Ch 5 A Cry in the Morning

A surprise in morning

A child to find

Not what he's expecting

But doesn't mind........

Rannel woke with a sense of peace, not unusual but it lasted longer, even with the usual realization, of Graella's and Merren's death. He looked out the caves entrance, the rain was done and the sun had broken out, burning the last remnant of cloud from the sky. He squinted in the bright sunlight before turning back to his horse and gear. He broke his fast as he packed taking a bite of jerky or fruit in between tasks.

Once starting he went slowly, letting his horse graze as they went, he needed to conserve his grain. It was too far from the nearest town for him not to take precautions. Great he thought to himself as they came around the hill, there had been a mud slide from higher up and the way was blocked with the mud and debris.

:Help: a faint voice cried.

Rannel frowned "What" he called.

:Help me: the voice was louder as if whoever it was had heard him.

He dismounted and tied his horse to a piece of scrub brush. "Where are you" he called out.

:I'm here: he heard, Rannel frowned, he wasn't hearing this with his ears, it was more like the voices he heard in towns, but louder, more directed.

He pulled out a rope from his packs and tied it to his horse. Once he tested the knot he tied the other end to his waist, the mud looked treacherous. He picked his way in slipping occasionally, once sinking to his waist in the muck, finally he came to where he felt the fear that came with the voice was originating, he felt carefully pulling out handfuls of muck and branches. One memorable bit of debris was a dead rabbit, throwing it to the side he stuck his hands back in the mud, there he felt something move under his hand and pulled.

:Ouch: the voice said, louder than he had yet heard it.

"Sorry" he said pulling the branch whoever it was had become caught in, then he pulled again. The mud was stubborn and it took all his strength to pull him, he felt it was a him from the muck. Finally they came to the edge and out.

Rannel sat gasping from his effort before looking to see who he had rescued. What he thought to himself, whatever it was it wasn't human and he thought of the stories he had heard of the strange creatures that sometimes wandered from the forests to the East, but then it unfolded and he could tell what it was under the mud covering it. "A Horse" he exclaimed, or foal rather.

:I'm not a Horse: he heard from the beast.

"Then what are you" he asked.

:I'm a Companion: it said looking at him, irritation in it's voice.

Blue' it's eyes were blue he thought.

:I'm not an it, my names Mikel: he said, irritation growing.

"My pardon" he said bowing slightly from his seated position. "You must forgive me, I've never met a Companion before".

:It's alright, I guess: he said, mollified.

Rannel smiled, Mikel reminded him of his own son, and for once the thought didn't give him more than a dull pain.

"Where did you come from" he asked Mikel.

:I was going home with mama and Remi" he said, he looked at Rannel again. "I'm hungry" he said.

Rannel laughed "Let's get cleaned up and set up a camp first, I can make something for you to eat, you are weaned aren't you" he asked.

:Almost: Mikel said following Rannel to his horse.

At camp Rannel started a fire and pulled out the metal pot he used when on the road, he filled it with water from a nearby stream and threw in grain and fruit from his packs to make a gruel, once they found a town or farm he would have to buy a milk goat or mare with foal for Mikel, if he stayed with him that long. "Come" he said to Mikel, he walked with him to the stream and washed them both down. "You're white" he said, surprised as the mud washed off the colts sides.

:Companion's are always white: Mikel said.

"Really" Rannel said absently, scrubbing mud out of his hide.

:That's what mama says: he said.

"Where is your mama anyway" he asked looking at the colt.

:Don't know: Mikel said.

"Where do you come from" he asked, if he knew he might be able to return Mikel to his people.

:Haven: he said.

"Haven" Rannel murmered thinking. "Oh, Valdemar's crown city" he said. Now with that information, he remembered the white riders called Heralds that came from Valdemar, he had even seen one once when he was visiting his father.

:I think so: Mikel thought.

They were as clean as he could make them in this stream, picking up his clothes, Rannel guestured for Mikel to follow and walked back to camp. When the greul had cooled enough he filled a bowl for Mikel and watched while he ate.

"Listen" he said softly. "I can take you to Haven, but it will have to be next spring, the pass will be closed soon and really it's too dangerous for someone as young as you are to try it this time of year, would you like to come to my home until then" he asked, hoping the colt understood enough of what he was saying.

:Alright: Mikel said, nodding over his gruel, Rannel grabbed his chin in time to keep from falling into the bowl as the exhausted colt drifted off to sleep. He sighed, it would take longer to return to Gedrun and he hoped he wouldn't worry much in the meantime.

Over the next few weeks Rannel had made surprisingly good time, he had taken the time to pick up a milk goat and he rigged up a harness for his horse to hold Mikel when he tired, he would be walking himself, but they didn't have to stop for Mikel, when he tired.

About two weeks into his journey he came upon a caravan going in the same direction, they knew him and were glad for him to join. They would be getting an extra sword in exchange for lending him space on a wagon for Mikel as needed.

Finally he came to the road that turned into his farm, he looked at Mikel walking beside his horse, he could swear the colt was growing larger every day. :Mikel, this is home: he thought to him, he had learned to talk this way over the weeks and it saved him from the looks and added reputation that talking to a horse would have earned him.

:I'm not a horse: Mikel said.

:They don't know that, some of them have never heard of your kind: he said with a sigh, Mikel had a very thin skin about that subject.

He heard the dogs barking before they came within sight of the house, a much more welcoming sound than he had heard two years ago.

:What happened then: Mikel asked.

Rannel frowned :It's rude to snoop in someone's thoughts: he said to Mikel.

:Sorry: he said. : I'm not actually supposed to talk to anyone but my chosen: he added.

:Chosen, what's that: Rannel asked.

:I'm not sure, that's just what mama always told me, she said I would know when it's time to choose:

:Well, I think you'll need to talk to me, you can stop after I get you back to your people, but for now it's necessary: he sent.

:I'd always talk to you, you're my friend: he said.

"Rannel, what happened. You dropped off the face of the earth" his brother said.

"I had a detour, first as a favor to the Trader and then I found Mikel here" he said.

Gedrun looked at Mikel and shook his head "A horse, nice lines I'll admit, but why didn't you just drop him off at some farm, instead of delaying" he asked.

"He's not a horse, You remember the Herald's from Valdemar that passed through about a year ago" he asked.

Gedrun nodded. And he said "Remember the white beasts they were riding".

"Yes" Gedrun said.

"That's what Mikel is, all I can tell you is that they aren't really horses" he said.

"How did you get one of those"Gedrun asked.

"I found him in a mudslide, I'm guessing the Herald thought he was dead. I'm returning him back to Haven in the spring" he said.

"You're staying here until then" Gedrun said with a hopeful note in his voice.

Rannel nodded "Yes, I think so".

Gedrun smiled, this would be the longest Rannel had stayed at the farm since he had found his family dead, two years ago.