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[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

65th of Fall 512AV

After all this time of being stationed here in the Sanctuary he still did not know how to ride a horse very well. Sure he took trips into town every now and then, but those were easy rides that any novice could do. He knew well that his riding ability would be challenged one day; he just hoped that it didn’t come anytime soon. However; trials seemed to come at the most interesting of times…usually when you least expected it. So he took it on himself to be ready quickly, bringing himself up to speed as fast as he could. That way he wouldn’t be found lacking; so he could integrate himself into the Sanctuary backbone.

Part of his mind needed to become a pivotal part of something, so that he could feel anchored here with these people. So he was going to train himself up…and start from the ground up. Footfalls carried him to the stables where Hasmere was. Lately he had become more restless than usual because of the cooler weather. Seemed he was getting a little stir crazy wanting to be released out into the open again. Serrif cooed the animal with a hand on his massive head.

“Come on now let’s get you out of here for a while.” With that he opened the stall door and then fit Hasmere with his saddle. He tightened it down a little but tried not to do so too tight.

The cool weather seemed to peak Hasmere’s interest; he knew how much Hasmere hated the summer season and just waited for the ushering in of winter. Serrif was going to have to start riding him more now that the weather was amiable. He opened the sea cave door and took Hasmere by the lead; gently taking him outdoors where the wind was indeed whipping across the beachhead. It was cool now, and with the sun barely coming up over the horizon now it was going to be a very cool start to a morning.

His cloak would provide him with some shelter from the wind, but it would still pierce through to his flesh; and he knew it. However he found himself more easily able to focus when the cold weather was biting him. It was familiar…

Hasmere bucked around some as Serrif settled himself in the saddle. He was still uncomfortable in the saddle now; something that needed to change quickly. But he needed to learn to do more than just sit and ride in the saddle; he would need to know how to fight from it as well. And being that he already knew archery he figured he could do that just as well as anything else.

Hasmere and he took off down the sandy beachhead at a general pace. Not fast but not slow either. Seemed Serrif’s white stallion wanted to run some of his energy out this morning. And he couldn’t be blamed; Serrif found the cold wind was clearing his mind easily. His deep hood pulled up over his head providing some protection from the wind. But even it couldn’t cut the bite out of it completely. With a smile Hasmere picked up the pace some Serrif was hardly able to keep himself in the saddle.

He rode up in the saddle and put more pressure in the stirrups and along the flanks of the horse. Hasmere responded by slowing down a little and keeping a steady pace. He could feel the animal moving underneath him. Where he was right behind the horses large shoulder blades he could feel the pace of the horse. Up and down…up and down…up and down very rhythmic. He could feel every step of the large animal. After a few minutes of this he settled back into the saddle and Hasmere responded again by slowing down to a gentle walking pace. Seemed that he had gotten that brief run out of his system which was good. He could see the warm air being blown out of his large nostrils.

It was good to see Hasmere stretching his legs again; it seemed as the weather got cooler his legs got more restless. He knew that Hasmere couldn’t wait for the snow to build back up again; to go trudging through it. He knew the horse was more than capable of such things, he had ridden him through deeper snow than he could manage himself. The sand wasn’t hard on the horses stride at all. And he was enjoying it; Serrif could feel it in his lively step.

Slowing back down Serrif felt the cold breeze slow down some. He settled in a little more gaining a little more confidence in his stance atop this large animal. He was still uncomfortable here on this huge beast. Hasmere carried along just fine step by step down the shoreline. He was down the beach a good amount now; he had gone north along the shoreline and was sitting now overlooking the ocean. The brisk morning air surrounded him keeping his thoughts at bay. It was good for his mind to be soothed by the cold. Hasmere seemed to be much the same.

They were similar the two of them; both loved the cold. He was sure the both of them had suffered in it alone. But now they had each other. The rolling of the ocean brought a smile to his face. He knew more mornings like this one would come now that winter was settling in. It wouldn’t be to long now and the snow would start to fall. This would mark his first full year here in Riverfall…and at the Sanctuary. And he was glad to have had this time with Kavala and the many others he had come to know.

[Gianne Basete]

There was definitely a bite in the air. This evening Gianne would probably go into the city and buy some warmer gear. Just the thought of fur-lined clothing made her feel warmer. She was hauling two full buckets of water to the kennels, hobbling awkwardly against the weight while trying not to slosh any of the water out. Sadly her calves were wet and starting to get very cold. She shivered and the violent tremor caused a little more water to splash out. "Shyke," she grumbled, screwing up her face and sticking her tongue out in concentration. Much to her surprise a chicken ran by, clucking loudly. Her eyebrows rose into her hairline as she watched it strut by, flapping its wings erratically a few times. Why was it all the way over here when the chicken house was on the other side of the complex? Oh well. Back to trying not to spill the water. One foot in front of the other - no not there that's a rock - okay good, catastrophe avoided. She just happened to look at the right time to spot Serrif leading Hasmere into the Within. Her heart fluttered at the sight of him and she called out his name, but he didn't show any sign of hearing her. If he was going for a ride she'd love to join him, but she needed to finish up this chore first. With more enthusiasm but a lot less grace the shuffled for the kennel. The dogs knew to sit back and wait while she filled their bowls with the fresh water. Gianne had communicated those instructions with the language of Mura weeks ago, and they thankfully did as they were told. After all, they knew they would get the water either way. It didn't matter if they would charge and lap it from the buckets our wait for it to be distributed. Luckily not too much has spilled so she wouldn't need to make another trip. Thank the Gods they're still doing as I ask, she thought with relief as she went to store the buckets away and fetch a horse. It was a given that she would normally ride her own gelding Gill, but as she reached the paddocks where he was munching contently on some hay her eyes caught the golden gleam of Lyva. One of the two horses she was interested in here at the Sanctuary, and had yet to ride. A slow smile pulled up her lips and she made a b-line for the tall mare. Her halter was on but she didn't need to lead her. Instead Gianne opened the gate and as the mare approached she looked into those big inquiring eyes. The images and intents she sent were clear and simple. Care to go for a ride? Excitement rippled through Lyva's body and she pawed at the trampled dirt of the paddock, snorting and shaking her mane. What are we waiting for? Gianne let her pass through the gate and asked her to follow. She moved through the complex at a jog with Lyva trotting at her heels and entered the Within, having the horse stop and wait while she went to fetch the tack. Within a few minutes all of her gear was secured to Lyva, looking mighty fancy. The brightness of her smile of satisfaction could have blinded Syna. It was obvious that Serrif would have taken Hasmere out onto the beach. Where else could they have gone down here? So Lyva followed her out onto the sand, a little prance in her step. They stopped as Gianne looked down either direction of the beach, searching for signs of the other two. Hasmere's hoof prints were easy to spot and as her eyes followed the trail she noticed them far off down the shore, a black and white lump growing smaller still. "Better catch up, girl!" She jogged around to Lyva's left side and slid a foot in the stirrup, bunched the reigns up in one first while grabbing the saddle with the other and hoisting herself up easily in the seat. The mare tossed her head high and pawed at the sand, sidestepping to the right in excitement. Gianne smiled, keeping a firm two-hand hold on the reigns. As a riding instructor she knew the personalities and tendencies of all the horses. While she'd never ridden Lyva until now, she knew the mare was extremely fast and energetic. They would be doing a lot of running for a while. Luckily she had gotten over the snag in her ability to sit a proper canter during the summer and was now getting pretty good at riding a gallop. This should be pretty simple. She had to keep moderate pressure on the bit as she cued the mare into a walk. Her neck was curled and she moved as quickly as if she were trotting. "Calm down girl, I just want to get a feel for you before you let you out," she murmured, placing a hand on the mare's tense neck. Excitement rippled through her body and up Gianne's arm. She felt Lyva's craving to run flat out down the shore after not being ridden for a while. But she waited, keeping the mare in a fast walk for a few more meters. Then suddenly she put her weight deep in the saddle and onto her heels, releasing the pressure on the reigns. "Now!" she urged, squeezing the mare's sides with her calves. Instantly Lyva dug deep with her back legs, surging forward with powerful hindquarters while pulling with her front hooves. It was like they had been suspended for a moment in slow motion while she got herself up to speed, and then they were off. Gianne nearly came out of the saddle and over her golden rump, but she stood in her stirrups and leaned forward over her whipping mane, grabbing two fistfuls and hanging on for dear life. Her own hair was like a brown flag flapping madly behind her. She let out a loud whoop of excitement as the distance between them and Serrif and Hasmere quickly shrunk. A spray of sand flew out from behind Lyva's thundering hooves and she snorted loudly with each stride, stretched out like a bolt shot from a crossbow. "Serrif!" she shrieked with glee as they came within shouting distance. She knew Lyva was fast, but not this fast. It was too late when Gianne started to pull back on the reigns; they galloped past in a spray of sand but after several meters she was able check the mare's speed. To her surprise Lyva slid to a stop and pivoted around to face Hasmere. With a squeak she became unglued from the saddle on the sudden stop and change of direction, tipping off the mare's back and somersaulted onto her back in the sand with a loud whoosh of air from her lungs.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

The unexpected did seem to happen around the Sanctuary. He thought this would be a lone ride just he and Hasmere. But he was sadly mistaken; but how could he have known this? The sound of the waves was soothing him as he went along the beach. He wasn’t moving fast; he was a snails pace compared to how fast Gianne was moving up on him. He did hear something over the waves though.

Hoof beats? Could it be Hasmere’s? No…it was not. Something else…was moving quickly. He turned about in the saddle and there like some sort of maniac was a figure coming up on him fast. At first he did not recognize the figure nor the horse until he saw the long black hair tussling around and heard his name called from her mouth.

’Serrif!’ He smiled, it was Gianne likely riding Lyva. He wasn’t sure of the breed of horse but she was indeed fast; like a golden shot of sunshine rushing down the beach toward him. Still turned around Serrif was amazed at just how fast Gianne was moving toward them. Had he known more about proper riding technique he would be able to tell that she had bitten off more than she could chew. But he wasn’t one to critique, because he himself didn’t have proper riding form. Something he would need to be taught if he was going to work here.

The golden horse streaked past him and Hasmere reacted intensely not liking the fact that something had passed past him so suddenly. Seemed he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings very well; or that he was distracted by the sound of the ocean. Either way Hasmere didn’t like it and spooked. He reared up throwing Serrif off backwards easily. Serrif was nowhere near ready for the event so he rolled off easily meeting the somewhat padded sandy ground. Hasmere realized what had happened only after running a few feet down the beach. Did he feel sorry…likely not. Hasmere threw his head around some and huffed air out his massive nostrils voicing his general distaste for the situation.

It was about this time that he swore he heard something else hit the sand with a muffled squeak and athump. His back hurt some from being thrown himself and he looked around. There was Lyva…but she was missing Gianne. Then down on the ground beside her was Gianne looking upward and likely stunned. Propped up some Serrif started laughing a little. Here they were the both of them thrown off in the sand. Gianne was a mush more skilled rider than he was; and yet here she laid in the sand. But her circumstances were much more different than his.

His laughter continued as he then shook his head and brought himself back up to his feet. “Ah…not what I expected for a morning.”

He stretched his back some and then offered Gianne a hand up. “We have to stop meeting like this.” He said jokingly as he planted on of his feet in the sand so he could easily help her off of her back.

If she took his hand she would again feel that calm serenity wash over her. Now a little more intense than the last time he had done it. It would start at the point of touch which was her hand. Then travel down her arm and spread outward from there. It wasn’t a healing feeling; no it was a soothing feeling; but she was already likely pretty calm. So the effect would likely be menial; but present. Hasmere and Lyva seemed to be doing better now. Hasmere wasn’t as much spooked as he was frustrated. But he’d get over it.

“I’ve got to learn to ride better.” Serrif voiced as he gave Gianne a gentle pat on the shoulder. “Maybe there is something I am missing?”

Or something she is missing. She wasn’t wearing a winter cloak and it was indeed quite cool out here. With winter coming it would only get worse as well. Maybe…that would be a good idea for a little something to give her. But without much more of a thought on the issue he nodded and slipped the long winter cloak from his own shoulders. He was used to the cold, and had been for a very long time. And well it was the general gentleman thing to do he supposed.

“Here it will be big but it will keep the wind off of you. If you keep riding like that you will need to cut the wind some.” His s mile might be a little disarming but what was even worse was how warm his cloak was.

It was long, made of white fur both inside and out. Not the general type of cloak one buys at the Bazaar; no this was of a general higher quality. It was fur lined with the same fine white fur that the outside was made of; it was also generally heavier than a standard cloak because of this. Which meant it would keep her very warm. But what was even more wonderful was that Serrif had been wearing it before her; which meant it was already warm.

He motioned for her to turn around and would put the cloak on her. And it was indeed a little long on her. But it would serve the purpose intended nicely. The deep hood on him would doubtlessly swallow her head whole. But it was warm and that was what really mattered here. He could survive in his long sleeve shirt and pants for now; especially now that he was warm.

[Gianne Basete]

She heard quite the commotion on Serrif's end. While trying to catch her breath she looked over just in time to see him hit the sand. Inwardly she winced, knowing that was her fault. But despite being thrown off his horse he laughed, and it was the infectious kind. Here they were, starting off the morning ride by getting throw off their horses. She rolled onto her side laughing heartily, gasping for for the breath she still hadn't gotten back completely. It hurt, but it was the good kind of hurt. Laughing too long like this usually caused people to cry. Gianne was able to compose herself long enough to take Serrif's outstretched hand, automatically starting to relax from the point of their contact down. It spread like a fire catching kindling, pouring through her body until she wanted to sigh and melt into him. But really, she would want to do that anyway. "I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have ran up on you like that." She smiled up at him, flashing a little charm his way. "I wasn't expecting to not be able to reign her in quickly." Lyva was indeed fast, and whoever became her permanent rider would need to put a lot of time in the saddle to become accustomed to her. It seemed Serrif had come out here not just for a leisurely ride but for practice. "Well, why didn't just ask Kavala or I? We could have easily helped you up topside in an enclosed area. This is just fine though. I'll gladly help you out. Though, obviously I'm no professional." That last bit she added with a sheepish smile. Gianne was at least good enough to help Serrif out. She was a riding instructor after all. Then he offered her his cloak. "No, Serrif, you need to wear that. It was my own fault I didn't dress properly." It was a lame attempt at turning him down, and he probably knew it. She could practically see the heat radiating off of it. Her eyes might have glazed over a little bit. It was rather cold out she noticed, and chewed her lip trying to decide whether to accept or not. That smile on his face was what swayed her. She could always feel her cheeks heat up when he smiled at her like that. Blast! And so she turned around when he told her to, sighing audibly as the thick fur was draped over her shoulder. It was heavy and still warm from his body. The heat of it automatically went to work soaking into her chilled skin. It smelled just like him too; a scent she'd become pretty familiar with ever since the start of their relationship. She couldn't really describe what it reminded her of but it was wonderful. A unique scent all of his own. Gianne had been told she smelled like cinnamon, and it was true she did enjoy cinnamon rolls and other cinnamon sweets. Must have left a permanent odor to her. She turned back to him with a rather shy smile, pulling the fur folds tighter around her body. Of course it was big on her but not terribly so. "Thank you. This is very kind of you." That sounded way too formal but what the heck. Hopefully he would be warm enough in what he was wearing. But he was a large man and would radiate a lot of body heat. She wouldn't admit it but thinking about his body heat made her want to snuggle up to him again and bask like a sunbathing cat. Or dog. Rhy would be indignant if she knew her bondmate was making personal comparisons to felines instead of canines. Gianne had to hide a smile at the thought. She could actually imagine it.

[Serrif Von Chatlyn]

He helped her to her feet and nodded some as she spoke about helping him out. He was hoping she could aid him a little. He was after all working in a place whose pride was quickly becoming Kavala’s breeding program. She tried to apologize and he smiled a little.

“Don’t worry about it, Hasmere gets away from me all the time. I can only imagine Lyva.” He actually didn’t want to imagine being dumped off Lyva at high speeds…that would likely not end up well for him…or the horse for that matter.

She was politely trying to turn down the offer of his cloak, which brought a sly smile to his face; she was so cute when she tried to do things like that. She needed it, even if she wouldn’t admit it outright. He knew from her features that she was surprised he would offer it to her, he didn’t want her freezing. And he was much more accustomed to the cold than she was. Her chewing her lip gave it away that she likely wouldn’t accept the gift outright; and she would never ask for his cloak. Which was why with a motion he laid it on her body. From a light brush along her neck he could tell she was cold. The cloak had to feel good on her body; especially since he had warmed it for her.

“You are more than welcome, we will have to get you one of your own sometime.” He said with a smile as he noted just how large it looked on her. That would surely keep her warm; he knew it had kept his body comfortable in the deepest coldest winter storms.

“Well so riding lessons then?” He said getting back on topic as he motioned toward Lyva.

With measured steps he made his way to Hasmere who was still rather peeved that he had been scared like he had. With a gentle hand on the animal Hasmere calmed down almost instantly. Hasmere had been touched and acted on by Serrif’s gift many times now; and the feeling was extremely soothing to him now.

“Come on now you are fine…shhhhhhhhh” He ran his hand along the large animals neck and Hasmere responded by relaxing his head some and puffing out warm air from his large nostrils. He dug into the sand a little with his right front leg while his breathing steadied.

Serrif could feel the large animal’s heart beating slow down as Hasmere calmed down a little…bit by bit. The effect was interesting to watch and maybe…just maybe Gianne would make a connection. But who knew all kinds of things were possible. Serrif looked back to Gianne.

“Seems he is ready to go.” Serrif then without wasting much more time put his foot in a stirrup and threw his leg over settling back into the saddle.

“Now it’s teaching time what kind of things should I be watching for or doing?” He asked as he tried to settle himself in the saddle. There were a few things Gianne could point out, maybe that he was applying too much pressure on the stirrups and sitting a little too far forward. He was uneven in the saddle and Hasmere would doubtlessly notice that.

[Gianne Basete]

She smiled at him, pulling Lyva a little closer and touching her nose. "I have a cloak, but it's definitely not as warm as this. Just an old cotton one. I think you might have just hooked me on fur, though." Gianne made an exaggerated display out of running her fingers over the snow white fur, rolling her eyes toward the heavens with a big grin. "So soft!" But it seemed time for business. She fondled the edge of his cloak absently as she thought over what she might do to test his riding. "Yes, I believe it's time for you to have a lesson. I want to see if I can get you cantering comfortably." She liked to push riders to their limits. At first they didn't normally appreciate it, but in the end it paid off because they learned what they could really do with a little dedication and shove. It always helped to have a stern instructor ready to take a crop to your thighs if you didn't listen. Gianne watched with interest as Serrif touched Hasmere. The horse seemed to placate within mere heartbeats. She pursed her lips and peered at his hand. She herself could do that with the animals here at the Sanctuary. Wild ones too, if they were willing to listen to the emotions she poured forth for them. But Serrif, he could do it with humans as well, and also Kelvics. Gianne had no effect on Kelics, which was a bit of a let down. But he had no mark from Caiyha, only Rak'keli. That was healing, not a form of communication. So how did he do it? She'd wondered this for a while, and never really asked. The question was just about to leave her lips though, when he mounted. The question could wait, she decided reluctantly. After all, she had plenty of time with him in the future to ask. The thought made her blush happily. Pushing the curiosity from her mind for now, she sidled around Lyva and swung easily into the saddle, resting herself back against the seat. She placed a hand on Lyva's neck and sent pushed soothing, calm emotions into the mare's mind. Her ears flicked and she sighed, relaxed for now. She was a well trained mare, just always full of energy. A trait that was both good and bad, depending on the situation. Gianne looked over Serrif's posture with a critical eye. She wasn't a fine teacher yet but she did know a thing or two about riding, so she could tell when someone at least wasn't sitting right. "You need to scoot back further in the saddle. If you ride that close to the pommel and Hasmere suddenly stops, you're going to slide forward and hit your..." She waved a finger wildly to sum up his lower body, blushing a vivid red at the awkward phrasing she's spit it. It hadn't been supposed to come out like that at all. Just sort of happened. "You get the idea," she finished gruffly. That's all she could really tell at the moment, without closely watching him ride through the gaits. "Why don't you go trot off that way," she pointed down the beach in front of them, "and when you get about a quarter mile out, come back." Trotting was probably the most important gait to be able to ride if one was traveling. It was the best to use when wanting to eat up the miles without tiring one's horse.

[Limey]

Serrif Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Riding 1 Sanctuary: Better Know How To Ride Horsemanship 1 Start Small, Get Bigger Observation 1 Knowing How To Fall That Familiar Rush Gianne: Instructor... And More? Cantering Gianne Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Riding 1 Chores Or Riding? Hmm... Horsemanship 1 Knowing Your Mount Teaching 2 The Rush Of A Ride Damn Telling Blush... Serrif: A Possible Weakness Additional Notes : This could have been much more and, once again, it stopped just as it was shifting gears and Gianne was getting her flow on. Any questions or queries, please PM me.