A Runaway Horse

[Merevaika]

Merevaika 9th of Winter, 514 Eryunt snorted at his rider, shaking his head side to side. The strider sidestepped away, refusing to let Merevaika sit on him. "Why are you so stubborn?" she asked, frowning. The young woman was glad she was alone; it would be humiliating to watch a strider refuse their rider like that. Eryunt snorted again in response, kicking the snow up off the ground. She knew he prefered summer to winter, but Eryunt really needed to learn to cope with the snow. "Wait here," she muttered, symboling, "Patient." Then the rider disappeared into her tent, searching for some tasty apple or similar to tempt him with. "Gotcha!" she sighed in relief, clutching it close to her. Merevaika stepped out the tent, treading along the well trodden path. Eryunt was gone. Merevaika had a few seconds of thought, contemplating the reason for his disappearance. Why was he such a troublemaker? Either that, or theft, and Merevaika knew Eryunt would never go off with a stranger that easily! Her gaze dropped to the floor, spotting the area where Eryunt had been trying to snatch bites of grass. The snow was muddy, flattened. And beside it, just as she had expected, the marks of a runaway horse. "Oh, why did you go?" Pulling a thick cloak on, Merevaika set off, following the trail. Here and then, she had to stop, the tracks hard to distinguish from other horses. Luckily, she knew Eryunt well. He wouldn't stray there, nor try that small gap. The horse wouldn't duck under that washing line, but would walk around. People were starting to appear, and Merevaika would stop, now and then, to ask them if they had seen a grand, dark Strider pass their way. Most would nod, and point the correct direction. Only a few didn't spot him. But however fast Merevaika went, she was always behind. Then she saw a large dark horse slip behind a tent, the same size, the same shade as Eryunt. "Wait!" she yelled, sprinting after him. When she pulled round the corner however, she realised her mistake. The horse was the right size and shade, but as a Seme, the mane was bright white. The owner looked at her in a disgruntled fashion, angry to have been stopped for no reason. "Apology," she signed , backing off. Now she had lost Eryunt for good. There was no point retracing her steps - by know, the marks would have been covered in footprints. She sighed, trodding back to the place where she had last seen them. "Excuse me," she said, "Have you seen my horse?" "Tall, dark," she gestured, recieving a laugh from the young boy. "Yar da one dat lost ha Strida?" he said, Merevaika struggling to understand, "Ya not deserve a horse, dat's wha pa say." She groaned, realising that she would become the laughing stock of the Drykas , if news travelled this fast. "Please," her hands begged. "Thata way. He war fast, ya he war." Merevaika hurried off, searching for her mishievous Strider. So much for that hunt. This wasn't what she meant by a hunt. This was more of a wild goose chase. -- Eryunt snorted , treading through the snow. He was having so much fun in this game of hide-and-seek. Of course, people gave this lone horse strange looks every now and then, and one had even tried to stop him, but that young two-legs looked so much less scared after being kicked to the ground. Eryunt felt a sudden burst of hunger. Maybe he would return to his rider. Soon. The game was fun, but he was getting hungry.

[Ayetah]

A runaway horse
9th of winter, 514

Endrykas has yet to show the young benshiran the negatives of its people and city. Not even when Ayetah spent countless belles wandering the tent of cities, looking for a warm place to stay. And after searching for so many belles, an old widow drykas woman was willing to take her in on the second of winter, which is when the snowstorm showed the city no mercy. Ayetah thanked Yahal for the kind and very polite woman. If she did not find a place by the time the storm came, she would've been dead, trapped under a very thick sheet of snow.

The woman had let the innocent girl barrow a warm blanket and tent since she did not have one of her own and that was not completely Ayetah's fault. The thieves had debated for a very long time if they should keep Ayetah as slave or let her go. They decided to let her go, leaving her behind in the next city they approached. The thieves had given her the mizas instead of the supplies she would need.

Ayetah has made many attempts to leave the drykas and get what she needed but after a couple days of eating warm meals and being taken care of, she has gotten too comfortable. The drykas woman, who lived alone just outside the city of tents, did not seem to mind her staying either. In fact, Ayetah and the woman had become very good friends. Both listened to each other as they spoke about their beliefs and culture. The drykas woman enjoyed hearing about the god Yahal and Ayetah enjoyed hearing about some of the drykas' culture values, which were almost similar to the girl's own. She amused herself as she thought about how Benshira and drykas were alike yet different. Ayetah wished she could learn even more about them.


Last night, Ayetah slept like a baby. It took the drykas woman to wake her up and if she didn't, Ayetah would've continued to sleep."Ayetah, get up, I made fresh rabbit stew this morning." The woman told her in common, her pavi accent just weaving in and out of her speech. The woman softly shook Ayetah until her eyes opened and a smile curled on her lips.

"Good morning."Ayetah sung the words, holding each note for about two seconds.

The woman chuckled."Come, come dear." She led Ayetah out of the tent. The delicious smell of the stew hit her right away as it simmered in a pot over an open fire.

"Mmm,"Ayetah sniffed the air,"You must teach me how you make such a delicious stew madam." She said as she sat down on a blanket provided by the woman. The blanket was a little wet and damp from sitting on a sheet of snow but she did not mind.

"Oh, I will! Maybe later today."The woman smiled as she scooped out some of the stew and put it in a bowl, handing it to Ayetah who had a frown on her face.

"Madam, I want thank you for taking me in, a stranger. You have not complain about my lazy behavior, not once-"

"Lazy! Oh no dear, you've been a big help!" The woman cut her off. Ayetah smiled again before taking a spoon full of the stew.

"You have become my very first friend here... you almost remind me of my mother." Ayetah swallowed back her tears as she thought about her mother. The last time she saw her was on her twelfth birthday. If she knew that would be her last time, Ayetah would've done so much more. She would've sang a song with her until her throat grew sore. Ayetah would have learned how to make her own pots and blankets from her msilence.If only she knew... things would have been different."Madam... today I must stand on my two feet and try to fit into this new world you have helped me understand." Ayetah ate some more stew as the woman sat in silence. Ayetah could not tell if she were heartbroken or not, if she felt anything for the benshira.

"I see... well you are a woman." The woman sighed."And as much as I loved caring for someone again... I knew it would not last very long." The woman reached out for Ayetah's hand and took it from beneath the bowl, luckily Ayetah had her other hand underneath it too."You go into the city, its only a few miles,"the woman pointed north,"that way." The was another moment of silence.

"Before you leave... could you pray one last time to Yahal for me? Ask him to bless me."

Ayetah nodded before bowing her head."Yahal... I have here a woman who is open to the thought of you. She stays away from darkness so that one day she can except you. Little by little, she is proving her faith to you and she wants to continue proving it. Yahal, protect her from the darkness and touch her heart". She ended the prayer with a word in shiber and continued eating her stew until it was gone.

"It's time for me to go now." She took her shawl off her head and wrapped it around her bare arms."Goodbye friend, I will visit you frequently after today." Ayetah hugged the woman, pecking her on the cheek before heading in the direction she pointed.

Ayetah was not sure how close she was to the city but there were no signs of it yet. She walked and walked until something miraculous happened. A dark horse had passed her with no rider, going the way she had come from. Ayetah watched it before following just behind the horse, slowly so she would not startle it. Maybe I can befriend it, she thought. The horse came to a stop and began grazing on what little green grass was left in a certain area. Ayetah watched, enchanted by the majestic creature.

[Merevaika]

Eryunt snorted again, bending his head to try catch some grass. He could keep this up, just a little longer. As he chewed on the tough, measly grass, he spotted a two-legs out of the corner of his eye. She looked a bit like Merevaika - tall and slender. But her hair was curly, and skin to dark. She was watching him, making him uncomfortable. Eryunt raised his head, straightening out. It didn't make him look that threatening however. She was just shorter than him. Eryunt snorted, shaking his head in her direction, before turning back to snatch another mouthful of grass. She hadn't budged. Annoyed by this stubborn two-legs, Eryunt snorted again, shaking his head. The Strider wrinkled his nose, ears flat behind his head. He started waving his tail, snorting, while slowly shuffling forward. The two-legs wasn't moving. Eryunt stamped his hooves, kicking up snow. With a loud whinny, he reared, kicking his forelegs high in the air. -- Merevaika nodded at the old man, hurrying the way the man had pointed. Please let Eryunt be near! That was when she heard the distinct noise of Eryunt's whinny, and spotted the horse standing on two legs, trying to intimidate and scare away a lady tall and slender . "Calm down boy!" she yelled, Eryunt dropping and spinning towards her. She held out the apple, which was take in a quick bite. Ignoring the mischievous horse, chewing the apple in large crunches, she turn to the lady. "Sorry, calm now," she gestured, then realised that the woman might not be Drykas . She did look exotic: sandy, curly hair, dark tanned skin that glistened in the light. She looked at her with blue green eyes, puffy pink lips pressed tightly together. "Safe. He is calm," she said, racking her brain for common words. It was hard, a language rarely spoken to her, and it might not even be understood. This girl might only speak... well who knows what! "Merevaika," she said, pointing to herself, before symboling , "Drykas ," before she remembered to stay Common. "Eryunt was... threatened. He scare you. You are..?" Merevaika groaned at the struggle. She placed her hand on Eryunt's shoulder, calming him, and showing her that he was nothing to fear. "You scared? I... owe you. I give something for making scared?" Merevaika decided it was the best way to keep it quiet. She didn't want it going round that her horse was violent and out of control, as well as her losing him. She glanced at the woman curiously, and waited for a reply.

[Ayetah]

A runaway horse
9th of winter, 514

At first, it was not clear to the Benshira that the horse wanted nothing to do with her. Ayetah's understanding of animals was a little rusty now, since she hasn't interacted with one since her days out in the desert with her nomad brothers. But even then, it was a little hard for her to pick up signs from animals like horses. Sheep and goats were a different story. She understood those animals very well since they were all her brothers could really afford and sale. Horses were very hard for her brothers to obtain, so she never got the chance to even pet one.

Ayetah did not understand truly understand the horse wanted nothing to do with her until it started stomping and snorting directly at her. Hesitantly, she stepped back."I'm no threat, really." She said aloud so that the horse could hear her, Ayetah's hands were raised high in the air to show that she wouldn't do anything to harm the pretty horse. But he didn't seem to care and the stubborn benshira did not get that through her thick skull yet.

He even gave her a look of his rear end and kicked snow which somehow made it to her. Ayetah was covered in a thick layer of snow."Ahh!" She began to shiver and before she could say more, a girl had approached the horse, a little disappointed in his attitude. Ayetah watched her feed the horse an apple and then turn toward her.

"It-it's fine." Ayetah was surprised to hear the girl speak common. She began shaking the snow off until it was completely gone, leaving her clothes a little damp. I hope I don't get sick.

"Hello Merevaika,"She cleared her throat a bit,"Eryunt? That's your name pretty horse?" She smiled at the horse once again who paid no attention to her."I am Ayetah." She answered the girl's question in a shy manner, not really wanting to give her name, especially now.If only she knew you were going to take her horse the minute you laid eyes on him!. She told herself with no intention to seriously take the horse.

"No, I wasn't scared. I was actually unaware of what he was doing." Ayetah laughed a bit.

[Merevaika]

The girl shivered, from either fright or cold. Her clothes were damp with snow, and she was still shaking bits off. Merevaika tutted, noting the simple tunic she wore. "Here," she muttered, passing her cloak over, allowing the girl to warm up. "Hello Merevaika," she smiled, clearing her throat a little, "Eryunt? That's your name, pretty horse?" Eryunt snorted, ignoring the girl and turning back to the patch of grass from which he was eating. The girl smiled at him, acting almost too nice. "I am Ayetah," she answered shyly, glancing at the horse now and then. Merevaika raised her eyebrows at the overly friendly behaviour towards a horse who had just threatened her like that. "No, I wasn't scared. I was actually unaware of what he was doing," she replied, laughing. Merevaika scoffed, almost bursting out in laughter herself. Who was this girl who clearly never seen a horse before, not close up? She didn't belong there, not with the Drykas. "Clearly. Eryunt can be hard to read," she muttered sarcastically, watching Eryunt flatten his ears behind him, staring menacingly at Ayetah. He didn't like her, and neither did she, "Careful, he bites." She saw the girl back away a little, then relax as Merevaika started to laugh. "Come to my tent. Warm there," she sighed, mounting Eryunt. He grunted at the prospect of leaving the grass, but still started to walk back, "Come." Merevaika led the girl through Endrykas, showing her affection and ownership of Eryunt. "We are bonded. Rider and Strider. For long time," she smiled slyly, hugging his neck as she rode on him, "Never part. Till death." They arrived at the plain white tent, colourless compared to the clan tents. In front sat Denviel, waiting diligently beside a pile of arrows and a bow. "No hunt," she said, gesturing for "Girl, careful, trust not." She was certian Ayetah wouldn't understand. "You here long?" she asked, back in that unfortunate common, "Where from? I Drykas ." Merevaika patted Eryunt's bafk once more, letting him wander off to the side to search for grass. [/font]

[Ayetah]

A Runaway Horse
9th of Winter, 514

"Your tent?" Ayetah gave the girl a very nervous look. She did not know how to reject the girl's offer. Merevaika was being very polite as far as Ayetah could see but she had to visit Endrykas, where she would buy her own tent and supplies to survive and she has already wasted so much time watching Eryunt graze. She wanted to shake her head and tell her that she could not go to her tent but something was holding her back. Maybe it was her demeanor that would not allow her to say no.

She followed the girl who led her through Endrykas. Ayetah only had a glimpse of what they were selling today. Game, horses, clothing, weapons for the purpose of hunting and other things Ayetah has never seen before. I'll come back later today. She told herself, making a note of other things she wanted to buy at the market.

Ayetah listened to Merevaika talk about her bond with Eryunt and nodded slowly as she listened, remembering a bond she once shared with an animal. A camel she named Faith. Little time was spent with this camel, she only got to ride it from Yahebah to Ahnatep. Once she became a slave, the camel no longer belonged to her."Strider? How does one get a strider?" She had became curious about what Merevaika called her horse, never hearing that word until now as she walked beside the drykas girl and her horse.

"Is the bond between a strider and rider the same as a horse and rider?" Ayetah asked the question quietly as they approached a white tent. In front of the tent sat a dog and Merevaika began doing weird hand gestures Ayetah has never seen before.

"I haven't been here very long..." Ayetah chose her answers carefully, not wanting the girl to know too much about her."I come from a place not too far..."

[Merevaika]

[indent "Strider? How does one get a strider?" Ayetah asked cluelessy, and Merevaika again stifled a laugh at the naivety of the girl. "You do not get a Strider, not in that way," she smiled softly, feeling as if she was explaining it to a young child, "You buy them, good stock, great stallions, pure bred mares from markets, but they aren't... really yours. You be lucky to get one to carry you. Most refuse riders forced onto them. Don't expect to buy one and ride away." Merevaika stopped for a second, thibking, remembering. Remembering the time when her father lived. The time when he had spoken of the origin of Striders, their story. She began, ignoring the world, retelling what was once spoken to her. "Once, many many years, before Valterrian, before all, there was song. Greater than even Rhaus' music, sung by Zulrav and Semele, wind and earth give birth to a young colt. Where he ran, the Sea of Grass was formed. When he grew, he grew to the most noble and proud stallion. He was known as Rakivas, first of Striders. His rider was first Rider, Serifal Drykas. Rakivas' herd, his children, bonded with Serifal's companions. They were first Drykas, first Horseclans of Cyphrus." She stopped, tear in her eye. Her father had mentioned Serifal, and Rakivas the last time they had spoke. "Let Serifal guide you, daughter of the Drykas. Let Rakivas ride beside you, join Eryunt in harmony." She shook the thought away, realising Ayetah had asked yet another question that any Drykas would know. "Is the bond between a strider and rider the same as a horse and rider?" Merevaika laughed, "No! Much stronger and... different. Between horse and rider, it is like master and servant. A rider might have thousand horses, a horse may carry thousand men. They have little bond but respect and duty. If they closer, perhaps friends, even brothers. I hear story of man, who kill self for horse, but that is not same." Merevaika glanced at Eryunt, tracing the muscles with her finger, "It is hard describing bond. Not same as anything. Not describable. It not just built but.. magic. You find the right Strider, or they find you, and you know. You become one. I bond with Eryunt many years ago. I just knew the bond was made. Maybe you find Strider. Maybe not." Merevaika smiled at the thought of this naive Benshira ever bonding. "Probably not." Ayetah however, didn't put the same amount of information in her answers. She was avoiding telling Merevaika about herself. And Merevaika was just starting to accept her, just a little. "You come from Ahnatep? Near hear, exotic," Merevaika frowned, "Why here? You look lost. Where stay? Alone? Who with? Why?" [/indent]

[Ayetah]

"So you can buy a strider but it won't allow you to ride it right away?"Ayetah was a little confused, that was clear to see in her face expression. Why would anyone buy an animal that chooses it's rider? There was no way Ayetah would ever buy a strider if she cannot ride it when she wanted to.

"A song created the first strider?" Ayetah felt herself getting excited. How she loved to sing out loud. It's been a few days since she's sing too. The last time she sung was last season in her room the night before the thieves attacked her owner's home and took her. Ayetah chose not to sing as she traveled with the thieves for her own safety, scared of the men who were neither mean nor nice to her So only a drykas would be allowed to ride such an animal?" Ayetah asked. She stood right in front of the girl, moving side to side only to warm herself up a bit.

There was a moment of silence and Ayetah swears she saw Merevaika tear up a bit amd for the first time she noticed the color of her eyes, which were almost like the benshiras back in Yahebah."Are you alright?" A part of her wanted to comfort the girl but she decided against it. She did not know Merevaika well enough to hug her and tell her that everything was alright. That and Ayetah was not very good at comforting others without the words of Yahal.

It took some time before the drykas answered her next question and she listened. Merevaika did a very good job at explains the difference. Ayetah was very proud of who she was and where she comes from but she kind of envied what the drykas had. The drykas did not have mounts like everyone else but a friend for life.

"Because I am not drykas? Makes sense." Ayetah sighed. A companion like Merevaika's own would make the young woman just a little happy.


"I come from Eyktol." Ayetah snapped. She did not want to tell the girl too much about herself."Maybe I am." She ignored the rest of the questions and not speaking for a couple of chimes.

"It is not polite to ask so many questions. Especially ones so personal."

Common|Shiber

[Merevaika]

"Because I am not drykas? Makes sense," Ayetah sighed in response to her doubting that she would ever bond. "No," Merevaika said sharply, a bit guilty to have upset this girl, "Anyone becomes Drykas when they bond. No. I said that because you not know horses. Perhaps will bond. I too harsh." She frowned at her words. Merevaika knew she had said what she said with influence with her hatred, but admit that to the girl? But the more she thought about it, the more what she said was true. No one was truly Drykas until they bonded. This girl had a chance. "But to bond, you need find right horse. That make it hard. Some never find, as never here." The Benshira replied to her first question, sayimg that she was from Eyktol. Then she remained silent for a few chimes, not wanting to expand. Not wanting to tell Merevaika about herself. "It is not polite to ask so many questions. Especially ones so personal," she snapped, perhaps a little angry. Merevaika found her temper rising. "It is not polite to plan to steal someone's horse as soon as you see it. Especially a Strider," she growled, taking a guess at what she believed true. From the girl's body language, it was. Denviel growled beside her, emitting the same hatred. For a few chimes, Merevaika was in a state of anger, then stopped suddenly, turning nice and sweet. "Sorry. I'm sorry. Do you want me to escort you back?" Merevaika didn't know exactly why she had offered. She just had a little inkling to steal something. But knkw, not after accusing her of planning to do so. She would take her back, and get the girl out of her life. Maybe... No.

[Ayetah]

"How dare you accuse me of doing something so wicked!" Ayetah yelled, ignoring the growling dog that could attack her at any second."Do you know what I am? I am a Benshira! A race known to follow a god of purity and faith! Stealing someone else's horse is against what I believe in and who I am. It would turn the beautiful mark bestowed upon my back by the god himself into nothing!" She glared hard at the girl.

Merevaika obviously did not know. She did not know that Ayetah was someone she could trust and believe. She did not know that Yahal has marked her because of how pure and untouched by dark powers. Ayetah could commit no wrong or even consider it because of her belief in Yahal, the god of faithfulness and purity. This is the god Ayetah prayed to day and night, the god she trusted to protect her all those years in Ahnatep and even now. The god who's name is seen all through out the Penita scroll, something Ayetah has tried her best to remember by heart. If only Merevaika knew.

Ayetah bawled her fist up, letting her anger get the best of her. She stayed like that until the girl apologized."I'm sorry too." She relaxed, opening her hands and laying them at her side."This is not me... it's just I do not like talking about where I come from. At least not now." Ayetah's tone softened and smiled a bit at Merevaika.

"No, I wish to stay and listen to you talk about the Drykas people and their strider."

Common|Shiber