Thank you, everyone who answered my question, it helped a lot!
OK, this chapter is longer, it's like 4 1/4 pages long and I had a hard time making it this long....I think this is one of the longest chapters yet...but anyways standard disclaimers apply, please review....you know the whole drill.
James DeCorte rode up the ever winding pathway to his life long friend, Darion Montehue's, home.
Upon nearing the house he saw Darion sitting on the porch with his two sons, smoking his pipe.
"Ah, good day James! To what pleasure do we owe this visit?" Darion stood in greeting to James, as did Darien and Dillon.
He let out a dejected sigh, "My old friend," James said sullenly, "I come asking a favor of you and your boys." His head hung low as if in shame, bringing worry in to Darion's eyes and voice
"Anything for you James, you know that. What is your trouble?" James hardly ever had a moment when a smile was not gracing his lips, so now when he looked so melancholy it brought worry to his heart.
"Serena ventured out yesterday; she has not yet returned." James was now on the steps of the Montehue's home, pale red hair falling in front of his distressed eyes.
"I feel that you have no reason for worry. Serena is quite the fiery spirited young woman, she can take care of herself. Though, I did say I would help you; what is it you ask of us?"
"Ilene has pleaded for me to seek after her. I, like you, believe that she will be fine. Though Ilene did bring a fact to my attention that slightly disturbs me, ever since Serena has come back from that school for girls she has not had as much....spirit....as she used to have."
Darion nodded, "We will help you. Dillon, go find Jack and have him saddle our horses and have a fresh one prepared for James. Darien, go have the cook gather us some food and drink to be put in out saddles. And you, my dear friend, come, relax until they are done. You look as if your journey was a hard and tiresome one."
James sighed again and nodded, it was two gestures he had been using frequently, "Yes, my journey was not one of ease. The frost set thickly last night, and more than once my horse lost his footing." He collapsed into a chair on the porch and buried his face into his hands. "I fear so for my daughter. She has come back to us not a week and now she is already gone again."
"I truly wish there is something I could say to relieve your distress, though I know no words that could accomplish such a great feat. All I can do is give you my word that neither my sons or I will leave your side 'till we have your daughter safely at home, where she belongs."
James looked up haggardly at Darion, "Thank you my friend, though I could not ask such of you...."
"Nonsense," Darion chided placing a comforting hand on James' shoulder, "Serena is like a daughter to Cassandra and I."
"But to ask your sons to....it would be too much...."
"Serena is a dear friend of ours," Dillon said coming up the porch from the stable, "I wouldn't dream of leaving you to search for her by yourself. Darien and I will stay with you as long as you need, it's the least we can do."
Darien stepped out onto the porch shortly before Dillon had finished speaking and stood beside his father. "Yes, it is the least we can do. We *will* find Serena."
A man with shabby brown hair and brown eyes came before the steps to the porch. "Darion, the horses are ready."
"Thank you Jack, could you please bring them to the front, I feel we should head out as soon as possible." Darion held his hand out for James to accept. James grasped his hand tightly, not only accepting the offer for help to stand but also the offer of comfort from one dear friend to another.
James attempted a cheerful smile, but only succeeded in looking even more depressed.
~~
The sky was blocked out by the thousands of naked branches that spanned through the forest. The frost had taken its deadly toll on the, once lovely, forests trees. Now and then there was the sound of a bunny scurrying to it's hole, seeking shelter from the harsh cold, or the sound of a coyote searching for scarce food or shelter. The forest was somewhere a person does not go voluntarily....it is a dangerous place, believed to be haunted by spirits, sprits of the damned, spirits of the people who died there, spirits of evils and spirits of innocents. It was said that all spirits that were confused, not knowing how to get to their after world, resided there. And for that reason many men dared not to venture into the forests of Catilla, for the few who did rarely returned.
The forests of Catilla stretched for, what seemed like, ever. No one could really tell you where the forest ended or began, for all anyone knew, the forest never ended.
~~
As the four horses traveled through the dense, dark woods Darien huddled closer to his horse. His brow was slightly wrinkled and his shoulders were lightly haunched. The cold was nipping fiercely numbing face and fingers.
As he tried to draw warmth from his massive stallion he thought about the resurfacing feelings that he was having for the girl that used to be his best friend. 'I don't know what has come over me. After all she is just a silly girl! I've had many women who older and more beautiful than her. No, I will admit that she is quite beautiful, more beautiful than any other woman that I have bedded....or laid eyes on for that matter.'
'That must be it, yes, it has to be it, I am purely attracted to her for her beauty. She is no more the witty child my brother and I played with when younger, she is now an impassive, brainless 'lady'.'
'Though she did have some wit the night she first arrived, howbeit, I have seen naught since then.'
Darien audibly sighed, he could not, for the life of him, decipher these feelings that he was having every time he was near or thought about Serena. It was not lust, he had felt lust many times and with many different women....no, it was not lust, it felt more like when he had first seen Rosemary, it had been infatuation. A fleeting infatuation, but infatuation none the less. Yes, the feeling was infatuation...a *strong* infatuation.
A voice sounding strikingly like his fathers brought him out of his thoughts.
"Darien! Boy, can you hear me?" Darion repeated, for what was about the fifth time, agitatedly.
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, I was thinking." he replied with rapt attention, not wishing to anger his father with his un-attentiveness.
"It's quite alright son," Darion assured him, "I was just wondering if you added any blankets to the supplies. I think we might have to find somewhere to camp out here, it's getting late and we are quite away from any town or home."
Darien nodded a little more at ease, "Yes, I grabbed quite a few, though I had forgotten about them 'till now. If we gather some wood we can have a fire, I brought the things to start one."
Darion smiled at his oldest son, "I'm glad one of us thought ahead, if you hadn't we might have frozen tonight. If we are lucky we can find a cave tonight that will provide us shelter from the wind and frost."
As the horses continued to trot at a steady, but not fast, pace, silence reigned over the group once more.
Darion would often look from one of his companions to the next, all three of them having different expressions on their face.
James' face held an expression of desperation. They had first rode to the church to see if Serena had stayed there the night, but Father Joseph had said that she had left the day before and he hadn't seen her since. Since then his expression had not changed, his eyes were cast down, head tilted down, and back and shoulders slumped. When he spoke his voice told of his sorrow.
Dillon held an expression of worry. His back was rigid, though his shoulders were slack, his eyes were cast straight forward, and his face was to his horses head. He rarely spoke, even when spoken to, merely a nod or shake of his head.
Now Darien, Darien had the most indifferent expression of them all. He was huddled to his horse seeking warmth, though his back was still rigid. When he could see his eyes you could tell there was great turmoil with in himself. His expressions kept changing, as if he was arguing with himself.
"It seems as if there are eyes upon us," Dillon murmured, shocking all who noticed his silence.
"Yes, I have had that feeling for some time, too," James replied just as Dillon had. "Though I would hate to believe in those silly wives tales of the spirits that live in these woods, I am getting the feeling that they are not just wives tales." His shoulders shook with a suppressed shudder.
Darien jerked up, he had just received the strangest feeling. Looking sharply over his left shoulder he saw nothing but trees, though for some strange reason he reeled his horse to an abrupt stop, jumped off and walked away from the group, as if looking for something
"Darien! What in the Good Lord's name are you doing!?!" Dillon shouted startled.
"I-I....I think I saw something...possibly," his voice was full of doubt and uncertainty, and his eyes were scanning for anything, anything at all that could have grabbed his attention.
The other three men had reined their horses and drew them back to where Darien had stopped. They were looking at him worriedly. "Darien, are you feeling healthy?" James asked fatherly, "Is the cold getting to you? You might want to wrap one of the blankets around you, you're shivering."
"No...I'm fine...I just...I saw, no, I *sensed* something." His eyes were still scanning the area when he found it. He could hardly see it in the dimming light, but it was there, he could see the outline.
Darien breathed a sigh of relief, "A cabin."
OK, this chapter is longer, it's like 4 1/4 pages long and I had a hard time making it this long....I think this is one of the longest chapters yet...but anyways standard disclaimers apply, please review....you know the whole drill.
James DeCorte rode up the ever winding pathway to his life long friend, Darion Montehue's, home.
Upon nearing the house he saw Darion sitting on the porch with his two sons, smoking his pipe.
"Ah, good day James! To what pleasure do we owe this visit?" Darion stood in greeting to James, as did Darien and Dillon.
He let out a dejected sigh, "My old friend," James said sullenly, "I come asking a favor of you and your boys." His head hung low as if in shame, bringing worry in to Darion's eyes and voice
"Anything for you James, you know that. What is your trouble?" James hardly ever had a moment when a smile was not gracing his lips, so now when he looked so melancholy it brought worry to his heart.
"Serena ventured out yesterday; she has not yet returned." James was now on the steps of the Montehue's home, pale red hair falling in front of his distressed eyes.
"I feel that you have no reason for worry. Serena is quite the fiery spirited young woman, she can take care of herself. Though, I did say I would help you; what is it you ask of us?"
"Ilene has pleaded for me to seek after her. I, like you, believe that she will be fine. Though Ilene did bring a fact to my attention that slightly disturbs me, ever since Serena has come back from that school for girls she has not had as much....spirit....as she used to have."
Darion nodded, "We will help you. Dillon, go find Jack and have him saddle our horses and have a fresh one prepared for James. Darien, go have the cook gather us some food and drink to be put in out saddles. And you, my dear friend, come, relax until they are done. You look as if your journey was a hard and tiresome one."
James sighed again and nodded, it was two gestures he had been using frequently, "Yes, my journey was not one of ease. The frost set thickly last night, and more than once my horse lost his footing." He collapsed into a chair on the porch and buried his face into his hands. "I fear so for my daughter. She has come back to us not a week and now she is already gone again."
"I truly wish there is something I could say to relieve your distress, though I know no words that could accomplish such a great feat. All I can do is give you my word that neither my sons or I will leave your side 'till we have your daughter safely at home, where she belongs."
James looked up haggardly at Darion, "Thank you my friend, though I could not ask such of you...."
"Nonsense," Darion chided placing a comforting hand on James' shoulder, "Serena is like a daughter to Cassandra and I."
"But to ask your sons to....it would be too much...."
"Serena is a dear friend of ours," Dillon said coming up the porch from the stable, "I wouldn't dream of leaving you to search for her by yourself. Darien and I will stay with you as long as you need, it's the least we can do."
Darien stepped out onto the porch shortly before Dillon had finished speaking and stood beside his father. "Yes, it is the least we can do. We *will* find Serena."
A man with shabby brown hair and brown eyes came before the steps to the porch. "Darion, the horses are ready."
"Thank you Jack, could you please bring them to the front, I feel we should head out as soon as possible." Darion held his hand out for James to accept. James grasped his hand tightly, not only accepting the offer for help to stand but also the offer of comfort from one dear friend to another.
James attempted a cheerful smile, but only succeeded in looking even more depressed.
~~
The sky was blocked out by the thousands of naked branches that spanned through the forest. The frost had taken its deadly toll on the, once lovely, forests trees. Now and then there was the sound of a bunny scurrying to it's hole, seeking shelter from the harsh cold, or the sound of a coyote searching for scarce food or shelter. The forest was somewhere a person does not go voluntarily....it is a dangerous place, believed to be haunted by spirits, sprits of the damned, spirits of the people who died there, spirits of evils and spirits of innocents. It was said that all spirits that were confused, not knowing how to get to their after world, resided there. And for that reason many men dared not to venture into the forests of Catilla, for the few who did rarely returned.
The forests of Catilla stretched for, what seemed like, ever. No one could really tell you where the forest ended or began, for all anyone knew, the forest never ended.
~~
As the four horses traveled through the dense, dark woods Darien huddled closer to his horse. His brow was slightly wrinkled and his shoulders were lightly haunched. The cold was nipping fiercely numbing face and fingers.
As he tried to draw warmth from his massive stallion he thought about the resurfacing feelings that he was having for the girl that used to be his best friend. 'I don't know what has come over me. After all she is just a silly girl! I've had many women who older and more beautiful than her. No, I will admit that she is quite beautiful, more beautiful than any other woman that I have bedded....or laid eyes on for that matter.'
'That must be it, yes, it has to be it, I am purely attracted to her for her beauty. She is no more the witty child my brother and I played with when younger, she is now an impassive, brainless 'lady'.'
'Though she did have some wit the night she first arrived, howbeit, I have seen naught since then.'
Darien audibly sighed, he could not, for the life of him, decipher these feelings that he was having every time he was near or thought about Serena. It was not lust, he had felt lust many times and with many different women....no, it was not lust, it felt more like when he had first seen Rosemary, it had been infatuation. A fleeting infatuation, but infatuation none the less. Yes, the feeling was infatuation...a *strong* infatuation.
A voice sounding strikingly like his fathers brought him out of his thoughts.
"Darien! Boy, can you hear me?" Darion repeated, for what was about the fifth time, agitatedly.
"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, I was thinking." he replied with rapt attention, not wishing to anger his father with his un-attentiveness.
"It's quite alright son," Darion assured him, "I was just wondering if you added any blankets to the supplies. I think we might have to find somewhere to camp out here, it's getting late and we are quite away from any town or home."
Darien nodded a little more at ease, "Yes, I grabbed quite a few, though I had forgotten about them 'till now. If we gather some wood we can have a fire, I brought the things to start one."
Darion smiled at his oldest son, "I'm glad one of us thought ahead, if you hadn't we might have frozen tonight. If we are lucky we can find a cave tonight that will provide us shelter from the wind and frost."
As the horses continued to trot at a steady, but not fast, pace, silence reigned over the group once more.
Darion would often look from one of his companions to the next, all three of them having different expressions on their face.
James' face held an expression of desperation. They had first rode to the church to see if Serena had stayed there the night, but Father Joseph had said that she had left the day before and he hadn't seen her since. Since then his expression had not changed, his eyes were cast down, head tilted down, and back and shoulders slumped. When he spoke his voice told of his sorrow.
Dillon held an expression of worry. His back was rigid, though his shoulders were slack, his eyes were cast straight forward, and his face was to his horses head. He rarely spoke, even when spoken to, merely a nod or shake of his head.
Now Darien, Darien had the most indifferent expression of them all. He was huddled to his horse seeking warmth, though his back was still rigid. When he could see his eyes you could tell there was great turmoil with in himself. His expressions kept changing, as if he was arguing with himself.
"It seems as if there are eyes upon us," Dillon murmured, shocking all who noticed his silence.
"Yes, I have had that feeling for some time, too," James replied just as Dillon had. "Though I would hate to believe in those silly wives tales of the spirits that live in these woods, I am getting the feeling that they are not just wives tales." His shoulders shook with a suppressed shudder.
Darien jerked up, he had just received the strangest feeling. Looking sharply over his left shoulder he saw nothing but trees, though for some strange reason he reeled his horse to an abrupt stop, jumped off and walked away from the group, as if looking for something
"Darien! What in the Good Lord's name are you doing!?!" Dillon shouted startled.
"I-I....I think I saw something...possibly," his voice was full of doubt and uncertainty, and his eyes were scanning for anything, anything at all that could have grabbed his attention.
The other three men had reined their horses and drew them back to where Darien had stopped. They were looking at him worriedly. "Darien, are you feeling healthy?" James asked fatherly, "Is the cold getting to you? You might want to wrap one of the blankets around you, you're shivering."
"No...I'm fine...I just...I saw, no, I *sensed* something." His eyes were still scanning the area when he found it. He could hardly see it in the dimming light, but it was there, he could see the outline.
Darien breathed a sigh of relief, "A cabin."