30th Day of Summer, 512 AV Late Morning Outskirts of the Fringe Forests She needed to loosen her hips. This was her problem. Gill's body rocked in a slow canter beneath her, and it should have been a smoother ride but she kept bobbing up and down. Relax your hips. Gill kept his gait up patiently, despite the fact that he was probably uncomfortable having a stiff body bounce around on his spine. Her mood growing dismal, Gianne reigned him to a halt and slouched over his neck, giving him an affectionate pat. "Sorry boy, I'll get it soon." If she sounded like she was trying to convince herself, she ignored the fact. Gianne clucked her tongue once and nudged Gill's sweaty sides with her heels, coaxing him into a walk. They were moving along the fringe of trees bordering Riverfall, where there was little to disturb them. Gianne was trying to master her seat at the canter, and it wasn't going as good as she'd hoped. They'd been at it for about half a bell now, and if she didn't get it soon she'd just save it for another day. "Again," she grunted, squeezing Gill's sides. He lurched into the canter, and she leaned forward so the momentum didn't leave her tilted backwards. For several strides she bobbed up and down, but then she shoved her heels down and forced herself to relax. It worked. Her hips loosened and she quit bouncing, for the most part. It wasn't the smoothest ride, but it was a huge improvement. In her excitement, she whooped, hunched over the pommel of her saddle, and kicked Gill's sides. Big mistake. Gill jumped in surprise, skittered to the side, then threw out his back feet, sending Gianne up and over his arched neck. She sailed forward a few lengths, too stunned to make a sound, and landed on her back in the grass with a loud woosh! of air from her lungs. It took several chimes of hacking and coughing to get her breath back, and Gill waited patiently next to her, acting as if nothing had happened. Horses, she thought bitterly. Gingerly rising to her feet, she took the loose reigns and patted the gelding's velvety muzzle. "That was a really bad idea, huh? Thanks for putting me in my place, I guess." Gianne led him a while, then remounted. She'd keep it at a leisurely walk now. They worked their way along the treeline, occasionally weaving between the trunks until Gill's ears perked. He quickly halted and raised his head high, snorting uncertainly. For a moment Gianne didn't hear anything, she'd been in too much of trance, but then she registered the barking of a dog a ways off into the woods. She dismounted carefully and coiled the reigns up, giving Gill a reassuring pat. "Lets go see?" she said, mainly out of curiosity. That was the only logical, or maybe illogical, reason she could think of that gave her the urge to investigate. Gill didn't put up a fight as he was led into the trees, but nervously blew air from his nose and they came nearer to the barking. It couldn't be called a clearing, but the trees were thinner here. The dog was barking up into the branches of a fairly short tree. It was about the height of three average sized men. Glancing into the branches, she noticed a fat raccoon clinging to its perch. It hissed down at the dog, paced along its branch then back again, clearly searching for an escape route. Gianne didn't know if she should call to the dog or leave now that she knew the reason for all the ruckus. If it was aggressive, she would go for the shortbow tied to her saddle. Her quiver was strapped to her back already and pregnant with a full set of arrows. |