Those lion prides were coming back down to the valley now as our war was not with them, but rather with these freaks of nature all around us that had hunted almost all of the smaller prey within the valley to extinction. They, like the Evanik dogs, never had enough to eat.
Now, as I looked around, I realized that I had been set up by forces beyond any at work within the physical realm. I stared into the faces of the encroaching Saber Cats and knew a moment of anger the likes of which I'd never experienced before.
The knowledge that these animals were being used by demonic forces to bring about my death, because of my beliefs and faith in El Elyon was material for my rage to burn upon. Something of my intense anger telegraphed out of me into the big Trican beneath me, who began to grunt aggressively and stamp its feet.
Under normal conditions the Tricans were under no threat from the Saber Cats because of their tough armored hide and aggressive herd instinct, as the Tricans held together under a Saber Cat attack and charged on them instead. But one Trican against so many was a doubtful thing.
It didn't matter. I cared less about living right now than I ever had before. The urge to fight out against this pressing darkness that destroyed all that was well and good was overwhelming.
I had no more arrows so my bow was no longer of use to me. I unhooked my bowstring and tied it off to my spare bowstring. I then tied the one end of the elongated string to my belt. Turning I tied off the other end of the string to one of the bony projections of the female's neck frill.
Tether now in place, I pulled the sword that Kuri had helped me make out of its holster which lay along my back. One hand holding onto the sword and the other on the neck frill of the beast that I rode I cried out, "Let's ride!"
The big Trican half reared up for she seemed infused with the same killing passion that I was. She came down with crashing force and took off at a lope for the wall of snarling Saber Cats.
My intention was not to escape. No, my intention was to do war with the unnatural forces at play within the misguided flesh which surrounded me. The Sabers let off with a concussive roar and lunged forward toward us.
The big Trican, far from being put off by the sound of the Sabers' roars, let out a roar of her own as she picked up speed. Not 10 or even 20 sabers would be enough to bring her down, but a 100 or more was a different story.