Midnight Rider

By Quinn Miller

Rikki is generally content with his life and the world in which he lives. That is until the day a mysterious big cat emerges from living underground and reveals the hideous truth about Rikki’s society. While Rikki trains his fire-breathing horse for a community event, the confused teenager must navigate a dark path of twisting and evolving morals. When the previously helpful cat suddenly becomes a violent predator, Rikki must either act in line with his own morals or witness his town succumb to the wrath of the beast.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
• Release date: May 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9781662935787

Book preview

1

Watch it, Fire Snot!

Sorry! Rikki gripped the reigns of his horse, Elchron, blinking irritation from his burning eyes as they passed through a small cloud of smoke. It didn’t help that more smoke was steadily emanating from Elchron’s nostrils. He willed her to gallop faster as Darian raced ahead of him. The lupista’s vaguely humanoid body was bent low to minimize wind resistance, his long tail whipping behind him. After rounding the edge of the cornfield, he allowed Elchron a burst of speed, and she began closing the distance between herself and Darian’s chestnut gelding. Hope surged through Rikki: he knew he could beat Darian in a race. The pounding of hooves and the air whipping at his face faded out of focus as excitement caused his head to swim. It didn’t matter to him that it was only a practice race. All the failed attempts at glory, or at least recognition, were beginning to embarrass Rikki, and he was ready to prove at least Darian wrong about something.

His moment of elation was broken by a small snort, followed by a plume of flames that licked at his face, although it dissipated almost immediately.

Damn you! I told you this was a bad idea! Darian snarled as he pulled his reins, sending his horse skidding to a halt and whinnying in protest. Rikki did the same and heard the two horses behind them slow as well.

I’m sorry, I really am. She didn’t hurt you, did she? Rikki peered at the lupista’s somewhat wolf-like face. He didn’t seem hurt, but he was clearly livid. His long, pointed ears were pressed down as he bared his sharp teeth.

It’s not just that, you idiot! What were you doing on the inner track? Fire Snot could’ve lit the entire cornfield on fire and then what would we eat, you idiot?!

He has a point, Rik. A teenage girl steered her horse slowly up to them. You should’ve been on the outermost track to make sure Ellie didn’t ignite any plants.

Or any people! Darian spat.

Rikki ignored him and focused on his best friend. You’re really siding with him, Robin?

Well, not completely. I support you using a hell-horse even though it’s not traditional. But I do think you need to train her better. She can’t go spewing flames in the real race, that’s for sure. And it’s a safety hazard, Rik.

It is not a hell-horse; it is a midnight horse, Darian snapped. Lupista have night vision, so we don’t epitomize darkness as being scary or evil the way humans do. ‘Midnight horse’ literally just means ‘dark-colored horse’ to us—but then humans think it means evil and call it a hell-horse, and the flame-spewing doesn’t exactly help. I suppose you still do like them enough to raise them, Rikki … but that’s probably because your mommy and daddy thought they would be faster than thoroughbreds, and help you win the race.

Oh my gosh, Rikki! Your face! Another lupista trotted her horse up to them. You’re all burned!

Rikki tentatively drew a pale hand to his cheeks and immediately felt heat and stinging pain. He winced.

I’m fine.

Are you sure?

Yeah. Thanks, Kendall.

How about you listen to Robin and don’t train for the race again until your stupid animal has control of its fire breath. Atop his horse, who was stomping around back and forth, Darian looked like a general berating a soldier. I can’t believe you would even take as ludicrous a risk as that; don’t do it again!

Big Brother, please! Kendall squeaked, chewing her clawed fingers with worry.

I promise I’ll be more careful.

You humans are useless sometimes. Some of you have only half a brain, and that’s only the beginning of it.

Oh, boy, here comes another ‘lupista are more adapted to the environment than humans’ lecture. Rikki rubbed his neck with apprehension and prepared to let his mind wander.

But it’s true! Even though our clawed hands can manipulate objects the same way, we don’t depend on artificial adaptations, such as tools, nearly as much. Our long tails help us balance. Even though the fur is short, our full body covering of fur protects us from the elements. Our clothing is largely just for dignity, and—

Cute peach fuzz.

Let me finish! Humans have skin pigment because they lost most of their fur. You have light skin because your human ancestors came from cold climates. Robin has brown skin because her human ancestors came from sunny climates. But lupista skin isn’t even visible because our fur protects us. Our stiff neck-manes don’t require the grooming that human hair does. Our long snouts give us the same olfactory senses as a wolf or wild dog, and our pointed fox ears can swivel and hear better. That means Kendall and I can sense danger further away, so we’d be able to warn your clueless human butts if something was wrong. Also, in addition to walking upright, we can walk and run on all fours, like so.

Yeah, and it just makes you look like a giant, gangly fox in pants and a shirt.

So? We can run way faster than you!

Which is why humans were the ones to domesticate the damn horses. Beside Rikki, Robin stifled a giggle. "‘Lupista’ comes from ‘lupus’,