Doctor Who_ Cats Cradle_ Witch Mark - Andrew Hunt [70]
'Glyn, my brother,' Chulainn called him softly. Glyn turned his head towards his clan chief.
'Yes, my lord?'
'The girl, Ace, who we rescued from that foul creature last night, has gone searching for her companion, the Doctor. I made a promise last night that we would look after her, so I must follow her and bring her back. I will not be gone long and will be here to give the child its oath.'
'Very good, my lord.'
'How is she?'
Glyn stood and quietly spoke to Chulainn. 'It is difficult. Her endurance is being tested to the limit.’
‘It will be a strong child then,' Chulainn reassured him and then turned to leave. ‘Keep Arawn from this tent.’
'Dagda is with you,' Glyn responded
Chulainn left the tent and murmur to himself 'And with you, my friend.’ He ran over to the corral, leapt onto his stallion and with a few words had it running and jumping over the gate. He pulled the stallion up short and snatched the swinging lantern – it was dark out on the plain.
He took the horse round the camp until he came across Ace’s tracks and then he set out along them.
'Ace!' he called, ‘Ace!’
He expected to come across her almost immediately, but from her tracks he could tell that she was running and at some speed.
Ace felt angry with the Doctor. She'd never bottled out of anything before so why would he try to leave her behind this time? As her rage grew, something within her grew also. When she had been transported to the planet of the Cat People her mind and body had been influenced by the strange forces at work there. She had thought that the change had been only temporary, but the seed still seemed to be inside her. The sense of the hunt, the hunt for the Doctor, haunted her mind and her body altered subtly, accommodating itself to the greater turn of speed she required. The darkness around her grew vivid with her changed perceptions and she let out a cry of joy. She liked feeling this way and so long as she remained in control it was alright.
Chulainn swore savagely and turned his horse. In the gloom he had missed the trail again. H cast around until he had relocated it and then continued his pursuit. That was the second time - the girl was moving unbelievably fast. He kicked the stallion to a faster gallop.
***
Ace heard the hoofbeats coming up behind her and tried to accelerate. Her nervous system toned itself up, reducing the blood supply to her stomach, increasing it to her muscles; her pupils dilated and her mouth went suddenly dry. But it was no good - her pursuer was going to catch her and she would have to turn and fight.
She shook the thought from her mind. She had almost let it slip then. Her head rapidly became clear.
Acknowledging that she was caught she drew to a halt and waited for the rider to appear.
'Ace! Thank Dagda I've caught you. Did you really think you'd be able to find the Doctor in this?'
'I could have if I'd tried.'
'Don't be a fool. You'd have been left wandering around here until a demon found you. Now get on my horse.' He extended a hand to pull her up.
'You're right, I suppose,' Ace admitted. 'But it doesn’t matter, anyway. The Doctor didn't leave me behind to be safe. He left me because there's something he needs me to do.' She allowed herself to be pulled on to the horse.
'Whatever you say, Ace. Either way, you're lucky I found you.' He turned the horse and set off back to the camp.
The Doctor brought his horse to a halt between two hills. The lee side of the western hill was clear of snow and so he allowed the mare to graze the frost-rimed grass. He took the blanket off its back and a small cloud of steam drifted off its skin. The Doctor held up his lantern and looked around. Marks in the mud caught his attention. He knelt down by them, not that he needed to identify what had caused them.
They were tyremarks, the same as those he and Ace had seen by the stone circle and in Dinorben.
Somebody had driven by this place in a car. He couldn't say how