Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1496

Lowell made his way up the mountain, a wooden stick in hand for support. He couldn't ride a horse, so walking was his only option. He didn't know how long he'd been climbing when he finally reached a high vantage point, so winded that even with all his training, he was gasping for air. Standing on the slope, he looked down and saw a vast expanse of cattle and sheep. A few sheepdogs were scattered around, diligently guarding their flock. In the distance, a dashing figure galloped across the grassland on horseback. An eagle shrieked and circled high above him, soaring on the wind. Even from this far away, Lowell recognized them instantly: Diana and Jove! Suddenly, Jove spotted prey on the ground and dove, its sharp talons piercing the creature's hide. It tumbled across the grass with its victim before gaining the upper hand, pinning it down with no chance of escape. Diana immediately reined in his horse and galloped over, extending his right arm. Jove snatched its prey and launched into the air, landing gracefully on Diana's arm. Diana secured the catch and they took off across the prairie again, the sheepdogs barking excitedly and running alongside them. It was a scene straight out of some epic tale, a hunter and his hawk, masters of the wild plains. Standing on the hillside, Lowell forgot his exhaustion, adrenaline surging through his veins at the raw energy of the moment. He couldn't help but pull out his phone and start recording, trying to follow Diana's path. Suddenly, something smacked him on the back of the head. It was a rock. Lowell whipped around, his heart jumping into his throat. A huge, disheveled man had appeared out of nowhere behind him. He was covered in dirt, and his face was a mask of grime. He glared at Lowell, his eyes full of hostility. Before Lowell could say a word, the man lunged at him. Lowell yelped and instinctively bolted. The man gave chase, roaring like an animal, as if he wanted to tear Lowell limb from limb. "Hey, don't! We can talk about this! I'm not a bad guy!" Lowell shouted as he ran. The man knew the terrain and was surprisingly fast. He caught up to Lowell and started swinging. Lowell quickly grabbed his hands, trying to restrain him so he could explain. But before he could get a word out, the man started yelling, "Bad man! Get away! Bad man!" His cries alerted the sheepdogs. Several of them looked over, barking furiously as they charged toward them. Lowell realized this was bad. Very bad. He knew herding dogs could be vicious. If a whole pack of them ganged up on him, he'd be seriously injured, if not worse. He wasn't a powerhouse like Axel or Tarquin. One word flashed in his mind: RUN! He let go of the man and tried to scramble away, but the man suddenly grabbed his ankle. With a powerful tug, Lowell lost his balance and went tumbling down the steep slope. He was trying to get *away* from the dogs, and now he was rolling right *towards* them. Talk about of the frying pan and into the fire! Lowell was panicking, unable to stop his descent. He was about to roll right into a pile of angry dogs. He screamed, "Aaaah—!" "Woof! Woof!" The dogs closed in, leaping at him like a furry, snarling wave. The eagle also saw him as an enemy, diving down with its talons extended, just as it had with the prey, ready to tear into his flesh. At the last second, a sharp voice cut through the chaos. "Stand down!" The eagle instantly changed course and soared back into the sky. The sheepdogs lost their aggression, their tails wagging as they watched him quietly. Diana, still on his horse, glanced down at Lowell but didn't say anything just yet.