Quickening [Leto]

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

89th Summer, 511 A.V. late afternoon When Sama'el was finished reporting to the Sayaph, he was weary, and so it wasn't until he was up in Dohaina's yvas that he even noticed something off. Instantly concerned, he patted her shoulder soothingly. "Is everything all right, stormborn?" he asked her. She seemed all right, and so he nudged her toward home. Perhaps she was coming down with something, but he would give her a more thorough examination when they got back to the rag tag camp of small tents that he called home. Her behavior was a bit off, but it was Horse's response to them that got him curious. The silver Windrunner trotted up immediately, which wasn't entirely strange. He was an affectionate stallion, who had taken a shine to Dohaina when he wasn't grumpy about her getting a good share of Sam's time. But now he seemed awfully affectionate. Sama'el blinked, then grinned. "Ohhhh." He leapt down with acrobatic grace from her back, suddenly energized with excitement. "Sorry, old boy," he said, taking Horse by his lead and tying him to a stake where Ugly Pony was eating grass. The Windrunner didn't like this and shouldered the pony with bad humor, and was about bite the poor brute when Sam snapped an order that made him freeze, muscles quivering. With that same excited energy, though, Sam leaped, planing his hands at the last minute to help ease him into the yvas without causing Dohaina any discomfort, boyish in his enthusiasm and little acrobatic tricks that nobody was even around to see. He wheeled her around and called to Denen and Jyn if they were around: "Dohaina's in heat! Back later!" She bolted under his direction and soon they were headed for the Treebearer pavilion, the which he managed to find after pausing to ask directions a couple of times. As they rode up, he thought to wonder if Leto would even be home. It would be awkward to introduce himself to his friend's aunt and uncle with "Ho, Treebearers! I'm a friend of Leto's and I need to borrow Arias for a while!" So he cautiously reined Dohaina in. "Ho, Leto! Are you home? It's time!"

[Leto Sunsinger]

OOCSorry for the lateness on this!

Sitting upon his chair, carefully drawing runes with his quill and ink, he looked at the sigil he had created, and held up the parchment carefully. As he looked towards it, a smile crossed his face, and he thought, The Reimancers should like this one. It was a basic sigil, one of simple complexity, but at the same time, had an interesting knack of the runes to it, ones that would be a bit easier for Leto to explain their meanings to, once he delivered it to them. Then he heard a familiar voice on the outside of his pavilion, one that called to him by name. Standing up, and stretching out, the short Drykas made his way out of his tent, his body sweating from the summer heat, so he didn't have his leather vest upon his body, and the scars on his upper body and stomach were easily seen, as well as the Triangle windmark that was upon his chest. Brushing his hand off a bit, Arias looked up from where he was laying, and Leto looked towards him, with a half-cocked smile.

"Sounds like Dohaina is ready for you old boy," he said gently, and placed the Yvas upon Arias, strapping it gentle, but securely upon him, and then taking the reins of Arias, and leading him towards the outskirts of the Pavilion where Sama'el happened to be. "Good day to you Sama'el," he said with a smile, and Arias saw Dohaina, and neighed just a bit before Leto turned to him and grinned. "I'm guessing Arias has been waiting for this for quite a bit now!" A laugh escaped his mouth, and he smiled, bringing Arias towards Sama'el and Dohaina.

"Where shall we allow them their privacy at?"' he asked, looking around, noticing there were quite a few people around. Leto's uncle came out of his tent, and looked upon Sama'el, almost as if to size him up before sighing, and going back into the tent. "Don't mind him, he's used to me keeping the company of men, around, rather than woman," said Leto looking down towards the ground briefly, his eyes downcast as he remembered his time with Denen, and the confessions that had come forth that day. "But that's a story for another time, eh?" he then said, as he watched Sama'el, and then a smile brightening his face once more, remembering how Sama'el had understood his pain to a point, and had expressed his sorrow for Leto's own pain that he had suffered at one point in time.

Awaiting a response, Leto looked towards Sama'el, and then towards Arias, whom was trying to inch towards Dohaina quite a bit, as he was getting the urges to copulate right then and there. Leto had to keep a tight grip upon the reigns as he watched Arias' closely, and then looked towards Sama'el, hoping his response would be soon, and quick, for if it was okay for Leto to allow Arias to mate with Dohaina right then and there, Leto would release the reins, take of the yvas, and let Arias go for it, but it was all dependent on what Sama'el said after Leto's questions were brought forth...

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Hullo, Leto," he replied, weathertanned cheeks still blooming a bit pink in excitement. Now was the time for Dohaina, and once she had a foal, he would feel like he was another step closer to destiny. He tried to feel Lhex's path beneath his feet at all times, but could not help getting excited at the approach of a milestone. When he brought Arias up to the mare, she instantly began teasing at him, the equine equivalent of flirtatious kisses. Sama'el laughed, but he was a bit put off by the cold shoulder received by Leto's uncle. "I don't think they really care about privacy, but if... if your family would prefer we not do this here, we could ride back to my camp. I'll just have to take Horse and the others elsewhere so we don't have any fights among the stallions." Dohaina would likely remain in heat for six days, and it was anyone's guess how many times Arias would mount her, and if she conceived, he would have to ride Horse to Riverfall for his planned trip to visit the Sanctuary.

[Leto Sunsinger]

As Arias came closer towards Dohaina, Leto grinned as Arias recieved the teasing, and replied to it with mere nudges along Dohaina's neck, nudging more and more, even as Leto held the reins, he loosened them up a bit, to give Arias a bit more leeway with his own flirtations towards Dohaina, acting a bit hyperactive, compared to his normal behavior, which was just laying around when Leto wasn't riding him. Arias raised his head, curling his upper lip back as he checked Dohaina, his eyes on nothing but the mare that happened to be in heat right near him. As Leto watched this act, he looked towards Sama'el whom spoke of the other horses within the viscinity.

"Hmm," he began, and thought for a moment, eyes downcast upon the ground, but before he could say anything, an elderly woman came out of the tent that happened to be Leto's aunt, the same tent his Uncle was in at the moment. She stood there watching the mare and stallion for a brief moment before understanding what was happening, and then she smiled, and came over to meet Leto and Sama'el. "Greetings!" she said with a bright smile, and held her hand out to shake Sama'el's own. "Are you a friend of Leto's?" she asked quickly, wondering if they happened to be friends or not, but then looking back towards the two horses, she then said, "I overheard the conversation when Leto's uncle came in and told me he was with you, oh, forgive my manners, my name is Erias, close to the name of Leto's stallion, though, not exactly..."

Erias smiled, and looked up towards Arias, whom was becoming more impatient by the minute. "If you don't want the other stallions of your camp to fight over your own mare with Arias, then by all means, feel free to use our camp," she said warmly. "We haven't had a birth in our camp since Arias was born, and i'm sure that his Uncle's stallion won't mind too much if an estrus mare is around, though i'll move him out of the fields, just to be sure that he isn't a problem while those two are doing their thing... if that's all right with you, young sir?" It was quite obvious that she happened to be more accepting of Leto, than his uncle happened to be. Though, she did think Leto would get over his condition at some point, but the man hadn't shown signs of it since the accident when he was thirteen, and probably never would show signs of it, at least his Aunt didn't think that anymore.

"If you'd like, you can stay for a meal or two with us as well," she said, smiling, extending the offer out towards Sama'el, and Leto blushed a bit as she said that, turning his head towards her, his obsidian gaze upon her as he was a bit embarrassed by her actions, but didn't say anything as he simply awaited Sama'el's response to what it was she was querying him about...

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Hullo," he said, his smile coming back out to say hello at the more friendly greeting from Leto's aunt. "Well met, Erias. I am a friend of Leto's," he replied, shaking hands with her. "My name is Sama'el, and Leto said he would be so kind as to supply stud services when my Dohaina went into heat. Well, the day is here. I'd gladly let them have their alone time here. If it takes, I'll be riding the Sea on my Windrunner for a while, but I need to be starting my herd anyway. "And I'd be happy to share a meal, thank you. Leto," he said, glancing back at his quiet friend, "would you help me get the horses situated so we can have something to eat?"

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leto smiled at Sama'el when he spoke of getting the horses ready. It seemed they were already quite ready as Arias seemed ready to mount Dohaina right then and there. Patting Arias upon the back as he walked around him, he looked towards Sama'el and nodded, then said, "Sure thing..." Erias smiled, and said, "I'll have Leto's uncle move his stallion out of the field, so that those two can have their space..." and opening the flap of the tent, Leto's uncle appeared grim and gruff as usual, and said, "I heard you, i'll go move him..." before Erias could even say anything to get him to move the stallion. It seemed he knew not to upset her when it came to Leto, as she was quite protective of him, albeit his strange nature. As he made his way out into the field, he called out to his Strider, whom quickly sprinted to him, and then turned to Leto and Sama'el and said, "The field is all yours... hope your mare enjoys Arias' company..."

And with that Leto's uncle disappeared into the pavillion once more, leaving Leto and Sama'el alone in the outskirts of the field with Arias and Dohaina. Arias nipped at Dohaina a little bit before trotting out into the field, hopefully expecting Dohaina to follow him. Having already removed Arias' reings before he allowed the stallion to have free ride of the field, Leto turned to Sama'el, and said, "So... do we just let them do their thing? I wasn't really around when my uncle's stallion was breeding with my aunt's mare, so... I've never really had the privilege of knowing how they work themselves out... I guess I spent way too much time in my tent as a boy..." As he said that, he said it with almost downcast eyes, hoping that Sama'el wouldn't think too poorly of him for his lack of knowledge when it came to breeding striders.

Once Sama'el had answered, Leto would patiently await to see what the horses did, and if they chose to mate, then they would, but Leto figured that Sama'el would be hungry sooner or later, so he said, "My aunt should be making some food at the moment, if we leave them to do their own thing, or if we stay and watch them, i'm sure I can get her to bring some food to us while we wait..."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el thanked Leto's aunt politely, and his uncle twice; once when he went to see to his own stallion, and again on his way back into the quiet pavilion. It was a shame to have a quiet pavilion; they were supposed to be filled with the noises of living family members, but in the Treebearer pavilion, there were just the three. But Sam cast no judgment. "They mostly just do their thing," he assured Leto after removing Dohaina's yvas and throwing it over his shoulder. He ushered them into the Treebearers' enclosure and tested the barriers with both hands, shaking them a bit. Most Drykas didn't need fences to keep their herds close, but a mare in heat could overcome many a strict training and Sama'el didn't want to chance it. "We should probably watch and be sure no other stallions get in or Arias and the other stallion might fight and one or the both of them get hurt. They're stupid like people that way," he added with a grin. "You learned your Mysteries in the shade of your pavilion. There is no shame in that. All Drykas have something to offer the horseclans. Though we all must ride, there are other skills that are good to have." Dohaina was nipping back, urging Arias into a slowly building frenzy. "Let's keep watch for now, and then we can go in to eat. I don't want to be rude in the face of your hospitality, but I don't want to leave them entirely alone either. Not for too long. She's the only Strider I have."

[Leto Sunsinger]

Time was all that was needed, and time was what the two of them gave Arias and Dohaina. With time, they did what came naturally to them, a mare in heat and a stallion ready to go. Leto watched with excitement as it happened, and turned his head to look up towards Sama'el as he kept a keen eye upon Arias watching what he was doing. Blushing a bit as they did it, his obsidian eyes laid to rest upon Sama'el, and he said, "Ah, I see now... not so much unlike humans in a way..." Smiling he patted Sama'el upon the back, not wanting to touch him very much in a loving manner, but rather in a more friendly manner, even though he yearned for the former but never spoke of it. "You've got a good girl there, and i'm sure she'll end up taking Arias by storm," he then said smiling. A woman's voice called over to them suddenly, and it happened to be Erias, Leto's aunt. Turning his head towards her, he smiled as she had brought them out two bowls of stew, fresh from the firepit.

"Here you are boys," she said, handing them to each of them, along with a spoon. "When you're done Leto, feel free to bring the bowls and spoons back, then return to watching Arias and the mare," she said with a smile. "Her name is Dohaina, just so you know," said Leto smiling back, and Erias nodded. "Dohaina it is then," she said, and disappeared, leaving Sama'el and Leto alone once more. Sipping some of the stew, Leto blew it off first to allow it a bit of cooling down, but then turned towards Sama'el. "My aunt's a decent cook, and she seems to be getting better all of the time at it," he said, trying to start some form of a conversation up, as he wasn't sure of what to speak about while the horses were "doing their thing". His eyes glanced back towards them, checking the field to make sure nothing else had entered, and he smiled as they were working their natural problems out, and continuing as Nature dictated.

But questions yearned in the back of Leto's mind, as he had once met Denen at Sama'el's camp, and then had guessed as to the nature of who Denen was, but also put it together when Sama'el had said that Denen was expelled from his pavillion for reason's he couldn't agree with, but left it up to Denen to tell Leto. He wondered what the true nature of their relationship was, but let it drop for the time being as he watched Arias and Dohaina. Turning his head back towards Sama'el his obsidian features looking towards him, he smiled, and patiently awaited an answer from the younger drykas, if he felt like answering at all whilst they ate, and watched their horses breed...

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Thank you, Erias," he said, accepting her food and hospitality, though he hoped he wasn't putting too much of a strain on things for Leto. If so, he would leave as soon as he was sure that Dohaina and Arias were all right, and would simply come back to check on things from time to time until he was relatively sure that it had taken. "It smells delicious. Much better than mine." But he let it cool a bit in his hand, watching the proceedings with a critical, clinical eye. There was nothing embarrassing about it for him; he had helped birth foals and oversee breeding for Serena Windmount, and his old master in Sunberth as well. "Anyway, they're going to be coy about things for a while," he said, "but she'll have to stay here for three days or so. After a successful mounting, I'll head home and leave you to your work." He grinned and set to eating. "Yes, much better than mine."

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leave him to his work. In particular, Leto didn't really want Sama'el to leave, but he wasn't about to stop him from leaving whenever he felt like leaving. It was his decision, not the elder drykas' decision, but there was something about having Sama'el around that made Leto feel good, and he didn't want to let those feeling slip away even when Sama'el was gone. Turning his obsidian gaze towards him, he grinned, as he took a bit of the stew and ate it, nodding as Sama'el explained about how long it would take them to probably perform a successful mounting, and then turned his head back towards Arias and Dohaina with interest, as he had never really witnessed a full on horse mounting before.

As Sama'el commented about his cooking, Leto smiled and turned his head back towards him. "I'm sure given enough time, you'll become at least decent at it, given you're aiming towards having your own pavilion at some point in time. Then again, if you get married, you'll have a wife to be able to cook for you as well," said Leto, knowing that Sama'el was planning on marrying a woman in the future, but still feeling a pang of regret about it as he knew his kind wasn't necessarily accepted in Endrykas. The kind that -never- got married that was, as Endrykas was definitely a family oriented city, the drykas people were that way too, so if you didn't get married there was something wrong with you. Leto remembered his breakdown infront of Denen, and as much as he wanted to speak with Sama'el about what he and Denen had spoken of, he refused to at this point in time.

It wasn't that he didn't care about what had happened, he was just nervous about what Sama'el might think of him, an elder drykas, if he had known that Leto had broken down crying infront of Denen, and actually had a softer side than most drykas normally had. Taking another bite of the meal his aunt had quickly cooked up for the two of them, he leaned against the sturdy fencing, and looked towards Arias and Dohaina, watching them ever so closely to learn how horses actually mated, something he'd probably not be forgetting for some time. He was glad that Sama'el had chosen Arias to mate with Dohaina, and in doing so, he felt that it would pull their friendship even closer knowing that Arias was the reason Sama'el would have a herd of his own.

Maybe Leto would even think about switching Pavilions once Sama'el had chosen his own pavilion name for himself, but then again, Leto had always felt at home being a Treebearer, and was really the only family his aunt and uncle had left. Their pavilion would be ending with Leto more than likely, and it was unfortunate, but true. Since his aunt was sterile, she'd never have kids of her own, and Leto's uncle wasn't willing to find another wife to continue their line as he had hoped that Leto would be the one to do it. Then again, there was always Leto's long lost brother, that is, if he didn't get killed himself during the attack, since the Drykas that had saved Leto had only found him bloodied and beaten by the creatures (they never said what they were), where driven away and back into the grasslands...