:: http://www.geocities.com/dragynmistress :: :: By Kym Carhart :: ---------------------------------------------- Vinca - Chapter 04 The little foal galloped as fast as she could away from the creatures, until her twig legs burned and her cloven hooves could beat no more. And so she collapsed on the ground, once more out of breath, with the flour sack a few feet away. "Hey! Hey! Let me out of here!" yelped the pup in the flour bed. "Let me out, or I'll suffocate!" "Okay, okay," Vinca gave in. She slowly rose on her twiggy legs and walked over and opened the bag. Out of the back wobbled the pudgy wolf pup, dizzy from the riding in a sack. "Hey, why did ya do that? You'd suffer a fate worse than death if those cave demons had caught you," asked the wolf. "Well, wouldn't you too? They're sending you to a nasty bunch of wizards!" Vinca cried. "Oh that, no, human's don't kill us wolves. They need us. Need us to hunt magical creatures like you down," said the wolf. Vinca stepped away. "Hey don't freak, I won't hurt you, since I'm in your debt. Humans don't treat us well, I'd rather not be captured." "Where's your mother? Why didn't she save you?" Vinca asked. "Oh, she was taken, along with my brothers and sisters and father. Where's your mum?" "She was captured, by the pink gorillas, I think." "The pink gorillas? Oh, you mean the humans." The wolf said his voice fading. "Humans, you mean? No! That can't be! What will they do to her, her and my clan?" Vinca cried in despair. "Um, let's go find something to eat, shall we?" "Hey! You didn't answer my question!" "Oh, come on. You really don't want to know, especially before you eat," the wolf said. "Is it really that bad? Will they. kill them?" Vinca asked. "Nah, they still have time. The Harvest of Horns only occurs once a ten winters." "What's the Harvest of Horns?" Vinca questioned. "It's where the wizards perform some ceremony and cut open the unicorns and take their blood and heart and boil it in a giant caldron. Then they take the horns of the unicorns and place them in circle and sing chants. The stuff in the caldron is given to a king or some guy like that. It gives them power. Tons of it. Hey, I don't know your name! I'm Sterling." "It's Vinca, so do you think we could save them, my clan? When's the next Harvest of Horns?" "Are you sure you want to get yourself wrapped into this? I mean, what if they capture you too. Then that would be the end your line. And when does the Harvest of Horns end? I dunno, but I know someone who does," Sterling replied. "Alright then, let's go!" yelled Vinca. "Hey, hold your hooves. Gladyc doesn't like visitors during the day. She's a night witch." "A witch?" Vinca said in her breath. "Besides I 'm hungry, and I ain't going anywhere until I eat," said Sterling. "A witch," Vinca whispered.