Tiaracopyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kIW73HECo
The further we walked, the more unsure I became. Pa had trusted me, and listened to me. The road we had taken was quiet, and the road grew narrow. The trees lining the path seemed to grow closer together, and the snow seemed to become deeper. It was beginning to scare me.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡWp93B5X9cj
Pa pulled his horse to a stop. He looked around.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8gedgoA3E
“What’s wrong?” I said.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9Yx66BNLd
He was quiet for a moment. “I believe you chose the right path.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHDlKerIoE
I frowned. “But?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kMjyZzWAD
“But, the path ends here. There is no sign of any other roads in any direction.” He dismounted his horse and handed me the reigns. “Which way do you think we should go?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡApNzWUFyIq
“I don’t know.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU8pfTEHB2
“What does your gut tell you?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEn8XV7xSI
I thought about it. Looking around, the trees looked the same. There was a big possibility of us getting lost in the trees and never finding our way home. But that tugging in my chest was telling me to go straight down the slope in front of us. “Straight,” I said.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡbt7Y24SICB
Pa nodded. “Wait here.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ovhNLarsM
“Pa, wait.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOqRWoN4VG
He looked up at me and smiled. It didn’t reach his eyes though. “I’ll be right back. I just want to see what is up ahead. Maybe somewhere for us to camp.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7aT5cYYVB
“Okay.” I gripped Silver’s reigns tighter.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4Z5lNQwfi
Pa walked straight forward. The snow reached up to just below his knees. He wasn’t far away but I struggled to keep my eyes on him. The sun was beginning to sink and so it would be dark.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJ7KB38p74
Silver moved beneath me. She was uncomfortable and nervous.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TbgNhsMgo
I ran my fingers through her mane, trying to give her some comfort. “It’s okay, girl,” I said. I could tell she didn’t believe me. There was no reassurance in my words, and no comfort. We were in the White Mountains, following a road that led who knows where, trusting my instincts. And Pa had disappeared.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQsnVOaLlp
I sat on Silver for a few moments longer, but I couldn’t wait. I nudged Silver’s side and moved in the direction he had gone. Pa’s prints in the snow were clear. But with the light disappearing I struggled to see where they were.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4E9boLfxbm
The ground went from flat to a deep slope. Silver backed away from the edge. Instead of forcing her down, I climbed off, and tied her and Pa’s horse to a tree. We would come back and get them. Being on the ground I could see Pa’s prints. Gripping tree roots and other plants, my feet slid down the slope. Not far from the bottom I found Pa. He was kneeling behind a tree.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhgNx450Ql
“Pa!”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡoecQB8FLU0
He turned around and put his finger to his lips. I slid to him and he wrapped his arms around me. “I told you to wait for me.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYFka46qBh
“I know. Patients isn’t something I have.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcy405855Z
“Clearly.” He lent around the tree and frowned.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡrudDlOL0AF
I copied him. At the very bottom of the slope was a camp. It was filled with the Queen’s guard. Ten of them sat around a camp fire. There were four horses tied to a makeshift post, and two trucks surrounding them. The men were loud, clearly not worried about being quiet.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LEH6PLdfm
“They don’t know we are here. Let’s keep it that way.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2z36z8fFe
“Would it matter? Kara isn’t with us.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6JsJ4hv5S
“That doesn’t matter. No normal father and daughter would be in the White Mountain’s willingly. They will think we are criminals or something.” He took my hand. “Let’s get back to the horses and find somewhere to camp. Tomorrow they should be gone and we can be on our way.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6DPNKFzYV
We moved back up the slope. Pa keeping himself in-between me and the guards below. He kept me in place if I missed stepped or slipped. And we made it back to our horses in one piece. Staying on foot, I followed Pa along the edge of the slope. We slipped between the trees, making sure to watch where we stepped. The snow on the edge could slip off taking either of us with it.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsYuv44EkJ
Pa stopped and pointed. “There’s a cave over there.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzPC2zGk4L
“Will the horses fit inside?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfSQ5GALfy
He nodded. “Looks like it.” He moved away from the edge and towards the cave. He handed me the reigns of his horse and stepped inside. He gently placed his feet down. For a moment, he disappeared into the black of the cave. It was silent.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb1EFxJJb4
Looking around all the trees were silent. There were no shuffles of animals running through the snow, or birds in the trees. There was nothing, not even a breeze.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5DiHGRo0W
Pa stuck his head out, and said, “It’s empty. Take the horses inside, I’ll go and get some wood.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡacc32iKD30
“Be careful,” I said.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKbdpRK8BW
He said, “Always am.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡd42QmJwe8x
The cave was black as I stepped inside. Keeping tight hold of the horse’s reigns I moved further and further in. Once I was sure that they were out of the cold I turned back to the entrance. It was too dark to try to remove any tack, or find anything we would need; so, I waited.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡajJmmLE6pI
Pa wasn’t long. He walked into the cave. The moon’s light that filtered in behind him, allowed me to see enough that I could see that he hadn’t found much wood. He shook the snow from his shoes and placed down the wood. “It’s damp,” he said, “Might struggle to light but it is all we have.” He arranged a few pieces, and put the rest to the side.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BtiOS9z1K
I stood by patiently. Anticipation of warmth from a fire was high. It felt like I hadn’t felt warmth in a long time. And it seemed like I would have to wait for any sort of warmth.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡweOy5biCpr
“It’s too wet,” said Pa. He threw down the sticks he was rubbing together. “There isn’t a chance of this lighting anytime soon.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AKSX6ECd3
“What do we do?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkFNCuGM4H
Pa stood and moved over to me. “We remove the tack. Find our blankets and bunker down. We will need to sleep side by side for warmth.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAWm91xsDX
I nodded.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNxDGvKk7Y
Pa pulled off our saddle bags and placed them side by side. I pulled out our dinner and laid down our blankets to make some sort of bed. It didn’t look comfortable, but it would have to do.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡori4fVyWIC
I kept on my thick layers and sat down beside Pa. He handed me my dinner, and we fell into silence. I didn’t think anyone would find us in the cave but my eyes kept moving towards the entrance. The thoughts about the dangers of the woods, Kara’s warnings, kept me occupied, and so did my worry for Kara. I didn’t think she was lost, she had grown up on these mountains. If she got caught or something had happened I didn’t know how to save her. She had told me that as my familiar she protected me, and I her. I didn’t know how though.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfdzBnA9Pe
Pa laid down, and said, “Try to get some sleep. Tomorrow we can try and get past those guards if they are still there.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7I1FmHa72h
“Which direction do we go? I have no idea.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rJovZk4V3
He squeezed my arm. “We will figure it out.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyiU8UhJ46
“And what about Kara?” I slid down so now I was lying beside him. “She should have found us by now.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbPZQcH1jK
“She will find us or we will find her.”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡipb2OH19LW
“How do you know that?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrvvlEpDou
Pa didn’t answer. He squeezed my arm again. “Just try and get some sleep, okay.”111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tlFXoGrW8
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***111Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVouvUDgPBW
copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRwZTlGVur
“TIARA!”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGSnce2CSq
I sat up and looked around.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CMMc8jZcR
“TIARA!”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50ICZCXFxr
I couldn’t see anyone; I couldn’t see anything.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6p8ZNkePW6
“TIARA!”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2I2PVb8Un
There was no sort of light. I couldn’t make out any sort of shape but the voice calling my name sounded like it was in the distance. And it reminded me of Kara’s voice. She sounded worried and scared. If it was her, was she in trouble? Did she need my help?copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZoICnkz2R
I stood and moved towards the entrance.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09h984tmUq
“TIARA!” the voice said. It seemed closer.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡtatcdi7oq1
I stepped out of the cave. The wind was blowing an icy breeze and the moon’s light was struggling to shine through.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡMq1a8DxtcA
“TIARA!”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡldJCmSHQfB
There was no one to see. But the voice sounded like they were right next to me. But nothing. I took a few steps further away from the cave. The snow seemed to have grown deeper.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡgILKUZ22ns
“TIARA!” The voiced seemed to echo. It was so loud that I cringed. But I knew for sure that it was Kara. But if she was close by I wouldn’t be able to see her in the black.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aT5l1JTuW
“Kara?” I said. Hoping she would hear me. “Kara, where are you?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPadsx59nl
There was no response. Running out into the dark to try to find her would either get me lost, captured, or killed. But not even one of them would help anyone.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡKE3woYvr1T
“Kara?” I tried again. Nothing. Turning around I stepped back towards the cave. But I stopped when I heard the crunching of snow. Someone else was coming my way. “Kara?” I said.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡU53NbpOUij
The footsteps grew louder, but I couldn’t see anyone.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL91ZCy5LW
“TIARA!” The voice sounded even closer. “TIARA!” I took a step towards the footsteps but stopped. “RUN! TIARA, RUN!” A figured appeared before me.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwBu20tyru
Except it wasn’t Kara, it was the shape of a man. He walked towards me until he stood in front of me. He dressed from head to toe in a Queen’s guard uniform, and In his hand, I could see the shape of a gun.copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmzv9KUYFd
He lifted it from his side and pointed the barrel at me. “What is a young girl like you doing out here?”copyright protection107ＰＥＮＡＮＡixYryY373P
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