Free Lovers in the Woods by Ann Raina Page A

twice a day, the city can
become really, really boring.”
    “Most people run to the police if threatened.
You ran away. Why?”
    “I’m not most people.”
    Ray held his stare. “You made yourself
suspicious. You know that.”
    “Maybe.”
    “You did. And everyone jumped on it.”
    He took a deep breath.
    “To be honest, I didn’t trust the police to
handle these people. And who knows if you can trust the police at
all?”
    “Yes, I know about the reputation of some
officers. Still, how did you know?”
    “ Memo?” Sajitar smiled broadly when she
grimaced. He put some pressure on Tessla’s flanks and the mare fell
into a trot. “Come on, Ray, there’s a lot of ground to cover and
you don’t want to lose my tracks, do you?”
     
    “ Why don’t we go over there, Saji? The path
looks much easier. Considering that it’s the first path I’ve seen
in these damned woods, anyway.”
    Rayenne pulled weeds and sticks out of her
hair that she had collected during the ride until early afternoon.
If possible, the woods became denser with every half mile they
crossed, and she longed for a wide open path that would allow her
to sit straight in her saddle and not huddle over the withers all
the time to avoid being pushed off. Her back ached and she flinched
as she straightened up. Her gelding followed the soft pull and
moved toward the open space, snorting happily at the warmth of the
sun-splashed place. There was little grass to feed upon and he
seemed to smell some fodder on the other side.
    “A path?” Sajitar stopped Tessla and turned
in the saddle, grimacing at the sharp pain in his side. “There is
no path. Wait!” He turned his B-horse one-handed. “Wait! No!”
    Rayenne had reached the rim of the sandy
ground and smiled at the sun she had not seen for two long days.
The sunrays felt wonderful on her face and she willingly ignored
Sajitar’s cries as her B-horse moved on.
    Suddenly, Bunty’s foreparts sank into the
soft ground. He tried to rear and sit on his hind-quarters, shaking
his head.
    “Get off!” Sajitar shouted.
    Rayenne complied quickly, keeping the reins
and watching the hooves sink deeper.
    “What’s happening?”
    “ That’s no sand!” Sajitar was beside her to
wind a long rope in sling around Bunty’s neck. “Help pull!
Quick!”
    Rayenne put her heels in the ground for a
better stand and pulled. Sajitar urged Tessla backwards. Still,
Bunty’s two hooves were embedded in the sand up to the first
joint.
    “What the hell is that?”
    “It’s alive!”
    “What?”
    “A beast. The whole place…just one single
beast!”
    “ I’ll be damned!” She pulled the harder,
imagining Bunty being eaten alive from the hooves up. “Come on,
Bunty, get a grip!”
    The gelding’s hind muscles tensed as he
tried to help himself, whinnying pitifully. Tessla snorted as she
retreated to a trunk, where Sajitar wound the rope around to have a
steadier position. Together they developed enough strength to pull
Bunty free. The gelding’s hooves suddenly popped out of the beast’s
tight grip. Rayenne sat on her behind, panting, but happy. From her
place she inspected her fidgeting mount, still with the image of
her B-horse becoming a monster’s snack. There were runnels in the
hard hooves that made her shiver.
    “I can’t say if he’s hurt. He truly moves
like it.”
    Sajitar was beside her to calm down the
B-horse and help her up with his free hand.
    “What about you?”
    “I’m okay. Hold
him for a moment. I have to check.” She caressed the gelding’s neck
until he lowered his head against her shoulder, puffing out air.
“Good boy, you are really tough when it comes to it.” Gently, she
felt along his right leg and lifted the hoof. “The monster nibbled
at him, but there’s no blood. I suppose it’ll mend with the growth
of the hoof.”
    “Good.”
    She took the reins and smiled ruefully.
Her heartbeat was still racing. “Two more steps and we’d be done
for.” She stood on