Highlander's Rescue A Cree & Dawn Short Story (Cree & Dawn Short Stories Book 4) Read Free

people and our village.”
    “I will not fail you,” Sloan assured him.
    “I have no doubt of that,” Cree said.
    A plan was hastily formed. According to Torr, Wintra knew only the path they had traveled when he had brought her home to the McClusky Clan. It would be wise for them to follow that path, though they had to consider that Wintra had been traveling in a snowstorm. When it worsened, she could have been forced off the path to find shelter just as Torr had been forced off the familiar path.
    McClusky land bordered Cree’s property. Both were vast holdings and while Cree was familiar with the area, he had yet to explore every inch of his property.
    Torr explained there were a few crofts once you crossed from Cree’s to McClusky land and a keep or two that had crumbled with age.
    A plan was made to take the route Wintra was familiar with and stop at the crofts and see if she had sought shelter at any of them or if anyone had seen her. If not, they would extend their search. They were soon ready to start.
    When Dawn mounted her horse and saw that only six of Cree’s warriors waited for them, she turned to her husband.
    Cree understood her questioning look without her having to gesture. “Six of my best warriors are enough, anymore will only slow us down. Besides, this is a search for my sister, not a rescue .”
    Dawn hoped he was right.

Chapter Two
    It was not easy traveling on the snow-covered ground. The pace was much slower than Dawn knew her husband would have liked it to be or Torr as well. Both men loved Wintra, in their own way, and wanted to see her found safe just as Dawn did. Wintra had fast become a sister to her shortly after they had met. Wintra reminded Dawn of Cree in many ways, though they were half-brother and sister, having different fathers. Not that they looked at it that way. Cree would do anything to keep his sister safe, and he had. He had placed her in an abbey when she was young and though she had been angry with him for leaving her there, she eventually realized that he had done so to protect her.
    It had pleased Dawn immensely when Torr had fallen in love with Wintra. He was a good man like Cree and, like Cree, he would do anything to keep Wintra safe. With three people who loved Wintra dearly and were determined to find her, surely all would turn out well.
    Dawn could only hope and pray.
    They traveled in relative silence, everyone focused on making their way through the snow and guarding against the cold. Cree paid close attention to his wife, making certain she remained as warm as possible.
    The sky remained overcast as it had been ever since the snowstorm. Dawn assumed she was not the only one praying that they would see no more snowfall, at least while they were on this journey.
    They watched for signs and tracks, though if Wintra had stopped when the snow had turned heavy, her tracks would have been covered by the falling snow. They came upon a croft just after midday, the man and woman letting them know that no one had passed their way since before the snowstorm. Just before dusk, they reached another croft and received the same news. They had seen no one.
    “You saw no sign of her horse on your way to me?” Cree asked as they continued.
    “Nothing,” Torr said, shaking his head. “Those two are inseparable when she rides. The mare would have never left her side unless Wintra was in serious trouble, then the animal would have returned home. I left word that if that should happen the horse was to be brought to me. Since I have received no word from home, I can only assume Wintra and her mare are still together, giving me hope that there is nothing seriously wrong with my wife.”
    They camped for the night, the bitter cold having the group build more than one fire to gather around.
    Torr sat poking a stick at the flames as he spoke, more to himself than to Cree and Dawn, sitting on the opposite side of the fire. “I think from this point to where I had found shelter for the