Dione and Otonia rode at a walk, Otonia holding a lantern, shuttered to display a narrow ray of light pointed to the ground following horse tracks and in particular a hoof divot every so often. Dione handed her horse’s reins to Otonia.

“Keep us on a steady pace I am going to try and sense my stallion.”

Otonia didn’t think that was possible, but she wasn’t about to vocalise her doubt. Much of what people did was about confidence, traveling in a troupe she knew practice was essential but no matter the level of skill; if confidence was missing then failure was usually the result.

Dione reached for the silver ring in her breast with her mind, digging her left hand around her armour to physically touch the silver ring within her breast. Once aware she followed the wisp of magical tether, her mind travelling along it until she was one with her horse. Seeing through his eyes, she was there, she looked at the tail of the horse in front of her. It was too dark to see anything else.

She felt her contact slipping and her immediate reaction was to concentrate some more and then she realised whatever magic was enabling this contact was reducing at a much greater rate. Not being able to recognise how long it would last she reached the gut wrenching decision to release her shared eyesight with her stallion. He knew she was leaving. She sensed his unshakable trust in her; he knew they would be reunited.

Returning to her own body was a slightly dizzying experience and she was glad the horse she rode was walking. She eventually caught a glance from Otonia, her face painted with lantern light, Dione knew she was concerned.

“I am back, Otonia, you no longer need to worry.”

Otonia returned a relieved smile and then went back to looking for the signs they were following and then a thought.

“We are being stupid Dione. We both know where they are going; it can be only one place.”

Sadly Dione knew, she was following this trail in case it led elsewhere, anywhere but there. They both stopped riding any further. Dione nudged her borrowed horse close to Otonia who looked at her, questioning.

“I need to hug you warrior-sister if you will allow it? I go to face my past.”

Otonia relaxed and lent in Dione’s direction.

“It seems you are right no matter how I try to deny the truth of it. They are going directly to the log cabin. It seems I must return to the place that still haunts me.” Her voice broke as she finished speaking and tears escaped her eyes.

“Like my sisters did for me, we will be there to support you through this, we are stronger together.” Otonia comforted Dione and returned her hug with strength.

“They have so much confidence Otonia!”

“Everyone always underestimates us, even if they don’t know we are chasing them they will find out soon enough and probably laugh at us before they die.”

Dione took strength from Otonia and with that strength she comforted her horse and said she was coming for him, she brushed his mind with that comfort, it was brief and easy after being bonded more deeply. Dione also wished them to die, quickly and completely. They then turned their horses back the way they came, following the trail hoping Charis was riding to them along that very same trail.

“Are you going to tell Charis the full story of the Apple Tree groove?” asked Dione.

“Did you ever tell your sister’s the full story of the log cabin?” replied Otonia.

With the lantern they carried, the shuttered light would be like a beacon to any who looked for them and it wasn’t too long before Charis and Astera met them, sharing the one horse. They homed in on the meagre light of the lantern being used, to signal them.

When they reached Dione and Otonia the little light from their lantern was shuttered. Charis and Astera did the same with theirs and they were essentially in the pitch black of night.

“They seem to be heading directly for the cabin. With our lanterns and with a disregard of who else may see them, we can travel the trail and then follow the stream back towards the cabin?” suggested Otonia.

“Yes, as we get closer they could spot the lantern or it could be day break. Then again Dione could contact her horse and see if any familiar landmarks are nearby so we have a general idea where they are.” decided Charis.

“What about only three horses?” asked Dione wondering.

“We will turn about doubling on one of the horses.” suggested Charis.

“I will be fine Mistress, I have rested uncomfortable on the back of this horse long enough plus someone needs to lead with a lantern close to the trail.” offered Astera.

They turned to head for the trail, the old trail between Bearwatch and Oxrest. They made good time as it was clear of any obstacles and reasonably level to trot or run on even by lantern light. They decided that speed was more important than concealment and the lanterns were held by those riding singularly. The other horse doubled.

Reaching the stream Dione contacted her horse. She couldn’t recognise any features but they were stopped. One of the boys was hurt; he fell off Dione’s horse. Dione felt the horse smile in its mind eye. Did the horse cause that to happen? How? The contact was easier, so did that mean they were closer?

The going beside the stream was slower. Astera volunteered again to run before them with a lantern as its bank wasn’t always level and clear. As dawn broke Dione contacted her horse and again there were no known features but they weren’t at the cabin yet.

Dawn was breaking so they rode double in turn to try and beat the kidnappers. They saw the cabin in the distance as they knew where to look. Charis called a halt in a clump of trees and bushes and looked to Dione.

Dione contacted her horse again and actually saw the clump of trees where her warrior-sisters were hidden! They had managed to overtake them and were prepared even if the horses were a little fatigued.

“They are coming this way and will soon be here.” she said.

“I will use some of the elder’s ointment to slow them down. Hopefully the first arrow will be a surprise and I will be able to release another and then we just need to wait.”

Dione didn’t want them to live. She hoped Charis’ aim would be much deadlier.

The relatives rode by, each trailing a boy thrown over a saddle of a following horse. Charis waited for them to come as close as possible and as they were turning away she released on the closest. She used the untipped arrows so she wouldn’t kill them, the wooden tip would allow some of the ointment to adhere and seep in.

The arrow bounced off the upper arm of the relative, armour underneath thought Charis as she cursed under her breath. She thought he almost didn’t notice it, then she realised he did, he was telling his companion. They both hit their spurs and galloped. Dione was in command of her horse and she instructed it to pull away first. Her horse acted as an anchor. Startled, the relative turned to yell at the horse. Charis took this moment to release a tipped arrow. This arrow took him in the eye and felled him. He slid from his saddle, to fall on the ground with an audible thump, music to Dione’s ears.

Dione commanded her stallion to trot to her immediately. She was in a hurry, on a mission of her own. Dione’s horse pulled the relative’s horse and they both trotted towards Dione. The other relative only took one look back and seeing his companion lost, galloped all the harder.

Dione met her horse as it was making its way to her. She slid the boy from the saddle and cut the rope tying it to the relative’s horse and galloped hard after the other relative. With her in contact with her horse they were like one, the horse an extension of her will, no need of reins and no need of stirrups except for her own balance. She went to a gallop, increased their speed to the limit of the horse’s ability, she could feel her stallion’s huge heart beating beneath her. Hands free she prepared her lasso realising she needed to lasso over the following horse with the boy still over its saddle.

The relative made the mistake of checking how close his pursuer was behind him as he was slowing with the cabin so close. He found out the hard way when the lasso rope encircled him around the waist. Dione wrapped her end around her saddle horn, grabbed the reins to keep her balance and pulled up her horse. The relative snapped from the saddle, his feet dragging in the stirrups, one caught and he skewed around and then it released and he fell off the back of the horse into the crushing hooves of the following horse.

Both relatives dead, Dione felt a great relief.

Otonia checked the first boy and they followed Charis and Astera who were running towards Dione.

Both of the boys were sore but relieved when they realised they were rescued. They were both told their mothers were murdered, although they seemed to know and they were left alone to comfort each other while the warrior-sisters inspected their dead prizes. Charis was disappointed, only one eye was complete, the other being destroyed by her arrow. The other two were destroyed when the relative’s head was caved in by his horse’s hooves. Charis carefully extracted as much of the single eye as possible as she wasn’t sure what would be required for the spell.

They decided to inspect the cabin, just in case the relatives were being greedy. As they were walking to the cabin three men and a women charged from the cabin waving axes and swords and yelling. Astera was the first to react, counter charging, leading with shield. The first was stunned by her shield bash, the second couldn’t stop and as he swung Astera twisted her body under it and stabbed up with her spear to take him in the side. The third looked at the opening presented by Astera and reached to slash down. Suddenly a knife appeared in his weapon shoulder and he stumbled out of the swing dropping his sword in the process. The women paused as she was still short of the main group dismayed that none of her relatives were still standing. She looked down to see an arrow sprout from her shoulder. She took one look, sunk to her knees, throwing her axe away, waiting to see what her fate would be.

Astera turned to face the bashed and injured. They all released their weapons and sat staring at their conquerors. The fight was made easier as they weren’t armoured in anyway, they were brave to charge them while in clothes only thought Astera. Otonia recovered her knife and roped them hands and feet to make sure they stayed quiet. Dione was on her stallion rounding up the horses, she didn't miss the surrender of the relatives and her heart sunk, she felt her hands shake a little and only steadied them when she patted her black stallion.

Astera approached the door low; Otonia placed a hand on her shoulder to cause her to pause. Charis looked to Dione, thinking she would be the first to investigate. Charis then noticed the female relative bump one of the men, while looking at Dione. His eyes went wide and his mouth opened silently cursing. Charis approached them while Otonia investigated the cabin with Astera looking on.

“I must do this sister; I must walk in and free whomever they hold. It seems my role now.”

Otonia went low easily opening the door, unlocked and not restrained by any means, probably since the occupants just recently charged out of it. No trap was released. Inside was a young woman, in a cage. She was frightened so Otonia talked calmly and explained she was rescued and released her, offering her water, which she drunk down greedily.

When the rescued saw the captured she picked up an axe and charged at the prisoners. Astera bumped her with her hip and she went sprawling across the lush green grass. She looked back at Astera and was deciding if she could try again or not.

“Stay down girl. It is Charis the Young that commands here and only she determines who lives and who dies. So be thankful for your rescue and await your fate.” said Astera.

Otonia stared at Astera and ran to the girl.

“I wasn’t their prisoner but I experienced their brutality, Dione fared much worse than I and from her we know the truth of them.” The girl turned and sobbed in Otonia’s arms.

“We have a different memory of Dione don’t we boys.”

Charis, Astera and Otonia turned towards them. Dione was still gathering horses, taking way longer than usual, but she noticed her sister’s turning to the relatives and she felt her blood freeze with fear. They were talking now, they would find out.

“They need to die, they are evil and depraved. How can one human sell another human into slavery?” called the girl. The two boys who were still well away from both groups heard enough to look at each other and hug all the tighter, thankful they missed that fate.

Charis looked at the relatives.

“Slavery?”

When they didn’t respond Charis drew an arrow to her bow.

“We capture them, we dress them and then we sell them. That is all we do.” The female relative spluttered quickly. Now Charis was confused and turned to the girl.

“Where did you get captured and what has been your treatment at their hands?” The relatives looked on concerned, could her words mean their lives.

“I was taken at night. The Judge Knight Initiates didn’t even know I was gone, so useless. I have been held captive now for four weeks, fed little as to keep me alive and not much more.” her face twisted with hate as she looked at them and shouted the last few words.

The girl was dressed in what looked like her own travel clothes; she appeared unbruised, although a little underweight so a prisoner held for some days like she said. Something was not adding up here thought Charis. She walked to Otonia and whispered to her.

“Otonia, please take the girl and the boys out of harm’s way and when far enough away call Dione to you.” Otonia nodded and Charis waited for them all to go.

“Astera please stab anyone of them that moves or you think is thinking of moving.”

“Yes Mistress.”

“Female to me, we need to have a conversation.”

The female relative looked to Astera and shrank back from her as her spear descended to cut the ropes binding her legs. She then looked to Charis. When Charis nodded she stood to her feet and walked carefully to her, wondering if this was some sort of trap, glancing back at her relatives.

“Lie down, let me make you more comfortable first.” No sooner did she lie down and Charis pulled the arrow from her shoulder. She screamed and swore. Charis applied some of the elder’s ointment on the wound and the bleeding stopped within a few heartbeats. Charis then wrapped the wound in a bandage. The tipped arrow was returned to her quiver.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to do that!” there was heat in her voice which quickly left when Charis spoke.

“If you wish I can give you a matching hole in your other shoulder.”

Shaking her head side to side she said “No, one hole in me is enough and it feels almost comfortable now. I am grateful.”

“You seem to know Dione, tell me what you know.”

“She is a thief that got caught, simple as that. Whatever she has told you will most likely be lies. It took days in the cage to get some truth out of her so I wish you luck. We left two watching her. When we come back we find their bones burnt on a pyre.”

“So Bonrard and Wodem were left to guard her?”

“How do you know those names?”

“They kidnapped one of my warrior-sisters and they were dealt with, it is their bones that are on the pyre and their souls that are in the company of Jury if Gods are just.”

Her face was a wave of relief, which confused Charis.

“They were of us, but they were touched in some way." she considered her next words carefully, was she saying something this strange confident youngster already knew or not, although she also wondered how and why this Charis was even in charge.

"Continue." said Charis. The relative realised she delayed too long.

"They took our gift and used it for their own ends, so we exiled them, but they knew about this cabin and they knew it was only used during certain months. That doesn’t explain what become of those guarding Dione.”

“She was skin and bone when we rescued her. Bonrard and Wodem were bringing another to the cabin.”

“Those guarding Dione must be dead then. We didn’t know what to do with her as they don’t want her type.”

“Who are they and what type do they want?”

“You can kill me now as I can’t answer either question and expect my family to live beyond the next couple of months.”

Charis helped her stand and then walked her back to her relatives and made them all lie down on their stomachs.

Astera while waiting, cleared the area of all weapons, nicely piled up now away from them.

“If any of them move stab them.”

“Yes Mistress.”

Charis walked to Otonia, the girl and the two boys. Dione was there also but she was still mounted on her stallion. Charis didn’t need to be told, Dione was ready to run; well ride in her case as her horse was facing away from the cabin, although she still faced Charis as she approached. Charis could see her calculating, considering the different futures she tried to imagine.

Charis walked past Otonia and her charges, she mouthed the words “Talk to me.” to Dione. While she wasn’t beyond earshot, Charis didn’t want everyone to realise that Dione was about to run from something and that something was a lie about her past. Charis knew it was difficult to run from your past deeds as it would be like trying to run from your shadow and you needed to accept what was done and perhaps make amends in other ways. The death of her innocent whistling companion so long ago still weighed upon her and saving her future companions was now dear to her, in Dione's case it wouldn't be from death, but perhaps something more enduring.

Finally she was close enough, but not too close, because Dione on her stallion felt safe, they could easily gallop away from Charis, who had deliberately unstrung her bow and left it with Astera.

“Talk to me, tell me your truth.”

Dione shook her head, tears escaping.

“We are warrior-sisters are we not? Friends we are most definitely, lovers? We can share anything can’t we?”

Dione nodded slowly, reminding Charis of a young child deciding it was best to tell her parents what happened, she began after wiping away some tears.

“It was not difficult joining you and Otonia because you believed and trusted me so easily. I laughed to think how easy it was and then over time it became comfortable and I felt safe. You did that and I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I watched how hard Astera worked to be accepted but it was so easy for me, the starving skin and bone girl you rescued.”

Dione looked at the cabin then as a haunting memory of that time interfered.

“We didn’t have a reason not to believe you.”

“Yes the deeds of the depraved animals when they took Otonia lent weight to my truth; they had no right to be called human. I believe the two that Otonia killed were the closest to that type, but I guess every family has some black sheep. I don’t want to leave but I must, I have broken your trust.” Her horse turned away without Dione’s using the reins or stirrups forcing Dione to look back over her shoulder.

“Tell me the truth. I will listen, because we have shared much in such a short time.”

Dione looked back, her horse a perfect mimic of her action, until they both faced Charis.

“What if you think less of me, I would rather you just think I lied and not know its depth.”

“I would rather see if I can give someone, who is younger than me, a second chance perhaps.”

Dione considered her options again. Her stallion’s feelings seeped into her being far stronger than when she previously considered anything. She felt the loneliness of her stallion and the many years with the other. He wanted to be in a herd. He knew she like being in her herd so why not try to stay.

“I ran away from my family Charis.”

Dione looked for a reaction from Charis and found none.

“I stole a horse and saddle from my family who I thought were controlling me, holding me back from my dreams. I wanted adventure, to explore and roam free. My parents wanted me to help on the farm and told me I wasn’t ready yet. I timed it badly being the last few weeks of Death Season. It was to be my genius plan to ride away at a time when few would follow. I was soon in trouble when my horse died before the end of Death Season, but somehow fate allowed it to die near the cabin here. Not the front cabin, but the rear cabin, although I didn’t know there were two at the time.”

She paused and allowed her stallion to turn slightly to face Charis again, it sensed Dione wanted to be elsewhere but reminded her of here and now. Charis looked briefly to Astera and Otonia were taking charge giving them time to talk, so she faced Dione once again, able to look at her directly.

“The cabin held vast amounts of food and water, but not only that; dresses, hats and shoes and I tried them all on and I ate my fill nightly. Then they found me sleeping in one of their six beds and called me thief, which I was. My father would have probably ransomed me if I told them who I was but I was determined to be independent. With my horse riding skills I would be useful, but it didn’t matter they were family by blood and they could see in the dark, I couldn’t and never would. So they left after throwing me in the front cabin cage, two would take turns feeding me daily and then they stopped. So you see they didn’t beat me, they didn’t use my body they just didn’t know what to do with me and in the end they left and I almost died of starvation due to neglect.”

“What was wrong with that truth? Why didn’t you tell Otonia that truth?”

“When she told me about the two she just survived, I thought I needed to tell a greater tale, if she knew I was a thief, she could have left me, she may have even thrown me back into the cage. I didn’t know what she would do, I just wanted to live. Then she cared for me for many days, tenderly and kindly and I thought by then it was too late to tell the truth. Then you appeared and I saw how you two were bonded and I wanted that. I wanted to join your family.”

“You were right to be worried about our trust. I wish you well. Your items are my parting gift to you. I am sure they will help you explore the land safely, I am sad to lose a friend and lover, but mostly I am sad to be losing a warrior-sister.” Charis refused to soften, refused to shed a tear, she needed to break with Dione without sympathy.