He was cold inside his heavy plate armour. The morning was unseasonably cold for the time of year. Behind him his big grey mare shivered, maybe from the cold, but he thought not. She had the scent as well. He tightened the girth strap, and checked that the panniers were secure. Her load was heavy. It would be a very long trip with no squire. Visor up he scanned the tree line in the middle distance. "Come on, where are you?" he muttered under his breath. Bess snorted confirming his unease. The it was! The same big grey wolf he had seen on several unsettling occasions. The reappearance of it made his spine shiver. The wolf licked its lips and stalked forward a little and stopped, fixing it's gaze on him. Unthinking he brought his shield up to protect his torso. He fingered to pommel of his broad sword, but didn't draw it. The wolf as too far away to be a serious threat. He backed up towards his horse, and still keeping an eye on the wolf, swung up into the saddle. The horse danced a little under the weight, but it was OK. Don't let anyone tell you a man in armour cannot do this. They most certainly can.
The wolf sat on it's haunches knowing that today it would be wasting its energy to try to get to it's quarry. The mercenary knight wheeled his horse around and lept away towards the east. Both man and horse were unsettled, but they were safe curtesy of the horses speed, and the mans strong arm and a very large blade. A ship was waiting for them in the harbour at Kings Lynn. He had business overseas and silver in his purse. A wolf would not be following where they were headed.
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