(Warning! Gore ahead.)
Through the trees, the beasts had all taken off as one, eagerly shrieking and howling with hunger. Just hearing their cries in unison made everyone's hair stand on end, and many of them couldn't help but feel sympathetic for the man who was being chased.
House Kolva's ophid-hounds were the first to spring forward, closely followed by House Darienis' eels.
The wind blew softly in Verinia's ears, bringing to them the distant patter of paws and legs and the even farther stomping of feet. The prisoner was running desperately, weaving through the trees, fuelled by the fear of a gruesome death and pain.
It would be a great mercy if he were killed by the arrows of the hunters, but the throne of New Oalta had never been one to grant leniency lightly. He was a guilty man and he would pay accordingly.
Kaelbi and Syvia's mounts joined in the chase leisurely, and the two of them rode between the trees with Verinia and Halen.
