Of Reindeer and Cheva

[Lixue]

Spring Day 7 512 AV It was not a busy day at the stables. Workers took their time with the animals; cleaning, brushing, and feeding. The barn smelled of a mixture of animals, people, hay, and grain, with a hint of water. Different animals were stored at the stables, but the main ones were horses and elk. The stables themselves were very spacious and comfortable. One after another, the stalls were in rows and filled with creatures. Many of the animals were sleeping. Others were eating and some who were interested in their surroundings, watched the workers. Somewhere a horse whinnied and it echoed through the large building. Lixue smiled as one horse nickered to her when she passed. Slowing, then finally stopping, Lixue approached the stall. Her cane was silent on the dirt flooring. "Hi there, beautiful," she cooed. The horse was not the most stunning but seemed to have a personality that made up for the lack of gorgeousness. Random, white splotches covered the beast, fighting for room with black ones. The mane and tail were a mixture of dark and light grey. The horse's eyes were chocolate brown, and Lixue could see her reflection in them. A single white stripe traveled from the forehead to the tip of the horse's nose. Reading the name plate on the outside of the stall, Lixue commented to herself, "Knick-Knack? What a strange name for you. I think you look more like a Tish. Yes, a Tish." A pause. "If you are the girl I believe you to be, that is." Running bony fingers over the name plate, Lixue's lips twisted up softly. The horse's head jerked upwards, tossing the grey hair backwards. Hairy ears perked. Eyes flashing to the creature, in case Knick-Knack suddenly decided to dislike Lixue, she wondered what the animal was doing. Then realized it was watching something behind her. Before Lixue could turn around, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and squeezed gently. "What have I told you about playing with the horses?" A male voice whispered in her ear. His breath tickled Lixue's ear, so she ducked her head away from him with a light giggle. Even as Lixue mouthed the words, Ly told her again, "Animals are not toys. They have sharp teeth and big feet. If they step on you, your knee will be the least of your worries. You do not, I repeat do not, stick your fingers near their mouths. When in doubt if a horse is nice, ask someone before you try to touch them." A pause. Lixue became aware of Ly's fingers tapping against her belly because it tickled. "Also, little one, what are you doing here at the stables?" "I came to steal a horse and decided upon Knick-Knack. Before you showed up and ruined my plans, I was plotting on letting loose all of the creatures into the wilds. Or, I could have met up with all of your friends and spread baby stories about you. Take your pick." Gently plucking his hands off of her waist, Lixue moved out of his arm hold. "Besides, I like Tish." When Ly simply pointed at the name plate with a confused look, she shrugged. "Knick-Knack did not seem right." Stepping back up to the stall, Lixue cooed and made baby noises at the horse, who only looked confused. Ly slowly asked Lixue, "So you… renamed a horse that is not yours?" Confusion laced his words. Lixue nodded proudly, shooting him a grin. "Alright then. Besides the fact that the horse is not yours and you cannot do that, 'Tish' is a guy." He stepped up behind her. "You can tell by looking at their bellies." One hand pointed. When Lixue's pale features were turned a light pink, he questioned, "You see?" Moving her head up and down, Lixue grabbed Ly's left hand and strutted away from the horse. There was very little resistance from him as she dragged him along. "Where are we going?" Lixue was not sure. The layout of the stables was foreign and she had only traveled so far from the Whitevine Hold to see Ly. The reason had been forgotten by now, though. Only a handful of times had Lixue actually been to the stables. Mostly to see Ly, now that she thought back on it. Her best friend had been born to the Frostfawn Hold. Having no idea where anything was, she decided upon something. "Ly," a pretty smile and a batting of eyelashes, "will you give me a tour of the stables?" When he shrugged, Lixue tried again. She took the hand she was still holding and traced circles on the top of it casually. Glancing up from her actions, Lixue met his eyes with her own pleading ones. "Please?" echoed softly between them. "I have never been everywhere here. And I do not know the place like you do."

[Lixue]

A catch in his voice made Lixue pause, "Fine, little one." He moved their interlaced hands back to their sides. "We'll start with the hay loft." Tucking her back into his side, Ly nodded to a passing worker who smiled knowingly. As they walked, Ly told Lixue about horses. "Horses can be as short as you, or nearly two of me. Instead of two feet like us, they have four hooves. Their feet range from the size they themselves are. If you have a tiny horse, their hooves would not be huge. The same goes for a large horse. The hair on the back of their necks is called a mane. The hair at the end of the rump, or backend, is called a tail. The tail is used to swat at annoying bugs." Ly broke off talking when Lixue tripped over a clump of dirt. Almost naturally, he helped her catch her balance before continuing. "There are many different types of horses. Every single one of them has a different personality. Some are easy-going, others are high strung and some can be hostile. I've met horses who are territorial, others who have slept in the same stall as a chicken. Some are people-horses and others antisocial." Ly cut off speaking when Lixue tugged him toward a strange looking creature. It was obviously young and a brown coloring. Four hooves and a furry neck. Tiny, about as tall as Lixue's knees, the creature seemed too small for the big stall. Opening, its mouth, the creature brayed loudly. A startled shriek burst from Lixue as she shoved Ly in front of her instinctively. The boy burst into laughter. Peeking around his waist, she peered at the animal. "What is that… thing?" Lixue soon grew more confident and stepped into sight. Again, the beast brayed. This time, instead of screaming, Lixue jumped and tightened her hold on Ly's hand. "That is a Patches. He is a Reindeer calf, or baby reindeer." Opening the stall, Ly pulled a hesitant Lixue in. "There were birth complications and, in conclusion, his mother died. The stables have been taking care of him; he is like a project to us. Such as… How a Whitevine would care for an sick orphan." The two stood by the door after Ly had shut it. "Let him come to you." They both crouched down. Curious, Patches made his way over to them after a moment of staring. He trotted awkwardly up to Ly and butted Ly's knee with his forehead. Reaching out, he rubbed the reindeer calf between the ears. "These bumps," he moved Lixue's hand to the same spot and covered it with his own, "are where his horns will come in." Pressing down and circling her fingertips, Lixue could feel the prominent bumps. Along with the thick coarseness of Patches' fur. The reindeer seemed to love it and pushed against her palm with a low bray. A grin developed over Lixue's mouth unconsciously. She barely noticed when Ly removed his hand from hers. "You like that, boy?" she murmured and scratched at the spot. Shuffling closer on his two toed hooves, Patches was apparently not a shy creature. Lixue moved her hand from scratching against his neck, fingers curled inwards and palm used to press downward. When Lixue itched between his shoulder blades, Lixue found the other enjoyment spot. The animal stretched out its head in pleasure and moved closer, closer still, until he was literally leaning against Lixue. Already unsteady from squatting on her damaged leg, she toppled backwards onto her bum with a surprised laugh. Startled, the reindeer kicked up his hooves and ran away on unsteady legs. "Oh, jeez! I did not mean to, little one," Lixue called after him. Glancing up with a pout, Lixue found Ly watching her with a smile. "What?" A shake of the head and, "Nothing, you are just too cute," was her answer. Light pink stained her cheeks. She shrugged the compliment off. "I like him. He has…" Lixue tried to think of the word in Vani, "attitude? Yes, attitude." The calf eyed them warily, braying loudly every once and awhile. "What does he eat?" Surely he was too young for hay! "Another person milks a female reindeer and we feed that to him." A pause, then, "If you want to see the hayloft, we should probably go. He will be looking for milk in a bit and someone will be around to let him drink." Lixue reached out and interlaced their hands casually before pushing to her feet with the use of her wooden cane. The two exited the stall, heading further into the stables. "The hayloft is, as you most likely guessed, where we store the hay. Animals use the hay as part of their feed, along with grains and grass." As the pair walked and talked, Ly on her left side, their hands were entwined.

[Lixue]

Finally, the hay-mound was reached. The two ascended into it and Lixue's senses were overwhelmed. First, the smell. The fresh aroma of grass with a hint of weeds. Second, the look. Green and yellow, for as far as her eyes could see in giant piles. There was complete silence above the stables; a sense of peace and serenity. The air was tainted by the hay; Lixue felt as though she was literally eating the alfalfa. The sound of stiff hay breaking under their feet echoed. Lixue, upon entering the mound, let go of Ly and turned in circles. He continued walking, most likely to find a spot to sit. Instead of calmly following him, she tossed her cane down onto the hay silently and crept up behind him. Ly was apparently oblivious. Launching off toward him, Lixue wrapped both arms around his shoulders and clung to his back. He stumbled, then fell from the unexpected weight. Lixue was dislodged and landed beside him. In the next instant, he hovered over top of her. Thinking quickly with a smirk on her pink lips, Lixue flattened out of her hand and snapped it sideways into the crook of his arm. The appendage buckled and Ly fell to that side. Lixue rolled away, collecting hay in her short black hair. Unexpectedly, fingers latched onto the ankle of her left leg. Instinctively, she kicked backwards. A solid thump and a groan echoed. But the clasp was broken! Triumphantly sitting up, she spotted Ly rubbing a spot on his chest. Having enough grace to look impish, a startled scream burst from between her lips when Ly suddenly tackled her. Instead of fighting back, Lixue lay calmly beneath him. An innocent blink, a soft smile, and a whispered, "Can I please be let up?" later and Ly was suspiciously watching her, in the same position. Lixue gnawed on her bottom lip and watched as Ly's eyes were drawn to the spot. "Please?" she asked quietly, turning on all of the charm she had acquired. A huff was exhaled from Ly as he moved off. Lixue rolled onto her side to face him. "Hay is not very comfy." Idly, she shifted in a futile attempt to be more comfortable. The alfalfa stems felt like tiny dagger digging into her side. Lixue plucked a piece of hay from Ly's purple highlighted hair. So concentrated was she on this task, when Ly grabbed her wrist, she jumped. "Hey, Lixue?" Curiosity piqued from his serious tone, her green eyes met his. "You know I love you, right?" Since he had yet to let go of her wrist, she guided their hands to lay it on his cheek. "And I you, Ly. What else would I do without you? I do not believe anyone could replace you." It was true. Ly was her best friend from childhood. He was also her closest friend. She told him anything and everything, holding back nothing. More than one person had mistaken their comfortableness with each other as that of a couple. "Promise me something, alright? Never leave. No matter what." Through the thick and thin, through their petty fights, the pair had always found a way back to each other. Lixue was determined that if either became married, they would permanently share the same bond. Ly let go of Lixue's wrist. "I promise, little one. Do you?" A nod from the petite girl. "Then I see no problem." He flopped back into the hay, evidently pleased with her answer. Lixue went back to picking the hay out of his hair. As she moved several strands back behind his left ear, her eyes narrowed. What was that on his neck? Ly had no tattoos that she knew of. Was he keeping a secret from her? The two were always open with each other. Nose scrunching, she ran her fingers over it. The tattoo was four interlacing lines that curled at the tips. They appeared to have a silver sheen and was raised from the skin. "Ly? What is that on your neck? When did you get a tattoo?" When he appeared confused, she traced over it again and explained the look of it. To do this, she turned her head toward the mark. "Wait a moment." He leaned up on one elbow and adjusted the hair near her neck. "If I am understanding correctly, you have the same design on yours." A pause as both absorbed this fact. Lixue had a niggling thought teasing her mind. Where had she seen similar things on other people? When she realized where, Lixue went pale. "What? What?" An alarmed tone had slipped into his speech. How to tell him? Lixue's fingers retreated from his neck. "Um.. Well… My parents. They are married, no?" What a stupid question. Of course they were married! "Uh… On their necks, they have the mark of… Oh, who was it.." Trailing off, Lixue's nose scrunched in thought. "Cheva! Yes, Cheva! The mark of Cheva. It apparently is a meaning of marriage in the eyes of the goddess and each couple who are "married" have a set of marks." Ly's caramel skintone went pale. "If I am remembering correctly.. Then we are considered married, Ly." Swallowing, Lixue's eyes skittered away from his face. "Now we do not have to worry about leaving the other, right?" Lixue asked with a lame joke and an awkward laugh. Ly fell backwards onto the hay. "I.. Have no problem with this. Do you?" What a loaded question. Lixue was unsure. It was not as if Vantha men were knocking down her door. And, her mother was going to marry her off to Ly before Lixue's birthday, anyways. Him and her fit well together. Others already mistook them as a couple. The reason question was: Could Lixue learn to love him physically, not just emotionally or mentally? Could she share his bed? Her eyes ran over his form. It was not as if Ly was unpleasant to her eyes. No, his physique was fine. Perhaps even attractive. Yes, Lixue decided, she could take to his bed. Could she transition from best friends to lover and wife? The answer was uncertain. Was marriage not a mixture of friendship and love? Did the two not already share that, but without the physical affection? She had already figured out if she could sleep with him, did that not mean she could also be a wife to him? Speaking slowly, Lixue said, "I believe it will not change much between us besides physically. We are… close, already. And the decision was already made for me to marry you if no one else stepped up, was it not?" A hesitant nod from Ly. How had she found that out? Lonis, Lixue's father, had told her in confidence feeling she needed to know. "Then the only thing I have to say is: I want the right side of the bed." A timid smile played with her lips as her eyes fell away from his. When had she become shy? Tentatively, Ly reached out and interlaced their hands. The silence was broken only by him saying, "How will we break the news to your parents?"

[Warden]

-Lixue- Skill Points: Animal Husbandry 2 Persuasion 2 Wrestling 1 Seduction 1 Lore: Layout: The Frostfawn Stables Basic Anatomy of a Horse Getting a Baby Livestock to Approach you Wrestling in the Frostfawn Hayloft Accidental Marriage Mark: Cheva Notes: I changed around a few of the lores you requested to make them, in my opinion, more useful as bits of knowledge. And since I saw you didn't have any Cheva lores, I went ahead and gave you that one too =] As always, great thread!