Snippet #2529703

Amity and William both looked up as more shouting rose from the city before them, carried to them on the wind. Amity stood and brushed some hair out of her eyes, to see the city better through the darkness. Their mother looked up from the camp.
"What's wrong?" She called up to the pair. William jumped down to the wagons.
"Something's happening in the city." He replied, as Amity followed him down from the bluff. Their mother looked down in thought, glanced at the fire and the eyes watching from around it, before she turned her eyes back to them. She took a deep breath.
"You two... Should scout ahead." She stated. They could see in her eyes that she didn't like separating them from the rest of the convoy, especially this far into the Genius' territory. She knew as well as they did that many in the convoy deserved to rest after so many years on the road, not to join a fight that was like to claim them all. The only ones truly fit and ready for it... Were William and Amity. It hurt all involved, but letting them go meant that they'd at least have a head start.

The convoy always travelled with one extra horse, usually in case on of the others was injured, but Amity and William tacked up this extra horse, known as Buttercup, to ride. Buttercup was a large skewbald, with a white patch on her face that gave her a distinct, pale-eyed look. She was also a large, heavy horse, who didn't bat an eyelash when the siblings both swung onto her back. In such a small group, Amity and William had gotten used to riding double long before even William reached his teenage years, and they both slid into position with ease. Katy, the smallest member of the company, badgered Jim until he lifted her to Amity's level. She thrust a tiny fistful of blue flowers at Amity, which she'd been plucking from the fringes of the camp, under Edgar's watchful eye. Amity smiled and accepted them, slipping them into the pouch at her hip. It abruptly occurred to Amity that she'd forgotten something, but her mother, as though summoned, appeared at her elbow to hand Amity her bow with a rueful smile. She rest a hand on both siblings knees.
"Be safe." She warned them. With final 'see you later's and "good luck"s, William urged Buttercup to carry him and Amity into the night.

It was not long at all before they reached the city, since they didn't have to keep a slow pace to keep a convoy together. They rode through the city, though more slowly. Amity had to regularly reach forward and calm the horse, as Buttercup was unused to such an environment. The wagons didn't often enter the heart of a city, they usually skirted the edges. The horse and her riders earned a good deal of odd looks. It wasn't often in these parts to see a horse, a man with a sword at his hip, or a woman with a bow across her back. Amity and William both simply gave the onlookers winning smiles, and continued on their way. Before long, they could see a crowd marching ahead of them. William started to urge Buttercup to catch up, but Amity tapped his shoulder.
"We don't know what exactly is going on. This might not be where we want to get mixed up." She hissed. William nodded, and looked around again. He caught sight of a surprisingly small man, hanging back from the crowd, and guided Buttercup over to him.
"Sir?" He asked the man. "Could I ask what's going on?"