Chapter Two: Fright and Flight
Bandera gave a snort as he picked up on Lefa's apprehension as the last of the fall sunlight faded and died. The temperature dropped along with the sun and the girl shivered.
What had started, as a thin mist rolling out over the road had now become a fog that was quickly thickening. Bandera suddenly gave an alarmed snort and broke into a swift trot. Lefa was just about to pull him back to a walk when she heard what had spooked him. A long howl rose from the foggy depths of the forest behind them and it was swiftly answered by other cries all around and even some that seemed to be on the road up ahead. Wolves! On the hunt no less and Lefa and Bandera where their idea of dinner! She kicked the horse into a canter as more howls echoed from behind them. They were closer! Suddenly Bandera slid to a halt and Lefa turned to see the problem.
Standing in the middle of the road was a monstrous wolf. Its fur tipped silver by the light of the rising moon. Pearly white dagger like teeth glinted as they were bared in a snarl. Bandera backed up a couple of steps only to be greeted by more snarls. Lefa turned in the saddle. Three more wolves, smaller than the first but still of good size stood blocking them from going back the way they had come. Still more wolves came slinking out from the woods, eyes glowing in the darkness.
Suddenly one lunged Bandera struck out his rear hooves and they connected with the beast's jaw, which broke with a sickening crack. Lefa kicked Bandera into a gallop and the two dove down into the woods on the left. The pack leader howled and they gave chase. Branches wiped out at Lefa and one cut a deep gash across her cheek still they plunged on down the hillside and on through the skeletal trees wolves howling all around them. They suddenly broke through the trees and out onto a stretch of open ground wrapped in thick fog tinged silver with moonlight. Lefa dared a glance behind her; the wolves had fallen back and began to stop! They had escaped! As she turned back to face forward she saw why they'd stopped. The ground in front of them dropped off sharply. Lefa desperately hauled back on the reigns and Bandera dug his hooves in trying to stop but to late. Horse and rider plunged over the edge and were swallowed by the fog never to be seen by any living soul again.