The Stolen Herd Read online

  “That is all for now, Daleth,” said Minegard. “You may leave the circle.”

  Daleth trotted back to where Mandamus and Mareva waited.

  “I now call to the Circle, Marushka, Queen of the Mares of Diomedes. Marushka, you may now approach the Circle.”

  It was clearly the moment the queen had been waiting for and she stomped to the middle of the Circle, smiling smugly at the smaller animals who cowered as she went past.

  “Queen Marushka, you have charged this young horse with spying, attempting to rob you of one of your daughters and addressing a member of your herd without your permission. Is that the truth?”

  “It is, wise Minegard. I found this young troublemaker trying to lure my youngest daughter away with him and do you want to hear the worst part?” she asked dramatically. “She is not even of age yet!” The audience gasped and began to babble.

  “Quiet down,” Minegard shouted. “Creatures, this trial is meant to get to the bottom of this matter. It is not meant to be used as entertainment. I will have silence throughout the rest of these proceedings and anyone speaking out of turn will be charged with contempt. That means fines paid out of winter stores. I will not tell you all again!” He glared angrily around until the last animal hushed.

  “Queen Marushka,” he continued, still scowling at the surrounding creatures. “You say that he was trying to lure her away. What exactly was he doing?”

  “Well,” the queen replied, licking her lips, “he was in the middle of a great big story about being lost when I found them. I can only imagine what he would have done had I not shown up in time, what other lies he would have told her.”

  “But did you actually hear him asking the princess to leave with him?” asked Minegard with a bewildered look.

  “No, I got there just in time, before he’d begun. We were dealing with the matter on our own when we were rudely interrupted by his aunt, the human warhorse, Daleth.”

  “What did Daleth do?”

  “Why, she threatened me!” Marushka cried. She stared around at the crowd with wide, frightened eyes. “Such an intimidating creature. How am I to know what she is capable of after having lived with humans the way she did? After she murdered her own human Bond? I was in fear for my safety and for my daughters.”

  Daleth laughed.

  “I see,” Minegard answered, shooting Daleth a hushing look.

  “Oh, yes,” Marushka went on, warming up to her story. “She accused me of abusing her young, then threatened to kill me and my daughters. However, wise, all-knowing, Minegard, I am a forgiving mare,” Marushka said. “And I am gracious. I don’t want to see the human slave horse punished, no, sir. I would be happy with just one thing.”

  Daleth let out a loud snort.

  “I believe I have come up with a solution to this unfortunate problem,” Marushka continued, her voice filled with magnanimity. “I think that we should arrange a marriage between the Alsvid, I mean the Harena male, and my daughter, Albethia. Unite,” she declared dramatically turning to address the watching crowd, “is the only thing us animals can do, in these trying times, what with animals being taken from the forest daily.”

  Everyone stared at her, mouths agape.

  “Expand our herds,” Marushka said. “With more numbers, we are stronger.” She shot Mareva a shrewd glance. “If you allow my daughter, Albethia, to be engaged to Mandamus, I would be more than willing to overlook his and your sister’s other indiscretions.”

  “Yes, well, thank you, Queen Marushka,” said Minegard above the whispers that filled the air. “You may step down.”

  She gave him a fearsome grin then sashayed back to her daughters.

  “Now,” Minegard continued, “I call to the Circle, Albethia, Princess of the Mares of Diomedes. Albethia, please come up here.” Minegard gave the young mare a kind smile.

  Albethia stepped softly down the path to the centre of the Grass Circle. She stopped in front of Minegard and lowered her head under his stern gaze. Everyone hushed.

  “Princess, have you met this male horse standing before you?” Minegard asked.

  Albethia cut a glance at Mandamus and skittered her eyes up to meet Minegard’s stare.

  “Yes, your Ruler, I have,” she whispered. “I met him in the Deep Forest three days ago. He was wandering alone, and I had taken a break from swimming to see if I could find some marshmallow leaf. It’s my favourite.”

  “Albethia,” Inc cut in, “is it true that this horse attempted to entice you into running away? Did he ask you to leave with him?”

  The air was still as all the animals leaned in closely. Marushka watched her daughter through narrowed eyes. Albethia’s gaze stuttered to her mother’s face then down again.

  “Not exactly,” she whispered. “I saw him standing there in the forest and, well, truthfully – I didn’t even think about laws of my herd before I spoke to him. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I thought the Alsvid had all been taken by the humans.”

  The din was thunderous.

  “Quiet!” Minegard hollered, stomping his hoof. “Child, look at me.”

  Albethia raised her head.

  “Do you mean to tell me that you broke your own law and talked to a male horse who was not even invited to see you?”

  She nodded miserably, and the watching animals burst into chitters, chatter and chirps.

  “She talked first!” Mandamus heard a weasel squeal.

  Minegard stomped his hoof and yelled for order a few more times before everyone quieted down. To Mandamus’ surprise, he motioned at the green butterfly who flitted over to the horse and rested on his shoulder as he and the rest of the council members stood in a small circle talking quietly.

  Mandamus turned his ears towards them, but he couldn’t make out a word of what they were saying. The watching creatures became fidgety and the whispers and croaks soon grew louder until they filled the forest.

  The council returned and sat back down in the middle of the circle in a row and the butterfly fluttered back up to his leaf and whispered something into the bat’s ear.

  Barcus gave his coat a good shake then raised himself on his hind legs. He towered over them all. “We have reached a decision,” he shouted. The forest went silent and anticipation hung in the air.

  “Mandamus of the Harena,” Barcus began, peering down at him, “on the charge of trying to steal a Diomedes mare, we find you,” he paused and Mandamus’ broke into a sweat, “innocent.” The crowd roared. Mandamus sank with relief.

  “Yes!” yelled Daleth with a triumphant buck. Mareva stood motionless, her eyes fixed on the council.

  “On the charge of spying,” Barcus said, “we also find you innocent.” Mandamus’ heart soared. Everything was going to be alright. He gave a victorious whinny that was drowned out by the surrounding cries, the loudest of all being Daleth’s.

  “Two down and one to go,” she shouted joyfully, turning to Mareva, who did not cheer but stared at Barcus warily.

  “On the charge of consorting with a female member of the Mares of Diomedes, without the permission of their queen, we find you… guilty.” The audience gasped. Mandamus, who had just been about to rear in joy, froze. Guilty?

  “What?” Daleth bellowed.

  “Quiet!” Mareva hissed.

  “Esteemed council,” Marushka, who had remained silent through the pronouncement, snarled, “what is the meaning of this? Only the one charge? You’re just going to ignore the rest?”

  “We only lay charges if we have evidence, Marushka,” said Minegard giving her a deep frown. “But, we have heard nothing of what you claim, your daughter denies him making any advances, and that beaver said he saw him flee into the forest after being frightened It seems quite clear that when you discovered him, this young horse wasn’t trying to do anything other than find his way home.”

  “What about th
e charge for talking to a Diomedes mare uninvited?” asked Mareva quietly. “What is his punishment for that?”

  “Well,” said Minegard, glancing down the line of council members who all nodded encouragingly, “we think we have an idea.”

  “Go on,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

  “Mandamus,” Barcus said, coming over and sitting beside him, “your herd, the Alsvid, were captured by the Rakhana Army. It was a terrible seizure. Violent. Your birth mother she, well, she—” his face was pained. “She was killed,” he finished, his voice breaking.

  Mandamus’ blood turned cold.

  “Everyone who knew about you was made to swear they wouldn’t tell anyone about how you escaped,” Minegard cut in. “We feared the Rakhana would come back for you if they found out. They came anyway. Not only has your herd disappeared but many other animals have gone missing. Wolverines and caterpillars. Owls and snakes. The Amarok wolf pack is gone, and I haven’t seen a pine marten in months.”

  The audience made murmurs of agreement. All of them had friends and family who had suddenly vanished.

  “All kinds of animals have disappeared,” Inc agreed. “We are certain they’re being taken east to the Silver City, under the orders of the human Queen Asura, just as your herd was.”

  “How dreadful,” Mandamus heard a group of deer behind him whisper.

  “If they’ve been taken by that human queen, they’re all goners, that’s for sure,” the large buck said. His gentle-eyed doe nodded solemnly.

  “The Rakhana seem undefeatable,” Baz declared, clacking his beak. “We must be strong. We have to protect ourselves and put a stop to these soldiers who come in anytime they feel like it and take whoever they please.” He stretched his wings and fanned them furiously.

  “What we need,” Barcus took over, “is for someone to find out how we can defeat the Rakhana and stop the terror from the Silver City. If we can do that, we can save our brothers and sisters. Save our friends. There is only one way we can truly find out what it will take to defeat her. We need someone to trek to the Light Sands and ask the Sleeping Prophets what to do.”

  The noises from the surrounding animals abruptly stopped as Barcus’ gaze fell on Mandamus.

  “Surely you don’t mean for him to go?” Mareva cried.

  “That is exactly what we mean,” Inc replied, smoothing his whiskers.

  “This council can’t possibly expect that of him!” Mareva growled, pinning her ears.

  “Minegard, what nonsense is this?” Daleth shouted.

  “Mareva, you have told me yourself that this young horse has shown no fear when venturing out on his own,” Minegard said. He rubbed the side of his muzzle wearily on his foreleg, then raised his head, his face grave. “You said that he often leaves the herd and wanders the countryside.”

  “Yes, in Harena territory, not all the way to the Light Sands. Minegard, I didn’t confide in you only to have it used against me. I won’t allow this!” Her face was defiant and desperate.

  “Mareva,” Barcus broke in, padding softly over to her. He sat in front of her, probing her face with gentle, pleading eyes. “His time to leave your herd is almost here. Look at him,” he pointed a hooked claw at Mandamus. “His mane is long, and his legs are thick with muscle. Would you let him stay as an adult and challenge your mate?”

  “Of course not,” she answered with an indignant stomp. “But I wouldn’t send him to the other side of the kingdom on his own either.”

  “Mareva, try to see the logic in this,” Barcus implored. “The Alsvid are his rightful family.”

  “You better watch your mouth, Bear,” Daleth growled, cracking her tail like a whip. “He’s our foal. Ours. Family is not about whose blood canters through your veins, it’s about who watches your back.” Barcus backed away from her.

  Marushka’s coat quivered as she stared coldly at the council members. “Minegard, surely you don’t mean our betrothal proposition to just be unconsidered?” she asked, slashing the ground with her hoof.

  “Yes, I do,” he answered firmly, someone whooped.

  “Enough!” Minegard thundered. “Queen Marushka, this council respects your herd’s laws, but they are free to be judged by us. I will not hand this young stallion over to you. Your mares being in season is how you attract your mates and that is how it will remain while you are in Harena territory or any other territory which I oversee as a member of the Forest Council. Your proposal is denied.”

  Once again, the crowd went wild. Squirrels clasped paws with rabbits and leapt high in the air. The black bears shimmied. The wolverine and the skunk, who’d fought so bitterly before, embraced with triumphant squeals.

  Marushka sharply turned and pinned them all with a scowl that found silence quicker than any of Minegard’s admonishments.

  “As well,” Minegard continued, “your princess broke one of your own laws, did she not? A female Diomedes mare must never engage in conversation with a male without the queen’s permission either; that rule goes both ways. I certainly agree with you that he disobeyed your herd’s regulation and, as such, we have set out a plan for his redemption.”

  Marushka’s eyes were like sharp claws.

  “Mandamus,” Minegard said, turning to him. “You would be old enough in a season’s time to leave the Harena and to go off on your own. Being that you are not of their blood, it would be up to you to challenge Hengist to take over the herd. Was that your intention?”

  Mandamus shook his head.

  “This is not a punishment, Mandamus,” Barcus cut in. “You’re a bit young to be on your own, but still, I expect you would want to find out how to stop those who took your family, I mean, your birth family,” he added, giving Mareva and Daleth an apologetic look.

  Mandamus’ heart clenched painfully and as the spectators began making more noise, the din that surrounded him seemed very distant, as if he were at one end of a very long cave and everyone else, at the other. Of course, he wanted to find out how to stop the army that had taken the Alsvid herd, but he also didn’t want to hurt his mother and aunt by admitting it when they were fighting so hard to have him stay.

  He loved his family, but now that he knew the truth, he was eager to find out what happened to the other Alsvid horses and the other missing animals who were taken by the army and, more importantly, he wanted to find out if he could help them.

  Mandamus knew it was almost time to leave the herd. He felt a flash of rebellion every time someone (usually his aunt) told him to return to the cave or to get out of a patch of his favourite salty sea-grass before he got a stomach ache. The urge to lead himself grew stronger each day.

  He glanced as at his mother’s miserable face and a pang of guilt stabbed him in the chest for what he was about to say.

  “I’ll go,” Mandamus said loudly. The crowd gasped. He swallowed hard, knowing that he wasn’t completely confident that he could do what they asked, but wanting to put an end to the trouble that he had started. “I’ll go ask the Sleeping Prophets what to do.”

  “Atta-boy,” roared Barcus, galloping over to slap him on the shoulder. Baz gave an approving cry.

  “Son, you don’t know what you’re saying,” Mareva shouted, rounding on him, with frantic eyes. Mandamus’ heart sank. He had never seen his mother so upset and knowing that he had caused her to be this way made it even worse. “You can’t do this, especially on your own,” she cried.

  “Mareva, he won’t be alone for long,” Inc broke in. He flicked his tail impatiently. “We have a plan. He will find the Bachelor Herd, just as any other young male would do when he first leaves home. He can stay with them until their wandering takes him close to the Light Sands. Then, he will split from them and enter the desert alone to find the Prophets. He’ll be fine on his own in the desert; there are no predators. When he finds out where the human queen has taken his herd and all the other animals, he sha
ll return to the Green Forest to meet with us and we will decide what our next course of action will be. When he returns, he will be free to live as he pleases.”

  “I will go with him,” Daleth announced, with a toss of her mane. “No need for him to tussle his way into the Bachelor Herd. I know where the Light Sands are. I’ll take him to the Prophets and bring him back.”

  “No, you won’t,” Minegard replied giving her a stern stare. “You will stay here at the beach where you belong.”

  “Why, you pompous, ragged old—” Daleth sputtered, advancing on Minegard. “I don’t have to listen to you!”

  “Daleth, has it occurred to you that Mandamus might not be safe with the Harena anymore?” Baz said quickly as Daleth flattened her ears and looked ready to kick Minegard. The hawk quickly hopped over and stood between the two horses. “The story of his run-in with the Mares of Diomedes reached my ears by rumour before Marushka did,” Baz told her. “Of course, it was somewhat jumbled, but I heard it all the same. If the Rakhana Army or that queen catch wind of his existence, then there is a great possibility that they’ll come for him. Would you leave your herd to fend them off without you, if they do attack? Him going away is also for his own protection.”

  “We would protect him if they came,” Mareva said, her voice choked with emotion. The mothers in the surrounding audience murmured in agreement and pulled their young close.

  “You can’t even watch him properly, let alone protect him,” Marushka interjected. “If you had, he would have never been in the forest alone spying on me and my daughters.”

  “Oh, give it up,” Daleth said, pinning her ears in Marushka’s direction.

  “Barcus is right,” Minegard said with finality. “Daleth, your place is here with the Harena and your sister needs you right now more than ever. Do not even consider leaving. You have a responsibility to your whole herd, not just your nephew and besides - what would a young, male stallion be doing out wandering the countryside with an old, female? It would look suspicious.”

  “Well, you’ve got it all figured out, haven’t you?” Daleth said between clenched teeth. Mandamus nudged her nervously. She was speaking in the same voice she always used before biting someone.