Taria8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡyT1le1Nphh 維尼
Pa woke me up by shaking my shoulder. In front of me he placed a cup of water, and some biscuits and cheese. My stomach grumbled at the sight of the food. Pa sat on the opposite of the fire, and slowly brought it back to life.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡZn16HVazpI 維尼
I sat up and stretched out my arms. Picking up a biscuit, I popped it into my mouth and sighed. Looking around the cave I noticed Kara was gone. She had clearly gone to find her own breakfast and would be back soon.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡN043e0ZrUZ 維尼
“Was Kara gone when you woke?” I said.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ497ITW45r3 維尼
Pa nodded. “Yes.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0lL6dKfUr 維尼
“Hopefully she will be back soon.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGCEBLadtf 維尼
I rubbed at my sore shoulder as I ate. The pain was less but the throbbing didn’t seem like it was fading.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfcFmzX3b5 維尼
“Before we set off I’ll need to change your wrapping,” said Pa.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19xfPZeNjz 維尼
“Okay,” I said.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcAjlk654k 維尼
We finished our breakfast and began to pack up the camp. Pa grabbed some fresh bandages from his saddle bag and called me over. Sitting beside him, we removed my coat and he unwound the bandage. With a wet bandage he gently wiped away the dry blood and examined my bullet wound.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfDzhG1Qst 維尼
He frowned. “The bullet went through clean and not deep enough to cause any damage, but you’ll have a scar.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwOt3jcDTM 維尼
I sighed. “My first scar, the first of many most likely.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYBWN78MJO 維尼
“Don’t be like that,” said Pa, “We might not have to fire another shot on this whole trip.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6Mvx7tsa4 維尼
I snorted in disbelief.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfhUSmEFGs 維尼
Pa didn’t respond. He just wound up my arm in a fresh bandage before disposing of the dirty one in the fire.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSUXyvJrCc 維尼
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Packed and ready to go; it had almost been an hour since Pa and I had woken up, and Kara still hadn’t returned. Worry was beginning to fill me. What were Pa and I to do if she never came back? Would we simply go home or would Pa want to continue on? A small part of me prayed that she didn’t return. If I could go home and see Ma and Gean again, that would be perfectly fine with me. But my conscience had other ideas. I knew it would haunt me with the thought of how I could have helped save Kara and her kind. It would haunt me forever.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUaZGPQd71 維尼
Pa turned and looked at me from the cave opening. He rubbed the back of his head. “We should get moving.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJtM9JKZZP 維尼
“What about Kara?” I said.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUqjZdW2Yj 維尼
“She can catch up to us.” Pa picked up his saddle and placed it on his horses back. “When she returns and sees that we are gone, she will track us and catch up. We can’t afford to waste a whole day waiting for her to return.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQALM38N6n 維尼
I stood up and crossed my arms. “We have no idea where to go. Kara said that if we stray from the path we could get caught in all sorts of traps. And what if we got lost in these woods? We may never find our way out.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDo37S4zGO 維尼
“Kara told us that we had to make it to the valley of the White Mountains. They are that way.” He pointed west. “If we keep on heading west then I’m sure that we will find where we need to go.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrTA5AqzU7 維尼
“What if Kara doesn’t find us?”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡojtO7MiAto 維尼
“When we reach the valley we can ask for someone’s help to find her.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIc2Df25Ic 維尼
I didn’t like it, any of it. But it didn’t seem like I had a choice. Instead of fighting with Pa I walked over to my saddle. I attempted to lift it from the ground but couldn’t grip it. It landed with a thud.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xaHRAVqN8 維尼
Pa snorted with laughter. He walked over and said, “Probably best to let me do the heavy lifting while your arm heals.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfIn4nxrJz 維尼
I didn’t reply. I simply crossed my arms over my chest.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlrPC6EysL 維尼
Pa helped my mount Silver and wrapped a thick blanket around myself before he did the same. We left the cave and were hit by the morning chill on the mountains. Pa looked up the path. He said, “There is a clear path in-between the trees, I figure, if we stay between them then we will be on the path.” He looked over his shoulder at me. He seemed to want to know what I though.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3V2xEvnjzf 維尼
I nodded.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVzTyQUKp9 維尼
“Okay then.” Pa looked back forward and nudged his horse.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUmHia37lx 維尼
The storm from the night before had left the path with a deep fresh layer of snow. Our horses struggled to move at a decent pace, but our slowness allowed us to stay alert to anything around us. Pa seemed to have one hand on his rifles handle at all times. If he was a horse I would describe him as having his ears pricked. Nothing would escape his notice. I was more alert to the cold that was creeping in through the blanket. Keeping warm was a struggle but the longer we rode the colder I felt.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Z1B27cOQu 維尼
Worry also built. Kara had yet to make any sort of appearance. There had been no sign that of her. Pa had tried to keep me reassured by he was failing.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡprL9cmaG0O 維尼
Around midday when the sun was shining bright in the sky, but producing little warmth, we stopped. Sitting on the stump of a tree we rested the horses and had some food.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BJnWAVVwq 維尼
Pa wrapped one arm around my shoulder. He said, “Everything is going will be fine, I promise.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTWZa77HkR 維尼
“How do you know that?” I said.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGmOz5oDFn 維尼
He smiled. “I know because I am your father, and I know everything.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡBj45oqrpp6 維尼
I laughed. “Yeah, okay, sure.” I shoved him.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GZFdVg3Ss 維尼
He joined my laughter.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡaH1KdEutTy 維尼
“Is it wrong of me to be scared?” I asked him.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV3x0gn9Sb 維尼
His laughter faded and he looked at me with warming eyes. “There is nothing wrong with being scared.” He squeezed my shoulder. “I would be more concerned if you weren’t. Being scared is what will keep you alive. Just trust your instincts.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGivVgT6dT 維尼
I wanted to roll my eyes. Trust my instincts? It was a complete cliché but I couldn’t doubt him; Pa had never led me wrong. “I don’t even know what I’m really afraid of,” I said, “I thought it was that I was leaving behind Ma and Gean, or leaving behind my normal life. I also thought that I'm scared of what I will have to do to help Kara and other familiars. But now I’m not so sure.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRfRTrhD3c 維尼
Pa sat silently for a moment. He stood up and looked down at me. “No matter what it is that you fear, don’t let it control you. Don’t let it scare you away from what you want to do.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdRdC2KEWP 維尼
“Want?” The word made me angry. “I didn’t want any of this.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzEPR6rCRI 維尼
“I know you didn’t want any of this.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡdw8NfaCUzR 維尼
“I didn’t want some animal to show up and just throw my whole life into chaos. I want to be at home with Ma and Gean. I want to be helping you prepare for the arrival of the next lot of cattle. I want this to be someone else’s responsibility. And I want someone else to be getting shot at.” Tears spilled down my cheeks.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHKdyInWrA 維尼
Pa’s eyes filled with sadness. “I understand all that. I do. What I meant to say was that no matter what happens in the future, if you are in a situation and you are terrified, don’t let that stop you from doing what you have to do.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyOETtZMR1 維尼
I stood and wrapped my arms around his waist.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡrddw2sLgIV 維尼
He bent down and kissed my head. “Because I know that no matter what you want to do, you will do the right thing.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTLVi6VoRU 維尼
We stayed still for a little longer before I pulled back and wiped my face. I turned back to Silver and walked over to her. I stroked her nose, and said, “Let’s get going. We will need to find somewhere to camp before it gets dark.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡoG2L0LRAOQ 維尼
Pa agreed.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jd3k8YpnD 維尼
We mounted our horses and continued down the path.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡI11PEjWb7Y 維尼
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The road went from straight to turning in all sorts of directions. The trees, lining either side of the path, grew taller and taller; it wasn’t long before we couldn’t see through any of the leaves. Anyone or anything hidden within was invisible to our eyes. And Pa seemed to become even more alert the further we travelled.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡILvLe4Icc6 維尼
We had just crossed a small bridge when we arrived at what I had feared we would run into, a crossroads. There were three choices to pick from and Pa turned and looked at me. He had no idea which to choose and neither did I. If we picked the wrong one we would end up who knows where. Possibilities of picking a road full of traps, or one that took us in the wrong direction were higher possibilities then us picking the correct root.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wBp5z3uok 維尼
I pulled Silver to a stop right beside Pa. I said, “What are the chances, do you think, of us picking the right one?”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qpdLibQLf 維尼
Pa’s brow furrowed. “One in three.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHfeQEjona 維尼
The temptation to roll my eyes at him was high, but instead I tried to pick a path. “You said that we should keep heading west. So, let’s go straight?”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Aqi203O5L 維尼
“No,” said Pa.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwswh33kCu 維尼
“Why not?”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lYvukjpWH 維尼
“Because there is every possibility that the road could end up going in another direction, any of these could lead anywhere.” He was right.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRKu3q6x96 維尼
Kara was still nowhere in sight. No sign of her anywhere. It meant that it was up to us. She was no help to us.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡyW0oweUe9k 維尼
I dismounted Silver and held her reigns in my hand. I looked at the road leading to the north. The snow looked completely undisturbed. It had more snow sitting on the top than the other two. Clearly it was less travelled than the other two. Possibly it meant that those who lived in the mountains knew not to go that way, or someone was trying to trick travellers from going down there. The road that appeared to head east looked the most travelled. There were fresh tracks from a cart and horse that couldn’t have been more than a few hours old. And the path seemed to wider as well. Almost like someone had made it wider to fit more travellers along it. The road leading to the south didn’t appear to have many people travel down it. The trees along either side were thick but there were a few animal prints imbedded in the snow. The snow seemed to have been pushed to the middle to hide any trace of human or animal alike, and if you weren’t really looking you would probably not even think about going down there.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡamEsM0aymd 維尼
Looking down the third road I had this suddenly feeling that it was the road that we should take. I looked up at Pa who still sat on his horse. He was studying me.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzAPEDFOCc 維尼
He said, “I know that look.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvtxJjuM73 維尼
“What look?”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡGepXMcOwIw 維尼
He smiled. “It’s your ‘I know something’ look.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WtojkGxHV 維尼
“Your right,” I said, “I have this feeling that we should go that way.” I pointed down the third road.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVQhoghosR 維尼
Pa frowned. “Are you sure?”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfyjrqonMY 維尼
I shrugged.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92ozdT47eh 維尼
“That’s not reassuring.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ocvCw5gFA 維尼
“I can’t explain it.” I moved around Silver and pulled myself back on her. My shoulder ached as I did so. Rubbing my shoulder, I nudged Silver in towards the road. “We need to take this road. I think it’s my instincts that are telling me.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡktlSXwgK3m 維尼
Pa nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Fqd1BmWhV 維尼
Moving forward Pa let me take the lead. All I could do was hope that my gut was right. If I was wrong, what we found down the road could lead to all sorts of trouble.8964 copyright protection561ＰＥＮＡＮＡesRQk3A4Ds 維尼
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