Baratta.net Stories

Prince Rudolf guided his horse down the step grassy hill. Walking in front, bridle in his right hand, he picked his path with a seasoned eye of a tracker. The trail he followed was more direct down to the over grown 'wanna be' valley below him - but if Rudolf was to continue the tracking from horse back his needed to get the beast down in one piece. Rudolf had been following the trail for 2 days now, stopping only to water and rest his horse. His eyes were dry and scratching from lack of sleep and he slowed more often than he liked lately to recheck his bearings - sometimes even doubling back to make sure he really saw the newly broken branch, crushed grasses or dislodged stones.

The markings were fresher, that was not in doubt. His quarry was running on the same lack of sleep and fuel, and trail was becoming more readable - but Rudolf was tiring and he worried that he might confuse his quarry's trail with another. There was always the fear of the double back and he could behind Rudolf right now going back to the castle.