TIOA Sns9 eps 39: Abby went back to the cave and moved the fur door, she left it open to let the light and fresh air in, Theo had started adding a few logs of wood and the fire was starting back up, she walked over to the fire and warmed herself for a minute and cut a piece of meat off for Theo, he took it gladly and ate.
She watched him and gave him the canteen and let him drink some more as she cut two pieces and started to nibble and gave Theo one more, he ate it down quickly and handed the canteen back. Abby cut into the most cooked part of the deer and put it inside of her coat, she grabbed her bow and quiver and said loudly. "Boys get up!" Theo watched them as they did not stir, and Abby got closer. "Boys get up!" she nudged Pallab in the side with her foot. He stirred and looked in dizzy around, she nudged him again and he focused on her. "Mom?" she responded. "Get up, I have to go?" Pallab got up and rubbed his eyes, the night was long. "What is going on?" he asked. "Wake your brother." she responded.
Pallab got further up and his coat fell on the ground, he looked over at Theo who was smiling, fully awake. "What are you looking at?" Theo said nothing as his mother came closer and knelt. "Get up, and wake your older brother." Pallab looked at her, she holding the bow and as she grabbed the new big sword. "Yes mother." he responded.
Pallab shoved Latrell, and he moved in spot sleeping. Pallab looked at his mother and saw her eyes, he shoved Latrell again. "Latrell..... Latrell! Get up!" Latrell stirred and turned around and saw in time his mother looking at him sternly. She stood and waited a moment as he gained conciseness'. "Yes mother." he said mumbling still half asleep.
Abby said back. "I am going out to look, you stay here and start to take down the fire, store our food and hide that body." Latrell got up more, and asked. "Where are you going?" Abby looked at him and said back. "Do what I have told you, and be more safe than you were last night." She turned to the meat and took another piece and chewed on it as she ducked and left the cave.
Abby filled the canteen, and crossed the stream, the wind was light and the tracks were still clear, she followed it for some time. She went fast at times when the trees and brush were in her favor and slower, when the field was more open, smelling the air.
She paused as she thought she heard something and went closer to the ground she took an arrow out and put it in the bow and held it loosely. She went up a little hill slowly, the snow crunching under her feet and listened and smelled the air, nothing. The sound again and she made the top a horse was waiting, it was beating the ground and munching on grass it uncovered.
Abby watched it for a few minutes and went towards the horse finally when she knew it was clear. The horse did not know her and started to move back a little startled, so Abby went slow and spoke softly. "Shhh, it is okay, I am your friend.... we can help each other, it is okay." She knelt down and grabbed grass in her right hand and kept the bow and arrow in her left. She held the grass up and walked slowly, the horse grunted and moved slowly forward and started to smell, it smelled the grass and started to take the food from her hand.
Abby let the horse take it all, and stroked the large animals cheek, the horse chewed on the grass and looked at her. "Do you want more?" she knelt calmly down and grabbed as much as her hand could take and gave it to the horse. The horse came closer and ate from her hand again, and let her stroke his neck.
"That is a good boy." she said as she went to the side of the horse and brushed her hand on the ribs and side, the horse let her and chewed. Abby went forward to take the rope down and lead the horse, when she heard another sound, the horse stood at attention and looked left, and this told Abby all she needed to know, she hid behind the tree and peered around.
Two horses were coming with a rider each, she waited and took
three arrows from the quiver and put them into the ground. The two riders came closer and she waited letting the tree cover her. As they moved, she moved around the tree, and finally she knew they were both in range, calmly riding and speaking a language she did not know.
Abby took the bow and aimed at the farthest rider, she let the tree stabilize her arm and let loose. The arrow flew and hit the man in the neck, he fell off the horse gasping for air, and the other was alerted quickly and looked and saw her. He drew his sword and kicked his horse coming fast toward her.
Abby grabbed an arrow from the ground and put it in the bow, the rider getting closer and let it fly, the arrow hit him in the shoulder, but not the one holding the sword, he kicked the horse harder and it moved faster. Abby grabbed both arrows and put them in the bow, and aimed, she let him come close, her nerves almost giving and let them both go. The two arrows flew and both landed in his chest, he fell back dropping his sword and the horse went past her and started to slow.
Abby went forward as the man lay on the ground, he said something she could not understand but the tone was not nice, she could not let him lay there and took out another arrow and let it fly
through his heart. The man lay still and she went over and took her arrows back. She checked and there was more jerky and a pouch with money, she took his dagger and sword, the coat off of him and went to the other man who had passed and searched and found the same.
Abby took the first man's horse and lead it to the tree of the one being held, and then went to the one in the field who had run a moment, she brought it back, and tied them together. She took a little more grass and feed it to the one that knew her first. "Can we go?" The horse beat a foot on the ground eager to go, Abby carefully took the reign off the tree and got on. "Come on, you have better masters now." The horse felt her hand and nudge and moved forward letting her lead him.
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