[https://static.wixstatic.com/media/c4c6bb_11daf13e623f423a9fb103f53a8aa0ee~mv2.png]

Alvin's horse is racing towards the cliff edge. Alvin is yelling and straining at the reins with all his might. When they're thirty paces away from the death drop, Al pulls the whip out of his belt and unfurls it with a flick of his wrist. The whip whistles through the air and lands on the horse's flank with a resounding slap.

The horse stops short. Alvin sails over its head through the air and lands on a prickly bush.

Solveig and Oskar trot up. Solveig dismounts and runs over to Alvin.

Solveig: Al! Are you all right?

Alvin: Ugh. I think so.

Alvin extricates himself from the bush and emerges with bloody scratches on his hands and face. He takes a few steps, wincing, then rubs his backside.

Alvin: The riding's the problem, not the fall. My bones are intact, but my butt may never be the same again.

Oskar giggles and Alvin smiles. Solveig frowns.

Alvin: Don't look so worried. Look -- Oskar thinks it's funny! Let's make camp under one of those weird trees. I need a night's sleep before I can face another difference of opinion with that horse.

§

The early dawn sheds some weak light over the bleak gray mountain top. The horses are saddled and laden with their bundles. Solveig and Oskar are mounted on the gray mare.

Alvin is standing by his horse's head, looking him in the eye.

Alvin: Listen, horse. I'm really sorry about the whip yesterday. But you weren't exactly on your best behavior either. Now let's be grown-ups about this.

Alvin tries to get his foot into the stirrup. The horse swings away so the stirrup is out of reach. Alvin sighs.

Alvin: Solveig, can you give me a bit of food? Something sweet.

Solveig rummages in her saddlebags until she finds a leather pouch full of dried blueberries. She hands it to Alvin.

Alvin holds out a fistful of blueberries to his horse. The horse nibbles at them.

Alvin: Okay. We're cool now, right?

He strokes the horse's mane and flank, then slowly moves to mount. The horse pivots so that it's facing Alvin. They eye each other reproachfully.

Alvin: He's still mad.

Solveig: How about...using the whip?

Alvin: No, he'll never forgive me. I have to gain his trust again. Besides, if I whip him before I mount, I bet he takes off and we'll never see him again.

Alvin sighs, takes hold of one rein and starts walking towards the path. Solveig looks after him, surprised, then clicks to her horse and follows.

Solveig: That's it, you're walking?

Alvin: For now.

§

The travelers have worked their way down the mountain and have come to a level green field. Alvin is still leading his horse.

Alvin: I will not miss that creepy mountain. Oskar, what do you say we give this horse a name? How about...Horsey?

Oskar smiles but shakes his head.

Alvin: How about Brownie?

Oskar shakes his head.

Alvin: How about "Pain-in-the-Butt"? That's true in more ways than one.

Oskar nods and giggles.

Alvin: You like that word, huh? Butt!

Oskar laughs, and the two adults join him.

Alvin starts singing "Horse With No Name." When he gets to the "la la la" part, he hears something and looks back in surprise. Oskar is singing "la la la" along with him. Alvin raises his eyebrows at Solveig and she smiles at him.

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§

In a pine forest, Alvin and Solveig are sleeping next to each other on two leather bedrolls, covered in furs, by a burning campfire. The third bedroll beside them is empty.

Solveig turns on her side and inches closer to Alvin.

A branch cracks sharply. Alvin sits up in alarm. He sees that Oskar's bedroll is empty. He looks around. Through the trees, some distance away, he sees an orange gleam. He gets up and walks quickly towards the light.

He comes to a small clearing. Oskar is playing with the glowing light saber, waving it around and copying its humming sound.

Alvin: Oskar!

Oskar is startled; he drops the light saber. Alvin picks it up and switches it off.

Alvin: Not cool, Oskar! You can't play with this! You'll drain the...how long has it been on? I mean, flaming?

Oskar looks crushed. He doesn't answer.

Alvin: Don't touch the sword, Oskar. It's mine. Now come back to bed.

§

Alvin and Solveig are saddling and loading the horses.

Oskar is subdued and won't look Alvin in the eye.

Alvin: Oskar, are you ready for another day's ride?

Oskar shrugs and still doesn't look at Alvin.

Alvin: I'm sorry I yelled at you last night. It's just, the fire sword is really, really...dangerous.

Oskar doesn't respond.

Alvin: Hey, do you think Pain-in-the-Butt is gonna let me ride him today? That's a really long name. Should we call him "Butt" for short?

Oskar shrugs.

Solveig: We'd better get going. We've already added a day to the journey.

Solveig and Oskar mount the mare.

Alvin tries to mount Butt. Butt has other ideas.

Alvin: Shit. Nobody likes me today.

Solveig: I once raised a little foal who loved to be scratched between her withers. Why don't you try it?

Alvin scratches Butt across his shoulder bones. Butt takes a step closer to Alvin, then stands still. After a minute, Alvin moves slowly to mount and Butt allows him to.

Alvin looks at Solveig in stunned surprise.

Alvin: You couldn't have told me this two days ago?

Solveig: I only just remembered. Let's go.

Alvin tries all possible methods to induce the horse to move, with no success. Alvin dismounts and pulls at Butt's rein. The horse follows him willingly. Alvin stops, scratches the horse's withers, and mounts again. The horse refuses to move.

Alvin: So he'll either move when I lead him, or stand still with me on him. I don't think this horse fully understands the concept of riding.

Solveig: In the end he'll be riding you.

Alvin: Listen, you guys go on ahead.

Solveig: And leave you here?

Alvin: I want to try something. Just go. Don't stop.

Solveig moves off, looking worriedly over her shoulder.

Alvin: All right, Butt. Everyone's gone but us.

Butt shuffles uneasily on his spot, but stays put.

Alvin: It's just you and me. We're gonna be left all alone.

Butt sways his head from side to side.

Alvin: Yep. I mean it. I'm not walking today. It's up to you. If you don't move, we'll be all alone. Aaaaalllll alooooone.

The mare and its riders are growing smaller in the distance. Butt snorts and tosses his head.

Alvin: Come on. I know you want to.

Alvin clicks his tongue. Butt starts walking. Alvin pats his flank.

Alvin: Good Butt. Good horse. You don't have to say it. I know. You did it because you want to, not because I told you to.

§

Alvin, Solveig and Oskar are riding side by side, following the winding contour of a river. Behind them, dark clouds are gathering in the sky. Solveig glances back.

Solveig: We may get there before the rain. It's not far now.

Alvin: Nearly there, Oskar. Are you excited?

Oskar smiles and gives a little bounce in the saddle.

Alvin: What about you, Solveig? How do you feel about going back?

Solveig: Strange. I'm dreading seeing Finn's grave. It will be so...final. But I'll be glad to see my mother.

Alvin: And she'll be thrilled to see you. But her new son-in-law...I'm thinking not so much.

Solveig gives Alvin a rueful smile.

Solveig: It will certainly be interesting.

They ride in silence for a moment. Thunder rumbles in the distance.

Alvin: Look what a good boy Butt is. Told you I'd win him over!

Behind them, lightning knifes through the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder. Butt rears.

Alvin: Oh, shit.

Butt whinnies and takes off at a frantic gallop. Solveig yells after him.

Solveig: Keep following the river!

§

Three men are harvesting barley in a fenced field. Their hair colors range from strawberry blond to auburn.

Alvin gallops up to the fence. Butt stops short, but Alvin manages to keep his seat. Horse and rider are dark against a sky illuminated by lightning. The men gaze at them in amazement.

Alvin yells to be heard above the thunder.

Alvin: Uh...hi!

The Redhair men move to stand in a line facing Alvin, each of them holding a scythe. For a long, tense moment, the men do nothing but stare.

Strawberry Blond: What is he?

Carrot Top: I don't know. A troll?

Auburn: A dark elf?

Alvin: Whoa. Déjà vu.

Alvin dismounts and walks up to the fence, leading Butt. The men take a step backwards.

Alvin: Pleased to make your acquaintance. I'm Al, Jarl of the South Shore clan.

Carrot Top: No you're not. Where's Ulf?

Alvin: He's...sadly passed away. I'm the new Jarl.

Auburn: Did you kill him?

Alvin: Did I...did I kill him? What a question!

Strawberry Blond: Did you?

Alvin: Well...yes, but it's not like it sounds.

As if moving of one accord, all three men raise their scythes.

Alvin: Hey, let's not do anything rash. You know my wife! Solveig. Me and you guys - we're practically clansmen!

Carrot Top: A bold-faced lie! No Viking woman would wed you. Unless you took her by force.

Alvin: No, really, she asked me to marry her!

The three men step forward and climb over the fence.

Lightning rends the sky and thunder crashes. Clouds stream overhead and rain pours down.

Alvin tries to mount Butt again, but the horse is terrified of the thunder and is having none of it.

The three Redhairs surround Alvin and close in, brandishing their scythes.