Wolfbane (Historical Fiction Action Adventure Book, set in Dark Age post Roman Britain) by F J Atkinson
Authors: F J Atkinson
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would capture and undoubtedly kill him and the child in retribution for their fallen companion.
Without hesitation, he cupped his hands to his mouth and let out a piercing wolf’s howl. Again, the men became rigid. He emitted a second howl, intent now on completely taking the men away from Murdoc and the child. Rapidly, he fitted another arrow and stood up, now in full view of the Saxon mob.
Before his bowstring had stopped singing, another man had fallen, causing the others to run for cover. The fat man was again to take charge. Pointing towards Dominic, he gave out another series of orders, angrily repeating them several times before his men retrieved and mounted their ponies.
Dominic ran to an area of thick undergrowth where he hoped he could confuse and outwit them. He vanished from view as soon as he entered the tangle of bushes. The Saxon ponies came quickly upon him but were reluctant to enter the mesh of shrubbery. The men came to a halt as they tried to coerce the ponies through.
Dominic could not see them, but he could guess their position from the noise their leader made as he roared out his guttural tone. Dominic flanked the Saxons and emerged back into the empty clearing. He ran over to Murdoc and the child.
Murdoc gave Dominic a look of complete astonishment whilst Ceola fixed him with a wide-eyed stare. Open mouthed, as Dominic stood before him, Murdoc could only mutter. ‘Dominic, by God, I thought you long dead … where have you come—’
Dominic pulled the bemused Briton to his feet, interrupting him mid-flow. He picked up Ceola. ‘Never mind me, we’ll all be dead if we don’t get out of here! Follow me!’
He ran, with Ceola bouncing on his shoulder, towards the edge of the glade. They continued into the gloomy forest, and though unburdened, Murdoc gasped as he struggled to keep pace with the fleet-footed Dominic. Behind them, shouts sounded as the Saxons emerged from the ensnaring shrubbery. Knowing they could not outrun the Saxon ponies , Dominic scanned the surrounding woodland looking for a place to hide . He noticed a huge tree that had fallen amidst a knot of vegetation. ‘Down here!’ he shouted.
The tree had left a deep basin where its roots had occupied the ground. Dominic jumped in and gently placed Ceola on the leaf-strewn bottom of the hollow. Murdoc quickly joined him. After a quick assessment, Dominic shook his head. ‘No good … this is no good, we need to cover ourselves.’
Seeing a fallen bough nearby, he jumped from the hollow and started to drag it back to the hollow. Dominic joined him and together they managed to heft the branch over the crater, completely covering and partially filling it.
They forced their way through the tangle to the floor of the hollow where Ceola lay curled up amongst the branches. Murdoc gathered her into his arms as Dominic struggled to fit an arrow to his bow. Stippled daylight played upon their faces as they waited in trepidation for the sounds of the chase.
Murdoc noticed that the hard life of the forest had etched a few more lines on Dominic’s scarred face, but his eyes, focused and determined, had not changed.
Dominic caught his glance and smiled bleakly. ‘If we get out of this, I’ll help you and your girl get back to your folks. ‘I’ll make—’
A pony snorted, stopping him abruptly. He silently instructed Murdoc and Ceola to lie flat; his wide-eyed, urgent look telling them to keep completely still. Ceola’s eyes squeezed shut as a tear ran down her grimy face, creating a white tracery on her cheek. It was not lost on Dominic. Stay still; please stay still , was his silent plea to her.
Above them, the hunters had split, but one now searched close to them—so close they could hear his laboured breathing.
Dominic rolled onto his side, squinting to see through the branches above. He tensioned his bow; ready to release if needs must. The bushes above rustled, but a summoning shout from distance stopped the searcher
Without hesitation, he cupped his hands to his mouth and let out a piercing wolf’s howl. Again, the men became rigid. He emitted a second howl, intent now on completely taking the men away from Murdoc and the child. Rapidly, he fitted another arrow and stood up, now in full view of the Saxon mob.
Before his bowstring had stopped singing, another man had fallen, causing the others to run for cover. The fat man was again to take charge. Pointing towards Dominic, he gave out another series of orders, angrily repeating them several times before his men retrieved and mounted their ponies.
Dominic ran to an area of thick undergrowth where he hoped he could confuse and outwit them. He vanished from view as soon as he entered the tangle of bushes. The Saxon ponies came quickly upon him but were reluctant to enter the mesh of shrubbery. The men came to a halt as they tried to coerce the ponies through.
Dominic could not see them, but he could guess their position from the noise their leader made as he roared out his guttural tone. Dominic flanked the Saxons and emerged back into the empty clearing. He ran over to Murdoc and the child.
Murdoc gave Dominic a look of complete astonishment whilst Ceola fixed him with a wide-eyed stare. Open mouthed, as Dominic stood before him, Murdoc could only mutter. ‘Dominic, by God, I thought you long dead … where have you come—’
Dominic pulled the bemused Briton to his feet, interrupting him mid-flow. He picked up Ceola. ‘Never mind me, we’ll all be dead if we don’t get out of here! Follow me!’
He ran, with Ceola bouncing on his shoulder, towards the edge of the glade. They continued into the gloomy forest, and though unburdened, Murdoc gasped as he struggled to keep pace with the fleet-footed Dominic. Behind them, shouts sounded as the Saxons emerged from the ensnaring shrubbery. Knowing they could not outrun the Saxon ponies , Dominic scanned the surrounding woodland looking for a place to hide . He noticed a huge tree that had fallen amidst a knot of vegetation. ‘Down here!’ he shouted.
The tree had left a deep basin where its roots had occupied the ground. Dominic jumped in and gently placed Ceola on the leaf-strewn bottom of the hollow. Murdoc quickly joined him. After a quick assessment, Dominic shook his head. ‘No good … this is no good, we need to cover ourselves.’
Seeing a fallen bough nearby, he jumped from the hollow and started to drag it back to the hollow. Dominic joined him and together they managed to heft the branch over the crater, completely covering and partially filling it.
They forced their way through the tangle to the floor of the hollow where Ceola lay curled up amongst the branches. Murdoc gathered her into his arms as Dominic struggled to fit an arrow to his bow. Stippled daylight played upon their faces as they waited in trepidation for the sounds of the chase.
Murdoc noticed that the hard life of the forest had etched a few more lines on Dominic’s scarred face, but his eyes, focused and determined, had not changed.
Dominic caught his glance and smiled bleakly. ‘If we get out of this, I’ll help you and your girl get back to your folks. ‘I’ll make—’
A pony snorted, stopping him abruptly. He silently instructed Murdoc and Ceola to lie flat; his wide-eyed, urgent look telling them to keep completely still. Ceola’s eyes squeezed shut as a tear ran down her grimy face, creating a white tracery on her cheek. It was not lost on Dominic. Stay still; please stay still , was his silent plea to her.
Above them, the hunters had split, but one now searched close to them—so close they could hear his laboured breathing.
Dominic rolled onto his side, squinting to see through the branches above. He tensioned his bow; ready to release if needs must. The bushes above rustled, but a summoning shout from distance stopped the searcher
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