Kaari woke to the prodding of a cold, pointed beak. She opened her eyes to see Kia standing on her chest, poking and nudging her awake. It was just barley dawn, a sliver of gold peeked over the horizon. 

"Your parents are waking up! Hurry back home before they notice you were out all night!" the owl hissed. She glanced over her shoulder as if expecting someone. "Also, your brothers are out and riding their horses. They came precariously close to finding you!"

As the bad news reached her ears, Kaari jerked up into a sitting position. She threw off the light blanket she had used last night and slid down to the ground. Cirrus was already awake and ready to go. Kaari patted his neck and rolled up her blanket and strapped it to his saddle.

She then picked up the leather seat and placed it on her horse's white back and adjusted it. She had forgotten the saddle blanket last night when she had left. "Sorry, boy, i forgot your blanket in the barn."

Cirrus flicked his ear in annoyance. "At least it wasn't the saddle," he retorted. She smiled despite the situation and slipped his reins over his head. Cirrus let her push the bit into his mouth willingly and she quickly checked that she hadn't forgotten anything. 

Satisfied, she climbed into the saddle with the help of her foot in the stirrup. She cooed to Kia and the graceful owl swooped over head, signaling that she would be watchful of any mischievous brothers.

Cirrus didn't need Kaari to snap the reins, instead he pulled out onto a trail and raced along it, cutting into the field when needed to avoid danger. He chose the field as his path most of the way, letting the wind run alongside them. 

As Kaari's horse carried her, she admired his strength and courage, similar to her other companions of the wilderness. 

Up ahead in the trees, two dark colored horses galloped through the veggitation. Laughter emanated from the riders on their mounts. Kaari held tight to Cirrus's reins and bent low over his elegant neck as he flew across the meadow, fast apraoching her twin brothers. 

In the puffy white clouds, Kia swirled into a neat dive. Her dive was headed straight for her brothers and their horses. Her talons outstretched as she neared them, her wings tucked up against her sides.

Kaari's Breath fought in her throat as she watched her close acquaintance get closer and closer to her family. At the very last moment, the great owl's wings burst open and the two horses reared onto their hind legs, screaming in fright. Kia hovered in front of the creatures as Cirrus began to pass. 

An idea struck Kaari and she reined her horse in, steering him towards the small group in the forest. As they appeared from the bushes, Kaari led her mount to face her brothers. She had to act as if the horse was under her control and not a creature who could communicate. 

Her brothers' eyes locked with hers and they froze, their expressions becoming as cold as stone. Kaari's blue eyes turned to icy frost. She gathered the reins in one hand and held out the other without breaking eye contact. Kia settled on her bare arm, her talons flexing on her skin. 

"What are you doing here?" William demanded, anger rolling off him like steam. 

"Why do you think I'm here?" Kaari retorted, her steed occasionally lifting his hoof restlessly and then setting it down with a snort. Cirrus was putting on a good act. 

Willaim's jaw clenched and snow his hands balled into fists around the leather reins of his horse. James turned to his twin, a distraught look on his face. "What are we supposed to do? Father wants her back but I don't think she'll come."

William opened his mouth to reply but Kaari cut in. "Hey, why should I go back to that cottage just to do chores all day while you two get to goof off?"

The silence that followed her response seemed to be the loudest thing that reached her ear that day. The two brothers exchanged a glance and then urged their mounts forward. They surrounded Kaari, Cirrus, and Kia and then James spoke.

"Maybe because mother and father are proud of us. Maybe they like us better because we don't disobey our king—"

"Hey! You watch it! Drawing is not a crime!" Kaari protested, her anger growing. 

James continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Maybe they like is better because we actually know how to plant crops—"

"Excuse me but don't tell me that I don't know how to plow a field and seed a fallow!" Kaari snapped, twisting in her saddle to face the boys who were circling her.

As William began to continue what James started, a midnight black horse exploded from th foliage and its rider had a bow and arrow in hand, arrow notched and ready to be loosed. 

Every head turned to face the intruder.