Flashback Running, Fighting, Riding (Baltair)

[Haena]

46th Summer, 505 AV
Speech
Others

OOCIn this thread, Haena is 17. She looks similar to how she is as an adult, but she has a kind of happiness about her, because she has a son and a loving husband and she is pretty much living the life. Thought I'd give a little run-down so you know what's what.

Life was good, Haena thought, as she trotted leisurely on her horse through the softly winding streets formed by the gaps between pavilions. Back home, her dear husband was spending some quality time with their son, leaving Haena time to relax for a few bells, a chance she leapt at gratefully. Alta' had neighed softly when she had approached, yvas in hand. Her horse was young, but gentle. Haena gently stroked her mane as they walked through the city, and she hummed a soft tune as she looked about, sunlight shining on her hair.

She was in the land of the Diamond Clan, unfamiliar in some ways, totally familiar in others, on her way to see if she could find Baltair. He was a longstanding friend, and the perfect person to visit right now. Life at the Horserun Pavilion was wonderful, beautiful... but the young woman wanted a change of scenery for a little while.

Now she slowed Alta' to a halt, somewhat clumsily. She relaxed her legs and sank herself down on Alta's back, gently patting her neck and saying, "Hey, hey." The horse was mostly used to Haena now, and gradually they came to a halt. The young woman patted her mane and then dismounted, sliding down the horse to land, feet firm on the ground.

She was a little disorientated and unfamiliar with the Diamond Clan layout, so she cast about for someone who looked like they could answer. Baltair's pavilion was the Skycrown's, so she asked a tall-looking woman with dun-coloured hair. "Hey, do you know which direction the Skycrowns are? I'm looking for Baltair, you might know him. Brown hair, brown eyes, kind of frowny sometimes?" It was a weak description, but truly it had been about a year since they had last met. For all she knew, the young man might have changed something about his appearance. She waited somewhat impatiently for a reply, as Alta' browsed on the tufted grass nearby.

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[Baltair]

Summer 46, 505 AV

The sun was slowly making its way towards the peak, shining down on the open patch where the young man sat. The grass was flattened from all the people and horses walking over it. Baltair sat with his snake spear across his lip, his strider Emyla standing behind him munching on the grass, looking up into the sky towards the direction of the sun. The warmth filtered down on his face as he took in a deep breath. "Alright Emyla, what shall we do today" he said, rotating his body and pushing himself to his feet. The boy and the strider had just bonded earlier in the spring, finally achieving him full Drykas status among his people. Him and Emyla had become close quickly.

The horse rose her head and snorted at him before continuing to eat the grass. Baltair shook his head and turned the spear over in his hands before resting it against his shoulder. His eyes scanned around the Diamond clans area of Endrykas, what was left of his family was going about doing chores and moving things around. His father was off in the distance assisting in placing up the few tents that needed to be put up.

The woman looked over at Haena, she pointed towards a young looking man with dark brown hair and a spear in his hand. She signed that the man was the Ankal's son and the one she was looking for before turning back to the task she had at hand.

Baltair ran his fingers through the mane of his strider as she continued to chomp on the grass. Emyla rose her head, her ears twitched as the Drykas messed with her mane. "What's say we go for a ride. Run the perimeter of the city?" he whispered towards his strider who neighed happily at the suggestion. Baltair walked towards the entrance of his tent placing the spear inside and grabbing the yvas.

He strapped it around Emyla before turning his head to see a familiar looking woman talking to one of his clan members. A smile spread across his face as he walked towards her. The man would look slightly different than he had a year ago, his hair reaching down to his shoulders, tied back with a single leather strap. He stood slightly taller than he did before and the muscles in his chest and arms were more defined. His wind marks stretching down his right arm and slightly over his right pectoral muscle.

He walked towards her, Emyla followed behind him as he walked towards the familiar looking woman. "It's been awhile Haena. How have you been?" he said with a smile on his face as he stepped closer to her.

[Haena]

Speech
Others

But even as the other woman started to answer, the very person in question now strode up, strider following behind. Haena burst into a grin, and quickly grabbed the younger man into a fierce hug, before pulling back to admire him. "You're a man now!" She nodded down at his windmark and then looked past him to his horse. She seemed to be a fine animal, and she asked, "What's her name?" Her own strider Alta' greeted the newcomer cautiously before going to gently nudge Baltair's trewal*Taken from the Pavi terms. Means, 'strider'. with her nose.

"I am well, friend!" She signed happy, fulfilled. "Life has treated me well, my husband is the ankal. I have a baby boy, named Tomas. He's growing up fast. I'm hoping he grows up to be a fine young man." But then she smiled, quick as lightening. "What are you doing now though Baltair? How is life? Been successful?" She was almost bursting with excitement to have this rare chance of a break.

He looked older, somehow. She grinned at his hair tied back in a ponytail, and thought that it was probably as long as hers now. Haena was dressed in cropped clothes, shorts and a sleeveless top made of tough fibres. Her shoulders and cheeks were burnt a rosy red, and her skin a warm tan. She was still a little less fit than usual, certainly less fit than when Baltair had last seen her, although she had a tightness in her arms especially from carrying around her son.

She walked up to Alta', and softly stroked her flank as they talked. All the while, a proposition was building. Alta', although gentle, needed a proper run. Baltair and Haena had always been competitive in the past- a result of coming from two different clans. Now this old streak of fieriness was coming back, and besides, if Baltair had a new horse then surely he wouldn't pass up the chance to have a race. Would he?

She approached his horse, and made sure her movements were slow and noticeable. If she didn't baulk at the stranger, then Haena would reach forwards to gently pat her nose. She had a small portion of dried apple in her pocket, and she reached slowly to take some out before letting Alta' and Baltair's horse eat from her hand. Three segments for Alta' and two for Baltair's. In a sneaky way, she hoped the extra sugar would give Alta' a rush if it came to a race.

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[Baltair]

Summer 46th, 505 AV

Her face turned quickly, a huge grin spreading on her face caused one to grow on Baltairs face. He had not seen his friend in quiet a while and seeing her happy only caused him to feel the same. He returned her hug and smiled wider when she commented on his new status. "I am!" he turned his hand back to Emyla as Haena mentioned her. He reached out his hand and gently brushed the side of his strider as Emyla leaned forward and blew on Alta's muzzle.

"Her name is Emyla" he said, pride swelling in his chest as he watched the two striders interact before turning back to Haena. He nodded along as she spoke, "that is fantastic news! I am happy for your family and I am sure that Tomas will grow to be a fine man in his own time."

He could feel her energy as she unloaded each question, "I am training to become the Ankal of my own family, when the time comes I need to be ready. Aside from that I am spending time with Emyla and enjoying what Caiyha has given us." The gentle breeze rolling in through the field caused Baltair's hair to blow slightly.

Emyla watched as Haena stepped forward, her head turning to Baltair for a tick. Baltair nodded and smiled before Emyla turned to look back at Haena. She pressed her nose against Haene's outstretched hand. She blew on the hand before sitting still to let her be petted. Emyla's ears perked up as she was offered the treats.

Emyla pushed her head into his back, growing impatient as they spoke. Baltair looked at Emyla before returning his gaze to Haena, "Care to go for a ride? I promised Emyla that we would ride the perimeter of the camp." He walked to Emyla's side and mounted up again. He flashed a smile down towards Haena, "Could turn it into a race. Unless you are afraid you will lose" he said challenging her.

The pair began to walk forward at a slow pace, making their way to the outside of the camp. He closed his eyes, enjoying the random sounds of the Sea of Grass and the breeze that blew across his face. It was a beautiful morning and there was plenty of time left in the day to get things done. Baltair's eyes scanned the horizon as he said a small prayer thanking the gods for the life that he had been given. He gently patted the right side of Emyla's neck as he waited for a few ticks to see Haena would be following him.

[Haena]

Speech
Others

"Emyla. A beautiful name!" She nodded at hearing the praise of Caiyha, although stayed quiet as the two walked leisurely through Endrykas towards the open plains. When they reached it, Haena breathed a deep sigh through her nostrils and out her mouth as she drew in the environment. Then her eyes snapped open, and she said simply, "You're on." She signed challenge, although the competitiveness would be obvious in her gaze, dark eyes alight with energy.

"Where shall we race to, Baltair?" She quickly cast her gaze out, searching for some landmark that might stand out as a good target to reach. The grasses gently sloped downwards... then she remembered Baltair's passing comment about riding around the camp, and exclaimed, "Around Endrykas? That seems fair. It's a bit of a long race, but I'm ready for it. I don't know about you though... you're looking a bit queasy at the thought", she teased, playful smirk on her features.

With that, she carefully clambered onto Alta's back. She accidentally knocked her knee into the horse's side as she mounted her, and she muttered a quick apology as Alta' harrumphed with irritation and a shake of her mane. Then she got comfy on her yvas, and tensed what seemed like all the muscles in her body. Her heart beat picked up as she anticipated the thrill of the race, and she cast a glance at Baltair to wait for his signal.

It came. They were off! Alta', having picked up on Haena's body signals, launched into motion as Haena gave a quick nudge with her heels and thighs to propel the dun trewal forwards. It took a bit of time in the build-up for Alta' to get acclimatised to the fact they were racing, and then it hit. Haena held on for dear life and ducked as low as she could, her body fighting for control as she tried not to slip off. It was difficult- she wasn't used to racing, and her body especially was unused to such speeds after having been more at home than on horseback in more recent seasons.

But it was natural for a Drykas to be on horseback, and so the woman grinned a fierce grin as she looked with a sharp glance to see how her friend was doing. He was somewhere nearby, she knew, as she kept a hawk-eye on the nearby edge of Endrykas, which rushed by in a blur. Her whole being was focussed solely on the race: the ground, Alta', the Tent City itself all became focal to Haena as she was the eye of the storm. Behind, her hear flicked outwards like a pennant, and a group of youngsters, only six or seven, cheered at the makeshift race.

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[Baltair]

Think you can beat me?

Both Baltair and Emyla held their heads high at her praise before a wide smile spread on his face. "Good! Do not feel to much shame when you lose" he teased before he pushed himself up on the back of his strider, his grip failing him for a tick as he slipped slighty before being able to throw his leg over Emyla's back. Once he was on her back it felt like he was home, his people spent the majority of their time on the back of their majestic striders and Baltair was no different.

He looked down at her, flashing her another smile, before speaking "I am never queasy in the face of a challenge. Our lives are built to take on every challenge life throws at us." He leaned forward and kissed the right side of Emylas neck before whispering towards her ear. "Ride the winds that Zulrav gives us" he said before leaning back again.

Once Haena mounted up Baltair would lead the two of them to the edge of the city. Baltair would lean forward, positioning himself better for Emyla to run. He glanced over to Haena, a smile planted on his face, he raised his hand up in the air. He held it for a few ticks before pushing it downwards motioning for them to begin.

Emyla took off with the shift of Baltairs weight, the sound of hooves thundering on the ground was like music to Baltairs ears. The wind rushing past him as he moved as one with his Strider, hanging a right and running the outside of the city. It wasn't but a few ticks that the pair were in the lead before he saw Haena and Alta take off in front of him. A smile spread across his face as he saw his friend take the lead.

Not one to be beat Baltair clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, Emyla ran straight towards the pair in front of them. As they grew close, Baltair saw the children running after them cheering them on. His grin grew wider as he came up along Haena's side.

He felt like the wind running beside them, like the two of them were a great rushing gale as they rode side by side. Not giving up more the a few feet between the two as the arched around the edge of the city, various groups of children and other young Drykas cheering for them as they went.

[Haena]

Speech
Others

Haena was always delighted at Alta's elegant canter. She was not a large horse, nor a small one, perfectly formed for Haena as Haena was perfectly formed for her. It made sense that they had bonded so quickly. Now, the woman dug her heels into her horse's sides and urged her forward, leaning as well as she could against Alta's neck. Baltair was near, and now..- he was overtaking! She shot a glance sideways, forehead furrowed in concentration, as she flashed him a smile. Then it was back to business.

They had been riding for a while, now. Endrykas was deceptively large, and so Haena slowed her mare down slightly to conserve her energy. There was a line that she drew- it was all well and good having a friendly race, but she wouldn't push the horse. That was probably why Baltair was decidedly in front, but she didn't mind too much. He was a good rider, she noticed. They made a good pair.

As they crested a tussock however, Haena urged Alta' forwards with a small, "Go go go!" murmured on the wind. She felt the horse's muscles clenching and unclenching as she ran. Slowly, ever so slowly, she was gaining on Baltair. She grimaced, knowing she would lose this particular race. She pushed forwards Alta' as well as she and her horse could go, but it was too late. She let out a loud laugh as Balt reached the end, and she brought Alta' up slowly, gently letting her horse decide when to slow. Finally, she clumsily turned her around and trotted up to Baltair.

"Aah, so you beat me this once. Next time, my friend, it will be my turn. Don't you forget I've not been able to ride like this for a while, considering my pregnancy." She grinned, and poked her tongue out childishly. It was true, she was a mother now, and proud wife of the Ankal... but being around the younger man made her feel like a child again. But then she strode up to him and gripped him in a tight hug before letting go and saying, "I enjoyed that."

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