Kara496Please respect copyright.PENANA0cmoc59awV
8964 copyright protection492PENANAULiMHCPasR 維尼
496Please respect copyright.PENANArj8WKKJMTB
8964 copyright protection492PENANA3zEcMXjcUZ 維尼
When the trees began to thin, I picked up on the scent. The scent of humans. When humans congregate in an area in a large group the ‘scent’ they leave is incredibly pungent and hard to ignore. Any animal that was used to living in forests that held almost no human activity would be thoroughly repulsed by the stench. However, in the months since I left my home my nose had become accustomed to the scent of human excrement.8964 copyright protection492PENANAE6KM9HKorJ 維尼
I stopped and moved to stand behind a hill when I felt the ruble of hoof prints hitting the ground. A group of horses were about to ride straight past us, and there were more than just a few. Jasper and Theo were slightly down the hill and I didn’t know if they were watching me.8964 copyright protection492PENANAU9MSpAPIKL 維尼
Jasper seemed to sense something because he looked up at me and nodded his head. He grabbed Theo and they ducked behind a tree. I slipped behind a fall tree as I heard a man call out.8964 copyright protection492PENANA5ls9ceIvmk 維尼
“Move it! We have orders and I don’t have time for your lack of punctuality. Let’s go men.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAVQhwEk7chm 維尼
A man riding on a heavily armored horse rode straight past me with a trail of at least twenty other horses. All the horses carried a soldier, and all were dressed for a battle. From the symbol engraved onto the front of their tunics I knew it was the Queen’s soldiers. The final rider flew by and I stepped out from my hiding place.8964 copyright protection492PENANAWjPERbVyQA 維尼
Jasper and Theo moved over to me quickly. Jasper knelt beside me.8964 copyright protection492PENANAro2DPdSzOb 維尼
I said, “Is it common recently to see the queen’s men roaming these mountains in such force?”8964 copyright protection492PENANAJm6UKemQIh 維尼
Jasper shrugged. “Don’t pay much attention. I tend to avoid them.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAmDnJzRx671 維尼
Theo dropped down. “I’ve seen those guards before.”8964 copyright protection492PENANATnTEolktrw 維尼
Jasper turned. “Where?”8964 copyright protection492PENANAI7AI2koJL0 維尼
“In the village, yesterday,” he said.8964 copyright protection492PENANACPJ8cyjj3O 維尼
I looked up the hill to where they came from. Where the hill began to smooth out I could see the shape of some sort of fabric. It was standing on their own. “I think there is more of them.”8964 copyright protection492PENANA7Js0qRfO6L 維尼
Jasper frowned at me. “What makes you say that?”8964 copyright protection492PENANAPRp3lvxbLF 維尼
“Up the hill.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAJyJG9fcf59 維尼
Jasper took a few steps forward. “A tent?”8964 copyright protection492PENANAqIGLepbU0z 維尼
I nodded. “Let’s keep to the trees and go around the long way.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAH5StJSp5R4 維尼
“Good idea,” said Jasper, before telling Theo the plan.8964 copyright protection492PENANAmoLgiLFeqz 維尼
The hill leveled out quickly as we climbed. And the longer we walked the more tents came into view. And the more tents we spotted the more soldiers appeared. All the men appeared well armed and ready for a fight. But a better question was a fight with whom.8964 copyright protection492PENANABLZ60Nn4Vx 維尼
There was a line of guards that ran along the outside of the camp. All of them alert. The rest of the camp was quiet. Some guards were standing around fires trying to keep warm, others were stumbling along like they were drunk, and there was enough a few passed out in the snow.8964 copyright protection492PENANAfPzjK9zBk8 維尼
I left Jasper and Theo behind a fallen over tree. It would be easier if I was alone. Humans were easier to spot, and an animal would attract less attention if I were spotted. As I moved around the edge I discovered not only more guards patrolling the trees but traps, that were hidden rather poorly, all around. Some were bear traps while others were designed to catch smaller animals such as rabbits. I made sure to watch my step.8964 copyright protection492PENANArzTiX0OIk0 維尼
On the east side of the camp I found cages. They looked poorly made and easy to escape from, but the six guards that surrounded the cages made up for what the cages lacked in strength. Only two of the four cages were full. One held a man who was lying face first in the snow. He was breathing, so he was alive, but from his uniform he looked like a guard. Why had they locked up one of their own? In the other cage was a young woman and an older man. From the bright hair, I knew that it Tiara. I wanted to jump around and call out to her, but that would no doubt get me spotted.8964 copyright protection492PENANAVmF6gpRbOV 維尼
I slipped closer to the cages and laid down next to a log. There guard facing in my direction wasn’t really looking too closely. His eyes seemed to be glazed over with boredom. But I still stayed low.8964 copyright protection492PENANAziXdvY8C1G 維尼
I reached out to Tiara. “Tiara! It’s Kara.” I peeked up to see if she had heard me.8964 copyright protection492PENANAr9W4J3ubIx 維尼
“KARA!” she said. She was clever to remember that I could hear her thoughts. If she started talking to herself no doubt that her guards would call her witch.8964 copyright protection492PENANAhrMSGIEJ04 維尼
“Are you and your dad alright?” I said.8964 copyright protection492PENANABsBOJ6sX9i 維尼
“Yes,” said Tiara, “the queen’s guards kidnapped us.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAGW93fmbLee 維尼
“I can see that.” I looked at the guard facing me. His eyes were now closed. This man would be easy to sneak past. “What happened?8964 copyright protection492PENANAmrK3eFAicC 維尼
She sighed. “We were trying to find the place where you wanted us to go. Pa thought that it is what you would want us to do when you didn’t come back. He said that you would catch up to us. Guess he was right.”8964 copyright protection492PENANA8uXftWPj2R 維尼
It was what I would have wanted. But I knew this would happen if we got separated. “You did the right thing. But this is the worst thing that could have happened.” The queen’s guards were rude and piggish but they didn’t just take anyone. “Why did they take you?”8964 copyright protection492PENANAyi0Ntikf6a 維尼
“We have been accused of being poachers.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAaxFlrU0ado 維尼
“Poachers? You aren’t…your dad carries rifles.” While rifles are mostly used for protection by most people, rifles are a poacher’s bread and butter. Easiest and quickest way to hunt animals.8964 copyright protection492PENANA9ljjKaNifX 維尼
“Yeah.”8964 copyright protection492PENANA8ejCL634pf 維尼
“Dammit.” I swiped at the snow.8964 copyright protection492PENANA5NZMhyr3er 維尼
“What are we going to do?” she asked.8964 copyright protection492PENANAHhDmr0ykJo 維尼
I took a deep breath. “We are not going to panic. I have some friends with me, they can help break you out.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAinp5qywK7M 維尼
“Okay…” she said.8964 copyright protection492PENANAtR0tX2PwIx 維尼
Tiara was unsure, it was clear by her voice. I just needed her to trust me. “Just stay out of trouble, okay?” I said.8964 copyright protection492PENANAp43eKwobYH 維尼
“Yeah, okay. You stay out of sight.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAIngz2JXhmf 維尼
“Will do.”8964 copyright protection492PENANA6OJrbDANzI 維尼
I turned around and snuck back around the camp. Jasper and Theo were still waiting for me in the same spot. I laid down behind the fallen tree.8964 copyright protection492PENANAAZ77zMFhCG 維尼
“What did you see?” said Theo.8964 copyright protection492PENANAtJMj19pqBb 維尼
“We are completely outnumbered,” I said.8964 copyright protection492PENANAX9DCde8MHq 維尼
Jasper repeated my statement to Theo.8964 copyright protection492PENANAltGwAbYraa 維尼
Theo frowned at me. “Really? I couldn’t tell.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAh1rq7LCRDC 維尼
“No need for sarcasm. But on a good note I found Tiara and Daniel.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAcoajrSGczB 維尼
Jasper smiled. “That’s great.”8964 copyright protection492PENANABN94ffmBcA 維尼
“They are locked up in the makeshift prison.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAgseamO4FgM 維尼
His smile fell. “Not so great. But hey, you found them.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAyDR3IYldfV 維尼
Theo nudged his shoulder. “Explain.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAfc1gr4FOOq 維尼
Jasper waved away his question. “All we have to do is break them out.”8964 copyright protection492PENANASvIs9c6ct9 維尼
“You make it sound like it is so easy.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAVJZE844yf3 維尼
He nodded. “Just leave it to me.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAUtEluBwMnD 維尼
Theo grabbed his jacket. “It sounds like you are about to do something incredible stupid.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAPTckAR8Iea 維尼
“Maybe,” said Jasper.8964 copyright protection492PENANAyeYP9MMN6K 維尼
“Do I need to remind you of the flower incident?”8964 copyright protection492PENANAYmUwPQKYL1 維尼
Jasper paled and pulled away from him. “You promised to never remind me of that.”8964 copyright protection492PENANATYMMylNMe1 維尼
“I lied.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAJ7HEBcY1BS 維尼
I frowned. “The flower incident?”8964 copyright protection492PENANAsZ1XLLjGwT 維尼
Jasper shook his head. “Never you mind. Now, if you will wait here. I’m going to go on a jail break.”8964 copyright protection492PENANABNxfwIUWpX 維尼
I looked at Theo. I had no idea if he could understand my expression but not only was I concerned about Tiara and Daniel, but Jasper could do anything.8964 copyright protection492PENANAKY6GyWvNCS 維尼
Theo’s expression reflected mine. He said, “I don’t know what he has got planned. But expect the worse. After growing up with him I simply expect it now.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAWoJM8ULyM7 維尼
I nodded my head and turned to watch as Jasper disappeared into the trees. I hoped that Jasper’s plan went well. And if it did Tiara, Daniel and I could finally get on our way. And Jasper and Theo can go off and do what they really need to do. Our problem wasn’t theirs.8964 copyright protection492PENANAiXSYA97JJd 維尼
The only thing I could see of Jasper was the top of his hat. It stood out from the white snow, and it was a miracle that he hadn’t been spotted yet. His popped his head around a tree, looked around before stepping out. He was insane.8964 copyright protection492PENANAGqtpk7Bxmr 維尼
Theo groaned. “Oh, please don’t do what I think your about to do.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAY7XTU8rKC1 維尼
I looked at Theo.8964 copyright protection492PENANAhpB2YwhRzt 維尼
“He is going to get caught on purpose.”8964 copyright protection492PENANA5W2bud9pvs 維尼
I felt like my eyes would have popped out of my head if they could. Was Jasper a complete moron. I moved to chase after him, but Theo placed his hand on my back. I frowned and nudged at him.8964 copyright protection492PENANAXhKmUZabZF 維尼
He shook his head. “There is no point in trying to stop him. You both will get captured and locked up. He probably thinks that he has a better chance of helping them escape from the inside.”8964 copyright protection492PENANAt7KzP1Aa4g 維尼
I wanted to smack myself in the face. I had seen humans do it multiple times when they thought someone’s comment or idea was stupid. It would be appropriate. I settled back down and Theo removed his hand. The fact that Theo’s hand didn’t bother me was being to bother me. Before I met Tiara the thought of any human getting as close to me as Theo was seemed impossible. I had grown up believing the almost every human was out to kill and skin me. Humans, especially guards and poachers, were dangerous. Stay away from them was the one warning you got.8964 copyright protection492PENANAzQ72a66wrn 維尼
But now, after so little time with Tiara I had become comfortable around them. Maybe because the few humans I had gotten to know—such as Tiara, Daniel, Jasper and Theo—had been nothing but nice to me.8964 copyright protection492PENANAvpjLOVlCWl 維尼
There was still that nagging feeling though. It sat in the back of my mind. It told me to just turn and run. Get away from all these humans and hide. It was the only way to save myself. But Great Owl’s words overpowered it. His words. Tiara and I had to save familiars and their bond mates. There was no one else who could.8964 copyright protection492PENANAXeRLGdbTpe 維尼
I looked away from Theo and back to Jasper. He held his hands up in the air. He was surrendering. That stupid smile on his face though would give away his intention to anyone with a brain. He was too eager to get arrested. But the guards simply bound his hands and walked him off towards their prison.8964 copyright protection492PENANAxolWv94CAH 維尼
This was going to go so terribly wrong. I could feel it.8964 copyright protection492PENANAXJPkWCPokw 維尼
ns35.172.111.71da2