Read Online Farmers & Mercenaries by Maxwell Alexander Drake - Free Book Online
Authors: Maxwell Alexander Drake
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The furry bundle extracted itself from the tangle of man and horse. It looked like a cat—a huge, bushy thing with large gray spots across its brown fur. It must have been two paces long in the body, easily half the height of a man at its shoulders. Two large fangs jutted down from either side of a blood covered muzzle. Crouching down, it arched its back. It seemed to look for an opening to pounce on the fallen horse and rider.
A second guarder, still on horseback, burst through the trees a few paces away. Arderi recognized the man as the guarder captain, Flinnok. He held a long hunting spear at the ready. Like an arrow, he spurred his destrier on toward the beast. The big cat lunged for the trees. Dropping flat to the ground when a second guarder on horseback smashed through the underbrush into the field right in front of the beast, the creature growled and spun. It squared itself on Flinnok as the man spurned his mount to charge.
The guarder captain raised the spear, drew back, and let it fly. When he released, the beast darted to the side, deeper into the tilled field, and toward Arderi. The spear kicked up dirt as it struck the ground where the beast had been a hare’s breath before.
Turning, Arderi ran. A jolt of terror shot through him as he tripped on a mound of tilled earth and went down hard. Wind forced from his lungs, Arderi looked back toward the tree line. The cat-thing charged directly at him. Flinnok rode hot on its tail, yet losing ground every moment. Scrambling back on hands and feet like a wounded crab, Arderi’s heart seemed to stop as he watched the creature draw near where he lay. Letting out a scream, he curled into a tight ball, covering his head with both hands.
The beast kicked up dirt as it launched itself over Arderi. It landed some three or four paces beyond, toward the road. Scurrying around the wagons—panicked fielders scattering in an attempt to get out of the way—the creature raced across the gravel road. It tore through an adjacent field faster than any horse could possibly run, and vanished into a copse of trees on the far side. Staring after it in stunned silence, Arderi did not hear the horse trot up behind him, nor the man dismount.
“Are you all right, boy?” Arderi turned a blank stare up at Flinnok Nime who held down a helping hand. Three large rips traced their way across the guarder captain’s leather jerkin.
Arderi took his hand, allowing the guarder to pull him to his feet. “What was that?” His voice quivered with the fear that was still pulsing through his veins.
“That, my boy, was a Krugour. And a might big one at that.” Flinnok turned, took hold of his horse’s reins, and started back toward the group of guarders who had gathered around their fallen companion.
Arderi tensed when a hand grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him roughly around. “What in all the Planes of Hell were you thinking, boy?” A look that Arderi had never before seen plastered his father’s face. The man was obviously mad, yet he looked frightened as well.
“Papa, I—” Tanin crushed him in an embrace. Upon his release, Arderi saw the seed of a tear welling in his father’s eye.
Tanin quickly turned his face and his anger to Flinnok. Mir’am Cor trotted a few paces to catch up with the guarder captain. “How did a Krugour get this close to the stead, Nime?” The anger in his voice shocked Arderi. He had never known his father to lose his temper.
Flinnok Nime came to a stop and turned to face the fielder. “Not sure.” He rubbed his chin in frustration. “We missed the bugger on our first patrol. Truth be told, it found us—or at least me.” He fumbled with his ruined chest armor. Blood visibly stained its torn edges. “Came out of nowhere, it did. Knocked me off my horse before I knew what was happening. If not for Ralin over there, I would not be talking to you now.” He looked back to his men and let his eyes linger. “If you will pardon me, Tanin, I have
A second guarder, still on horseback, burst through the trees a few paces away. Arderi recognized the man as the guarder captain, Flinnok. He held a long hunting spear at the ready. Like an arrow, he spurred his destrier on toward the beast. The big cat lunged for the trees. Dropping flat to the ground when a second guarder on horseback smashed through the underbrush into the field right in front of the beast, the creature growled and spun. It squared itself on Flinnok as the man spurned his mount to charge.
The guarder captain raised the spear, drew back, and let it fly. When he released, the beast darted to the side, deeper into the tilled field, and toward Arderi. The spear kicked up dirt as it struck the ground where the beast had been a hare’s breath before.
Turning, Arderi ran. A jolt of terror shot through him as he tripped on a mound of tilled earth and went down hard. Wind forced from his lungs, Arderi looked back toward the tree line. The cat-thing charged directly at him. Flinnok rode hot on its tail, yet losing ground every moment. Scrambling back on hands and feet like a wounded crab, Arderi’s heart seemed to stop as he watched the creature draw near where he lay. Letting out a scream, he curled into a tight ball, covering his head with both hands.
The beast kicked up dirt as it launched itself over Arderi. It landed some three or four paces beyond, toward the road. Scurrying around the wagons—panicked fielders scattering in an attempt to get out of the way—the creature raced across the gravel road. It tore through an adjacent field faster than any horse could possibly run, and vanished into a copse of trees on the far side. Staring after it in stunned silence, Arderi did not hear the horse trot up behind him, nor the man dismount.
“Are you all right, boy?” Arderi turned a blank stare up at Flinnok Nime who held down a helping hand. Three large rips traced their way across the guarder captain’s leather jerkin.
Arderi took his hand, allowing the guarder to pull him to his feet. “What was that?” His voice quivered with the fear that was still pulsing through his veins.
“That, my boy, was a Krugour. And a might big one at that.” Flinnok turned, took hold of his horse’s reins, and started back toward the group of guarders who had gathered around their fallen companion.
Arderi tensed when a hand grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him roughly around. “What in all the Planes of Hell were you thinking, boy?” A look that Arderi had never before seen plastered his father’s face. The man was obviously mad, yet he looked frightened as well.
“Papa, I—” Tanin crushed him in an embrace. Upon his release, Arderi saw the seed of a tear welling in his father’s eye.
Tanin quickly turned his face and his anger to Flinnok. Mir’am Cor trotted a few paces to catch up with the guarder captain. “How did a Krugour get this close to the stead, Nime?” The anger in his voice shocked Arderi. He had never known his father to lose his temper.
Flinnok Nime came to a stop and turned to face the fielder. “Not sure.” He rubbed his chin in frustration. “We missed the bugger on our first patrol. Truth be told, it found us—or at least me.” He fumbled with his ruined chest armor. Blood visibly stained its torn edges. “Came out of nowhere, it did. Knocked me off my horse before I knew what was happening. If not for Ralin over there, I would not be talking to you now.” He looked back to his men and let his eyes linger. “If you will pardon me, Tanin, I have
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