Closed A Horsey Reunion

[Merevaika]

"This oil might be good for you Mer!" Ru joked, dodging out of the way after explaining the tincture. Merevaika laughed, wishing it had snowed. A handful of snow to her face would be a funny piece of revenge. No problem. Merevaika stepped forward, pressing her hands against the horse which side-stepped awkwardly, knocking Ru back. Merevaika let out a giggle, going back to displacing the dirt and dust.

Rufio spoke of the events of Summer with a distant voice, remembering an awful storm Merevaika was glad she hadn't encountered. A man had died. She grew quiet, remembering the events. Death was common among the Drykas, but to witness Zulrav kill someone before your eyes, to be unable to help, could scar someone for life. Merevaika knew the feeling of watching people die.

Merevaika shook the thought away, passing the brush over and helping Ru guide it over the horse's body, getting the right pressure to sooth the horse without causing discomfort.

"Riverfall is... so different. Firstly, there are no tents! I mean, there are proper buildings and streets, and no one finds it weird that they don't travel. Being in a new place was interesting, but don't worry - I'm here to stay!" she giggled, moving back to let Ru brush Sakta alone.

"I met too many foreigners. Akalak, there was a Benshira who I came back here with, and a Kelvic - hate him, but somehow we share a tent!" Merevaika grinned at how that had come about, "But so much happened during the Summer. Fantastical events - I turned into a man! Imagine that. It was horrible."

She thought about all the other things, the mark on her thigh and the memories, memories that didn't belong to her but belonged to a Strider. Should she share them? Ru would, but Merevaika wasn't Ru. These she held much closer to her heart, secrets she didn't want to share.

This was Rufio. Rufio, her childhood friend. "When I was there, I gained the memories of a Strider. I gained a mark from one of the sons of Caiyha. I can turn into an elk." Scary, exhilarating.

Changing the subject, Merevaik dropped down next to the yvas bags on the floor, "So what happened with the food?"

[Rufio]

Rufio stumbled backward as Sakta bumped her, letting out a gasp as the collision knocked the wind from her momentarily. The half-Drykas splayed her fingers in- truce -as she stepped around to stand beside Merevaika.

She felt Mer's hand guide hers over the brush handle, and a brow peaked in surprise. Lighter touch!
The brush went in circular motions, and Ru could really see the dirt coming up from the mare's thick hide. Her cocoa eyes flicked to her mare's face, which was half-shrouded in grasses she was chomping on lazily.
"No wonder you don't like my touch."
Rough, hurt, guilt, apology.

As she listened to Mer's story, Ru lightly sucked in a breath in amazement. Riverfall doesn't have tents, or migrate?
Strange. She agreed with a giggle, and added with brow cocked. "What's A-ka-lak?...Kelvic?" Curious.

Rufio had never heard of the Akalak, and her father had once told her about fantastic animal-people, but she had never heard their race-name 'Kelvic'.

As Ru worked the grooming brush down Sa's foreleg, the mare quit grazing and nipped at the tool with a grunt. Ru lifted the bristles away from the mare's sensitive flesh, her brow furrowing in concentration. Apology, trust.

The mare watched cautiously as Ru laid a hand gently on her shoulder, and took to brushing her foreleg with less force than she had with her body. The mare made a low, appreciative noise. Rufio learnt to take heed of her horse's body language, it was certainly telling her something about her horse's mood.

Her legs are more sensitive than her body-
Ru realised and chided herself.
-You're too rough with her...she's been sayin' so all along.
"Sakta" trust "good girl"
Ru praised.

As she moved to Sakta's right side, Merevaika reassured her that she was sticking around. To this Ru felt warm relief well up in her that she hadn't expected and glanced at Mer with a broad grin. Glad, relief, happy, friendship.

"Fantastical events - I turned into a man! Imagine that." Rufio stopped and stared at Merevaika, shaking her head. "How in Caihya?!" Amazed, disbelief.

Ru was just finishing up grooming Sakta with the brush when the silence fell over the two. She peered at Mer from where she knelt by the mare's side, sensing something was playing on her old friend's mind.
Ru felt the urge to ask about it, but resisted it. Since their friendship in childhood, the half-Dryka had got a sense of Mer's quiet spirit; her need to keep her self sometimes.

Rufio respected Mer's needs, and didn't push to fill the silence, instead letting Mer decide if she would keep her secrets or choose to let Ru in. Either way, the half-Drykas had always understood, and she would now.

"When I was there, I gained the memories of a Strider. I gained a mark from one of the sons of Caiyha. I can turn into an elk." Scary, exhilarating.

Ru had finished grooming Sakta, and dropped the brush in the grooming kit. Sensing that Merevaika had chosen to tell Ru something, something she could have kept hidden, meant something to the half-Drykas.

Scary, awed, gift -Rufio reflected- Support, caring -laced in her sign. It was unspoken that she would be there to talk if ever Mer wanted.

A tinge of envy touched Ru's heart, though it didn't show in her expression. When they were children, Ru spoke about becoming a healer like her mother. Now, though, Ru's innermost ambitions had been swayed and she had other dreams now, as yet not fully recognized, they lingered just below her awareness.

Merevaika had been touched by Caiyha? The thought created conflicting feelings within her. At once she felt concern for her friend, amazed by her story, awed by her, and jealous. Though she had no idea why she felt jealous.

A smile returned to alight her eyes, though, as Mer changed the mood of their conversation and asked about food. Rufio's stomach grumbled in response, her jealousy laid aside and forgotten in her laughter.

"Ay, I'll put the jerky on now-"
Hungry, deal, reminded.

Ru knelt by the blanket, and dug out a shallow hole. In it she piled the tinder and made a modest pile of sticks she had brought from her home camp. Holding the flint in her hands, she tapped them together hard. Leaning in closer, Rufio's brow was furrowed in concentration. It was hard to see sparks in daylight, but she caught a lucky strike. Cradling the tinder gently in her palms, Ru nurtured a tiny fire to life with her breath.

It wasn't long before the jerky strips were pierced with spare sticks were set barely over the edges of the small flames to warm, a salty tang wafting tantalizingly.

"Should we take the horses into the water to get that mud off?" Ru queried her makeshift grooming teacher, Merevaika. "This oil would go on well when they are near-dry." After meal.
　　

[Merevaika]

The half-Drykas had a heavy touch, too heavy, but wanted to learn. Merevaika let her, reminding her to have a lighter touch. Ru listened, pressing lighter, especially after Sakta showed discomfort around the legs. The races Merevaika spoke of were unknown to her, so she described them to her.

"Akalak are an all-men race, all of dark blues, some reds and greens. They are native to Riverfall. And kelvic are the men that turn to beasts, and the beasts that turn to men. You must know them, for there are a few in Endrykas.

As expected, she responded to the fantastical events with amazed disbelief, Merevaika only shaking her head with candor in her eyes. Ru was right to be filled with the disbelief, as well as the awe, but offered her support. Merevaika didn't need it, not right now. But it was good to know that Rufio would be there for her, as Merevaika hoped to be there for Ru.

A salt smell drifted up after her friend had finally got the fire up on jerky cooking. It brought a deep growl to her belly, Merevaika moving closer before finding herself disappointed that they weren't already done.

Agreed she signed in reply, "That would work. We can wash them, then eat, and they'll dry while we eat." Getting up, she called for Eryunt, who briskly walked over expectantly. She placed her hand on his shoulder, leading him into the water. Eventually he agreed to enter, splashing the Drykas as he did.

Merevaika followed, winding up her trousers to get them the least wet as possible. She began to scrub with a cloth, wiping off the mud and gesturing for Ru to do the same. The horses enjoyed the grooming, loosening their ears happily.

[Rufio]

　　
　　
Rufio was grateful for Mer's advice as she pointed out the ways Ru was hurting her mare with a too-rough touch. Between the Drykas and the mare, Ru felt she was actually making way in getting a knack on grooming.

"Akalak are an all-men race, all of dark blues, some reds and greens." Mer described the Riverfall race and Rufio felt disbelief fall across her shoulders again.
Her dark-brown eyes took Mer in with a bright, quiet admiration. Mer has seen so much, already. Ru thought in wonder. She shook her head and laughed.
"The world sounds like a strange place outside of Endrykas."
Whilst recognition alighted in her grin as Mer described what Kelvic were, and she nodded. "Ay, yes! Father told me about them once... Though, no, I've never seen one." She paused, thoughtful then, and tilted her head gently.
"Although, maybe I have and just haven't realised!" Animals, Drykas, disguised.
Her memories sifted over the faces of those she had ever met and spoken with and the idea that they might have been a Kelvic all along made her smile.

Rufio patted Sakta's shoulder, and grabbed a handful of mane to lead her down the banks and into the water. Sakta nickered excitedly, lifting her hooves and splashing messily; she loved water. Rufio laughed and made soothing noises to settle her.
The half-Drykas peered over her horse's withers and watched what Mer was doing with the cloth, before the woman indicated for Ru to imitate her work.

Rufio knelt to dunk her cloth into the water, where she was splashed by Sakta's hoof. The mare's foot just missed her face by a hairs-breadth, to which the half-Drykas let out a low whistle.
She laid her palms on the mare as she had seen Merevaika do to settle her, and was pleased when it seemed to work. Sakta's long neck twisted and Ru hesitated as the mare sniffed at the cloth in her hand.
Once the mare seemed at ease, Rufio began to rub away the dirt and grit, the mud slewed away with ease in the water, and she began to find herself actually enjoying the task.

Rufio had noticed the way Mer had rolled up her trousers so as not to get too wet. Sensible, unlike Ru, whose dungarees were dark with soaked water. Just as she was done rinsing Sakta down, Rufio recalled the day they had gone fishing.

A mischievous giggle escaped the half-Drykas, and her excitable mood was picked up by the sensitive mare. Sakta neighed and kicked up a torrent of water playfully, splashing the riders!

"Aahhh! Saa'!" Rufio clapped her hands over her mouth, failing to stifle her laughter. Apology spelled in her sign.
　　

[Merevaika]

Ru giggled mischievously, and her horse kicked up a torrent of water, drenching the two women. Rufio gasped out noises, trying to hide her laugh, but was encourage by Merevaika's own laughs. Although soaked through, she really didn't care. It was more fun to be wet, anyway.

Ru apologised, but it was already too late, Merevaika sneaking round before kicking up her own water, a lot less impressive than the horse. It trickled down her friend's back, Merevaika diving behind Eryunt for cover, laughing playfully.

The horse didn't seem to get the message, rearing playfully and splashing the lot. Merevaika darted around, racing as quickly as she could through the water as the horses splashed around them, soaking up the good mood.

"Ru, remember that time we went fishing?" she called over the laughter and splashing, pulling herself up onto Eryunt's back. He let her, unable to fight back much in the water. She nudged him forward, nearing off near Rufio, before kicking him hard, the horse galloping as fast as he could through the water. A wall of it splashed up either side of him, covering her if she wasn't already soaked. They continued back out of the river, deciding that Eryunt was clean enough.

She let him dry on his own awkward, shaking herself off far enough away from the fire. Once she considered herself not as wet as before, she moved next to it, letting the heat dry her off while letting the smile make her mouth water. If only Ru would proclaim them done... Merevaika was hungry.

[Rufio]

　
　
A shiver ran up her spine as the cold water startled her.
"Ah-ah!"
Though she was soon laughing.
Her arms proved to be terrible shields against the cascade from Eryunt's hooves, and Ru was well-and-truly wet.

The half-Drykas was left standing with arms held out from her sides, her clothes hanging from her frame, her cropped hair plastered into her eyes. She shook off her hair, and laughter ensued again.
"I forgot not to mess with you, Mer!"
Revenge, talent.

As she clambered out of the river, she wrung herself off onto the grassland. Wandering over to sit with her hungry friend, the smell was tantalizing them both.

Ru gestured for Mer to add more sticks to the embers, while she set the cooking pot atop a few well-spaced rocks. It was filled with a little goat's milk.

The meat strips were taken away from the heat, and Ru held one out for Mer. Syna rose high above them, now; they'd dry off in no time in the hazy Fall midday.

Rufio tore into the meat like a ravenous wolf. Too distracted by the fulfilling of her appetite, it wasn't long before the goat's milk was warmed. It was beginning to boil down without her notice.

"We should go fishing again sometime;
...But actually try to catch something."
It was a tentative suggestion, Ru's way of inviting Merevaika back into her life, if it was her fancy too.

Sakta in the background was whinnying for Eryunt to join her in the river, splashing water and snapping at it with her teeth, as if she were still a filly.
　

[Merevaika]

As Ru had asked, she gathered up a few more sticks, placing them genlt in the glowing embers and adding a little more life to the fire. Rufio set a cooking pot with goat's milk on top, the liquid starting to bubble after a little while. It was heating nicely, but she didn't care much about that.

Ru handed one of the meat strips to her, tearing at her own ravenously. Merevaika joined her, eager to seize her rumbling tummy and actually get a taste of the smell that had tempted her all morning. One hand made the sign for delicious while the other held the meat that she ripped apart, devouring it quickly.

Rufio suggested going fishing, Merevaika beaming. She didn't realise the meaning behind it, the invitation back into Ru's life, but even if she had, her answer would still be the same. "Of course! Hopefully we've improved a bit since then!" she laughed in reply, although she knew that the last time she had gone fishing probably was the time with Ru.

She turned her head to the whinnying horse, who still splashed about in the water. "You'll never dry like that, Sakta!" she called out, come out. Eryunt looked at his rider curiously, before looking back at the mare that snapped at the water with her teeth like a filly. Flicking between the two quickly, he finally decided on what to do.

The horse bounded back into the river with a whinny, dancing around the mare playfully. "Eryunt! Come back!" she yelled, laughing the whole time. Turning back to Ru, she shrugged, "They'll never dry, will they?"

A frothing at the goat's milk brought her attention back to the fire, Merevaika leaping out to snatch up the pot before it spilled. Unluckily, she got it just as the milk frothed over, boiling milk splashing over her hand. Quickly, she placed it down, glad she hadn't just dropped it.

"Saved your milk!" she laughed, wiping the spilt milk off her hand, "Have some first." She picked the pot back up, passing it over to Ru to have a sip. The girls passed it betweed them, taking small sips of the tasty milk at a time.

Syna glowed on them from high in the sky, the horses played in the river and their bellies were full.This was fun, the two of them, their horses, a small picnic. Why couldn't everyday be like this? Merevaika could only dream.

[Tribal]

G R A D E S

Merevaika

Experience

• Animal Husbandry: 2
• Cleaning: 2
• Observation: 4
• Stealth: 1
• Socialisation: 5
• Riding, Horse: 3
• Planning: 1
• Storytelling: 3
• Organisation: 2
• Horsemanship: 1
• Grooming: 3
• Rhetoric: 1
• Teaching: 1
• Running: 1
• Wilderness Survival, Plains: 1

Lore

• Animal Husbandry: Toilet training a puppy
• Rufio: A welcomed sight
• Socialisation: The importance of staying in contact over time
• Rufio: A childhood friend
• Location: Lari River
• Rufio: An honest woman
• Rufio: humorous
• Teaching: Start with the basics
• A picnic with Rufio

Rufio

Experience

• Organisation: 3
• Socialisation: 5
• Observation: 5
• Logic: 2
• Rhetoric: 3
• Planning: 3
• Hostessing: 3
• Intimidation: 1
• Riding, Horse: 2
• Storytelling: 2
• Medicine: 1
• Animal Husbandry: 3
• Herbalism: 1
• Grooming: 3
• Horsemanship: 1
• Wilderness Survival, Plains: 1
• Cooking: 2
• Cleaning: 1
• Climbing: 1

Lore

• Louka: Rufio's favourite Wildmane
• Louka: Clumsy but willing to help
• Merevaika's return to Endrykas
• Merevaika: A childhood friend
• Location: Lari River
• Riding: Using your legs
• Merevaika: The show-off
• Grooming: A horse
• Storytelling: The Dark One
• Akalak: The people of Riverfall
• Merevaika: Can turn into an elk
• A picnic with Merevaika

Notes

Lovely story girls and a very believable friendship (esp with the jealousy). Enjoy the rewards.