Chapter Four: Kath

Kath struggled as her new captor held onto her tightly, over as tightly as he could while riding a horse. She wasn’t going to get away from one captor just to get caught by another.

“Stop struggling!” Her captor hissed. “You’re only making it easier for them to catch up to us quicker! I’m just trying to help!”

She stopped struggling, trying to decide if her captor was to be trusted or not. “Why are you galloping me off on a horse then?” She asked, turning and attempting to look at him, but he stopped her.

“First off it’s your horse and second it’s better if you don’t know who I am, for right now anyways.

The land flew by as they headed in the direction of what was clearly the Hisba mountains since the few things the plight had spared grew more sparse as the land became more rocky.

“Where are you taking me?” She asked, giving up on trying to see his face.

“The Hisba mountains to see the king of darkness. He would really like to meet you, so he says.”

“The king of darkness…” There were many stories about the king of darkness, but none had ever seen his face; they said it was hidden behind a veil of shadows as he controlled his kingdom of creatures that lurked below.

The horse slowed down until it came to a halt in front of a pile of rocks leaning up against the base of the mountain. The man dismounted behind her and she followed suit, walking behind him as he led Stormy and her towards the pile of rocks.

It didn’t appear that there was any way around the rocks or through them yet he was leading her right towards them. As they came closer though she saw that there was a hidden crevice that headed deeper into the mountain.

She hesitated at the mouth of the mountain then walked in, it was complete darkness until they reached a larger cavern where a fire was already burning. The man dropped the reins and let stormy walk over to where apples were spilling out of a sack.

“I’m really not interested in being captured again, my brother sold me off to the prince and now you are trying to sell me off to the king of darkness. I’m starting to see a very annoying pattern, what about you?”

“I’m not selling you off and that wasn’t your brother.”

Kath gaped at him, confused and possibly worried.

“The one who sold you off is an imposter,” The man turned around to face her and she stared at a face that was so much like her own, one that she wished she had been able to see everyday, instead of the pompous golden hair thing she had to live with.

“I am Jasper wolf, you elder brother and the person who is impersonating me is clearly an imposter..”