Rider on a Mountain

~ A Short Story by Andre Norton

Synopsis ~

Nancee – Lady of the House of Bradd – is hiding from the one who has slain her clan. Mind touched by a tree-cat she manages to escape riding on a mountain.

Write-up from a fan ~

Nancee, the last survivor of her family, Lowree of the House of Bradd, was taking a bath in a stream when the raiders under the command of Dik Romlee, her uncle's enemy, catches up to her.  Remnants of her family and guardsmen are dead or being killed as she listens with her mind.  The only ally she has left is Boldhoof, a giant Northhorse--but she can't mindspeak him to gain his cooperation.  But in her desperate attempt to flee, or find a weapon, she encounters a young half-grown prairiecat, friend to the Horseclans, who wishes to ride; his paws are sore.  She manages to explain the situation to him, and he leads her to a place where she can overlook her former camp and see that Dik has indeed killed all of her kinfolk.  However, he has managed to track her and captures her.  The 'cat has eluded pursuit, though, and now comes to her rescue, spooking the raiders' horses, and evidently communicating with Boldhoof, so the two of them rescue her, and carry her to safety, the 'cat riding alongside her on Boldhoof.  He (the cat) is all smug and self-satisfied at being a "Rider on a Mountain", i.e. the giant horse. ~ SL

Bibliography of English Editions ~

• Friends of the Horseclans (1987) Edited by Robert Adams & Pamela Crippen Adams, Published by Signet, PB, 0-451-14789-8, $3.50, 284pg ~ cover by unknown

 Write-up from the back of the paperback ~

For over ten years, Robert Adams has been weaving his magnificent tales of the Horseclans, those doughty warriors of post-apocalyptic America, led by their Undying High Lord Milo Morai on a mission to respread civilization across the devastated continent. But from the very first prairie cat's call, many have longed to find their place in the excitement - and adventure-filled realm of the courageous Horseclan warriors. and now at last Robert Adams has opened his world to some of the top authors in the field today, who join him in chronicling twelve unforgettable new tales about those mind-speaking master of blade and bow ---

Contains:
    9 • Introduction (Friends of the Horseclans) • (1987) • essay by Robert Adams
    11 • Battle at Kahlkopolis • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1985) • novelette by Robert Adams (variant of Battle of Kahlkhopolis)
    29 • A Vision of Honor • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • novelette by Sharon Green
    56 • Rider on a Mountain • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • short story by Andre Norton
    72 • Maureen Birnbaum on the Art of War (as told to Bitsy Spiegelman Fein) • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • novelette by George Alec Effinger
    95 • The Last Time • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • short story by Joel Rosenberg
    104 • High Road of Lost Men • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • novelette by Brad Linaweaver
    127 • Yelloweye • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • novelette by Steven Barnes
    167 • Ties of Faith • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • novelette by Gillian Fitzgerald
    192 • The Courage of Friends • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • short story by Paul Edwards
    208 • The Swordsman Smada • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • novelette by John Steakley
    242 • Sister of Midnight • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • short story by Shariann Lewitt
    256 • Nightfriend • [Friends of the Horseclans] • (1987) • novelette by John F. Carr and Roland J. Green

• Tales from High Hallack vol. 2 (2014) Published by Premier Digital Publishing, DM & TP, 1-624-67189-6, $22.95, 450pg ~ cover by Kib Prestridge

View the Original contract

• Contains: Rider on a Mountain - 1987 Contains: Rider on a Mountain - 1987
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