Chapter 9

Here’s part of another chapter I’m working on.  As always, I welcome, critique, comments, suggestions.

As they reached the low rolling foothills, Omron guided the stallion from the road.  Tall winter grass crackled loudly under the weight of the two massive horses.  Fresh rabbit tracks crossed their path at irregular intervals, promising good hunting.
"Over there," Carandahl could not keep the excitement from his voice.  "Release your bird first, Omron."
"Hunt," Omron commanded, following the falcon with hungry eyes.  He was tempted to allow his mind to join the soaring bird, but he knew the folly of such an act.  Here in the wild, he would be vulnerable in the extreme should he succumb to this desire.
A resonant screech signaled that the bird had espied her quarry.  Wings swept back she plummeted arrow like toward the frightened hare.  Swift, unforgiving death descended as the rabbit froze in its tracks.

Raising his arm to bring the falcon in, Omron stopped short. "Caran, listen!  Wolves, hunting this early in the day.  They’re close by the sound of them.  We had better go."
The tone of the mage's voice chilled Caran to the bone.  He sensed more than Omron had voiced.  It was much too early in the day for the packs to be about.  His bay, Harn, danced nervously at the proximity of the ravening throng, nearly unseating the captain.  "Blast it, Harn," he swore quietly. "Settle down before you get us all killed!"
Without warning, the first wolf burst from cover, directly in front of the riders.  Harn balked slightly, but held his ground now that he could see the enemy.  
The animal was a pale grey, mangy beast, with a full black ruff around its neck.  Malignant, yellow eyes pinned the Arch Mage in his tracks.  Teeth barred in a ferocious snarl, it ruthlessly stalked the men.  Just as suddenly, two mottled brown, shaggy mongrels darted for the horses from behind.  Leria kicked viciously at the nearest, sending it sprawling with a broken neck.  Three more animals rapidly took its place.
Caran tore his long blade from the sheath, but the skittering horse made it impossible to use.  One of the lesser creatures launched itself at Harn's throat as another snapped viciously at an exposed tendon.

Whirling the black in a tight circle, Omron shot mage lightning at the animal lunging for Harn's throat.  The ferocious creature was blown to pieces.  On instinct, Leria charged at the wolf dogging the other horse from behind.  The great hooves crashed repeatedly into the wolf's head, leaving no more than a bloody smudge in the snow.
"Run!" roared Omron, spurring Leria into a gallop.  Moments later, Caran followed suit, the wolves nipping at their heels.       The badly frightened horses strove valiantly to leave the monsters behind, but they stolidly refused to give up.  Another victim fell to Omron's mage fire and a second keeled over dead in its tracks.  Its heart had burst.
Alone now, the huge grey animal continued to follow the men and horses.  Oblivious to all else, the wolf pursued them to within sight of the Keep, driven by a manic rage within its tiny brain.
Within a hundred yards of the stable gate, Omron vowed he could not permit the animal to live.  Loose within the Keep, it would do untold damage.  Signaling Caran to return home, he turned the black to meet the enemy head on.
There could be no true battle between the Arch Mage and the crazed wolf.  Animal cunning and stealth was no match against the centuries of knowledge and power held by Omron.  Even so, he was loath to kill the brute.
Driven mad with hate, the wolf threw itself head long at the rider and horse, completely unaware of the eminent danger.  Omron caught the animal in mid leap with fire and lightning singeing the air.  In the space of a heart beat, the wolf was dead.

The stench of charred flesh filled Omron's nostrils, nearly causing him to wretch as he turned with disgust from the monster.
He hated killing.  And this was the worst kind; cold blooded murder.  It was no consolation that the blame was not his own.  He was certain that the wolf acted at the behest of another.  Someone or something had driven the animal to pursue the Arch Mage.
Angrily, Omron spurred Leria toward the Keep.  He sought only to put as much distance between him and the dead wolf as possible.  The horse trembled under his weight with fear and excitement, glad to be quit of the coppery smell of death.

Caran was nearly ready to ride back to aid his friend when he espied the black moving toward the Keep.  Seeing the wolf gone, his heart filled with relief.  The stricken look upon the mage's face gave him pause.
"The animal is dead," Omron whispered.  "I had no choice I could not allow it to live."
"Omron, do not berate yourself," Caran pleaded.   "As you said, you had no choice.  You must not blame yourself."
Simply nodding his head, Omron sighed, "You are correct, of course, but that doesn't make it any easier.  Come, let's go inside.  I've had enough hunting for one day."