Becoming Who We Are (Denen)

[Leto Sunsinger]

Timestamp: 47, Winter 510 A.V.

It wasn't everyday that Leto traversed through the city. He tended to stay in his own pavilion, with his Aunt and Uncle, but every so often would go out and trade the custom runic scrolls that he would make with others in the clans to gain the necessities of life that one would need to survive, whether it be food or water. This day in particular though, Leto didn't feel like doing anything. The man whom was far old enough to have a wife, didn't have one, nor cared about having one. He had gone over this with his aunt and uncle, his uncle mainly whom was the Ankal of his pavilion, and his uncle finally submitted that Leto just wasn't suitable for a wife or anything of the sort. So, being far older, more reserved than he was when he was younger, him and his uncle rarely fought anymore.

Dark eyes looked up towards the sky as they did so often, himself laying upon the grass outside of his tent, the bedroll he was on was to prevent him from becoming too cold via the frost upon the ground. Luckily, he managed to not have to worry about becoming very cold, given that he was coved by the bedroll. He just simply enjoyed laying out around the ground, staring up into the sky, wondering where his place was in the world. Some might call him a lost soul, but then again, after what had happened when he was younger, he most certainly might be considered lost. Luckily, he had learned the basics of glyphing, and had become a competent glypher so that he could help to contribute to his pavilion.

His strider, Arias, was laying down in the grass next to him, it's legs folded under it, and the crisp cool air not bothering it one bit. The man turned his head towards his strider, and then said, "One day i'll get better at riding you." The strider looked towards him, with it's own dark eyes, and neighed a little. Smiling, Leto sat upwards, and then stood up. He began to roll his bedroll up, and threw it into his tent. Arias continued to lay down, as he didn't feel like moving at the moment. Leto debated on whether to take Arias out, but decided against it that day. Making his way into his tent, he brushed a hand through his black, blonde-highlighted hair, and then appeared outside of it once more.

Looking around as he had gathered his cloak, and put it on, clipping the clasp shut around his neck, he began to make his way forwards into the city of Endrykas once more, leaving his Strider there to sleep, as the nighttime was upon them now. Looking up towards the stars, Leto thought about what he was to do with his life, and he figured he might as well just continue to create runes for his pavilion, perhaps study a bit more about summoning creatures from other worlds, as well as learn more about webbing. But for now, he'd wander the city streets, looking for something to do, or someone new to meet. He wanted to expand his horizons, and learn more about people, as his nightmares and psychological terror that he had endured kept him pretty anti-social.

But, perhaps now was the time to do that, and learn to become a better person by meeting new people, and learning from them, as well as becoming better friends with them, even forming new relationships with people. Dark eyes wandered the pathways of the city while his feet just took him from Pavilion to pavilion, seeking a social outlet for the night...

[Denen Sunsinger]

Denen had spent a good part of the day with Reth, riding and enjoying the aging horse as much as he could. Denen wasn't stupid. As much as he disliked the idea, he knew that Reth would one day die. It was the way of life, especially when a horse got to be as old as his was. Reth had been his mother's before his, and he could tell in the way it took him longer to get up in the mornings, that the day when he was without his dear friend would come sooner than he cared to think. Denen did what he could to make life easier for Reth, applying poultices to his joints and wrapping them two or three times a day. He painstakingly rubbed the horse's legs until his own hands were numb from the cold and his ears ached. His own pain was nothing if his Strider was suffering. Denen simply could not bear the thought of Reth being in any sort of pain. He hadn't been back to his Pavilion in weeks. After his explosion at his father, there had been nothing left to say, and Stone hadn't attempted to contact the boy. Denen thought of the unspeakable anger that had overwhelmed him, of how angry he had been with his father for humiliating him in front of people who were so important to him. He had felt sick to his stomach, and still did every time he thought about it. He was no longer Denen Brokensong. He refused to acknowledge himself as such. He was part of Sama'el's family now, and he was proud of it. In fact, as he walked back toward his tent, he reached up to touch the stone that Sama'el had given him for his birthday and tied into his dark hair. This was his family now. He loved them, and they loved him. He was sure of it. Reth plodded along behind him, his head near Denen's shoulder, as if to protect the deaf boy. He draped his arm over the Strider's neck as he walked, resting his cheek against it. He wasn't often allowed moments to himself, especially now that he and Dymphna were as thick as thieves and he shared Sam's tent. Oh, it wasn't to be said that he resented them for their company. In fact, he savored it. But his head was very full lately, and he was worried about Reth and countless other things. Like leaving his Pavilion and becoming part of Sam's tiny family. It was a lot to think about, to soak in, and he wasn't sure how to process it all at once. Everything had changed, and the young healer's entire world was shaken. Denen paused a moment, drawing Reth to a halt alongside him. He didn't have to speak, or even move, really. Reth simply knew. He'd been with the boy since childhood, birth, really, and with Denen's handicap, it had been imperative that they have an absolutely unfailing bond. And they had done that. Denen relied on Reth as much as he relied on Sam or Dymphna. Such was the bond between a boy and his horse. It was a bond that he was terrified of losing. He knew there were other Striders out there. Sam and Dohaina were an example of that, but Reth had always been there, through the good and the bad. It would be no more painful if he were to lose either Dymphna or Sama'el. Reth was as much a part of their family as the Drykas. Denen was unaware of the approaching young man, and only just managed to keep himself from running into him. His eyes immediately went large, and his hands shot up quickly. “I'm so very sorry. I didn't see you there.” He had been too lost in his thoughts, it seemed. His face flushed, and his blue eyes were marked with very clear concern. He didn't want to hurt anyone, intentionally or otherwise. It simply wasn't in his nature. It could be safely assumed that there wasn't a mean bone in Denen's body.

[Leto Sunsinger]

Nearly running into the boy, the man in his own thoughts, he looked at the hand signals trying to figure them out. He had never been good at the grassland sign, didn't even know how to begin to interpret it. The only languages he knew, or was decent at were Pavi and Common, but he did know a few slurs in shiber, from a benshira that had once visited the grasslands and Endrykas, whom he had sold some scrolls to. Cocking his head to one side, he allowed the hood to fall from his head, revealing the face of a man, about the age of twenty seven. He had a dark gaze, his eyes almost black as the night's sky, and his hair was wildly different than most Drykas; a birth defect from when he was born. It was black with blonde highlights in it, the color changing about midway, and it was cut short, otherwise it would have just continued to switch from color to color, black to blonde.

Looking towards the boy whom was next to his horse, Leto smiled, and then figured that he was apologizing, by the look on his face. Shaking his head side to side, he then said, "My own apologies are necessary... I do not know the grassland sign, or what you mean by it..." As he spoke, he stopped briefly, and wondered why the boy was signing to him anyways, instead of speaking in Pavi, or common, the two languages the Drykas used. It was strange indeed, but then again, Leto didn't mind it at all, he was the one whom should have been apologizing, considering he didn't understand any of the signing the boy was doing.

Smiling slightly, the man then looked towards the boy. He was young, and vitally sound, or so it seemed. Scratching the back of his head, the cloak that was around him slid off his upper arm a bit, revealing his glyph tattoes, as well as some scarring on his upper arm. Realizing that it was showing, he quickly slid the cloak back down around him, and gave a half-cocked grin. "Er... s..sorry about that," he said briefly, looking down towards his right arm, and then allowing his dark gaze to flow upwards towards the boy again. "My name is Leto Treebearer... a glypher of the Ruby Clan... what's your name?" he then asked, perhaps hoping to start a conversation with the younger man whom was simply interesting enough by the fact that he used grassland signing instead of just speaking in Pavi or Common...

[Denen Sunsinger]

While many Drykas understood Grassland sign, Denen was aware that it wasn't used by all, especially those who spent little time out on the Sea of Grass. It had become the primary method of conversing between the young healer and his family. Still, it was surprising to meet someone who didn't know even the basics. He tilted his head, his blue eyes studying the other, as he often did around strangers, and he wondered, fleetingly, how his hair had come that way. Denen had never seen anything like it before, and he was surprised that he didn't recognize this man. After all, he'd never left his people before, and the man's features were absolutely recognizable. Denen did his best to keep from staring. It was rude, after all. He bit his lower lip and glanced down, though only for a moment, just in case the man started talking. Denen hated missing parts of conversations, but he didn't want to be awkward. Reth watched the stranger, too, standing so that he was something of a barrier between them, though not directly so. Just enough to make it clear that he was very much a mother hen. Denen's nose wrinkled and he gave Reth's neck a slight shove, signing to him to mind his manners. The horse snorted and tossed his head almost indignantly. Denen rolled his eyes and cleared his throat, so his voice didn't sound even worse than it normally did. “P-Please, don't ap...apologize. It is r-r-r-rude of me to assume...assume everyone sp-peaks it.” His hand rested on Reth's neck, and his cheeks flushed slightly. He felt silly now, but it had become even more natural now that he signed so much with Sama'el and Dymphna. Denen's lips twisted slightly, and his head tilted to the side. He wore the pretty hood and gloves that Dymphna had bought him for his birthday, along with the beaded thong from Sam. They were his most prized possessions, besides Reth, of course, though one could hardly call his relationship with the horse one of ownership. They were total equals, bound souls. He didn't look quickly enough to catch sight of the tattoos. It was one of the disadvantages of relying on the movement of the mouth of others in order to know what was going on around him. The man introduced himself, and Denen's face burned a bit. This would be his first time giving only his first name. The name of one without a Pavilion. But at the moment, he never intended to go back. His hurt was too fresh, and he was angry enough to think he would never want to go back to see his father and family. “D-Den...Denen,” he answered. “I...I'm from the Opal...Opal C-C-Clan.” One day, he hoped, their little Pavilion would have a name of its own.

[Leto Sunsinger]

Smiling as Denen introduced himself, Leto briefly wondered why he talked like that. But then it dawned on him, the boy must not have any hearing. He was very much like his own younger brother whom had disappeared so fast during the incident when he was thirteen. Looking towards Denen, the man Leto nodded and then his eyes turned upon Reth with similar interest. A boy and his horse? They must make a fine pair, especially if they've been with each other long. I can only assume he has his windmarks given this strider has seemingly chosen him, he thought, his eyes drifting back towards the boy that had almost incidentally ran into him.

"And who might this be?" he asked kindly, pointing towards Denen's horse, merely out of curiosity, if nothing to find out the name of the horse, as his own Arias was sleeping that evening. Looking up towards the stars briefly, and then down towards the boy again, his eyes wandering to see what the man's features were within the darkness, he had to get a bit closer to see as his eyesight wasn't all that great in the dark. Upon further inspection, he would notice the various features of the boy, tall, skinny, lengthy. That was suitable for a young man like him.

Leto didn't know how this boy's past had affected him, but he knew one thing, and that was that he didn't need to be shy around the older male drykas. If anything, Leto was the anti-social one, and Denen was the much more socially sound one, given that Leto had never even really made friends outside of living with his aunt and uncle within the pavilion. As he got closer to the boy to view his features, he stumbled a bit, but caught himself, and managed to pull back in time before slamming into the boy. Wow, am I clumbsy? he thought, quite embarassed now. "I... I'm sorry, i'm just a bit clumbsy, and wanted to get a better look at you since it's getting darker outside," he then said, apologetically, and looked down towards the ground, eyes in a downcast fashion.

He most certainly didn't want to run into the boy, and have any physical contact, although the idea of a viral young man didn't surpass him. But, he had just met this boy, and he'd rather form relationships with people, than simply jumping on top of them. It just wasn't something that he did at all, and he certainly wasn't like that. He was pretty anti-social and all of that, but in being that way, he hadn't formed a relationship with anyone in a long time, since he had a fear of the wild, and the horrors it could bring with it. He could easily say that in the past fourteen years, he had never left the boundaries of Endrykas, ever since the incident occured. He had remained here, studied the art of glyphing from his Uncle, and learned the basics of summoning from a passerby within the city. He had also been immersed within the web when he was younger. That gave him plenty of skills to keep him busy over the years.

Allowing his eyes to trail back towards Denen, he hoped he hadn't offended the boy by his clumbsyness, and hoped that he wouldn't just run away like some people might have. It was a bit of an awkward moment, but Leto hated the fact he was clumbsy. Probably the reason he wasn't very good at riding Arias, but then again, he hadn't had much practice with the lazy strider since it had chosen him. "I hope I haven't offended you with my clumbsyness," he said in Pavi, the language he was most fluent in, and the language of the Drykas. He knew common pretty decently, but when speaking with another Drykas, he'd rather use the language that they understood, whether it be Pavi or grassland sign...

[Denen Sunsinger]

Denen's Windmarks stretched across his back and over the top of his rear. Not many people saw them, as Denen didn't often run around shirtless, and he found them to be incredibly personal, though many Drykas showed theirs off with pride. His was the thing that bound him to Reth: a tree. His mother. Reth pressed his cheek against Denen's and snorted at Leto. A horse could be judgmental where a boy might not, and Denen, as always, was touched by Reth's manner of caring for him. He smiled softly, and reached up to cup the horse's face. He was incredibly shy, and Reth had always served as a protector for when he felt it became too much stress on the boy. But Leto didn't seem like a threat. Reth tossed his head, pleased by the attention, and Denen smiled quietly. “H-He is Reth. M-My b-b-bonded,” he informed. Every subtle touch between them, signs, single words. The two were like one being. Reth had been Denen's protector long before the boy was born, even. The gelding's weight shifted, but his soft, brown eyes never left the man before him. Drykas or no, the man was a stranger, and he intended to keep his boy safe. Denen, on the other hand, was oblivious to the fact that he was being looked over. It didn't occur to him that the other might find his appearance interesting. It was, after all, an entirely foreign concept to him. Denen's eyes widened as Leto moved toward him, and began stumbling. Reth made himself a barrier, though the older male was lucky to stop himself before he made contact with the horse or the young healer. Denen knew all about clumsy. He tripped all the time. In fact, the morning of his birthday, Dymphna had come upon him only moments after he'd picked himself up from a fall. Denen raised a hand and covered his mouth, his eyes dancing, and a shy smile touching his lips. It was...endearing, in a way, and his face flushed. He chewed his lip in thought for a moment, and slowly pushed Reth's head out of the way, so that he could step into the light of a nearby torch that cast itself across their path. The light illuminated his delicate, pretty features, making his blue eyes seem darker than normal. His lips twisted uncertainly, and he fidgeted with the hat on his head. It had been his surprise birthday gift from Dymphna, and went well with the pretty gem he wore in his hair. Like Leto, and many other Drykas children, Denen hadn't ever gone very far from Endrykas. The Hunt had been the first time he'd traveled into the Sea of Grass that far without his father or brothers. There had been nearby excursions for herbs, but never far enough to be at risk. Jada had always insisted that he be protected, as she had raised him as her own son, had killed to do so. But her sin had, she believed, left the boy deaf, punishing her for fifteen years for murdering his sweet mother. Of course, Denen had never known what truly happened. No one knew. It wasn't uncommon for young mothers to die, but Yew had seemed so healthy only an hour before she was found dead, clutching her sweet babe to her chest. Jada, her murderer, had been the loudest mourner of all. He shook his head at the apology. “N-No, it's all r-r-r-igh...right. I st-stumble all the time. I'm t-t-t-t-terribly clumsy.” And he was, too. He had scars all over his knees and elbows from tripping as a child. He had run around then, when his ears were bad, with his hands clamped on the sides of his head, shaking it about wildly to try and relieve some of the pressure, or to make the ringing stop. That had, of course, brought about a lot of running into things, or tripping and falling flat on his face. Reth rested his head on the boy's shoulder now, sensing that he was more relaxed. “W-Why are you out...out...out alone?” He asked curiously, blue eyes turning up to study Alek's features as he spoke.

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leto looked towards Denen as he moved into the torchlight between them, bringing himself closer to Leto, so that Leto could get a better look towards him. He really was a handsome young man, and Leto smiled at the fact when he was able to see Denen quite better, the torchlight illuminating his various features. Nodding as Denen explained that he tripped quite often as well, Leto watched over him carefully, eyes drifting to his bonded horse Reth every so often as he could tell the horse was vitally protecting the boy. Horses were powerful creatures like that, and even though Arias had chosen Leto, he had chosen him as his equal, bonded to him, and would protect him if he was there... or just snooze through anything that was happening as he was never a very energetic horse.

Moving a hand to stroke his chin, Leto looked towards Denen as he was itching it, in anticipation to answer his question. He hadn't really thought of why he was out here tonight... other than perhaps to make a new friend or two, form new relationships with people, how deep the relationship went would more than likely depend on the other person, as Leto was sort of new to the making friends thing. As he kept his eyes upon Denen, he moved forwards just a bit into the torchlight as well so that Denen could have a better look at him.

Though he couldn't see anything under the cloak, he could obviously see some slight scarring upon Leto's chest as well as the upper part of the triangle with a line across it tattoe. That much was showing as he was wearing a vest that covered the rest of his body save for his entire arms, but they were underneath the cloak at this time. The scarring, Denen would probably not be able to tell the extent of it, even though it expanded around his stomach to his entire back as well as his upper arms.

If he ever saw Leto shirtless, which Leto rarely was, save for when he was in bed, he'd be able to see the full extent to which Leto was injured during the incident fourteen years prior, where he lost his family as well as his brother's disappearance. Smiling as Leto stood in the torthlight, his deep black eyes and dark gaze watching over Reth and Denen, he finally had come up with an answer to Denen's question meerly a few moments after he stepped forwards.

"One could say I was merely out for a stroll, but perhaps also to make new friends, though, i'm sure most of the city are in their separate pavilions by now, eating supper and minding their own business..." he said, dark gaze returning to Reth and then smiling. "He's very protective of you... I admire that in a horse and man bond... My own, Arias would be the same way, if he wasn't so lazy... but he's there when it counts," said Leto with a smile upon his face. It was true that Arias' personality was that of one being lazy, and laying around most of the time, but when Leto needed him, he was there...

[Denen Sunsinger]

The quiet, deaf boy pressed his cheek into Reth's neck as he stood alongside him. He had been very attentive to the horse as of late, wanting to savor whatever moments he had with the poor thing. He had known, for a long while, that Reth's life would not last forever, but he had not expected for it to be so sudden. Perhaps he had held to the childhood hope that his mother's spirit would keep him alive for longer years. Selfish, and he knew it, but he loved Reth, and didn't want to lose him. The very thought, in fact, struck him to his core. He breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of horse. It was rich, familiar, in the same way a pile of furs, filled with warm bodies filled him with comfort. The sweet, savory scent of warm bodies. Of Sam as he cuddled into him for warmth. Of Dymphna when she came to wake them in the early mornings. Denen offered a shy smile as Leto looked to him. He wasn't accustomed to having others watch him so closely. Normally, he was the one doing the watching and the looking. He was tempted to hide his face, but he could not do so and maintain communication. Instead, he continued his shy smiles, watching Leto's lips as he spoke, and doing his best to keep up. It was always difficult around a new person. Trying to follow the way their words were formed and shaped was not easy until he had sorted things out in his head. Fortunately, he was quick to pick up such things. Denen was fascinated by scars, but was focused so on Leto's face that he did not have a chance to see them. He caught a faint glimpse of the beginnings of a tattoo, but thought it simply to be a windmark. He rubbed his arm, and his tunic shifted slightly. His blue eyes studied Leto's strange hair, wondering why he'd chosen to cut it so short, when such a habit wasn't often practiced by free men amongst the Drykas. He thought of how short Sam's hair had been when they first met, and his smile quickened. It was longer now, and Denen thought it quite lovely. The cold air brought a chill up Denen's spine, and the boy bit his lower lip in thought. He wondered if the fire he'd left near Sam's tent was still burning brightly. It might be wise to move there, and soak in some of the warmth while they could. Sam was asleep, and was likely to remain that way until the next morning. While Leto spoke, he pondered the merit of returning to camp, and decided he liked the idea. He could tend to Reth then, and enjoy some warmth himself. A wide, friendly smile marked Denen's lips. “Oh...w-well, if...if you'd like...I...I-I think we h-have some...some food left over...left over at our-our P-P-Pavilion. And a-a-a w-warm fi-fi-fir-fire.” His blue eyes turned to Reth then, and his smile became a tender one. Reth was his dearest companion, the one closest to his heart, and Denen wanted him to be as comfortable as was possible. “H-He...He w-w-was my moth-mother's,” he said softly. “Even...Even b-before we b-b-bonded, he w-was like...like that.” When his ears had gotten bad, and he had been unable to bear it, Reth had laid down beside him and kept watch over the child until he stopped crying.

[Leto Sunsinger]

Leto smiled as Denen extended the offer of an invitation back to his fire pit and camp. It would be nice to get to know him a bit better, as the boy was younger than him, and would more than likely become a decent friend... if he wasn't so shy. Perhaps Leto could get him to break out of his shell around him with time, as Leto would do the same, considering he was a decently shy person himself. But he liked the boy already, and certainly would considering him a decent aquaintance. The bond he had with his horse also drew him in towards the boy, and made him think about the bond he had with Arias. Although Arias was lazy, he was always there when it counted, and he enjoyed the company of Arias, as they were equals in each other's eyes.

Nodding as Denen had extended the offer, he looked at him, and then said, "Sure thing, I wouldn't mind sitting at the fire with you..." As he spoke, he thought about it, and then wondered where exactly their pavilion happened to be at. He would travel behind Denen as the boy would lead him to their pavilion, and once they arrived there, he would allow Denen to take the lead, and only follow in behind him when he was ready to show Leto what he had to show him. He would not make any 'first moves' or anything, given he was a bit shy, and didn't quite know what to do, or say other than to agree with the boy right now. As they walked, Leto would smile, and say, "I am glad that he's bonded with you so well, and was like that even before you bonded. I didn't bond with Arias until I was twenty two... five years ago, when he was a foal. My uncle started raising him, until he was ready to be on his own, then he chose me... That's when I was finally given my windmarks..."

As Leto explained it, he remembered the day when Arias was running towards him, and never wanting to be near his uncle, only with Leto. The strider had seemingly chosen Leto over his uncle, even though his uncle was the one whom initially raised him. Leto was overwhelmed with joy when that had happened, and he couldn't wait til Arias had become old enough to ride, only a year or so prior to now. Leto looked towards Denen, and then didn't say anything, allowing the boy to speak if he wished to, or to simply lead Leto to his pavilion. The man wasn't much of a cook, and his aunt was the one whom generally cooked all of the food in their pavilion, so he hadn't really had anything other than her cooking in a good long while. This would be a change of pace, he thought, and watched Denen as he would either ride and lead the way, or walk with Reth to lead the way... he wasn't sure he'd ride Reth considering how elderly the horse was, but was quite sure he'd lead the way eitherway.

Smiling as he was taken to their pavilion, Leto would take in all of the sights, sounds, and smells of everything that he could, given that it would be a new experience for him. Watching Denen closely, he wouldn't stare, but he'd make sure as to not get too close to the boy, so as not to frighten him, even though apart of him was telling him to be close to him, grow close to him, and even be with him. He gently ignored those feelings though, as logic told him that he shouldn't grow close to someone that he had just met, and to let time grow their relationship. For all he knew, Denen could have already been chosen by a drykas female, and have no interest in males, but he just didn't seem like that type. Leto was pretty much that type, and his uncle had resigned to that fact quite some time ago, but Leto rarely spoke of it, and had never actually been close to anyone until now. Now was when he wanted to grow his relationships with people, and form new ones with varying other clan members...

[Denen Sunsinger]

Denen had always been a generous soul, and this particular moment wasn't any different. He had sense enough to see that Leto needed a friend, and Denen never wanted it to be said of him that he did not do everything in his power for someone in need. He could not list himself amongst those Drykas who helped only those with their windmarks, or only other Drykas. Denen had known men and women who had them who were hard and cruel. He was curious about those from beyond, though he hadn't yet had the opportunity to meet someone who wasn't of Drykas blood. He had led an incredibly sheltered life thus far, in spite of losses suffered. Death was a part of the circle of life, and Denen knew that those who died moved on to new lives. That didn't always ease the pain of losing those he loved, but it brought comfort. Sam's would-be-Pavilion was small, verging on tiny. There were only a few tents, and they only really used one to sleep in, which was Sam's. Denen's tent was small, and was used mostly for storing things in now, namely his ever-growing collection of herbs, stones, and tools. Still, there was a small fire, which would grow upon being stoked, and some leftovers that he had intended to clean up once he got back from his walk. He knew they'd be stuck to the bottom of the pan, but neither he nor Sama'el could really be fussed about that sort of thing. Everyone burnt the food, and no one seemed to care. Wasn't that what happened when a group of young adults lived together? He looked to Leto curiously as he spoke, nodding every now and then to show that he understood. He wondered what it would have been like to grow up without being bonded. He had been bonded to Reth since his sixth year, and it was difficult to remember life without him. “M-Mine...Mine are on...o-on my back,” he informed, and they were rarely shown. Denen walked, with Reth at his side. There hadn't been much in the way of riding since the Hunt. An occasional trip out into the Sea of Grass with Sam, but nothing big. Denen didn't want to push it. He couldn't abide living with himself if he was ever responsible for Reth being in pain. He mentally checked over his supply of dried herbs, especially those known to help with pains like the old horse experienced in the cold mornings. He needed to keep tally, just in case the supply began to dwindle. He kept a hand on the Strider's neck, always at his side. Equals. Brothers. He wondered if he could ever again find a horse with which to bond, like Sam had with Dohaina. The thought of ever being apart from Reth broke his heart, but he was not foolish enough to believe that the horse would live forever. He pulled off his hood as he drew near the fire, letting his dark hair free. The pretty stone Sama'el had given him for his birthday bounced as he walked, standing out brilliantly against the deep color of his hair. Reth hadn't been wearing his yvas, which allowed him to now lumber off toward Dohaina for the night. Denen patted his rump as he made his way over, and then bent over the pot to stir the concoction. It wasn't entirely foul, but it wasn't a mother's cooking. He dusted off his hands on his hips and then turned to Leto with a smile, motioning to a stump for him to sit. “D-Do...y-y-you like st-stories?” He asked, curiously. Denen loved them, and had found himself with countless opportunities to present them in the past. He thought of the tales Jada had told him when he was sick, how they had helped to keep his mind occupied, to give him something to do with himself beyond laying ill in his bed. He slowly sank down onto one of the open stumps, and held his hands out to the fire. After groping about for a stick, he poked at the embers, giving them new fodder. They crackled and hissed, and he smiled contentedly as the orange light illuminated his face. “I...I l-love...I love st-st-stories. T-Telling them, or b-being told them.”