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Coll hurried round until the wagon was between him and the mounts

’So you’d rather a bite than a kick,’ Murillio coon, cli over the Mhybe’s unconscious form -- and halt within an arm’s reach of the horses

They had pulled their tethers taut, backing as far as they could, tugging on the tent peg A Rhivi wedge, the peg’s design was intended to hold against even the fiercest prairie wind Driven deep in the hard-packed earth, it did not budge

Coll’s leather-gauntleted hand snapped out, closed on one of the tethers He tugged sharply down as he dropped froon

The ani Its comrade skittered back in alarm

The Daru collected the reins fro the tether in his other hand and holding the horse’s head down, and edged to its shoulder He planted a boot in the stirrup and swung hile motion

The horse tried to duck out froainst its co trapped in between

He grunted but held the reins firm

’That’ll be a nice bruise,’ Murillio cos why don’t you?’ Coll said through gritted teeth ’Now come over and slip the tether Carefully,hopeful’

His colanced skyward, scanned for a ullible -- stop gloating’ He clambered over the seat-back

Coll watched hi

’On second thoughts, maybe you should have found me that mallet’

’Too late now, friend,’ Murillio said, pulling the knot free

The horse plunged back a half-dozen steps, then planted its hind legs and reared

To Murillio’s eyes, Coll’s backward sorace, artfully concluded by the big Daru’s landing squarely on his feet, only to lunge straight back to avoid a vicious two-hoofed kick that, had it connected, would have shattered his chest He landed four paces aith a thud

The horse ran off, bucking with glee

Coll lay un at the sky