513 AV, 30th Day of Fall
It seemed that Endrykas was doomed to endless tragedy as of late. Their numbers were still so few compared to what once was, and now bodies were being found. Murder. Murder in her beloved home. Bile rose in Arundel's throat as she imagined what agony her fellow Drykas must have endured before Dira finally saved them with the kiss of death. She'd heard what some of the bodies looked like. Bloated, mangled, and desecrated. At least they had returned to the Web. Always the Web. That was the silver lining - however thin it may be - to these horrible circumstances. She could only pray that the victims returned as something magnificent. A precious Strider perhaps. But even those were among the bodies being found. Tears pooled in her eyes as she recalled an elderly woman keening over the loss of her son and his beautiful bonded companion. Both of their throats had been slit, and then they were disemboweled.
Arundel grabbed the bundle of spears tied together from her belongings in the pavilion, shouldered the heavy wooden shafts along with her tack, and made her way to where the horses grazed. She and Rue were escaping the now stifling confines of their home to hone their skills. It seemed they needed to train more and more as the dangers once reserved for the Sea spread and consumed their very homes. It fueled her desire each day to work toward the right to join the Watch. A little dejectedly, she reminded herself of her lack of a Strider. She pursed her lips when she reached the grazing ground not far from the pavilion. Arundel whistled loudly, calling Juniper to her from the grazing cluster of the family's Semes. Her mare thundered to a stop, knowing what was expected of her at the sight of her yvas. The Drykas signed a greeting and smiled affectionately, though her eyes were clouded with a hurricane of emotions.
She stood quietly while she was tacked, and her rider hung the bundle of spears on one of the hooks at her withers. Arundel swung up onto the mare's back, wiggling into position. She wasn't bringing along a pack today. Just her yvas bags with some snacks in one and rope in the other. With a firm nudge of her heels, Juniper lurching into a slow canter, a little surprised but accepting of the sudden pace. She held one handle on the yvas as they took off, just to be sure she didn't lose her seat. Her mare could be a little rough on the starts and stops. But once she fell into the rocking horse rhythm of her mare's lope, she released her handhold and steered with her legs. Juniper gave to whatever pressure she received, and soon the pavilions of Endrykas were behind them.
She wasn't meeting Rue too far outside of the mobile city, but it was far enough that at least for a few bells they could forget the turmoil consuming everyone's day-to-day. Half a bell later, Juniper crested a swell in the land at a pokey trot. The poor girl wasn't an endurance horse, but she had the determined heart of a champion, and rarely complained. Arundel didn't push her, because she knew the mare's limits, but she could tell her horse was tiring when she finally spotted Rue waiting with Wildfire. "I'm sorry if I'm a little late!" she called as they drew closer. Before Juniper lumbered to a complete stop, Arundel swung down from her back and half-skidded, half-jogged to a stop. The woman offered a smile as she smoothed her windblown hair. "I really hope you haven't been waiting too long," she said, the apologetic tone clear in her words. She signed the words for both greetings and forgiveness.
It seemed that Endrykas was doomed to endless tragedy as of late. Their numbers were still so few compared to what once was, and now bodies were being found. Murder. Murder in her beloved home. Bile rose in Arundel's throat as she imagined what agony her fellow Drykas must have endured before Dira finally saved them with the kiss of death. She'd heard what some of the bodies looked like. Bloated, mangled, and desecrated. At least they had returned to the Web. Always the Web. That was the silver lining - however thin it may be - to these horrible circumstances. She could only pray that the victims returned as something magnificent. A precious Strider perhaps. But even those were among the bodies being found. Tears pooled in her eyes as she recalled an elderly woman keening over the loss of her son and his beautiful bonded companion. Both of their throats had been slit, and then they were disemboweled.
Arundel grabbed the bundle of spears tied together from her belongings in the pavilion, shouldered the heavy wooden shafts along with her tack, and made her way to where the horses grazed. She and Rue were escaping the now stifling confines of their home to hone their skills. It seemed they needed to train more and more as the dangers once reserved for the Sea spread and consumed their very homes. It fueled her desire each day to work toward the right to join the Watch. A little dejectedly, she reminded herself of her lack of a Strider. She pursed her lips when she reached the grazing ground not far from the pavilion. Arundel whistled loudly, calling Juniper to her from the grazing cluster of the family's Semes. Her mare thundered to a stop, knowing what was expected of her at the sight of her yvas. The Drykas signed a greeting and smiled affectionately, though her eyes were clouded with a hurricane of emotions.
She stood quietly while she was tacked, and her rider hung the bundle of spears on one of the hooks at her withers. Arundel swung up onto the mare's back, wiggling into position. She wasn't bringing along a pack today. Just her yvas bags with some snacks in one and rope in the other. With a firm nudge of her heels, Juniper lurching into a slow canter, a little surprised but accepting of the sudden pace. She held one handle on the yvas as they took off, just to be sure she didn't lose her seat. Her mare could be a little rough on the starts and stops. But once she fell into the rocking horse rhythm of her mare's lope, she released her handhold and steered with her legs. Juniper gave to whatever pressure she received, and soon the pavilions of Endrykas were behind them.
She wasn't meeting Rue too far outside of the mobile city, but it was far enough that at least for a few bells they could forget the turmoil consuming everyone's day-to-day. Half a bell later, Juniper crested a swell in the land at a pokey trot. The poor girl wasn't an endurance horse, but she had the determined heart of a champion, and rarely complained. Arundel didn't push her, because she knew the mare's limits, but she could tell her horse was tiring when she finally spotted Rue waiting with Wildfire. "I'm sorry if I'm a little late!" she called as they drew closer. Before Juniper lumbered to a complete stop, Arundel swung down from her back and half-skidded, half-jogged to a stop. The woman offered a smile as she smoothed her windblown hair. "I really hope you haven't been waiting too long," she said, the apologetic tone clear in her words. She signed the words for both greetings and forgiveness.