Station Of Seers : 03

Orietta was the first to feel the shock of overshadowing, a sense of something massive closing down and for a brief moment the hot stench of fetid breath before the alegoyle shot ahead of her with snapping teeth and a clap of leathery wings. For some reason the creature did not complete its attack. In a frenzy of renewed energy her chestnut mare accelerated as the alegoyle wheeled behind them again. Asanka hung back, letting his wife lead and deliberately making himself the primary target. A second and third swooping run followed as the creature tested him and his horse. At first Orietta thought the alegoyle was hesitating, unsure whether they had weapons and building courage for a proper assault. As the long chase continued though, she began to realise that it had a more calculated hunting strategy. On the open downs its prey had nowhere to run so there was no hurry to move in for the kill. It wasted little energy in the long circular sweeping glides which preceded each approach, but the horses were tiring fast. The alegoyle was deliberately playing with them, deliberately seeking to terrify and exhaust them so that when it finally struck they would be weakened and easier to dispose of with its sharp talons and predatory teeth.
The thin track followed the curve of one of the many chalk gorges which cut through the high plains of Ilunon. Now on a rise ahead of them came a junction where a branch to the left seemed to drop over the edge. In reality this path followed a short steep switch back leading down to a mirror bridge. Across the bridge was the Enclave. It was a dreadful thing to be contemplating entry to an Enclave! Orietta tried not to think of all the horror stories she had heard about the denizens of the Enclaves and what they did to Riders. She tried not to think of what might be happening behind her to Asanka and Paramal his headstrong stallion. Instead she tried to think only of how to encourage, Cassia, her faithful mare not to run herself into the ground, soothing the horse with soft words. Now that she had realised what the alegoyle was doing she could try to counter it. If it was to be an endurance test they just might survive, provided they conserved their strength and didn't surrender to panic. Cassia had always been such a strong and patient horse and Orietta had loved her even before the Rider foal bonding ceremony made them life partners.
Yet today they might all four of them die before the Marriage Journey was complete; Asanka and Paramal, Orietta and Cassia, all just meat for an alegoyle! Despite the brave words she whispered into Cassia's ear, the young Rider wife could not hide a little broken tremble in her voice. The Enclave was still such a long way off!