Free Call of the Herald by Brian Rathbone Page B

on most days. Catrin held Charger's head as Benjin and
her father slid the shafts of the wagon through the loops on the
harness. While they secured the breast-collar to the shafts, the
power of her will began to fade; tears streamed down her cheeks,
and her lip quivered noticeably. She hoped the men would simply
climb into the wagon and leave without the need for her to speak,
but she doubted it, and she chastised herself for showing such
weakness. Staying to mind the farm was not so terrible.
    "She's all hooked up," her father said as he
climbed into the wagon's passenger seat beside Benjin, leaving room
for another. "Get the barn door closed and check the gates. We need
to get going."
    Catrin wiped her tears and ran to the barn, a
smile forming on her face. Perhaps it was the fog. Perhaps her
father figured no one would see her through the mist, but she did
not care. Not only did he plan to let her go, the driver's seat was
still vacant, and Catrin eyed it unsurely.
    "Are you going to drive us there or not?" her
father asked, his grin like a ray of sunshine.
    "Yes, sir," she said as she climbed up. He
handed her the lines, and Catrin smacked Charger lightly on the
rump with them while making a clucking noise with her tongue.
Charger knew her business and moved out at a moderate pace. In the
mist, Catrin had to use landmarks to guide her around obstacles,
but she knew the path well and had little trouble steering Charger
along a clear path where she was not likely to trip.
    When they reached the place where the
Harborton trail met the upland trail, she turned Charger slowly and
deliberately. The upland trail was narrow, and Catrin had never
driven a wagon on it before. Parts of the trail were treacherous,
and there were places she was hesitant to even ride Salty; driving
the wagon was much more challenging.
    "Move a little to the right," her father
said. "There's an old tree stump on the bend, and you don't want to
hit it with the wheels."
    Charger never faltered and, in truth, knew
the way better than any of them. There were times that she
corrected the path for Catrin before her father or Benjin could
even warn her of an upcoming obstacle. When they reached Viewline
Pass, her father asked her to stop. Catrin pulled back on the lines
until Charger stopped then maintained moderate tension on the lines
to keep her stopped. Charger was not accustomed to stopping here,
and she fidgeted constantly.
    When she turned to her father, Catrin's gaze
passed over the view that gave the pass its name. Below her,
looking like an elaborate child's toy from the heights, was her
homeland. The fog continued to blanket the land, making it look
like an ocean of white with emerald islands, sailed by buildings
that floated like ships. The illusion was difficult to break, but
her father demanded her attention.
    "When driving through the pass, you must be
extra careful. Rocks often fall here, and we have no way to know if
there is anything beneath this fog that could injure Charger. You
must hold the lines with confidence and authority here. Charger
fears the rocks and formations that will flank her through the
pass, and she often jumps sideways for reasons only she knows. Let
her know that you are in control, and she will follow you instead
of her fear. Understand?"
    "Yes, sir."
    "You can do this, li'l miss," Benjin added.
"You just have to know you can do it."
    With a strange mixture of pride and
trepidation, Catrin urged Charger slowly forward. Small rocks
caught under the wagon wheels, but Charger showed her worth and
pulled the wagon over the obstacles. It made for a bumpy ride, but
there was little to be done about it. As Charger reached the place
where rocky peaks flanked her, her ears began to flip forward and
back, and when she turned her head, Catrin could see the whites
around her eyes.
    "Make her follow you. Let her know you're in
control."
    Her father's words bolstered her confidence,
and she held the lines firmly but without fear.