PM to join The Thing About Mules... (Anja)

[Vasin]

Timestamp: 15th of Spring, 519 A.V.

Vasin had just left Goldfinger's office and crossed the river out of the Gated Community. They didn't have any jobs for him today so he was free to go about his business. But what to do on a day like today? He could go out map making. That would be a productive use of his time. But there was something else on his mind. On his outing with Kelski into the tunnels, they had retrieved a Mule who had not been having a very good day. Vasin wanted to keep it but didn't have a place to keep them. Not to mention they couldn't very well continue down the tunnel with an injured Mule. Not without endangering its life anyway. It had been a good call considering what they had run into just a further down the tunnel. It had been an interesting yet dangerous discovery. Regardless, Vasin didn't know the first thing about handling animals. Kelski had to help him calm it down when his offer of hard tack didn't help calm the Mule. But, Vasin believed that the Mule would be an excellent companion for his explorations. He could carry more and cover more ground with a mule. So it was a matter of learning how to work with them.

Walking through Baroque Bay only one person came to mind when it came to the subject. That was Anja, the one who had come to take the Mule to safety when they had exited the tunnels with the creature. He seemed good with it, and thus he figured if anyone could teach him how to work with the Mule, it would be Anja. He didn't know the first thing about riding or working with a mule, and he doubted that it was easy as it looked. Vasin would rather not be thrown from them from sheer incompetence. So, a teacher was in order and a teacher he was seeking out in the form of Anja. As he recalled the stables where Anja was located were just behind the Midnight gem. Easy enough to find since he already knew the way there.

Vasin approached the gem and took pause as he stared at it. Maybe he should say hello to Kelski while he was around? He could do that on the way out he figured as he would walk around the building. He had not really actually been around here too often. Aside from that night actually... Regardless, he could hear the sound of horses just around the building. With that, he came around with the stables insight. Electing to not hop the fence this time around he would come around to the gate to see if he could find Anja.

[Anja Nightwatcher]

The day was excessively pleasant, and Anja planned on enjoying it to the fullest. Today was one of those very rare days where the man had no social or work obligations, and he could make time to do things simply for the pleasure of doing them. Of course, Anja was also a Drykas and leisure did not suit the people of the Sea of Grass. Pleasure was found the most fully when one was working. Anja just had the privilege today to choose what kind of work he wanted to do. As such, after his morning ritual had been completed, Anja had gone outside to spend time with his four legged friends.

Maia, Moth, and the unnamed Mule were all outside, happily grazing on the not-quite-so-long grass in their pasture outside the stable. The chickens were out as well, happily pecking up insects and works that swarmed in the pasture. It was a happy cooperation; the birds snacked on the biting insects that irritated the horses, and the horses in turn kept a watchful eye out for any intruding predators that might like to make a snack out of the birds. No foxes, wild dogs, or giant rats would make it past those gates alive. Maisa would make sure of it. The dogs had also been standing guard, Sayeth more intently than Battle had. But Anja had called them both and wavered their attention so they could instead focus on training.

Anja was still frequently impressed with the intensity of his companions’ intelligence. Teaching them wasn't difficult; the challenge came with keeping their attention long enough to make sure they learned the task in full. As such, Anja had to be creative.

Food, of course, was always a powerful motivator. Particularly for two dogs who had spent the first month of their life starving. Anja held two slices of jerky up over the two dogs heads. They stared intently at treat, frozen in a sitting position and waiting for Anja's command.

"Hold," Anja reminded them in Pavi, using a hand gesture to enunciate the command. The two dogs held. They were becoming better and keeping commands, less restless and jumpy. Perhaps it was an effect of them getting older? Anja wasn't really sure. Patiently, the Drykas walked over to Maisa's side, keeping eye contact with the pair. Anja's pale strider lifted her head and gave Anja a dry look, as if go say 'What do you want now?'. Anja rested his hand on Maisa's back, and the mare heaved a heavy sigh. 'If you must,' that sigh seemed to say as Maisa dropped her head back to the ground to continue her foraging.

"Come," Anja called, then nearly immediately had to shout "Sit!" with the breakneck speed both dogs sprinted at him. The pair grinded to a halt, and blinked up at him from their sitting position on the grass just beside Maisa. "Hold," Anja told them with a soft exhale. Gods but they were fast. He had to keep that in mind. Anja moved to the other side of Maisa and set a hand atop her back.

"Alright," said Anja in common. "Let's try this one again." Smoothly, he switched back to Pavi. "Up!" He said, tapping Maisa's back. The two pups looked at each, and Anja sighed. "Up!" He repeated, once more tapping Maisa's back, and the two pups repeated their confused look.

"Oh come now," Anja said in common, rubbing his temples. "I've seen the two of you leap the fence, you can certainly make it on top of Maisa's back."

Anja walked over to the two dogs and scooped up first Sayeth, then Battle and placed them on Maisa's back. "Up," he said again in Pavi. "Good dogs." He offered them both a slice of jerky, and the two happily chowed down while balanced on Maisa's back. Battle and Sayeth we're both fairly comfortable on Maisa. They had spent a lot of time there as Anja had raised them. But the Drykas had been thinking that it might be prudent to make sure he could get them on her back in a hurry if the need called for it. But the two seemed a little bit intimidated about making the jump.

As Anja was pondering a way to ease the pair's nervousness with this particular trick, he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. The Drykas turned with a quirked eyebrow to find a familiar face peering through the gate.

"Vasin," Anja said, pleased. The Eiyon hadn't encountered the man since the night of masks, and though their interaction had been brief, he had come away from the encounter with a hardened respect for the man. Anja glanced behind him at the two dogs balancing on Maisa and looking at him expectantly. "Down," Anja told them in Pavi. "Good dogs." The pair looked relieved as they hopped to the ground. 'Down' was much easier than 'up' apparently. Anja gave the two a pat between the ears and turned back to Vasin.

"I don't think you've been introduced," Anja said. "Vasin, these two are Battle and Sayeth. My companions." Anja gestured first at the primarily white female, then at the black and wary male. "You've met Maisa already," Anja said glancing at his female strider who appeared to be excessively bored except for two curious ears pointed in Vasin's direction. "This is Moth, Kelski's horse," Anja added, pointing at the grey gelding grazing a few steps away. "And of course you know your mule. Unnamed, to my knowledge." Anja smiled at Vasin. "Is there something I can do for you? Kelski is out at the moment."

[Vasin]

"Anja." Vasin returned in greeting as he came to a stop having also not seen him since that rather spooky night. His eyes went over to Maisa, Sayeth, and Battle as the two dogs balanced on Maisa's back. He was rather impressed by their ability to perform this balancing trick. Watching the two of them hop down to the ground he was almost tempted to clap."That's pretty impressive. How long did it take to teach them that one?" he questioned curiously as he looked back to Anja. Vasin never had dogs while in Sunberth, never had enough food to go around. It was only recently that he started making enough money to support another. He recalled very briefly that Akinva Deerstalker he saw in a Ferry.

"Nice to meet the two of you." he said with a nod to Battle and Sayeth before looking to Maisa, and then to Moth. Indeed he had met Maisa before, but he couldn't recall if he had met Moth. Finally, however his eyes came to rest on the White Mule that they had rescued from the tunnel. There were still some unanswered questions about that day, but he was sure with some... digging? Yes, digging they could find the answers. Though what Anja had mentioned last caught his attention. The mule didn't have a name though before he came up with anything Anja asked what he was here for."Right, I'm not here for Kelski." Vasin clarified.

"I was hoping you could teach me how to ride the Mule." he said with a pause."I figured you would be the one to talk to about it." Vasin added rubbing the back of his neck a little."Though they do need a name..." he commented thinking about it for a moment."I was thinking... how about Tack? They seemed to like the hard tack I gave him." Vasin said looking to the Mule as he would then look back to Anja.

[Anja Nightwatcher]

Anja laughed at Vasin's words. "It's still a work in progress, I'm afraid!" he said. "I've been trying to teach them to mount Maisa quickly. It will be helpful if we're ever in a hurry and need to get away quickly." Anja looked down at his two dogs who were staring at him intently. Battle's eyes were flicking between Anja and Vasin with rapid speed, and she was all but vibrating. Sayeth, meanwhile, kept an intense unwavering stare.

"Go ahead, say hello," Anja said, giving them the Pavi gesture for 'release'. Battle immediately bounded over to Vasin and began sniffing his shoes. Sayeth, meanwhile, was more reticent. He kept his vigil next to Anja's said, watching Vasin warily.

Anja raised a curious eyebrow as Vasin mentioned he wasn't here for Kelski. He was more surprised as the man mentioned an interest in learning how to ride, specifically from Anja. Anja's startled expression turned contemplative. "I could certainly show you a few things," the Drykas said thoughtfully. "Have you ever worked with horses before?"

Anja smiled at the newly named Tack, and nodded. "Seems a fine name," Anja said. It was a practical, old fashioned, simple name. It suited an animal as stubborn and patient as a mule. He looked between Vasin and Tack for a moment, thinking, while the mule patiently munched on the grass. "Well, first thing," Anja said. "We haven't a saddle for him. The Drykas don't use saddles, we use yvas. They're a little different. No bridle, no reins. You don't need them with striders, and frankly they find halters to be insulting." Anja smiled as Maisa snorted in agreement. "I could try teaching you to ride bareback, but it's tricky for beginners. Or we could go to a nearby stable and pick out some gear for him." Anja inclined his head at Vasin. "It's your choice. He's your mule."

[Vasin]

Vasin nodded a little thoughtfully as he pictured it in his head. Anja jumping up on that orse followed by his companions. He smirked a little finishing the thought."That certainly sounds like it would be of great help. Especially not leaving behind many friends." he said putting his finger and thumb to his chin."Do you plan on traveling a lot?" Vasin asked knowing one would build up such a skill if they planned on moving around a lot. Or perhaps he read too deeply into it...

Vasin glanced down at Pavi as they bounded over to him. He felt the quick succession of breaths as they sniffed his feet. A curious dog, easily excitable to it seems. The other one, his eyes glanced to them, was a bit more reserved. He was rather comfortable around dogs, they had their own personalities. As long as you respected them, then things would be fine. Or so he thought with his previous encounters.

Vasin would lightly shake his head."I have not, unfortunately. Been walking on two legs my whole life." he said with a brief shrug."I would be really grateful if you showed me what you could. I think it would help both me and Tack along nicely." Vasin said though happy his request wasn't being denied outright.

Vasin raised an eyebrow after a moment, a curious one, but a raised eyebrow none the less."A strider?" he asked curiously."Yvas?" Vasin asked some more as he tried to think back if any of it sounded familiar."Regardless, it would probably be better if I got some gear. Though, what are the benefits to riding bareback? I am entirely unfamiliar." Vasin said rather unsure of what to decide on.