Why It's a Horse Of Course (Ana, Jean,Stigandr/Closed)

[Creeper]

Timestamp: Spring 80, 512 AV Time: Morning Location: Jakobi's Yard Who: Ana Sol Starris, Jean Forestre Ana and Jean would both be awoken by the same thing. A hot breath was being snorted into their faces. Warm, moist, strange. Waking up, Ana would see the head of a black horse staring down at her. Jean would see a similar sight, only hers was a brown horse with long hair. Neither horse would startle if the women were scared. A hearty laugh would break the near silence, and both women would see a man by the name of Jakobi staring down at them. "So you two are who they are sending me for groomers?" He leaned down and sniffed Ana and Jean, respectively. "Petch, only the red head smells like a horse. Barely. I swear, I don't think there is a single quality horseman in this entire camp. Aside from myself of course. Anyways, get up and get ready, we have work to do." Jakobi would wait until both girls were ready, then waited impatiently for them both to mount their horses. Bareback. He slapped the rumps of both horses, then the women. "Sharena, meet Anasol, and Koraine, meet Jeana. Now lets get going, we have a wild one to capture." He walked out of the longhouse, and the two horses, with women atop them, followed. The women would see Jakobi leap over the rump of another horse and land softly upon it's back. He turned back to them, "Follow me, and keep up, we have rough terrain to cover." Jakobi led them out of the encampment, and started westward at a light trot. Jakobi could be seen watching the ground during the entire trek, and if they looked, they would see hoovemarks in the ground, ones not belonging to the horse Jakobi rode, a deep brown chestnut. They followed a winding trail for nearly a bell of silence until Jakobi finally asked, "So why do you want to work alongside horses?"

[Jean]

A dreamless sleep had her cocooned in its comfortable embrace. Jean was bundled to her chin with a warm blanket, and she rolled onto her back with a deep sigh. A hot wetness puffed against her cheeks, startling her into a groggy awareness. Rapid blinking cleared the sleep from her eyes and she found herself staring into the face of a beautiful bay horse. Unconsciously she flinched. Waking up to finding something nose to nose with you wasn't a comfortable thing, no matter who or what it was - but the horse showed no reaction. Laughter made her turn her head, and she blinked dumbly up at the man hovering there. "Uh?" was all that came out of her mouth. Jean listened in awe at the strangest conversation she'd ever been a part of. The fact that she apparently smelled like a horse stuck with her, tickling her pride. A good thing to smell like, she thought contently. She had instantly liked the man, albeit she was shocked into a stupid silence. He seemed... horsey. "Anyways, get up and get ready, we have work to do," he finished. He waited there, staring, and after a second she understood. Quickly scrambling to her feet, she pulled on a pair of pants and shuffled to the horse's side. She had already been sleeping in a shirt. Why am I getting on a random horse for this man? That thought almost made her hesitate and stop. Almost. There was something about the horses and the man she felt she could trust unconditionally. Grabbing a fistful of the horse's long, beautiful mane, she swung up onto its back. Her leg hooked over its side and she shimmied awkwardly into position behind its withers. Its powerful chest expanded with a breath, and she felt it through her legs. Wow, was all she could think. The horse was amazingly beautiful. Her own mare was still exhausted from the trip, and she hadn't ridden since they'd arrived, out of fear of exertion killing her companion. Jean shifted her weight a little, gripping the horse's powerful sides with her thighs. She glanced over at Ana, marveling at her own black mount. Wow, she thought again. A slap on her rump startled her from her thoughts. She stared dumbly again at the stranger, not knowing how to react. "Hello, Koraine," she finally said, patting the horse on its muscular neck. The horses moved after their master, and she watched as he lept onto his own horse's back from behind. I want to learn how to do that... And what does he mean by a wild one? She was led from camp and they turned away from the rising sun, toward the west. Her legs gripped loosely behind the horse's shoulders as it moved at light trot. It was one of the smoothest trots she'd ever ridden. The man was watching the ground, and out of curiosity she took a look too. Hoof prints trailed off ahead of them. So we're following a horse. For some reason though, she didn't ask any questions. Jean was still in awe of what had just happened. She'd gotten up and mounted a random horse, and was following a stranger. At least Ana was with her. She looked over at her friend with a toothy smile, raising her eyebrows as if to ask, "What in the world are we doing?". Jean turned back to watch where her horse was stepping, and at the surrounding area. This place was like no other she'd ever seen. Trees as big around as houses, reaching their branches high into the sky like greedy fingers. Sometimes shadows would move high up in the canopy, and she could only imagine what things were up there. The time passed like this for a while, in a strangely content silence until the stranger spoke up. "So why do you want to work alongside horses?" Oddly enough, Jean had never been asked that question. But she didn't have to think twice of the answer. "I couldn't live without them. They make me feel whole. I love their smell, I love their sounds. I love everything about them, good and bad. They're the most beautiful things in the world," she said confidently, though a little shyly. It sounded cheesy coming out of her mouth, but it's how she felt. She couldn't think of any other way to put it than that. "Who the heck are you?" Jean blurted, suddenly remember she didn't know his name. Of all things not to know, let alone when you following the person in a very strange and foreign land.

[Ana Sol Starris]

Tossing lightly, she turned onto her side then to her back and layed there tiredly trying to sleep for just a bit, just for a few hours maybe? Ana couldn't believe it, beforehand she was able to sleep whenever she wanted, out cold like a rock! Despite the petching nightmares, she had actually been wanting to sleep for once. Such a long trip had taken alot of her energy and her inability to actually rest was getting on her nerves, what was making it so hard for her to sleep.. The small woman wondered depressedly, keeping her eyes shut in hopes of drifting off. Thinking, pondering she tried to figure what the problem out was and came to a conclusion that her mind was being way too active, maybe if she cleared her head of thought then she could rest peacefully? Grimacing lightly at the thought as she sighed again, peaceful sleep was far from what she exhibited in her dreams, night terrors flooding her rest causing her to fear the idea of slumber. Inhaling slowly, she held her breath and focused on her thoughts to dissipate with difficulty, exhaling just as slow, mind concentrating on the emptyness. Inhaling again, she wanted the tension and the stress in her limbs to go away, exhaling, Ana started at the toes and up to her body in hopes of relaxing the mind weary body. Feeling the apendages begin to loosen, the small woman continued this and did feel her mind drift, dream images began to float across the black of her vision, whispers of her subconscience told her to wake up. Ana ignored the feeling and continued to trying to sleep, solely focused on this 'emptyness' she began to become excited that she was figuring a problem out all on her own... Sluggishly her mind did relax but only to wake up at an alarming rate, buzzing past through her ears, a breath of warm air pressed itself against her face, causing her body to run wild with goosebumps and then that soft flesh.. Peeking her eyes open slowly then spazzing, yelling out of surprise and trying to make her body sink into the bed for having such an oddity so close to her face. Ana breathed hard as she realized the creature wasn't attacking her, gripping her wildly beating chest wide awake from the shock. Scrambling to the side and up, leaning against the wall blinking as a jovial mans laughter sounded from somewheres, a location Ana wasn't sure as she was too busy now oogling at the horse. What a majestic creature! The small woman couldn't help but feel amazed at the blackness of the animals coat, the discipline she.. Ana took a moment to listen to the man as he sniffed them, looking to her side to see Jean had a horse in front of her also looking quite the natural with her own. Jean certainly looked tired though, but not as groggy as Ana did now with her own slowly dissipating energy. Looking back at the horse, she seemed to have no name.. Could Ana call her 'Midnight' or some such? The thought was extremely pleasing to Ana as the creature reminded her of such things. Looking between the man, Jean and the horses, it took a bit for it to also register they were to begin getting ready for going about the area. Sliding off the bed, Ana hadn't bothered to change into her ragged blouse and pants (nightclothing technically) the night before as she hadn't expected herself to want the deadly serenade called slumber. Tugging on the cloak, make-shift blanket during the night, she stretched from her toes and reached as high as she could with her arms; making tired noises befitting ones aditude to waking up. Strapping the scabbard to her left hip, steel shortsword rested within, a gift from Zandelia the first training session they had met. Ana would never leave anywheres without it now, especially since Ximal was also in the Spires, his intentions for gods only know. But she was far too clever for him, the item he searched for, she would give back... But with an in person apology for her behavior. How she would do this.. Ana didn't know at the moment but she was working on the problem in her mind when others around her weren't bugging her. Patting the horses body and running a hand along the coat of the elegant creatures frame, sighing as a warm smile crossed her face, she loved horses.. But she had no idea what to do around them, with them, besides the fact they were for riding and travel purposes. The bruises on her arse for the jostling, hurryed pace to the Spires had made her butt sore. Frowning as Jean got on to her own horse, Ana tried to come up with a way to get onto her own horses back.. There were no stir-ups from what she could tell, certainly no saddle or harness, how did one go about getting on when they were too short to possibly lift themselves onto the bare back of a horse? Contemplating for a few moments what to do, then it hit her, she scrambled onto the bed and stood whilst leaning on the edge. Ana reached over to the horses neck, gripped the mane, but stopped.. Fearing she may harm the horse in this way, Ana certainly didn't like it when her hair was pulled.. Now the beauty of her idea, well she was timid about it because she wasn't sure how the horse would react.. Sighing she leaned fowards more, past the head of the horse as best she could and wrapped her arms around the neck tightly as if giving the horse a loving embrace and swung herself on. Anas leg landed on the hind rump of her horse and stayed lodged there till she could shakily pull herself up onto the back with alot of effort. Hugging onto the horses neck still, Anas face spread into a wide grin, she had done it! This time without anyones help! This was amazing! Why hadn't she thought of this before? The small woman wondered to herself as she held parts of the mane to get the horse moving, would the mane act like reins? Maybe? Hopefully? The small woman was only taking guesses and hoping they were right.. Squeeking out of her thoughts, feeling a pat to her butt from the man she blushed at him, giving him a look akin to embarresement "w-what the?" Out of dissapointment it seemed the black beauty already had a name, Sharena, though that didn't put the small woman off at all. It was just as pretty, stubbornly thinking to herself. Running her hand along the horses neck in awe, she couldn't help but admire.. Ana wasn't much one for talk, she felt shy talking to horses.. They weren't people, they didn't have sentient minds.. Did they? Her thoughts traveled to Stigandr then broke as there was movement. Attention taken away to that of her surroundings. Anas horse followed after him, along with Jeans. Who was this guy.. she watched him just as he landed onto the horses back from the rump.. Staring in amazement, she wondered how he could do that.. Then they were off, out of the camp and to where ever they were going! , she held onto the horses back as best she could, albeitly bumped around bit due to lack of saddle to hold her in place. Ana was certain she was going to fall off her horse and was fear stricken about it, biting her lip, she had to stay on, had to, she looked from the man to Jean, to the man again and back to Jean catching her raised eyebrows. Ana raised her eyebrows back to her companion, wondering also what was going on- she shrugged, comically almost, Ana didn't know in the least bit what was going on just that apparhently the man had use for them. Gazing to the man again as he asked them about working alongside horses, Ana thought for a moment, taken aback by the question and thus listened to Jeans chessy one. It wasn't a bad answer, in Anas opinion, in fact she was glad they seemed to both love horses, a similar trait among many different ones. Chuckling after a bit and sighing once more, tired as she came up with her own answer "I don't know much about them, but they fascinate me, I'd like to get to know them better.. I would have on the travel trip but we hardly took any breaks and they were always tired when we did have a rare one, figured I'd leave them alone for rest.." her voice strayed, eyes flicking to Jean as she blurted out most randomly asking who he was. Ana hadn't bothered with names till now and looked upon the man with curiousity, he knew her name, but she didn't know his. Glaring, Ana didn't remember giving it.. Unless superiors had done so.. Come to think of it, he had called her 'Anasol' ...The combination of her psuedos first and middle name irked her as it sounded strange together, grimacing, relaxing her glare into a look of sleepy thought "you know our names, but we don't know yours.. Tis polite to tell us your own, y'know, and my names just 'Ana' not 'Anasol'" The small woman laughed weakly, not sure if she came off too blunt, or too dead sounding. Somber. Plum tired was what she was, the first few moments she had ever begun to sleep willingly.. Were shattered and the growing circles under her eyes were proof of many a nights sleep disturbed in the past by seemingly trivial things, Ana wanted to groan and moan out her complaints but she kept them to herself in the excitement of this adventure. Eyes drooped as they were forced open, mind buzzing with curiousity of where they were going and what they were going to do kept her mind well awake despite her bodies protests.This man was also certainly an oddity, her eyes had somehow began to examine his body from afar, he wore no shirt and tattoos were quite litterally covering chunks of his brown skin, tilting her head as she watched him further still, if anyone had noticed her gaze they would have thought she was eyeing him up as attractive-...Ana straightened up and blushed, alert, wide awake once again, had she just called a stranger attractive mentally, in thought?! Preposterous! She couldn't think like that Ana thought frantically to herself as she strained her face to be normal, straight, gaze locked on the mans head in fear of embarresing herself from more silly thoughts. oocOh my gosh, I think this is the longest/heaviest post I've ever written out yet!! o.o Sorry if it's too long..

[Stigandr]

The Spires were like heaven for the Kelvic horse. The Jamoura were a peaceful race who revered nature in a way he had not seen among anyone else, except maybe himself, and even then it was not as deep as how they did. His was a love for nature, for the things that made him feel whole and complete, but their love seemed to go deeper than just that, to an almost religious experience. Hand-in-hand with Jamoura were countless Kelvics walking around, shifting form as they willed to, from human to animal and with absolutely no need to wear clothes as there were none to be embarrassed by a naked Kelvic. This was something Stigandr had taken to quickly, feeling himself slip into the rhythm of the Spires, finding a comfort and peace he only partially knew from the fields outside cities. Another thing he was able to enjoy was sleeping. Being a horse, he only had to sleep in short rounds of fifteen or so minutes at a time throughout the day, but getting his needed few hours of deep sleep was hard as he did not feel at peace in most places, so it was hard to push himself into that state most times. Here, he was able to sleep when he wanted to, as often as he needed and without thread if he was within camp or a safe area such as Jakobi's Yard. The latter place mentioned was where Stigandr has made himself at home for the last day, taking freely to his horse form more than ever, walking around near other horses and eating or running or just walking around peacefully. Up until this point, he had not been able to see Jakboi and meet properly, though he was sure Jakobi had noticed a strange horse in his area, though it was clearly not a problem. Today however, Stigandr had happened to be awake and around when his ears began twitch, the soft sounds of distant hooves moving getting his attention as he grazed. Looking up, Stigandr could see a huge tattooed man riding a beautiful horse in the lead, Jakobi by what he had been told of his looks. Following him on two beautiful mares were members of his group, Jean whom he had met and become increasingly closer friends with, and a woman named Ana whom he had not met. Wanting to meet Jakboi and see his friend, Stigandr began to canter after the group, the feel of the wind coursing over the muscles of his body, tugging at his mane and tail giving a rush to his blood, warming his body and triggering him to increase his pace to a gallop for the remaining distance, his tail and mane fully extended behind him now. He was not worried about startling the group or scaring them, knowing that the horses would have seen him by now and heard him, as well as comfort that Jean and more importantly, Jakobi if that is who the man was, would maintain control over their mounts. As he neared the group, he slowed down to a trot until he was twenty feet or so from them, then shifted into his human form. Instinctively he went to cover the half black sun tattoo on his left hand but remember that he was safe here from that trouble, letting his hands fall back to his side as he came to stop roughly fifteen feet to the side of the group. He looked briefly at the man obviously in charge, but spoke first to Jean since he knew her, "Good morning Jean. It is good to see you. How are you doing?" He looked to Ana and nodded, not sure what to say since he did not know her. Last, he looked to the tattooed man and spoke, "Hello. Are you Jakobi?" Stigandr spoke bluntly, without the formalities or frills of language, saying and asking what he meant without shame for offending anyone. It was how he communicated as a horse, and that did not change just because he was a human. He knew he spoke differently than other races, but he was who he was. As he stood there, his chest slowed back to a steady rhythm of breathing, the sweat that was there when he had shifted slowly dissipating.

oocSorry for the delay ladies and Shep, but I am fully back and going now, this delay wont happen again

[Capricious]

Ana Sol Starris

Award

Skill	XP Earned	Lore Earned
Observation	1	• Being Awoken Unexpectedly
Riding	1	• Person: The Horse Man

As Jean and Stigander are inactive, I graded only for Ana. If Stig or Jean should retire, I will willingly grade for them.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.