Closed A Horsey Reunion

[Merevaika]

39th Fall 515

Merevaika grimaced as she spotted Mika's new "present" lying inches away from her bedroll, large and unpleasant. Turning to the misbehaving dog, who was staring at her innocently, she frowned, instantly signing No. He widened his eyes, but she didn't fall for that cute look this time. Images of the "present" remained firmly in her head as she roughly picked him up, shoving him out the tent and once again signing no. Mika growled, but disappeared, running towards his siblings who were digging holes scattered around the camp.

Annoyed, she used the hatchet to scoop up the poo, not wanting to touch it any other way. Then, she slipped back outside, holding her arm straight out, depositing the "present" far from her own tent. Denviel strutted over, sniffing at it,before lifting one leg and adding his own scent, showing his dominance over the still young dog.

Sighing, she wiped the hatchet clean before returning it to rest on the logs that she stored just inside her tent to keep them dry in case it rained overnight. This was the third time he had done it; Mika was testing her, testing the rules. He had gotten lost once too, the tent city a foreign landscape ready to explore. Thankfully, someone had found him and taken him back.

His siblings were much better behaved. Grey was still the charming obediant dog she had bought, learning quickly, and Freya was fairly good too, causing problems with her habit of chewing on things, but that was solved by providing her things to chew. Mika was the worse out of them.

Merevaika watched them closely, wondering if she would ever get them to be as well behaved and skilled as Denviel was. Perhaps yes, perhaps no - the process was long and lengthy, requiring as much time of practise as skill. Today, though, she had already had a session with them, practising their ability to come and go on demand. Struggling with them was over, and she was glad for it.

Sneaking up on them, she slipped leads around their necks, tying them tightly to the outside of her tent. They still had plenty of space to run and play, but hopefully they wouldn't go far. Then, she grabbed the grooming kit and packed it away tightly in Eryunt's yvas bags, planning to leave the dogs for a few bells. Was this what it felt like to be a mother, just waiting for some time alone? If it was, Merevaika felt sorry for all mothers out there. She placed her hand on her strider's back, grabbing hold of his yvas, and walked slowly to the edge of her camp, casting nervous glances back at the Luvanors. Content, for now. She hoped they would stay that way until she came back.

[Rufio]

Rufio had arisen early, an unusual feat for the half-Drykas. With heaving lids, she had dressed in a simple beige shirt, whose sleeves she tied up with short strips of hide, atop this a blue wool dungarees, and beneath on her petite feet woven sandals.

The chill of the Autumn night still clung to the morning, as Syna rose and cast her warm light across the Grasslands. A loud yawn roared off the half-Drykas lips when she stepped out of her humble tent. Arms strecthing out, a few places in her back popped, and she sighed in relief. The rest of the pavilion were either sleeping-in, or already up and away.

Except for Rufio's favourite Wildmane, Louka. With unruly mop of curly hair, braided as best he could to look somewhat presentable, his broad nose and generous smattering of freckles, he resembled Rufio on an uncanny level. Unbeknownst to both, they were half-siblings. Large deep-brown doe eyes greeted Ru above the flash of a grin.

Sleepy-head. Louka signed teasingly. Rufio yawned, her only reply. She came to sit with him by the fire, rubbing her face, squashing the skin lightly, in a bid to waken herself. "You're up early." Louka commented with surprise, as he helped himself to jerky deer and warm goats milk. Rufio clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth (an old habit whenever she was thinking and deciding passed to her by her Benshira mother).

"Thought I'd head out and do a bit of riding." Louka threw Rufio a look of sympathy. The Wildmanes had been taunting Rufio about her riding skills and lack of bonded status more, recently. Louka stuffed a handful of jerky into his mouth, and picked up the half-spear he carried around everywhere he went, as though it would bring him some kind of purpose and respect.

It was Ru's turn to look at Louka sympathetically. The young Drykas was skinny, butter-fingered and klutzy, and the rest of Endrykas avoided his eager helping hands like plague. He was far more likely to cause accident and harm to any task than actual help. Louka caught Ru's look, and shoved her shoulder playfully. "You know Merevaika is back." Happy news, gift.

Rufio started suddenly, a wide grin of surprise knocked into her freckled expression. Her sign was rapid and expressive. "What?!" True?! Where?! Louka chuckled and pointed his spear in the direction he had heard along the grapevine, or web, that she had set up camp since arriving in her home-culture. Rufio jumped to her feet, excited butterflies fluttered in her core.

"I have to see her, it's been so long!" She raced back into her tent and came back out with yvas bags in tow. Seeking out her Strider-mix, Sakita, she fixed the bags onto her muscled form. The mare skittered about on light hooves and nickered anxiously. Rufio paused and took a breath, calming herself, she stroked the mare's neck and made soothing sounds.

"Sorry, Sa, I didn't mean to frighten you." When the mare seemed to have calmed, her nose brushing Ru's face affectionately, the half-Drykas began to pack the yvas bags with a myriad of useful tools. Louka stood and drained the last of his goat's milk. Rufio heard his lips smack, and her senses took in the salty tang on the wind of the jerky beef.

Her dark eyes flickered over the beef still left, and the creamy milk in the pot, and her stomach rumbled loudly. With a momentary frown, the half-blood was caught between her excitement to see her friend, and hunger. Wait! An idea struck lightning quick. What if I bring breakfast with me? If Merevaika was not long back, she might appreciate the gesture.

Rufio scurried about camp, a happy buzzing bee, under Louka's watchful gaze, wrapping up beef jerky and some plain bread, and filling her water-skin with goat's milk. She lifted her cooking pot and tied it to Sakita's yvas bags, as well as a little fire-tinder and wood, just enough to light a tiny fire. The mare stomped impatiently, eager to be going. "Just one more thing, Sa." Ru slung her thick, Winter's blanket over the mare's back.

Before placing her hands on the mare's withers, ready to haul herself up. Sakita, impatient with Rufio, and unnerved by her excitable mood, teetered about, making mounting difficult. Louka chuckled and wandered over, where he took the mare's head in his hands and soothed her. "You really do need practise." He teased.

Rufio cast him a narrow-eyed look, like he could reprimand her for lack of practical skill, huh. Then successfully, if a little ungracefully, hauled herself up onto the horse. Grasping a handful of mane, her other hand the yvas, Rufio squeezed the mare's sides with her heels and the mare jolted forward into a trot. Rufio's grip was fierce, as she almost toppled off, until she managed to find her rhythm, and moved in sync to Sa's tempo.

Louka laughed and called gently. "Don't fall off out there, ah?" Care, concern, teasing. Rufio threw out her arm backwards and half-waved in her usual carefree manner, though she did slow the excitable mare to a walk with some difficulty. Louka ruffled his unruly hair and watched for a moment, protective, before turning to his own day's plans.

A smile played along Rufio's lips and flickered in her eyes, the wind ruffled her cropped hair, her gaze watchful ahead as she steered her mare around the tented city in the direction Louka had pointed.

　　

[Merevaika]

Her path was quickly stopped when she caught sight of a young woman with cropped dark hair ruffled in the window. Almost like... no, it couldn't be. But Merevaika wasn't mistaken. The woman had the same petite build, despite the strength hidden under the small size; she had the same darker skin inherited from her Benshira mother; and when she turned her head, Merevaika saw the same freckled features, the same eyes, the same gold nose ring...

"Rufio! Rufio!" she called out, quickly pulling herself up onto Eryunt, who shifted under her excited mood but didn't show any sign of protest, used to the ways of his bonded rider. She clicked and the horse stepped forward, a quick walk through the tents.
Unlike Rufio, who seemed to not be the best at riding the beautiful Zavian-Strider mare, Merevaika moved effortlessly as one with the horse. They quickly caught up, coming side by side by them, and Merevaika smiled, happy to see her friend again.

As children, the two had been inseparable, but as they had grown, Merevaika had found herself too busy with her horse and with hunting to spend time with friends. It was hard being a lone wolf, but she managed. With the time in Riverfall, it seemed like the girls hadn't seen each other in forever, and Merevaika was glad to finally be with someone who wasn't just an aquaintance.

"Rufio! I'm so glad to see you!" she finally let out, grin undeniable, "It's been so long... How are you? Doing well? What's new, what's the same? How's your family? How are you?" The questions rushed out like a waterfall, an endless flow with fast, constant pace. She found herself repeating herself, not letting Rufio reply, until she finally realised that perhaps the woman had somewhere to go to, something to do, and couldn't waste time with foolish chatter. Just in case, she asked: "You aren't going anywhere, are you?"

Merevaika would hate their meeting to be over quickly, but respected that others had other things to do. She had given up time with Rufio to try get dinner for the night, which, while important, was nothing compared to quality time with her friend. Being together brought her back to the good old days when they had been young and free, with their families, and without a care in the world. She wished that it had stayed like that. But at least now they were together and could let go of their troubles for a bell or two.

[Rufio]

"Rufio! Rufio!" Rufio halted her mix-bred mare, who turned her long head round to peer at her rider enquiringly. There was a skip in Ru's heart-beat, as her dark-brown orbs sought out the source of the familiar voice and her gaze landed on Merevaika.

As Eryunt paced upto Sakita, the mare nickered and greeted the stallion amicably. Rufio held up her hands to urge her friend to quit the tirade of questions, and laughed that easy, Rufio laughter as she motioned fondly. "Merevaika!" -Happy- "to see you too!"

Merevaika's nostalgic excitement was infectious. They had been inseparable when little, both born of free-spirits. Many a day they had chased adventure in the tented city or in the Sea of Grass. Wherever Merevaika had entangled them in trouble with her skewed moral compass, Ru had always been there to chatter their way out of it again.

Though their paths had veered apart as they'd grown from girls to women, Ru was never saddened by it. From the beginning she had sensed and understood the lone-wolf's heart in Merevaika, just as Merevaika had always seemed to understand Ru's half-cast peculiarities.

These days when their paths did cross, all time and distance that had traversed between them melted away, as if they'd never really left each other.

"You aren't going anywhere, are you?" Merevaika asked, and Rufio shook her head. "I was actually coming to find you!" Her calloused hands sought her yvas bag, and she widened the drawstring to show Merevaika the food packages within. "Are you hungry?" Break-fast, together?

She swept her hands out to encompass the direction of the Knotted Gates to suggest a picnic and added. "You remember when we used to go to the Lari River this time of year?" She giggled at a memory of a particular day they had gone to see if they could find fish, and she had pushed Merevaika into the river. In the end they had both gotten very wet and found no fish whatsoever.

　　

[Merevaika]

Rufio laughed at her wave of questions, and Merevaika joined her, her excitement copying the friend beside her. Ru motioned fondly, before opening the yvas bags, revealing food within, causing Merevaika's stomach to growl with hunger. Rufio had seeked her out. Merevaika felt bad for not thinking to do the same, but let that thought fall as they moved away from where they had been. Ru was always the more together one, the one who brought reality to the situation. That's how Merevaika remembered it anyway. There were plenty of cases when Ru was the one who had suggested the wild and crazy things they had got up to.

"You remember when we used to go to the Lari River this time of year?"
Merevaika nodded with excitement, too happy to say anything. The Lari River held too many good memories, the majority of them resulting in both the girls wet, and when the weather wasn't on their side, cold, forced to stay by the fire the next few days to regain heat. But they hadn't cared, and the minute they could the girls had rushed back, ready for more fun.

Rufio gestured towards the gates, and the two made their way towards them, the idea of a picnic bursting inside both. Back to the Lari River, back to good old days. "Ru, remember who was the fastest girl in the 'ole of Amethyst, if not the city of tents itself?" she jested, referring to herself and the days she won at the races among the children their age. "Race you there?"

The question wasn't a question, but a statement, and she pulled Eryunt into a trot, canter than gallop, racing ahead with laughter following behind. She didn't even turn to check Ru was following - it was something she assumed, something she was used to from her childhood. After all, Rufio was never the rider she was.

The wind trailed behind her, and she neared the river, pushing forward. She reached it screaming, yelling, "Champion!" Her horse stopped and she turned to watch Rufio come in behind her. This was their spot, where a small rock jutted out a few metres above the river, grey and jagged, not sharp but with a multitude of handholds and steps to help scale it. They used to jump off it, when they were younger, daring the other to do crazy things. It had been so much fun together. And it would be fun now.

[Rufio]

"Race you there?" It was a perfect day for riding. Syna's touch lingered warmth leftover from the season past, while that coming tinged the air with a briskness that was invigorating. Rufio laughed- "Thought you'd never ask!" There was no need to urge her mare into motion, as soon as Eyrunt was off into a trot, she knew what was up.

Sakita plunged into a canter, her hooves tearing up dirt and compacted grass. Rufio grunted, lurched backwards, and gripped the yvas hard with white-knuckles. Silently cussing under her breath about unruly horses and her half-brother Louka 'always right'. Sakita ignored her rider and put her head down, chasing after the stallion as he broke into a gallop.

Rufio's heart was pounding as heavily as Sakita's hooves dully thudding again the grass. Zulrav's fingers pulled through her cropped hair and whipped across her skin, raising gooseflesh where she was bare. Her knuckles tightened on the yvas as she leaned forward, and Rufio pointed her feet downward instead of up, an easy novice mistake.

Louka's words "don't fall off out there" echoed in her mind ominously. She couldn't help tightly squeezing her thighs against the blanket between her and the bunching muscles of her horse. Sakita complained uncomfortably with a rolling-neigh and a toss of her head. Rufio let herself loosen up a little, trying to relax into the gait, she let out a whoop, the wind tearing the words from her lips far behind Merevaika.

"Champion!" Rufio eased her mare to a trot and then a walk, and Sakita listened for once, her sides heaving with the exertion of the race and her hide licked with sweat. "Show-off!" Teasing, impressed. Came Ru's response to her friend in-between her panting and hearty throw of laughter. As she began to get her breath back, Rufio looked around the familiar spot that made up their finish line and she chuckled as she slid off her mount. "Nothing here's much changed ay."

She spent a tick patting and praising Sakita, before undoing the yvas bags and easing them onto the ground gently. "Hey Champion, you want to eat?" Help, food, hungry. Sakita nudged Rufio with her nose. The half-Drykas loosened the straps holding the blanket in place and the mare, now free to wander, plodded over to the river to quench her thirst. Rufio turned to her friend and here was a playful eye-roll in her voice. "You always win, huh." Strider, Rufio want, fast like Zulrav.

Rufio had always felt different, for her Benshira blood, and she was feeling it more keenly as time slipped by and she had not yet bonded. Merevaika was the only one besides her grandmother that she trusted with those feelings. Though her grandmother was much less sympathetic, criticizing of the bad-habits Rufio had picked up in horse-riding, and attributing those things she disapproved of to her mother's 'strange' blood.

As she snapped the blanket out of its folds and laid it down flat on the ground not far from the river, Rufio's tone was playful as she asked "So what's your secret, Mer?" Her dark-brown eyes peered out from a pouting face, full of freckles. And her fists were rested on her hips, pretending her old friend was keeping something big and secret from her, and it was a scandal.

[Merevaika]

Rufio replied to her shout with the sign for teasing, impressed, and Merevaika beamed, exaggerating her emotions as she dismounted to walk over to Rufio, who panted and laughed, caching her breath. She was happy to have won, but with Ru, it didn't matter who won, it just mattered that the two were having a good time together.

She scratched at Eryunt's back, feeling the sweat of the gallop on him, and pulled off the yvas, leaving it to lie on the floor as she freed Eryunt from his "constraint". He plodded over to the river, joining the mare her friend rode to drink and cool down. She watched him go, turning to her friend.

She had taken off the yvas bags, the food lying on the ground gently, and asked her to help. Merevaika took the other end of the blanket she held, helping to spread it out on the ground as Ru talked. "You always win, huh." Strider, Rudio want, fast like Zulrav. Her voice was playful, but Merevaika knew her desire to bond. Merevaika had never truly had that feeling, as she bonded at a good age, and anyway, was always considered Drykas. It was Rufio, the half-Drykas, who had the problems.

"Why you aren't is a mystery!" she said, adding Fun, brave, wise. They were only a few of the many good traits Ru had, and her words were honest. Rufio would bond one day, but why not sooner? "The right horse hasn't come - or maybe it's just that nose ring that scares them off!" Her face was in a grin, moving to help Rufio unpack the rest.

"So what's your secret, Mer?" Rufio asked, fists upon hips in a way that made it look like she was serious about the scandal Merevaika hid from her. Her voice was playful, but the Drykas instantly recalled all her secrets, all the things she hadn't told Ru. After all, there was so much to tell, so much she hadn't told anyone, so much that Ru didn't know. Her face displayed this, but her expression quickly changed playful as she came up with a good response.

"Secret? You mean apart from my amazing looks and talents?" she laughed, throwing her head up, hair flicked round into her face, falling into her mouth. She spit it out, face turning to mock disgust. "Although I do need to work on the flavour of my hair!"

[Rufio]

Rufio felt a flush of warmth for Merevaika as the woman praised her. 'Humble' and 'grateful' worked its way into her posture as she knelt down onto the blanket.

She took out the wrapped up deer meat, flat-bread and jar of goat's milk one at a time to set them down gently.

The half-blood had forgot how comforting Merevaika's kind-heart was to be around and she silently kicked herself that they did not spend time together as they used to.

"Secret? You mean apart from my amazing looks and talents?" Merevaika playfully boasted, and Rufio cocked an eyebrow as the woman's hair flew into her mouth. Her laughter bubbled off her lips easily and joined Merevaika's.

"So it suites you then..." The half-Drykas taunted mischievously. Though Merevaika had given Ru an idea and the 'inspiration' sparked in her facial features. From her yvas bags she produced a grooming kit, from within this she lifted out a jar of one of her herbal concoctions no doubt.

"Speaking of wild manes, I've been meaning to give Sakta a good ol' groom. But, Sa is, uh, she doesn't let me..." 'Embarrassed', 'teach', 'help'?

Her coy grin was endearing as it pleaded Merevaika, and she endeavored to persuade her further with food and playful flattering. A flutter of her eyelashes did not go amiss, accompanied by a giggle like none Rufio has ever made before.

"I'm not the best with her, y'know, haven't got Mer's special touch. I'll cook ya some milk and steak in return!"

　　

[Merevaika]

Rufio brought out meat and bread and milk, laying them out on the blanket before her. She joined Merevaika's laughter, and she felt a deep feeling grasp her heart. Was this what it had always been like? Why hadn't she missed the playful joking, the synchronized giggles? They were all she could have asked for.

Rufio showed inspiration and began to rummage through her bags, producing a jar of herbal concoctions. Most likely something she made herself, knowing that Ru was interested in herbalism. Merevaika snatched it up curiously, trying to guess what it was for. Food? Grooming?

Ru almost explained with her next bit of speech, explaining how her horse wouldn't let her groom her. The Zavian did look a bit playful, but Merevaika know doubted herself on judging the horse. Surely Ru wasn't that bad with the horses! She didn't have Merevaika's touch, like she said, but Sakta couldn't be that bad.

"I'll take that deal willingly!" Merevaika smiled back, "But what's the jar for?"
She gathered her own grooming kit, before approaching Sakta gently, arms outstretched to show her good nature. The Zavian nickered slightly, coming up to greet the human her rider was so good with. Merevaika scratched the neck, nails scraping the dust. She really did need a good groom - and Merevaika would be the one to provide it.

Stay, Merevaika commanded, but that seemed to set the horse off, who jumped playfully to one side. No, she signed in reply, stepping so the horse would back away to face the river. Trapped. Merevaika smiled as she brought out the curry comb, applying pressure to the horse's back. Relaxing, the mare made a small nicker. That was it. Dust and dirt fell off her back as Merevaika brushed in large circular movements, dislodging the dirt.

"Anything interesting happen to you while I was gone?" she inquired, wanting to make conversation in the silence.

[Rufio]

Rufio stood and watched with jaw slightly agape as Merevaika tamed her playful mare. Ru heard the assertive drop in Mer's tone, noticed that she used her body to emphasis her words as well.

Be the boss. Ru smiled as she took in this lesson, recalling all the ways she approached Sakta so tentatively, unsure, uncertain in herself. No wonder the mare stomped all over her grooming plans! Sakta knew she could just wander away, and Ru would be goaded into a game of chase.

"It's a lil' something for the horses I thought we could try. Lavender infused olive oil for after getting the dirt off. The lavender keeps off flies and ticks, infections, and the oil and should help their coats thicken in, with the days growing colder..."

The half-blood offered her herbal recipe with enthusiasm.

"Sa has been itching lately although that might be the dust."

Ru chuckled lightly as she came to stand nearby. Her large round eyes took in Mer's hands, the circular motions were bringing up fluff and grit in dusty clouds. Another idea sprung to Ru and she added with a teasing lilt.

"This oil might be good for you Mer!" Playful, good smell, hair.
She ducked quickly round to the other side of her Zavian-mix in case her old friend felt like throwing her a dig in revenge.

"Anything interesting happen to you while I was gone?" Her friend's curiosity provoked Rufio to frown and she shook her head, signing- Dull.

It was a half-lie. Within that sensitive soul a crack had splintered the season before. Rufio had been there when lightning had struck a man; an awful scene. Her cousin, Ruari Darkwind, and she had been by the man's side when he rasped his final words 'The Dark One is near'.

The memory of his voice, the scent of burnt flesh, the static in the air, it sent a subtle shiver down her spine. The half-Drykas ruffled a hand through her short, messy hair, leaving it stuck up without realising, and confessed.

"Well...there was something...Were you here in Summer, for that awful storm?"
The woman's voice had grown distant and she lingered in the pause for a chime.
"I was with Ruari, and a man died. Zulrav struck him right there, in front of us! But we couldn't do anything for him..."

Her tone was matter-of-factly. Drykas were used to a harsh life, and death and loss was a part of it. Rufio herself held positive views about death, and the after. Yet this one seemed to affect her deeply somehow. She grew quiet for a few chimes as her recent bout of nightmares danced vaguely in her thoughts.

"Hey, can I?" Practice. Groom. "Mer" Teaching well.
Rufio signaled that she wanted to take over with the brush, and see if she could get the knack of it with Mer's help.

Rufio never lingered too long too deeply in that which brought sadness; an eternal optimist whose natural mindest was in the here and the now of life. Just like that she was asking after Mer, bombarding her with excitable questions in rapid-fire.

"You must tell me where have you been? All the things you must have seen? Did you meet many foreigners? Are ya here for long? Will you stay?" Curious, excited, story.