The Emissary (Horse Women of the Zombie Apocalypse) by K. A. Jordan Page A
Authors: K. A. Jordan
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before she reached for her water bottle.
Beth grinned. Julie was a tough kid.
There was blood and bruises on Mist's cannon bones, nicks on the fetlocks and a good bit of hair gone. The last two days had been rough on Mist. Beth didn't want to ask more of her beloved mare.
Dani handed her a jar of salve and a wet rag. "Here. Once you get it cleaned up it won't look so bad."
"I don't want to ride her. She's done enough." Beth said softly.
"Julie'll give you Stinker-bait. There's a top-notch mount." Dani sucked in her cheeks to keep from giggling.
Beth snickered as she doctored her horse.
Alexis came over, running her hands over Mist, checking for other injuries. She gave the mare a pat on the rump before kneeling next to Dani.
"Just lost some hair?" Alexis asked softly.
Beth nodded.
"We can't stop here, you know."
Beth sighed. "I know. I want to give her a break."
"There's always Stinker-bait."
"Great minds think alike," Dani snickered.
"Tyler says we've got another twenty miles to go." Alexis sighed. "But we don't have to fight our way through another town."
"Thank God for small favors," Beth said.
"I'll tell Julie." Alexis stood up.
"Julie killed the howler," Dani said. "Our baby sister is a hell of a shot."
Beth grinned. "No lie? I'm impressed."
"She got arrows from David. He jumped out of the truck to get them to her."
"Brave kids," Beth said.
"Did you hear Zack?" Dani gave her a little nudge and a raised eyebrow. "He was reloading when you went down. He yelled your name." Dani winked. "I think he's sweet on you. Lucky you, eh?"
Beth scoffed. "The horse hater? I'm thrilled."
The three sisters heard hooves on pavement. It was Julie and her pack horse. The little buckskin and white filly wore a hackamore but no saddle. She followed Julie quietly, but her eyes showed white rings.
"Nice shooting, kid. I owe you." Beth gave Julie quick shot to the arm.
Julie blushed. "Thanks. I couldn't let it get you." She held out the hackamore rein and a full quiver of arrows. "Lil' Stinker is a handful. Good luck."
Mist laid her ears back, popping her head up, giving Lil' Stinker the evil eye.
"Now, sis, take a break." Beth gave Mist's reins to Julie. "Thanks." Beth let the filly sniff her, before she hopped up bareback. "I'm ready."
"Can you take point?" Alexis was asking a lot of a green filly, but sometimes a bold rider could give a timid horse courage.
"I can try," Beth said, signaling Stinker forward. The filly took a few tentative side steps, her ears flickering indecision. Beth crooned encouragement until Lil' Stinker's stride was firm and forward.
The others fell in behind Beth. The echo of hooves on the bridge made a lot of noise. So did the fire roaring behind them. Beth looked back. No muerto were left standing. None came out of the buildings.
They'd cleared out the tiny town. Maybe some refugees would find the town and settle it again.
Better live humans than dead ones.
*
Chapter 8
The road rose to the right, curving along hillsides above the creek which wound in loops like a crazy snake. The valley was too steep for housing developments so there were very few muerto.
Lil' Stinker was gaited. She glided up and down hills. As long as the road was clear, she was happy to go forward. But anything on the road made her nervous, including sticks, tires, and yellow lines.
When encountering a lone muerto, Lil' Stinker danced nervously, ready to bolt. Beth shot the muerto. When it fell, the filly crouched, legs spread out, ready to leap in any direction except forward.
Julie, Toby and Mist trotted around them.
Lil' Stinker goggled, snorting. Beth rolled her eyes. Lil' Stinker pulled herself up and shook herself off, then crab-stepped around the muerto.
"I'll get the arrow." David offered from the back of the truck. Beth could tell he was laughing.
"You're making us look bad," Beth told Lil' Stinker. In punishment, she made Lil' Stinker stay behind Mist for several minutes. Lil' Stinker
Beth grinned. Julie was a tough kid.
There was blood and bruises on Mist's cannon bones, nicks on the fetlocks and a good bit of hair gone. The last two days had been rough on Mist. Beth didn't want to ask more of her beloved mare.
Dani handed her a jar of salve and a wet rag. "Here. Once you get it cleaned up it won't look so bad."
"I don't want to ride her. She's done enough." Beth said softly.
"Julie'll give you Stinker-bait. There's a top-notch mount." Dani sucked in her cheeks to keep from giggling.
Beth snickered as she doctored her horse.
Alexis came over, running her hands over Mist, checking for other injuries. She gave the mare a pat on the rump before kneeling next to Dani.
"Just lost some hair?" Alexis asked softly.
Beth nodded.
"We can't stop here, you know."
Beth sighed. "I know. I want to give her a break."
"There's always Stinker-bait."
"Great minds think alike," Dani snickered.
"Tyler says we've got another twenty miles to go." Alexis sighed. "But we don't have to fight our way through another town."
"Thank God for small favors," Beth said.
"I'll tell Julie." Alexis stood up.
"Julie killed the howler," Dani said. "Our baby sister is a hell of a shot."
Beth grinned. "No lie? I'm impressed."
"She got arrows from David. He jumped out of the truck to get them to her."
"Brave kids," Beth said.
"Did you hear Zack?" Dani gave her a little nudge and a raised eyebrow. "He was reloading when you went down. He yelled your name." Dani winked. "I think he's sweet on you. Lucky you, eh?"
Beth scoffed. "The horse hater? I'm thrilled."
The three sisters heard hooves on pavement. It was Julie and her pack horse. The little buckskin and white filly wore a hackamore but no saddle. She followed Julie quietly, but her eyes showed white rings.
"Nice shooting, kid. I owe you." Beth gave Julie quick shot to the arm.
Julie blushed. "Thanks. I couldn't let it get you." She held out the hackamore rein and a full quiver of arrows. "Lil' Stinker is a handful. Good luck."
Mist laid her ears back, popping her head up, giving Lil' Stinker the evil eye.
"Now, sis, take a break." Beth gave Mist's reins to Julie. "Thanks." Beth let the filly sniff her, before she hopped up bareback. "I'm ready."
"Can you take point?" Alexis was asking a lot of a green filly, but sometimes a bold rider could give a timid horse courage.
"I can try," Beth said, signaling Stinker forward. The filly took a few tentative side steps, her ears flickering indecision. Beth crooned encouragement until Lil' Stinker's stride was firm and forward.
The others fell in behind Beth. The echo of hooves on the bridge made a lot of noise. So did the fire roaring behind them. Beth looked back. No muerto were left standing. None came out of the buildings.
They'd cleared out the tiny town. Maybe some refugees would find the town and settle it again.
Better live humans than dead ones.
*
Chapter 8
The road rose to the right, curving along hillsides above the creek which wound in loops like a crazy snake. The valley was too steep for housing developments so there were very few muerto.
Lil' Stinker was gaited. She glided up and down hills. As long as the road was clear, she was happy to go forward. But anything on the road made her nervous, including sticks, tires, and yellow lines.
When encountering a lone muerto, Lil' Stinker danced nervously, ready to bolt. Beth shot the muerto. When it fell, the filly crouched, legs spread out, ready to leap in any direction except forward.
Julie, Toby and Mist trotted around them.
Lil' Stinker goggled, snorting. Beth rolled her eyes. Lil' Stinker pulled herself up and shook herself off, then crab-stepped around the muerto.
"I'll get the arrow." David offered from the back of the truck. Beth could tell he was laughing.
"You're making us look bad," Beth told Lil' Stinker. In punishment, she made Lil' Stinker stay behind Mist for several minutes. Lil' Stinker
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