The Clansman's Touch

2• D O D S O N

It would be a week before they would arrive, Kira thought to herself staring at the sky. The normal grey clouds of the highlands were almost black with moisture, there wouldn't be a let up on the rainfall for a while.

"Dod are you positive that this is safe?" Kira asked the young boy.

"In honest milady?" He asked with a quirked eyebrow, after a nod from Lady Kira he proceeded, "for us it is safe, the water does nothing to us but make us cold, but for the horses aye they are soon to be covered in rot and rashes from the saddles, they won't last long after that if they don't get rest." A look of solemn sympathy covered the boys face as he patted the mare beside him.

"You care for these horses a great deal don't you Dod." She asked gazing down at the boy. The rain obscuring her vision by only the tiniest bit.

"Aye. I've watched all of them be broke, some are still green. I like taking care of 'em, I don't like breaking 'em though, 'tis why I 'ave a kind heart." He smiled at lady Kira then, "you see, Milady, I take a liken to books, all kinds of 'em, but my fat'er was nae to like that, he told me be gone and now I am here. And you are ''tis wonderful company Milady."

"Well Dod, you don't have to worry about your books with me, I'll let you read whatever you would like." She smiles back at the boy, "and I️ quite like your company as well."

A loud crash from the front of the line brought all the horses to a standstill. A horse came barreling out of the brush, his coat was black as night and looked as if the devil himself was to be his rider.

But they couldn't have the luck of that, instead the rider was tall with skin as light as the moon and hair as red as fire, but as she saw the colors of his kilt she new, this man was worse than the devil. "Laird McDonna, it's nice of you to join us on the rest of our journey."