Free Viper's Creed (The Cat's Eye Chronicles) by T. L. Shreffler Page A

enough to be clearly visible. There were six of them, and she could have almost made out their faces, if not for their hoods and cloaks. They reminded her of Crash on the night he had kidnapped her—lethal. Definitely Ravens.
    “Follow me, and don't slow down!” Sora hissed, and she turned her little mare into the trees. There was no easy way to pass through, so she made her own trail, diving into the brush. As far as she could tell, Laina followed. They rode somewhere between a trot and a canter, taking the route of least resistance, the shadows deepening on every side. She hoped that the coming night would dissuade the riders—that the bandits would give up and wait until morning. But they were so close now, she doubted they would stop.
    "This was a bad idea; they'll catch us for sure!” Laina gasped from somewhere behind her. “I can't even see where we're going!”
    Sora ignored the girl's complaints, an irritated frown crossing her face. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead already.
    “You know, I don’t think we should have left the fields," Laina called. “The horses could hurt themselves in the woods, and we don't stand a chance on foot! Are you listening, Sora? More Ravens could be hiding out here waiting for us! This might all be part of their plan!” Her voice cut off. Sora couldn’t help but sigh in relief. She glanced back to see that Laina had ridden smack into a low- hanging tree branch and was rubbing her forehead.
    “Keep quiet,” Sora said, “or they'll hear you for sure!” She actually didn't know if this was true, but at least it would shut the girl up until she could think of a better plan.
    They moved deeper into the woods, Laina now silent and sulky behind her. Every now and then, the girl would grunt or mutter, complaining about her horse and the thick bushes, but Sora ignored her. She was too busy looking forward, trying to listen for any trace of pursuit. Maybe rushing into a dark forest was a bit hasty, she thought, catching a spiderweb in the face. She brushed it off, trying not to scream, running her hand desperately through her hair. But where else can we go? She didn't hear anything behind them, but then again, the forest was alive with sound: nighttime bird calls, crickets, squirrels in the trees, deer in the brush. The two horses made a lot of noise, too. How was she supposed to tell if they were being followed?
    Half an hour passed and Sora began to relax. Surely the bandits would have caught up with them by now... maybe they had given up. The brush was nigh impassible, after all. We'll just have to keep moving. She blinked, already feeling weariness settle on her shoulders. Darkness had fallen, and, besides the occasional glimpse of the moon, everything was black.
    They passed a rather thick clump of poplar trees, and Sora's horse suddenly tossed its head, raising its nose to sniff the air. It continued to turn its head, looking around the trees. An uneasy feeling entered Sora's stomach, and tiny hairs stood up on the back of her neck. She could feel her steed growing tense beneath her, the muscles bunching in its shoulders and haunches. Not good signs. She thought of Laina's words, that perhaps more Ravens had circled around them and were already waiting in the forest. She had the sudden, terrible sensation of being watched, though she couldn't tell if it was just anxiety. They could be surrounded right now; she had no way of knowing.
    The two travelers entered a small clearing. They came upon it without warning, the brush opening on all sides, revealing a hard stretch of dirt and wet leaves. The half-moon shone down upon them, casting a silver glow, and Sora's horse came to a sudden halt. It put one hoof forward. Paused. Backed up a step. Laina's horse stopped behind them, still obscured by the trees.
    Sora's first thought was of Laina's safety. The girl was incapable of fighting and hadn't even attempted to play with the blades she'd been given. Knives were useless if you