Question: How many Peanut M & M's does one eat while writing action scenes? Hmmmm, read it and answer yourself! I'm not telling!

From Time Masters Book Two; The Prophecy

This is a scene from Chapter five. Just thought I'd share. TM fans will be able to figure out who is who easily. The rest of you, well, good luck!



"Shona!" Dallan turned as best he could and grabbed at her falling form. She'd nearly slid half way off the back of the horse before he finally got a good hold of her. He pulled her back onto the horse, positioning her in front of him sideways, and cradled her there. "Shona?" he prompted as he shook the still form in his arms.
"What has happened?" Shannell rode up beside him as she asked.
"I dinna ken. I think she fainted."
Shannell guided her horse along side Dallan's and placed her hand on Shona's forehead. She closed her eyes a moment in concentration before looking at him. "You are right. Bring her along. She will be fine in a moment." And with that she left his side and rejoined her husband as most of the party formed itself into a single line. About a half a dozen of the dark cloaked Muirarans rode out in pairs ahead of everyone else. Jaireth and Shannell rode behind them followed by more of the Muiraran guards. Even more horses joined the entourage, these carrying what looked to be women. Though hooded, their white cloaks revealed their slighter forms. Next rode Dallan and a still unconscious Shona as the two Muirarans who had prepared their horse flanked them on either side. More guards followed them, after which the wagons full of villagers ambled along. Bringing up the rear Dallan noticed, were Kwaku and Zara, both astride a black horse. Both he also noted, with a quarterstaff in hand. He frowned at the sight and grasped Shona more tightly to him. He looked down just as her eyes began to flutter back to consciousness.
Dallan bent to her. "Dinna be afraid, Flower. I'm right here." He whispered as they reached the edge of the trees where a narrow trail cut its way through the thick forest which surrounded the village. Dallan swallowed hard. For ten long years he had never been beyond the village's perimeter, not that he hadn't ever tried. He tried countless times while being held prisoner there. But each time, he'd never gotten more than twenty or thirty yards beyond the line of trees that formed the wall around his prison home. He remembered how a sudden dizziness would overtake him, and how he would run, run like there was no tomorrow. Yet the dizziness and subsequent blackness would always win out, and he would wake up each time afterward in his cottage on his bed. Shortly after which Kwaku would come and lecture him on patience or some other such thing he didn't want to hear about at the time.
"Dallan?'
Thankfully Shona's voice pulled him out of his unwanted musings. He looked to her and smiled. "Are ye all right, M'eudain?"
She smiled at the Scottish endearment he so often used. "Yes, I think so. I believe I fainted."
"Aye, that ye did. But why?"
Tears began to form in her eyes. "I do not know." Was all she could offer.
He held her a bit closer as she was clearly frightened. But whether it was because she had fainted, or because of the reasons leading up to it he didn't know. He wondered briefly about asking her, but then thought better of it. Best instead to keep his eyes on the trail in front of them.
The pace picked up as the entourage made its way deeper into the forest. All seemed very peaceful and quiet. Too quiet, but he attributed it to the fact the horses probably wore no shoes. The slight swishing of the horses adorned blankets coupled with soft sounds their hooves made on the forest floor was rather comforting. Dallan let go a long sigh and relaxed enough to enjoy the ride. Shona had sat up and, arms draped around his shoulders, also watched the trees and foliage pass by. Some of the plants he recognized. But many of them he did not. They were quite strange and grew even stranger the deeper into the woods they went. The trees were becoming thicker, and the gradual change from cedars and firs increased to trees that were taller. The most prominent were wider trunked and more heavily barked. But what were they? Their leaves were large and shaped like spades, the green rich and deep. Some appeared to have what looked to be the last remnants of blossoms on them. Their pink faded now. Rather like that of cherry trees.
"Dallan, where are we?"
"I dinna really ken. We're travelling through the forest that bordered the village. It's the path that leads to the Muiraran city. But I dinna ken how far it goes."
"The trees are strange."
The hairs on the back of Dallan's neck suddenly rose. But not at Shona's comment. A dark shadow suddenly passed over them but it was so distorted by the overhead tree branches own shadows he couldn't make it out. He quickly looked up, but saw nothing. Maybe the woods were making him see things. It was not like a few shadows would make him cower as a frightened child, but the forest around them definitely began to take on a presence. He would have to keep a sharp eye out.
An hour later the path widened and the pace picked up. The horses naturally went into a slow canter, as if used to changing gaits at this point in the journey. The white clad women riding ahead of him remained in single file however and did not take advantage of the extra room to ride side by side. And no wonder. Suddenly out of nowhere other riders began to emerge from the trees, all going along at the same pace as the rest of them. The newcomers were obviously Muiraran with their tall forms astride the same odd horses their own party rode. The horses themselves were no different than any other good piece of horseflesh Dallan had encountered through the years, but these were definitely different. These were Muiraran horses. And though the bodies and heads were mostly covered, they were easily defined by the eyes. Eyes that could be of any color. And that meant they were alien. Just as the Muirarans were. The thought made Dallan's gut twist slightly.
The newcomers aligned themselves next to the white clad women who one by one removed their hoods once joined with a man. Some of the pairs would look at each other and simply nod in greeting, while others smiled, touched one another in some manner to acknowledge the other and continued the pace. One couple kissed briefly, clasped each others hands a moment, then shifted their full attention back to the path. The last two women of the group however, Dallan noticed, remained by themselves. There was no Muiraran man to ride along side of them as yet.
"They are not joined." Shona said simply as she caught his questioning look, "That is why they ride alone."
"Who are they?" Dallan asked as they cantered along and watched the couples ride side by side silently ahead of them.
Shona wrapped her arms more tightly about him. "They are my sisters."
"Sisters?"
"Yes. All that ride before us."
"Saints, woman! Ye've a large family!"
Shona rested her head against him as they rode. "I do not as yet consider them my family." She said flatly.
Dallan wondered at the odd statement and was about to comment when another black shadow suddenly darkened the sky above them. A very large shadow. He again looked to the sky, only to see that here, the branches of trees with their large green leaves were now so thick they began to form a canopy above them. He was seeing things. But if that were so, then why did he have the unmistakable feeling that they were being watched? No, that wasn't quite right. Hunted would be a better term. Yes, hunted. He quickly scanned the trees and strange fauna which surrounded them. It was becoming so thick he could barely see but a few yards into the tangled mass. Not only that, but the trail began to narrow somewhat again. Dark thick woods, a large party tightly bunched together. A perfect place for an ambush he thought.
Perhaps he wasn't the only one who came to that conclusion as one of the Muiraran guards from the front of the line quickly rode to Jaireth and Shannell and spoke with them briefly before making his way to the back of the line and Kwaku.
Dallan felt the entire party tense, as if one body, as they continued to ride forward, the pace not slowed in the slightest. He turned in the saddle as best he could to see what was happening behind them just as Kwaku was quickly making his way up the line with the guard sent to fetch him. The big Azurti warrior's face harbored a look Dallan had never seen before until today. One of grave concern.
Kwaku galloped past, his face set, and pulled his horse up along side Jaireth's. They spoke briefly and in a language Dallan could not understand. Muiraran? It must be. Surely the race would have their own language.
His horse suddenly lunged, as if trying to bolt and Dallan fought to control the animal as Shona clung to his neck in her attempt to stay put. The beast let loose a loud cry that sent a shiver up his spine. It was not the normal sound a horse would make. It was more a shriek. The kind a large cat might produce. The other horses in turn began to pick up speed as he continued to try to slow his own down. But to no avail, soon the entire party was speeding along at a good gallop. Dallan, his eyes intent on the trail before him, again saw the same large shadow pass along the ground, but this time there were two of them, and this time the rush of wind that followed in the shadow's wake was unmistakable. Saints! What was that bloody thing?
"Hang on!" he told Shona. She said nothing, and tightened her hold around his neck even more. He in turn anchored her in place with one arm, while he tried to control the horse with the other. Though quite comfortable in the saddle, he'd not sat a horse in many years, and his balance wasn't what he thought it might be. The fact the Muiraran horse's gait had suddenly changed didn't help. And it wasn't the increased speed. No. It was instead like riding a big cat, rather than a horse, its shoulders moving with a sinewy-muscled grace, rather than a hoofed animal's clip-clop gait. The change had taken place as soon as they had gone into a gallop and Dallan sensed his horse, not to mention the others, were capable of going at an even faster pace and at a much different gait. It was then he finally noticed the ankle and hoof coverings the horses all wore. He'd seen similar adornments on war horses in France. They protected the hoof and often sported spikes which were used to bring down an enemy. He also suddenly realized why such a large party could travel so quietly. It was not that the horses were not wearing shoes. But that the horses probably did not even possesses hooves to begin with! The Muirarans had disguised their mounts well.
"What's happening?" Shona pushed out as she also noticed the change of the animals gait.
"Hang on. Dinna let go of me unless I tell ye to, understand?"
"Yes!" she pushed out as she clung to him.
Kwaku continued to ride along side Jaireth. He suddenly let out a booming laugh as another ominous shadow again passed over them. Shona started in his arms. "Dallan! What was that?"
Before he could comment Kwaku had turned his horse and was galloping to the back of the line again. He still laughed as he went, casting Dallan an all too familiar sadistic wide grin as he sped past. "Just hang onto me, Flower." He ordered and said nothing more. Something was up. And the bloody heathen knew it.
CRACK!
Shona screamed at the sudden sound as a large tree came crashing down across the trail directly in front of Jaireth and Shannell to block their path. Several of the guard's horses at the front of the line reared, while Dallan caught a glimpse of more than several of Shona's sisters mounts leap into the trees and bound away, their Muiraran husbands close behind them.
"Ochmen, deid na la!" Jaireth shouted in the same language he'd used when speaking with Kwaku. Though Dallan did not understand the strange tongue, he more than understood how his new heart interpreted it. Take cover!
It was then all chaos broke loose.
CRACK!
Another tree came crashing across the trail behind them and then another. The women villagers in the wagons screamed as black figures fell from the trees around them. Multitudes of them cascaded down like a waterfall in front of Dallan's mount, temporarily blocking his view of Jaireth and Shannell as the Muiraran ruler continued to shout orders Dallan could not understand. But he didn't need to. Protecting Shona was his first priority.
The barrage of darkly clad figures made straight for him. Covered from head to toe in strange black clothing, they were everywhere, and though not quite as tall as the Muirarans, they moved much the same. For the briefest of seconds he wondered who they were just as they surrounded his horse and pushed themselves in upon them. Like a mass of insects they clambered upon one another to get to him. But it wasn't him Dallan suddenly realized they reached for. It was Shona.
She screamed as several of them grabbed her legs in an attempt to pull her from his grasp. Dallan instinctively reached behind himself. No dirk. No weapons. In the rush to leave he'd not gone back to his cottage to retrieve any. Kwaku had him leave his dirk on the bed before they'd ventured to the arena to wait for Shannell to be done with Shona. He cursed and punched the nearest assailant in his black clad face. The figure flew across the mass encircling them, only to be replaced by another as they crushed in upon his horse.
He cursed as Shona was inched out of his tight grasp as they pulled at her from below. He wondered why the horse did not rear in protest at the onslaught. Instead it pranced about, eyes wild yet allowed itself to be surrounded by the attackers. Dallan let out a frustrated yell as some of the assailants leaped upon the back of the animal, grabbed him from behind, and began to loosen Shona's arms from about his neck.
"Dallan!"
His arms swung at anything then, just so long as he hit the nearest ones yanking and tugging at his wife. She screamed again as she was pulled from his grasp and quickly carried away. He too was pulled from the horse and set upon by more bodies than he could count. Their crushing weight made it difficult to breath. But none of them were attacking to harm him. No, they were simply trying to hold him down while they made off with his wife! He cried out in frustration and pushed at the jumbled mass of bodies now piled on top of him. The noises of the battle were muffled as he fought to free himself. The wagons full of screaming villagers quickly clambered by judging from the shaking ground. Shouts could still be heard but were soon distant. The only sound to cut its way to him was Kwaku's booming laugh. And for once, he welcomed it.
The massive pile on top of him lightened as it was picked and poked at by the big Azurti warrior's quarterstaff as he quickly disassembled the crushing mass. From what Dallan could hear, as he bloody well couldn't see anything buried as he was, the attackers were running from Kwaku. Good!
"Boyeee!" Dallan heard Kwaku call as if annoyed. "Get out of der and fetch your wife!"
As suddenly as he'd been buried beneath them, the black clad bodies scrambled off and began to run into the trees. Dallan sprang to his feet and scanned his surroundings. The wagons were gone. The guards also were gone. There was still some commotion up ahead of him but he wasn't quite sure what it was. Suddenly a horse and rider leaped over the downed tree. Its form unnaturally graceful as it came to land almost silently beside him.
Jaireth Shamaelon looked down at him from his mount, a shocked Shona imprisoned tightly in his arms before him. His horse reared, raised its head, and screamed. The high pitched noise made Shona try to cover her ears as did Dallan. The bone chilling trail up the spine the awful sound left in its wake was nerve shattering. The horse looked right at Dallan then, its bright green eyes narrowed to slits beneath the head covering it wore, and bared its teeth.
The horse had fangs.
A low, rumbling growl then escaped it as it repositioned itself and turned back to face the fallen tree. Jaireth made a show of tightening his hold of Shona and sneered down at Dallan. "All too easy." Was all he said before the horse, correction, beast gracefully jumped over the tree and bounded away.
Dallan let out a howl of frustration and began to curse up a storm in Gaelic. If he'd had something to throw he certainly would. Angrily he stomped toward the tree then thought better of it. He'd never be able to keep up with that thing Jaireth was riding on foot. He quickly spun to his own strange mount. Which was, naturally, nowhere to be seen.
He cursed again then followed the sounds of chaos still around him to find Kwaku now under a pile of bodies. But the big Azurti warrior wasn't fighting as Dallan knew he could. Instead, the heathen got back to his feet with the attackers still clambering all over him, and laughed as he began to throw them off.
"Bloody heathen!" Was all Dallan could push out as he made his way over to help, dodging the occasional body or two as they flew past his head to land in a heap behind him.
"I see you fare well, Boyeee! But where is your wife?"
Another body flew past. Dallan ducked just in time. "Wife? Saints man! Where d'ye think she is! You tell me!"
Kwaku, the last of the assailants tossed, took a gasp of breath and pointed.
"I ken well enough Jaireth took her in that direction. But why? What's going on?" He yelled at Kwaku just as one of the attackers leapt onto his back. He pulled the man off and punched him in the gut. The black form hunched over in pain, his breath gone as he began to struggle for air. "And who are these people?" Dallan demanded, taking advantage of the natural break in the battle.
Kwaku began to chuckle. But his chuckle soon turned into a full belly laugh as the remaining black clad attackers began to get up and regroup them selves. "Get yourself to de city, Boyeee! Do not dally wid dis enemy along de way. Dey are mine to contend wid!" And at that, the attackers came at them. Well, not the two of them specifically. Only Kwaku as they piled on top of him just as before, his laughter now muffled by their many bodies. Several even ran past Dallan, ignoring him completely in their haste to get to the growing pile.
Dallan could only stare at the whole scene blankly for a moment before turning and heading back in the direction he'd come. He jumped onto the fallen tree that lay across the path and scrambled over it. His mind now fixed upon the pursuit of Shona and her captor. Correction, her father. A man, who as far as Dallan was concerned, now held his wife and friends prisoner.

Copyright Geralyn Beauchamp 2008