Lancelot and the Wolf Read Online Free PDF Page B

waited for Mercury to reach me.
    “ Hold on,” I ordered Else. I smacked the smaller gelding with the flat of my blade. He lurched, Else tilted but they picked up speed. Ash surged forward determined to beat the gelding. We hit the tree line and kept moving. A wide track ran through this part of the forest and wanting to put as much distance as possible between us and the hunters, I just kept riding.
    The forest consisted of beech, their bright spring leaves helping the sun to mottle the ground. Blue bells were dancing cheerfully as we crashed past. I’m certain it would have been quite beautiful under different circumstances. The track branched off and we took the branch. It proved much narrower and far more rutted than the main road through the forest. I pulled Ash up not wanting to risk his legs. We slowed and I watched Mercury’s head drop instantly. His flanks heaved. He sweated all over. I hoped to God I hadn’t blown him.
    Next, I checked Else. The dress soaked up the blood and the cloth flapped wetly. The boy under the dress sat very still and held the front of the saddle as though it were his only lifeline. He looked as pale as a church candle. We continued in silence. I heard the distant sound of hounds, but so far, they hadn’t found our tracks in the wood. I realised we were riding through a very old part of the forest, great oaks, beech and tall thin birch marked our way. Thick tangles of hazel and bramble forced us to weave. I heard the one thing we needed more than luck right then, a river. Grabbing Mercury’s reins, I pulled us forward. There, rushing and gurgling like a cheerful friend, lay a wide stream or small river. A good five feet separated the rocky banks. I forced Ash into the water, turned downstream, so the mud we stirred up would be harder to track and forced him on.
    We splashed through the river for a quarter of a mile when I spied a bank, which would be good for our exit. I steered Ash toward the slopping bank.
    “ No,” came the weak voice behind me. “So far it’s the only sensible place to leave the river. We need to continue on,” Else said. The foliage over the trees cut down the light, hiding his face but a dark stain spread over the side of his horse.
    “ You need help,” I said, trying to make Ash reverse enabling me to come along side. He didn’t like the idea when he couldn’t see his feet.
    “ I’m going to be fine, you can help when we stop,” his voice sounded lighter and he wheezed slightly.
    I frowned. Indecision isn’t something I live with because I normally travel alone or have clear orders. He sat slightly hunched over the wound, crooked in his saddle. If we were caught we couldn’t run. We needed to be clever to avoid capture.
    “ Alright,” I agreed and pushed past the exit. We were lucky, a long stretch of river on a bend had a shale beach and rocks not mud leading out of the river. We splashed from the water and I jumped off Ash. “Ride up there and find the path. Keep the horses still so we have a chance of hiding our direction. Then rip that bloody dress off. I’ve an idea.”
    Else nodded tightly. I watched him settle near the trees and try to undress without dismounting. I smacked Ash on the backside and he walked after Else. I used my hands to begin breaking up our tracks. I took my time over this, I couldn’t hear the hounds right now and delaying them further would help. I swept the beach free of hoof marks and returned to the others. Else continued to struggle out of the dress. The dress was winning.
    “ Get down,” I said.
    “ I can’t,” came the slightly tearful response.
    I stood still and looked up into my companion’s face. Pale and drawn, Else’s hands fluttered weakly. A knot of anger began in my guts, “Let me help.” I held up my hands and tried not to growl. He looked down, his eyes too wide. Else stopped moving, nodded once and I carefully managed to help him down without touching any of the blood. He whimpered