, long brown pants and high black leather boots was positioned. To the dismay of Shadow Thief’s rider, he slowed as they came nearer. Shadow Thief rolled her eyes and side stepped at the clink of her rider pulling out a sword and swinging it towards the man. His horse didn’t even blink at the gesture, obviously used to the idea. She felt her rider notice this nervously as well. The man spoke.
“Well hello there. I thought we’d at least introduce ourselves before killing each other!”
He held no sword but there was one safely covered in a pouch at his waist.
“I’d rather get on with it so I can go.”
This was the first time Shadow Thief had heard her rider speak like this. It was peculiarly low and cool.
“Oh. Somewhere to be, sir?”
“That is not your concern. Now, can we continue?”
“If you insist. But I’d rather we handle this like gentlemen, sir.”
Shadow Thief felt her rider shift position.
“What’s more polite and civilised than a quick and fair sword fighting match?”
“Fighting like our ancestors did, with no weapons other than their bodies and brains.”
The sword was raised over Shadow Thief’s head.
“You have a slight advantage there.”
The man raised his eyebrows and smiled.
“Why, thank you. I have been exercising lately.” He paused. “I must say, you’re the most humble bad guy I’ve ever met. The only one who didn’t get defensive and try to beat me with their bare hands. Not many won, but I won’t go into that so I can keep up with your skitingless spirit.”
Shadow Thief could sense her rider’s distress, as the man dismounted his horse and walked towards them. She, however, felt calm.
“Seeing as you have no intention of agreeing to my suggestion, I shall just have to force you.”
He looked cheekily up at the rider and gave a little push to get his opponent off the other side. It was all it took and Shadow Thief saw her rider land beside her and stumble backwards a few steps. The other man did a forward roll underneath her stomach and hooked his leg around the rider’s, making the hooded rider kneel down hard on the ground. But while the man was making a grab for the sword, his victim rolly pollied to the
still holding the rider’s, and did the same, just less heartlessly. He then twisted the rider’s body, knee kicked him to the ground again, and grinned as he calmly took the sword from the blade end and stepped back to let the rider get up. His rival took the hint and got up, dusting off cautiously around the sore spots.
“Well- I was hoping for an easy fight as I’m still tender from last night’s but- it was fun.”
Shadow Thief’s rider was still panting and rubbing the continual aching limbs.
“And now, before I decide your fate, do you mind telling me your name, sir?”
“Just kill me. I’d rather die than listen to YOU boast all day.”
The man gave an alarmed look.
“Oh dear! I’m already losing the good virtues competition!”
“Just- hurry up.”
The man wore another cheeky grin.
“Your name first, please sir.”
“Why are you so damn persistent?!”
The man clicked his tongue and slowly shook his head.
“Language, sir. You’re teaching the horses bad habits.”
“Why are you torturing me?”
“Because you’re an odd fellow, really. You ride around like a bandit day and night, saying you have places to be, but if you really did, you’d be running away now to that place, not begging me to kill you!”
Shadow Thief’s rider glared angrily at the ground, hiding the embarrassment and fear they felt. The other man stepped forward.
“So now- I’ll see for myself.”
The rider glanced up in time to see the man reaching forward to drop the hood that had acted as a veil for so long. His eyes opened wide and he lunged, but the man had already pushed it off and stepped back, staring in utter astonishment. He could not speak for awhile, and the rider wouldn’t, though he felt like dumbly saying “ta da” or such.
“Well- I must say, I would never have guessed!”
The rider spoke quietly.
“It worked for awhile. I would have had you fooled- if you weren’t so meddlesome.”
The man still stared in disbelief.
“I’d say it’s a bit more than fooled. It doesn’t just take good acting to fight like that. You actually gave me quite a challenge- not that you just heard that from me!”
“And...?”
“Well- you’re a girl!”
“Excuse me, sir; are you calling girls useless and weak?”
“Oh no. Of course not. But there are some aspects of life the different genders are better at.”
He interrupted as she opened her mouth to defend herself.
“Like! Creative and delicate activities for a girl. It’s just how God made us.”
She closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes. They stood in silence for a moment.
“But you can certainly fight! My elbow will have quite a bruise and my hand was dislocated.”
“Then how did you put it back in so quickly?”
He grinned.
“Practise.”
She sighed.
“Whatever.”
“No- I’m serious. This body has been dispositioned so many times it’s beginning to feel normal!”
She didn’t smile, and he was running out of things to say.
“Ah- would you care to stop by my cottage? You look like you could do with a rest.”
“I could, because some idiot kept me awake all night!”
“Oh. That would be me.”
She glared at him.
“No. I have to keep going.”
The man hid a smile at the ground.
“Oh alright then.”
“My sword please sir.”
“Well. Let’s see... no. From what I know of you already, you’d probably kill me the moment I give it back!”
“I would not-“
He walked back to his horse and mounted.
“But I need that sir!”
He flashed her a sympathetic smile and gathered his reins.
“You’re absolutely right. You’ll just have to come by my house to get it.”
She opened her mouth in anger.
“Why you horrid little br- I don’t even know where you live!”
He turned his horse around and yelled over his shoulder.
“Exactly.”
The girl fumed as she watched him canter into the horizon. Eventually she mounted and galloped after him, to her ultimate begrudgement.