DIRPG | Shamrock | Main Quest I

It had been the first warm day in weeks, spring was certainly coming around, he could almost smell it. Shamrock enjoyed the breeze that brushed past him as he lazily stepped forward through the tall grass. He had covered quite some distance and was now seeking the cover of the tree line for some much needed rest. The tired horse listened to the singing of a blackbird as he neared the first, thin trees on the edge of the forest.

He paused, looking up. He couldn’t see the bird and his eyes shifted to the sky, where the few strips of cloud turned a pale pink in the light of the setting sun. The young stallion briefly wondered if his mother was seeing the same pretty sky. Sham smiled to himself and shook his flaxen hair from his eyes. He stepped into the forest and gazed around. It was dense. He glanced down at the saplings between the ferns, battling for some sunlight to compete with the full grown trees towering over them.

Sham took a deep breath, trying to pick up some smells. He could tell there were some flowers nearby, but there didn’t seem to be any danger. He let out his breath in a relaxed sigh and stretched his legs and neck. He nibbled a bit on the fresh green of the bush besides him and felt his eyelids droop. He really needed to rest.

Sham wasn’t sure if he had dozed off when an unfamiliar sound startled his senses. Barking. He straightened his lean body as his ears swiveled back and forth, trying to determine where the strange sound was coming from. He angled his nose up to catch a clue from the air. Somewhere deep inside him a tiny alarm set off, his instincts telling him the sound was not a friendly one.

The young stallion shook himself and stared into the forest. His curiosity made him take a step forward, and then another. Pretty soon Sham found himself trotting deeper into the dim forest and the strange, harsh sound was getting louder fast. He cocked his head and listened. The alarm inside him was getting louder too, but it only added to his excitement. He forced himself to slow down and started to stalk forward with his head down, trying to see the creature that was making the ruckus before it would see him.

The smell hit him then and set his instincts into a full red alert. Not a blink later the noisy creatures appeared from the thick underbrush just a few yards away, barking and flashing big white teeth. Sham jolted upright, his nostrils flaring. The four dogs paused for a moment, eyeing the larger opponent. But their demeanor changed in an instant when they smelled the young stallions fear. With raised tails and bared teeth they approached, growling and snapping their jaws.

Sham flattened his ears, his right hoof digging into the forest soil, but he knew he was no match for these four. One of the dogs jumped forward suddenly and Sham turned around, bucking and kicking air before taking off. He tried to run as fast as he could, something he often did on the open plains, but here in the forest it was impossible. He had to avoid trees and bramble bushes and the dogs stayed right upon him, aiming their teeth at his hocks.

Sham felt the panic surge through his body as he pushed himself through a barren bush. Any shred of exhaustion gone. He aimed for the path he had followed inward, knowing he needed it to get out, fast. If only he could get onto the pasture, he could outrun the dogs, he was sure of it.

Twigs snagged on his mane and clawed at his coat but he ignored it and jumped over a fallen log. He felt a sharp tug at his tail and realized one of the dogs had tried to bite his leg but got a mouthful of hair instead. Sham grinned at that and ducked under a branch. He spotted a patch of sky and knew he was getting close.

Sham could hear the harsh breathing of the dogs right beside him though and it made his stomach clench. He took a hard right, nearly stepping onto one of the dogs, making them scramble behind him. Sham looked at the shallow shrubbery in front of him, hoping that he was going the right way.

He closed his eyes and with one last surge of energy he crashed through the shrubs, emerging from the forest in an explosion of twigs and leaves. He nearly stumbled but caught himself, his hooves now finding grip on the grassland before him. He had made it out. With the jitters of the adrenaline still in his blood he felt something bubble up in his chest and a nervous laugh escaped the young stallion. He had made it out!

The grass stretched out before him like a green ocean and he pushed forward, speeding up now that he had the legroom. His head swiveled back, his light eyes searching the treeline for any sign of his pursuers. They emerged one by one, following him on nimble feet. This wasn’t over yet, but on the open grassland they were no match for him. Sham let out another chuckle as he ran free, leaving the dogs far behind him.