Hold Your Horses (Solo)

[Aello]

Timestamp: Fall 18, 512 AV Location: Somewhere between Ravok in Syliras Muddied irises settled on the downwards crescent, thin lines etched between its outer rims. The ends of it flared angrily, that the huntress could plainly see as she traced the print with the edge of her finger. Nail brushing lightly over hard packed, dark brown grains. Sending the occasional cascading into the world's rift as she followed it deftly. Her fingers trained to sense the world's words. These are newer, Aello thought to herself, although, she had no idea what they were supposed to be, never having seen anything like them within the forest's depths before. Uneasily, she straightened herself out and pushed against the terrain. The soles of her suede hunting boots digging into the earth and leaving partial prints in her wake as she plowed along, guided by the markings whatever animal had left. She wove her way in and out of the trees warily, taking note of the number of sticks and leaves she had passed that had been trampled as the entity moved through. Lower lying branches snapped, whereas fallen leaves turned to broken, shriveled masses shedding their skin. Whatever it is, it must be heavy, the huntress thought to herself as she continued on her way. Her feet ambling beside the marks, silenced by her Akajia's robes, and general avoidance of fallen debris, which would produce a sound when tread upon. Her fist tightened around the grip of her father's old bow, as her thumb danced over the supple curve of the crescent. Her chest rose and fell evenly as her heart beat lightly against her rib cage. Or at least, pretty big, her mind added, as her gaze glossed over the bark of nearby trees, noting how some had small shavings of their outer layers cast into the lower diamonds of their backed patterns, and in the dirt, entangled with their gnarled and twisted roots. Wooden serpents constantly stretching and slithering towards things just out of their reach. She smiled weakly as the sun's golden rays filtered through the barren skeletons of hardwood trees. The light dancing across her back as her muscles rippled just beneath the surface of her skin. Leaving portions of it within the sun's light, while the rest was cast into darkness. Rimmed by shadows which caused her to seem all the more lithe. Slender. Cadaverous, and generally ghastly, considering the pale nature of her flesh. As silently as she could, Aello proceeded to creep through the underbrush towards wherever the prints led. She scarcely seemed to breath as she moved along for several chimes, until a time in which the prints came to end, and she was forced to look up to the sound of an apple crunching between yellowed teeth. The nearly silent swish of a tail, for she had happened upon a horse. That's strange, what is a horse doing here, alone? she wondered, as he horse spat out the core and tore another off the nearby tree. Aello listened to it chewing as she studied the creature. Its raven colored mane and tail, its legs leading into the same shade, for the upper portions were largely slate colored, as was its body. Although the back of its flanks, and its rear was sprouting silver, and speckled with black. As was its front, as though it had just dirtied itself in the mud. Its eyes were two large dark coals, as were the areas around its hooves, save for the back right, which had a short white sock. Its snout was long, straight. A typical horse's ended in flapping lips and large, flaring nostrils. But between them was a metal pit, from which a bridle hung. Small creases etched themselves across the girl's forehead as her brow furrowed, falling into the shallow lines. I wonder where its rider went, the huntress thought. He likely fell, considering the creature is left untethered and grazing on its own. Subconsciously, her free hand fell over her cursed blade's hiding place as she silently side-stepped to the right, behind the partial cover of a nearby tree. Another tick and she was crouching down, as her eyes grazed over the horse's majestic form as she shrugged inwardly. Wondering if she could get away with the animal, learn to ride it, and/or sell it in a nearby city. After all, if it had no rider present, it was up for grabs, wasn't it?

[Aello]

For several chimes, Aello watched the horse flick its tail, causing the elongated strands to swish and sway as it continually dipped its neck and tore at the dying underbrush. Chewing thoughtfully on the leaves it managed to find. Its lower lip rolled against the upper, its yellowed teeth grinding up against each other as semi masticated vegetation slid across its narrowed pink tongue. Aello watched the event with a hint of disgust, her stomach churning as she forced herself to look elsewhere. At its hooves, the strange white sock, so seemingly out of place against the rest of the creature's fine coat. As her eyes glided over the creature's strong legs, she realized that its eyes had yet to catch her, to settle upon her huddled form. She supposed this was a good thing, for it meant it either could not hear her, or it simply did not care if it did. Not deeming her much of a threat, perhaps of her size. But then again, she supposed it could also be a bad thing, in that it could signal failing sight and/or a loss of hearing. After all, how would she know, having spent so little time around horses? Another animal she scarcely knew. Thinking thusly, the huntress resolved to find out the truth of the matter for herself. Slowly, she allowed each of her muscles to uncoil, her legs to straighten. When she had, Aello paused for a moment, waiting for the blood to flow back into her joints to relieve some of their stiffness before she stepped to the side, and then glided forward, past a series of low lying shrubberies and tree limbs, into the clearing. As she moved along, her fist tightened around the grip of her father's old bow, and her chest scarcely rose and fell. She seemed to be holding her breath as her heart picked up the pace, and alternately, skipped the occasional beat. The sun's light played against her features, casting the majority of her face in shadow, so that her eyes seemed to have sunken into deeply hollowed sockets. As she moved, the horse finally looked up, still chewing. Finishing quickly, it swallowed as its dark eyes settled upon her. The huntress stopped then, as she listened to the horse snort, watched the increased rate by which it swished its tail back and forth, and stomped on the ground. I wonder if I scared it at all, the huntress thought to herself, as she raised her free hand slowly. Holding her palm out to the horse. Her fingers pressed firmly together as she inched a step closer. "Don't be afraid," Aello whispered. "I am not going to hurt you."

[Aello]

Aello took a tentative step forward. Her leading foot sliding across the ground, producing a thin line of dirt as her fingers splayed, reaching for the horse. The part of its nose just above its nostrils, so that she may offer it a calming pat. As she moved, the huntress swallowed the clump of saliva that had gathered in her throat, and fought to breath evenly despite the rapid beating of her heart against her rib cage. The swift rise and fall of her chest as the light played against her fingers, filtering through the weak webbing that rested between the bottom where the appendages sprouted. As she glided along, slowly placing one foot ahead of the other, placing them down gently so as not to produce any noise as she moved, or at the very least, only a little, the horse's tail continued to swish as hot air blowed from its noise. A soft snorting sound emanating from its nostrils as the huntress ventured closer and closer to her target. She could see its neck rising and falling as it breathed, its mane shifting back and forth with the subtle breezes that swept through the gaps between the trees from time to time. "That's it, do not be afraid," Aello whispered as she ventured another step, finally closing the gap that had rested between them only moments before. Tentatively, she stretched her right hand, and reached for the horse. The tips of her fingers brushing up against its finely cropped fur. Radiating warmth which seemed to redden the flesh just beneath the girl's dirt encrusted nails. Further, just a little further, she pushed her fingers, until the upper stretch supported by her bone was pressing against the majestic creature's coat. "That's it. You can see, nothing to be afraid of," she whispered as a small smile crept across her lips and a sparkle leapt into her eye, a knowing one, that would give her entire plan away, if only the horse bothered to look and comprehend that which it saw displayed in the darker reaches of her muddied irises. That's it. You've almost got him. Now just do not petch it up by scaring it away, she thought, as her fingers trailed down the creature's long nose, towards the reins which dangled there, uselessly. As her fingers found the first strip of polished leather, she thought she could feel a warm tingle against her flesh as she began to wind them, just as the horse reared, jerking the reins through her closing fingertips. Aello looked up, startled as the horse grunted, and its hooves trampled down on the dirt once more. It shook its head and snorted a few times as its feet drew angrily against the ground, and its tail whipped back and forth. "No, no, it's ok. I am not going to hurt you," Aello whispered as she put her hand up again and patted the horse between its eyes, for a few ticks before wrenching her hand off and going for the reins again. This time, the horse also saw it coming, and jerked its head back before the huntress could take control of it via the reins. Inwardly, the huntress scowled, but she fought to keep her face relatively blank; an artist's mask as she crept alongside the horse. Her hand trailing from its neck to its left flank before she paused, looking back at it. Its dark eyes, wide and watching. Its neck craned to see what she would do, for there was no saddle. No stirrups she could place a boot into, before swinging her body over its back, and taking her rightful place on top of the animal. So she would have to find another way, and hope she stayed atop the horse. That her past experience trying to ride was only that, a past experience. A memory to grimace at. After a time of running her hand back and forth over the horse's soiled fur, Aello moved her hand upwards, towards the supple arch of the creature's back. Once there, the huntress allowed her hand to settle for several ticks as she silently considered her next move, how best to leave the situation with everything she wanted in hand. Thankfully, after a few more ticks, it came to her, and she laced her bow up the length of her left arm, allowing the taut string to rest against her shoulder. Slowly, she raised her newly freed hand, and pressed it against the animal's flank. She pat the creature a few times, before guiding her left hand up beside the right, and placing pressure upon each of her palms. Pushing up against the horse, she slowly distributed her muscle's strength into each hand, up the length of each of her arms. Slowly, with the aid of a simple jump, the huntress forced her body up. With trembling appendages, she pulled herself from the ground, and swung a leg over the horse's rump. Effectively, putting herself in position to ride as she grabbed the reins. Although, she scarcely knew how to hold them, so they remained a crumpled mess in her hands. Alright, now what? the huntress wondered, as she squeezed the horse's sides with her legs, thinking that at least if it bolted, she would have a firmer grip upon it, and by logic alone, a better chance of staying upon it. Of course, any knowledgable horse rider could agree with her thought processes in part, although they would also tell her that she had forgotten one thing: she had taken spur to the horse, and being that it was trained, it lurched forward, and as she squeezed harder, pressing her heels into it, it eased itself from a simple walk to a trot. Its hooves clopped against the ground, which now shook beneath their joint weight. Loose pebbles rattled as leaves rustled with their passing, and sticks snapped, slapping the huntress in the face, running scratches which streaked shallow lines of blood across her exposed skin. "Whoa there!" she called, perhaps a little too loud, spooking the horse into an even faster trot, near a smoother canter. "Whoa!" she called, as her hands bumped up against the creature's neck, and her body proceeded to slide back and forth over the creature's bony back as its step grew bumpier and bumpier with the passage through different types of uneven terrain. "Whoa!" Aello cried again, as her right leg inched up the side of the creature's flank, and then, her hands snapped against bone with another bumpy step, leading her to drop each as her body tumbled over. Rolling against the ground as the horse neighed and continued on for awhile at the same brisk pace before slowing to a trot again. Slow and steady through the forest she realize, as she grunted and eased herself up. Pulled a few leaves from her hair as she rubbed her aching head and took a few steps towards it. It is too large to progress rapidly here, the huntress thought to herself. If it did, it would run the risk of impaling itself upon a tree or worse. Her thoughts paused as she stepped towards the sound of its steps, the image of it fleeting behind the line of trees. Endless. I am small and know these woods well, I can catch it if I push past the pain, she thought as she eased herself into a brisk walk and then a jog. Her hands swinging back and forth with their respective steps, helping to propel her aching body forward. It throbbed dully as she guided herself through the woods, just after the horse. Always keeping it in sight, although it still remained several paces out ahead.

[Aello]

Aello's form weaved in and out of the line of trees with a fluid grace unknown to most travelers, although she was still slowed by the pain that radiated through her body, despite her trying to push it from the recesses of her mind. She could hear the neighing of the horse up ahead, the clop of its hooves against the ground past her own deep breathing. The sting of her drying throat. She could see its hooves kicking up dirt as its body darted from left to right, mirroring invisible snakes that slithered across the ground. As her arms pumped next to her form, she kept on, leaping over the gnarled roots of hardwoods that crawled against the surface of the earth. She could still make out the sight of the horse up ahead, getting a little closer as it slowed to move through another portion of the forest's thicket. Slowly, she gained on the creature as she ran for several chimes, until she was running alongside of it, capable of pressing her right hand against its left flank. She could feel its warmth then, the sweat that trickled down its supple side, running off its fur in thin rivulets. The aurist could also feel her legs aching then, her muscles growing sore as she kept on going, and knew she would have to end this chase soon, or risk losing her prize. Resolving then, to end this as swiftly as possible, she pressed her hand a little harder against the horse's side, and tried to propel herself up and onto it, but she didn't have the strength, and her feet merely skidded over roots as she dangled but a fraction of an inch above the ground before touching down again. Over and over she tried, before coming to realize that she needed a new plan of attack, for the current one was failing her. Thus, she pushed herself a little harder, tried to run a little faster so she could grab the reins and hopefully, get the horse to stop. With arms swinging with a vengeance, she tried for them but could not reach, for she repeatedly had to look up so as to avoid obstacles. Distraction enough to keep her from completing her task. Soon they came to a place in their path where the trees ran too close for her to follow alongside, and Aello was forced to fall back. Her chest rising and falling rapidly as her heart hammered against her rib cage, and her breath caught in her throat. The cool autumnal air causing it to sting as she tried to draw in another deep breath and failed. As she began to slow and watch the horse fade into the distance. Damn it, she thought to herself as it was lost in the thicket, and she came to a halt. I almost had it for a minute there too... The sun kissed her neck in apology. It was not enough.

[Accolade]

Aello

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Running	+ 2 XP
Acrobatics	+ 3 XP
Riding	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	A wild stray
•	How to mount a horse (unorthodox)
•	The one that got away

Notes :

That was a fun read. Now we've got to get poor Aello a horse.

The Sylir has spoken

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