The riders slowed their horses to a trot once in the shelter of the canyon. It was already a dark night, but the steep, rocky cliffs stretching up hundreds of feet above them cast dark, solid shadows down the passage. Little grass grew here, and soft sand scrunching beneath the horses' hooves signaled that a river once ran through the canyon. The dim passage was several yards wide, dotted with the occasional rocks and boulders here and there.
At Matilda's command, the riders reined in the horses beside several fat boulders as tall as the horses' shoulders. The other three slowed their horses with ease, while Cole was frantically tugging on the reins. While the others hopped off the beasts, the chocolate-brown horse was still trotting away from the group. With a disgusted snort, Matilda ran up behind and snatched the reins from Cole, then led him back to the boulders.
Legs trembling ever so slightly, he slid off the well-oiled saddle and stumbled on the ground. Matilda, with one hand holding the reins of the black stallion and the other holding her wand, muttered. "A regular jockey, aren't you, Cole?"
He scowled at her. "A herbalist, you said."
She smirked.
"A herbalist! You told me you were a herbalist! You didn't tell me you were a bricking witch!" He cried indignantly.
"That was a minor detail."
He sputtered. " 'A minor'--! Being a bricking witch is not a minor detail!"
Before Matilda could defend herself, the dark, curly-haired guy stepped forward. "I'm not sure we have time for this. We need to scram before what's left of the bandits calm their panicking horses and come after us."
"Perhaps not, but we have enough time for introductions." She gestured to the boy with her wand. "Who are you, and why are you two traveling by yourselves in the Yokai mountain ranges?"
The teen gave a good-natured grin. "I'm Phillip Green." He shook Matilda's hand, still holding the wand. "This is my sister, Liana."
The leader stepped up to the rigid woman, her wand in one hand and his katana in another. He raised the sword up to her face, the side of the blade brushing against her cheek. Almond-brown eyes glared coldly at his dark, black as sin eyes. Cole clenched his fists, heart hammering in his chest.
"Do you know what happens..." The dark man murmured in a dangerously soft voice. "...To a witch who dosen't belong to Ninjago?"
There was a chilling moment of silence. Even the horses, who sensed the tension, were still.
"I'll show you." He hissed. He drew back his sword aiming at her torso.
"Accio wand!" Matilda suddenly shrieked. To everyone's astonishment, the magic wand flew out of the leader's clenched fist and straight into Matilda's outstretched palm. She whipped it at the leader and shouted. "Stupefy!"
With a yell, the tall man was thrown by a flash of light and collided with his black stallion, who screamed in shock and reared, kicking its forelegs in the air. With men shouting in confusion and anger, she spun around and knocked down the men holding Cole with another spell, then grabbed a long knife and sliced through his bonds. Before he could say anything, she spun around and shouted. "Expelliarmus!" The rifles the bandits guarding the two teenagers flew out of their hands in a blast of light. They grabbed for their swords, but she rushed at them and punched one man's nose, leaving him groaning and swiping at her with his katana.
Cole jumped into the action and knocked down Fatty with a swift swipe to the jaw. Grabbing the dagger the bandits had stolen, he raced over to the siblings and cut through their bonds, muttering. "We're gonna get you guys outta here!" While the boy and girl gaped at him in relief, Matilda spun around, shooting spells and shouting curses, as swift and as deadly as a dragon. She shouted to Cole. "Get yourself and those two out of here! Get those horses and escape, I'll hold them off!"
The riders slowed their horses to a trot once in the shelter of the canyon. It was already a dark night, but the steep, rocky cliffs stretching up hundreds of feet above them cast dark, solid shadows down the passage. Little grass grew here, and soft sand scrunching beneath the horses' hooves signaled that a river once ran through the canyon. The dim passage was several yards wide, dotted with the occasional rocks and boulders here and there.
At Matilda's command, the riders reined in the horses beside several fat boulders as tall as the horses' shoulders. The other three slowed their horses with ease, while Cole was frantically tugging on the reins. While the others hopped off the beasts, the chocolate-brown horse was still trotting away from the group. With a disgusted snort, Matilda ran up behind and snatched the reins from Cole, then led him back to the boulders.
Legs trembling ever so slightly, he slid off the well-oiled saddle and stumbled on the ground. Matilda, with one hand holding the reins of the black stallion and the other holding her wand, muttered. "A regular jockey, aren't you, Cole?"
He scowled at her. "A herbalist, you said."
She smirked.
"A herbalist! You told me you were a herbalist! You didn't tell me you were a bricking witch!" He cried indignantly.
"That was a minor detail."
He sputtered. " 'A minor'--! Being a bricking witch is not a minor detail!"
Before Matilda could defend herself, the dark, curly-haired guy stepped forward. "I'm not sure we have time for this. We need to scram before what's left of the bandits calm their panicking horses and come after us."
"Perhaps not, but we have enough time for introductions." She gestured to the boy with her wand. "Who are you, and why are you two traveling by yourselves in the Yokai mountain ranges?"
The teen gave a good-natured grin. "I'm Phillip Green." He shook Matilda's hand, still holding the wand. "This is my sister, Liana."
The leader stepped up to the rigid woman, her wand in one hand and his katana in another. He raised the sword up to her face, the side of the blade brushing against her cheek. Almond-brown eyes glared coldly at his dark, black as sin eyes. Cole clenched his fists, heart hammering in his chest.
"Do you know what happens..." The dark man murmured in a dangerously soft voice. "...To a witch who dosen't belong to Ninjago?"
There was a chilling moment of silence. Even the horses, who sensed the tension, were still.
"I'll show you." He hissed. He drew back his sword aiming at her torso.
"Accio wand!" Matilda suddenly shrieked. To everyone's astonishment, the magic wand flew out of the leader's clenched fist and straight into Matilda's outstretched palm. She whipped it at the leader and shouted. "Stupefy!"
With a yell, the tall man was thrown by a flash of light and collided with his black stallion, who screamed in shock and reared, kicking its forelegs in the air. With men shouting in confusion and anger, she spun around and knocked down the men holding Cole with another spell, then grabbed a long knife and sliced through his bonds. Before he could say anything, she spun around and shouted. "Expelliarmus!" The rifles the bandits guarding the two teenagers flew out of their hands in a blast of light. They grabbed for their swords, but she rushed at them and punched one man's nose, leaving him groaning and swiping at her with his katana.
Cole jumped into the action and knocked down Fatty with a swift swipe to the jaw. Grabbing the dagger the bandits had stolen, he raced over to the siblings and cut through their bonds, muttering. "We're gonna get you guys outta here!" While the boy and girl gaped at him in relief, Matilda spun around, shooting spells and shouting curses, as swift and as deadly as a dragon. She shouted to Cole. "Get yourself and those two out of here! Get those horses and escape, I'll hold them off!"
The riders slowed their horses to a trot once in the shelter of the canyon. It was already a dark night, but the steep, rocky cliffs stretching up hundreds of feet above them cast dark, solid shadows down the passage. Little grass grew here, and soft sand scrunching beneath the horses' hooves signaled that a river once ran through the canyon. The dim passage was several yards wide, dotted with the occasional rocks and boulders here and there.
At Matilda's command, the riders reined in the horses beside several fat boulders as tall as the horses' shoulders. The other three slowed their horses with ease, while Cole was frantically tugging on the reins. While the others hopped off the beasts, the chocolate-brown horse was still trotting away from the group. With a disgusted snort, Matilda ran up behind and snatched the reins from Cole, then led him back to the boulders.
Legs trembling ever so slightly, he slid off the well-oiled saddle and stumbled on the ground. Matilda, with one hand holding the reins of the black stallion and the other holding her wand, muttered. "A regular jockey, aren't you, Cole?"
He scowled at her. "A herbalist, you said."
She smirked.
"A herbalist! You told me you were a herbalist! You didn't tell me you were a bricking witch!" He cried indignantly.
"That was a minor detail."
He sputtered. " 'A minor'--! Being a bricking witch is not a minor detail!"
Before Matilda could defend herself, the dark, curly-haired guy stepped forward. "I'm not sure we have time for this. We need to scram before what's left of the bandits calm their panicking horses and come after us."
"Perhaps not, but we have enough time for introductions." She gestured to the boy with her wand. "Who are you, and why are you two traveling by yourselves in the Yokai mountain ranges?"
The teen gave a good-natured grin. "I'm Phillip Green." He shook Matilda's hand, still holding the wand. "This is my sister, Liana."
The witch gave a curt nod, making her patched, pointed hat bob. "Matilda Ravencroft."
Cole nodded. "Cole Brookstone."
"Are you his mother?" Phillip asked.
Cole snorted while Matilda's lip quirked in amusement. "If I was his mother, why would we have different last names?"
He shrugged. "You and his dad split up?"
She snorted. "Hmph. I'll have you know this kid is not my son, and I've never met his father. He fell off a cliff and I saved his miserable skin, and we've been traveling together since then."
Phillip nodded toward Cole's arm. "Explains the bandage."
It was hard to get a good look at the siblings in the dense shadow of the canyon, but from what Cole could tell, Phillip was wearing a gray sweat shirt over a black T-shirt and dirty jeans, topped with muddy tennis shoes and the faint beginnings of a mustache over his mouth, which was quirked in a mix of a grim, determined expression and a good-natured smile. It was difficult to see Liana's face, for most of her pale, silver hair fell in wavy, messy locks around her pale face and reaching down to her shoulder blades. She wore a navy blue knitted V-neck sweater and skinny jeans, adorned with a leather belt, a string necklace with a seashell pendant, and black, slim riding boots plastered in mud. While Liana hugged a bulky backpack to her little chest, Phillip's hands were free, seeing that the bandits snatched his things.
Faint cries rang down the interior of the wide canyon, the sound echoing eerily like a ghost's moan. The four travelers froze, listening. The horses flicked their ears and swished their tails uneasily.
The clatter of hooves was drawing close, accompanied by men's shouts and whistles. It wouldn't be long before the enraged bandits would be on top of them.
Matilda acted first. With a small "Hsst.." she stuck her boot into her horse's right stirrup and swung herself with ease onto the dark stallion's back, clutching the reins and wielding her wand. The other two did likewise.
The witch gave a curt nod, making her patched, pointed hat bob. "Matilda Ravencroft."
Cole nodded. "Cole Brookstone."
"Are you his mother?" Phillip asked.
Cole snorted while Matilda's lip quirked in amusement. "If I was his mother, why would we have different last names?"
He shrugged. "You and his dad split up?"
She snorted. "Hmph. I'll have you know this kid is not my son, and I've never met his father. He fell off a cliff and I saved his miserable skin, and we've been traveling together since then."
Phillip nodded toward Cole's arm. "Explains the bandage."
It was hard to get a good look at the siblings in the dense shadow of the canyon, but from what Cole could tell, Phillip was wearing a gray sweat shirt over a black T-shirt and dirty jeans, topped with muddy tennis shoes and the faint beginnings of a mustache over his mouth, which was quirked in a mix of a grim, determined expression and a good-natured smile. It was difficult to see Liana's face, for most of her pale, silver hair fell in wavy, messy locks around her pale face and reaching down to her shoulder blades. She wore a navy blue knitted V-neck sweater and skinny jeans, adorned with a leather belt, a string necklace with a seashell pendant, and black, slim riding boots plastered in mud. While Liana hugged a bulky backpack to her little chest, Phillip's hands were free, seeing that the bandits snatched his things.
Faint cries rang down the interior of the wide canyon, the sound echoing eerily like a ghost's moan. The four travelers froze, listening. The horses flicked their ears and swished their tails uneasily.
The clatter of hooves was drawing close, accompanied by men's shouts and whistles. It wouldn't be long before the enraged bandits would be on top of them.
Matilda acted first. With a small "Hsst.." she stuck her boot into her horse's right stirrup and swung herself with ease onto the dark stallion's back, clutching the reins and wielding her wand. The other two did likewise.
Cole has a last name? I CON't remember if I knew this or not.
The witch gave a curt nod, making her patched, pointed hat bob. "Matilda Ravencroft."
Cole nodded. "Cole Brookstone."
"Are you his mother?" Phillip asked.
Cole snorted while Matilda's lip quirked in amusement. "If I was his mother, why would we have different last names?"
He shrugged. "You and his dad split up?"
She snorted. "Hmph. I'll have you know this kid is not my son, and I've never met his father. He fell off a cliff and I saved his miserable skin, and we've been traveling together since then."
Phillip nodded toward Cole's arm. "Explains the bandage."
It was hard to get a good look at the siblings in the dense shadow of the canyon, but from what Cole could tell, Phillip was wearing a gray sweat shirt over a black T-shirt and dirty jeans, topped with muddy tennis shoes and the faint beginnings of a mustache over his mouth, which was quirked in a mix of a grim, determined expression and a good-natured smile. It was difficult to see Liana's face, for most of her pale, silver hair fell in wavy, messy locks around her pale face and reaching down to her shoulder blades. She wore a navy blue knitted V-neck sweater and skinny jeans, adorned with a leather belt, a string necklace with a seashell pendant, and black, slim riding boots plastered in mud. While Liana hugged a bulky backpack to her little chest, Phillip's hands were free, seeing that the bandits snatched his things.
Faint cries rang down the interior of the wide canyon, the sound echoing eerily like a ghost's moan. The four travelers froze, listening. The horses flicked their ears and swished their tails uneasily.
The clatter of hooves was drawing close, accompanied by men's shouts and whistles. It wouldn't be long before the enraged bandits would be on top of them.
Matilda acted first. With a small "Hsst.." she stuck her boot into her horse's right stirrup and swung herself with ease onto the dark stallion's back, clutching the reins and wielding her wand. The other two did likewise.
Cole has a last name? I CON't remember if I knew this or not.
I don't think it's canon, but I gotta give the boy some kind of name.
Pushing away his uneasiness about riding a horse for the first time in his life, Cole stepped up to the chocolate-brown beast and attempted to stick his foot in a stirrup. The horse side-stepped, and he stumbled with one leg hanging down from the saddle. When he tried to pry his foot loose from the stirrup, the horse took several nervous steps backward, making him stumble and fall. His foot twisted as it caught in the stirrup when he fell, his left shoulder hitting the sand. The horse began to drag him across the ground, getting dirt on his jacket.
With an cross mutter and scowl, Matilda hopped off her horse, grabbed the other one's reins, grabbed Cole's shirt and yanked him up, regardless of the wounds he suffered from the skirmish. She forced his foot out of the stirrup, saying. "Wrong side, cowboy."
After a short, confusing scuffle, Cole was sitting warily on the saddle while Matilda gave curt instructions. "Your heels are down--" She used her fingers to point the heels of his shoes facing the ground below. "--Your fingers are like this--" She thrust his hands into the correct position to hold the reins, having his pinkies stick out from the sides of his fist and under the reins. "--And don't let the horse have his head."
"Have his what--?!"
"Hurry, they're coming! Chop-chop, move it or lose it, people!" She swung herself onto the black stallion, and they were off.
The four horses careened down the canyon's dim passage, not caring if their pursuers heard the sharp echo of the hooves clattering down the stone walls. Matilda led the way, wand in hand like a sword. While she, Phillip, and Liana balanced and swayed with the horses with smooth agility, Cole bounced around in the saddle uncontrollably, his body meeting impact in unfortunate places and making him grimace. But, as they raced down the echoing canyon, he eventually found the rhythm of the horse's stride, making the ride a bit smoother.
![[derp]](http://storage.proboards.com/6672327/images/YqNTPqyQUocVMYXZgUAI.png)
( I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. 
) 
( I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. 
)