The Emissary (Horse Women of the Zombie Apocalypse) Read Free Page A

raised their heads, looking in the same direction.
    "Mount up!" Beth called.
    Alexis grabbed the food as the other girls scrambled for their gear. The girls tossed their saddle bags onto their horses and quickly pulled cinches tight. The pack horses bobbed their heads, looking downstream, and their hooves tattooed the ground. Patch pawed the ground as he gave Alexis a 'hurry up' shove with his nose.
    Beth cinched her saddle tight and sprang onto Mist's back. She watched the direction Mist's ears moved. She appeared to be listening for a couple of things.
    "Mist has two groups of stinkers. What about Patch?" Beth said in a low voice. She pulled three arrows from her quiver, holding them with the bow.
    "He's got something across the creek," Alexis said as she stood on her saddle for a better view. Patch bobbed his head, but he kept his feet planted. "I see movement. Let's get out of here."
    Julie hissed as her pack horse spooked. "Stand still!" She grabbed for the lead rope, but the young horse pivoted away from her.
    Beth shifted and pressed her left leg into Mist's side. The mare sidestepped to the young horse, pinning her against Patch. Patch snapped at the young mare. She reared up, backing away on her hind legs. Beth snatched the rope, yanking the young mare down.
    "Beth, to your right!" Alexis slid back into the saddle. "Three stinkers on this side of the creek."
    "Can't. Hands are full." Beth kneed Mist around in a tight circle, pulling the pack horse over to Julie. She handed Julie the rope. "If things get too hairy, drop the rope."
    "Leave her for the stinkers?" Julie was wide-eyed.
    "She'll follow the other horses." Beth turned Mist toward the approaching muerto. She saw them crashing through the brush. She nocked an arrow, taking careful aim at the closest one - a big male.
    "I'm up," Dani announced as she swung into her saddle.
    "Point," Alexis said and she turned Patch away from the creek.
    "Rear guard," Beth said as she let the arrow fly. She took the muerto through the mouth. The remaining muerto collided with the falling one.
    The other horses scrambled up the bank as Mist looked across the creek. She snorted. Five more muerto crashed through the trees.
    "Let's go." Beth tucked her bow under her arm, grabbed a handful of mane, and let Mist take the bank her way. The mare crouched to leap and sprung lightly to the top. Mist caught up to the other horses in a couple of strides. Beth heard splashing over the grunts and growls of their pursuers.
    A mad dash followed. Patch was in front, and the pack horses plunged after, Dani and Julie fighting to keep them under control. Dani was nearly pulled from her horse. She tossed the lead rope over the packs to save herself. Julie struggled too long. Her saddle slipped, and she was pulled, screaming, from her horse. She hit the ground hard, rolling several times.
    Beth grabbed her reins. Mist slid to a stop, hind legs cutting furrows in the dirt. Mist pivoted in place, to charge straight for the muerto.
    Beth called to Julie, "Get up!" Halting between Julie and the muerto, Mist squealed a warning, ears back, mouth open to bite. Beth reached down for Julie, kicking her foot out of the stirrup. "Come on!"
    The muerto clawed their way up the bank.
    Julie rolled to her feet, threw one terrified look over her shoulder, then leaped for the saddle. She got her foot in the empty stirrup, scrambling up behind Beth. Julie wrapped her arms around her sister. "I'm up!"
    Mist reared, striking the nearest muerto with her front feet. She bowled another over with a forward leap on her hind legs. She turned tail and kicked, leaping away, both girls barely clinging to the saddle. Beth kneed Mist to a gallop. The others were far ahead. Their chances of survival were better with every stride the horses took.
    The pack horses and Toby galloped behind Patch, just ahead of Dani and Scout. Someone had pulled Julie's saddle back in place. When Mist caught up to the others, the pace slowed from a