The towering mountains before them glittered in the early morning sun. They had ridden hard until dawn, putting as much distance between themselves and the shifters as possible. Launi was still confused about the entire encounter but tried her best to push it to the back of her mind. She had her father and her village to think about.
Launi and Swift continued on through the morning, the hills growing larger and steeper as they went. Launi continued to check the map every so often, tracking their progress. The mountain pass was getting closer. She guessed that they would reach it within the next couple of days. Launi’s stomach fluttered with nerves and her heart sank when she thought about how much time had already passed. But Launi tried to remind herself that help was close at hand. She would be there soon. She hoped.
Every time they passed a stream, which was becoming more and more frequent, Launi stopped and let Swift drink. She had been pushing him hard the last few days and wanted to give him chances to rest. Launi took these small breaks as chances to eat and gaze in wonder up at the mountains that seemed so close she could almost reach out and touch them.
She decided that morning, as the sun rose, that she loved the mountains just as much as she loved the forest. The forest was familiar, it was home. She knew what to expect. She loved the beauty of the trees and the gurgling of the brooks. The mountains, however, were the complete opposite. They weren’t something she understood. They had a magical presence and the streams here didn’t gurgle, they rushed down the hills sides. Launi decided that if she ever had to leave the safety and comfort of the woods, she would want to live in a mountain village.
Wiry trees began to appear around them, dotted here and there at first but quickly grew in number. Launi saw birds drifting in updrafts and deer grazing in herds off in the distance. Small squirrels darted across the trail from time to time and bees buzzed around the mountain flowers that grew along the trail.
As the day wore on, storm clouds began to gather on the horizon behind the pair. At first, the clouds were a wispy gray, but as the hours passed they became dark and menacing. Every so often, Launi would look back to check the storm’s progress. She began to feel as if they were being chased. The storm was racing them to the mountains. Launi hoped they would find shelter before it broke.
It was late afternoon when Launi felt the first drops. They were fat and cold. Looking up, Launi saw the dark clouds had caught up with them.
Launi decided that they would continue on as long as they could. She wanted to get as close to the pass as she could; she wanted to have plenty of daylight to cross it. The mountains were blurred by the falling rain, but Launi could see that they were closer than ever. Looming over them, the summits were hidden by the low hanging clouds.
Fearing she would ruin the map, Launi kept it hopefully dry, in the depths of one of her bags. Within an hour, Launi was soaked through and shivering. The rain was falling harder than ever and what remaining light the day offered was blocked by the dark clouds.
Soon after that, the lightening began. Rolling thunder echoed off the mountains, compounding the effects. Launi felt Swift tense below her and she began to feel unnerved. She’d never heard thunder like this before. It rattled her bones and filled her ears, pushing out all other sounds. Launi tightened her grip on the reins and urged Swift to continue up the switchback trail. The horse was reluctant, but eventually moved up the hill.
After another hour, in which the storm only strengthened, Launi had to admit that they weren’t making much progress. The trail was mud and the rain blurred their surroundings. Launi dismounted and landed in a few inches of muck. Around her, rivulets of water gushed down the hills. The thunder rumbled around them, seeming to shake the world. The dark of night was punctuated every few seconds by strikes of lightning that struck the ground frighteningly close.
Launi led Swift a short way off the trail to a grouping of three trees. She moved beneath their needled branches, pulling Swift along with her. It was slightly drier beneath the trees. Water dripped onto them, but they were no longer in the downpour. Launi removed the bags from Swift’s back, hanging them in the trees.
They were at the base of the mountains now and would have to follow along the base for a while before reaching the pass. Launi hoped that the storm would pass before morning. She didn’t want to waste time waiting for the storm to pass. Her village, her father, needed her to cross the pass and find help. They needed her to keep going.
But there was no going on in a storm like this. Swift might turn an ankle on a stone loosened by the rain and Launi could barely make out the trail anymore. They would have to wait until morning, and hope that the storm was weaker by then.
The storm raging around them, Launi settled in to wait.
Wow. Wha great writing. I felt like the storm was about to catch me!
Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it