Look to see what spooked them

Duncan’s first thought was that he was being pursued by the Cassandra and her flesh-hungry parents, but he soon saw the true source of the horses’ alarm. Above them, on a shallow hill, stood two wolves, attentively watching.

“Up there!” says Duncan, pointing out the predators.

“I see them,” said Banntrach, gravely. “Only two. Perhaps they will leave us alone, but the horses don’t seem to want to take that chance.” She struggles to hold them under control.

“Let me take the reins for one of them,” says Duncan. “If we can keep them from bolting, the wolves may leave us alone.”

Madam Banntrach gratefully relinquishes one set of reins, and the two of them work together, trying their best to hold the horses to a steady trot.

“Over there!” says Banntrach, pointing out a third wolf. “As I feared.... There are more.”

“Do you know this area?” asked Duncan. “How far are we from safety?”

“My home is just over that rise,” she replied, pointing up ahead. “If we can just hold them steady until the top of that rise, we can make a dash for it from there.”

The strain of holding the horses is showing on her face, and Duncan wonders absently how she managed to keep control of the powerful animals while pointing. Before he can reflect on that, however, he hears a vicious snarl. Looking to his side, he sees a large, grey wolf running in their direction. The horses sense the creatures presence, and there is no holding them back now. The frightened animals take off in a terrified gallop.

“Give me the horses,” commands Banntrach, taking Duncan’s reins with two hands. “There is a whip under your seat; try to ward off the wolf with it!”

Duncan relinquishes the reins and locates the whip just in time to give the approaching wolf a sharp blow as it lunges for an attack. The wolf yells and falls back as the horses sprint forward over the bumpy road to the top of the hill.

Duncan looks around and sees the members of the wolf’s pack gathering around their wounded companion, looking hungrily and angrily at the horses and the travelers.

Duncan quickly looks ahead and sees a small cottage and adjacent barn. “That’s my home right there,” says Banntrach, pointing again.

Duncan lets out a sigh of relief as the horses speed toward their familiar surroundings. It looks like they are safe! He reaches over to take a set of reins from Madam Banntrach and freezes at what he sees.

Madam Banntrach is holding both sets of reins, expertly guiding both horses, by holding one set with two hands and the other set with two more hands! As Duncan stares, trying to make sense of what he sees, they crest the hill and a gust of wind catches Madam Banntrach’s cloak, causing the top of it to fall back, revealing her body to Duncan for the first time. There, Duncan sees a third pair of arms attached to her sides, this explaining how she was able to hold the reins and point so effortlessly.

Before he can react, the horses speed toward the barn. “Open the door,” commands Banntrach, pulling the horses to a stop in front of it. “Let’s get them inside! Quickly!”

Duncan leaps from his seat and pulls the barn doors open. No sooner does he do so than the horses push past him, eager to get to safety. He closes the doors as soon as he is able, looking for signs of the approaching wolves. Seeing them in the distance, headed their way, he secures the door and turns his attention to Madam Banntrach.

She is tending the horses, using all six of her arms to unfasten their harnesses and pat them down soothingly. Duncan can see that the shape of her body is quite human. But for the extra limbs, she is a shapely, attractive woman who is in good shape. Her dress is cut somewhat low so as to expose her shoulders and top quarter or so of her back. Her additional arms emerge from armholes cut into the dress at regular intervals on either side of her body. The arms are all normal size, without deformity. The way she tends to the horses suggests a nimble mind that is able to independently control each of the limbs.

Duncan is surprised to find himself somewhat aroused as he watches her. She is, in fact, a beautiful and sexy woman, and he can’t help but wonder what three sets of hands on his body would feel like. As she bent to pick up a leather strap from beneath one of the horses, her long black hair fell to the side, and Duncan saw a birthmark — or was it a tattoo? — showing from under the back of her dress. It appeared to be a bright red triangle, pointed downward, and it appeared to connect with another shape that was obscured by her dress.

Madam Banntrach stood, and after giving the horses one more appraisal, turned her attention to Duncan. “Let’s go into the house. I imagine you have some questions for me,” she said with a wry smile.

“A couple,” admitted Duncan, trying hard to look her in the eyes, rather than stare at the sight of her perspiration-glistened cleavage in the midst of the six arms.

They look for signs of the wolves. Seeing none, Banntrach asks, “Do you think it is safe to get to the house?”