Chapter #8

                                    

                                          
Standing still against the black horse with hand on the hilt Carr stares forward. Long minutes pass Carr surveys the area behind him. Wondering what to do, cross or pull back. Unheard to Carr another twig breaks on the other side. Ebony's ears perk up turning that way. Straining to listen over the flowing river Carr closes eyes and faintly hears. "Stay quiet. Toad, go see if he's still there or not."
Nodding Carr presumes. Ah, highwaymen, waiting for a passer by. Feeling like out smarting them he walks Ebony back a few paces.
Taking her to the road's edge Carr gets Ebony to lye down in the shadows beside a bush. Impressed with how easily the horse responded he strokes her neck. Stealthily crawling away Carr hides at the bridge's edge behind some tall weeds.
At the top of bridge's apex, a cloaked silhouette creeps to the middle. It stops surveying the area ahead. Carr swears the figure looked right at him. Glancing at Ebony can see her body move with each breath. Back to the cloaked figure Carr can't tell what it sees.
The figure speaks low in a young husky voice, "I don't see anything. It was ghost rider I tell you."
Realizing young bandits are at hand makes Carr smile in some relief. More curiosity than patients keep him in place with eyes trained on the figure.
A second cloaked male comes up behind the first. "Ghosts? Toad you're an idiot."
Pushing the second male Toad warns, "shut up or I'll dummy ya."
Behind the second male a smaller silhouette can be seen stopping to lean against the bridge wall.
"Easy," the second male suggests, "it was probably a mercenary headed to Monsteil."
"Yah?" Toad points out. "How come we didn't hear a horse trotting away, hmm?" He mumbles, "idiot?"
The third one quietly speaks, "he's probably stealthy and is hiding nearby to see what we're up to."
"Hah, yah right," the second utters, "you don't know. Toad go over there and show this fool he ain't right."
Without thinking Toad agrees boldly walking to the end of the bridge. Carr hides his face and hands as Toad walks right past. Even looks at Carr but can't see the rogue concealed in the shadows.
The second male asks, "well Toad what do you see?"
"Nothing," Toad wanders, glancing at shadows.
"Stop," the second male barks, jogging down to the bridge's edge, "you'll ruin any tracks."
Toad looks down, "there ain't no tracks. Cause it was a ghost ri..."
"There's no ghosts," frustrated the second male scans the ground.
The third male stays put shaking his head in disbelief at the pair.
Looking hard at the ground the second male walks past Carr over to Toad.
"There's no tracks," Toad doesn't see them.
"That's because you've trampled them," irked the second kicks the ground.
A small stone is sent flying connecting with Ebony's side. The horse snorts scaring they young bandits. They scream like little girls, which echoes up and down the river. Toad scurries back to the top of the bridge.
Startled more by Toad the second male gasps, clutching at his heart and clumsily backing up trying to draw a sword.
Trying not to laugh out loud Carr has a funny pain building in his stomach. Watching these young bandits cower beside the third. Not wanting to have to kill such obviously young thieves hopes he can talk his way through.