For all of Indira's adult life Fleet had been at her side. The jack hop had just appeared one day in Homewood, they'd struck up a conversation, and since then they'd rarely been apart. It had seemed awfully natural to Indira. She got on better with the jack hop than any Noul she'd met, and she had no complaints about that. Recently, they'd begun talking about what their partnership meant, and Fleet had brought up that they could be bonded. A bond was not a simple thing, and not something to take for granted, so both parties needed to be very sure. Indira had wanted to say yes immediately, but Fleet demanded that Indira spend some days thinking on it. She had, and her mind hadn't changed. Fleet was already her constant companion, and a bond would only enable them to do their work better. Accepting her decision, Fleet had directed them to Brightheart's grove, to seek out the trial that would forge their bond.
Now Indira stood back in the barrens, alone. She shifted her weight, a bit peeved. Wasn't the entire point of this trial to bond closer to Fleet? And now she was here, alone. A few lengths in front of her was a deep, twisting chasm. She frowned. It seemed to run endlessly in each direction, and was deep. It was quite the obstacle. As she contemplated what a challenge the chasm would be to cross, she caught sight of movement on the opposite side. Squinting, she was taken aback to realize that it was Fleet. "Fleet!" Indira shouted across the chasm, trying to catch the jack hop's attention. She could see her pause, and stand on her haunched, scanning for Indira.
"Indira! I think we're supposed to find our way back to each other!" Fleet's voice barely made it across. Indira nodded, also sure that this was the challenge. But walking for who knows how long out into the barrens didn't seem like a good solution. Especially for Fleet. While Indira could endure the heat for an extended period of time Fleet certainly couldn't. A little bit of fear settled on Indira. Fleet could only be out in the beating sun for so long before she was in serious peril. And there was only shade in one place ... The bottom of the chasm. Indira considered. Was that really the solution to the trial? To reunite in the chasm?
She looked into the distance, and the chasm seemed to just run onward endlessly. "Fleet! I think we have to get to the bottom, and then get out again!" She trotted closer the edge, eyeing the sides. They were steep, but not slick. She was relatively sure she could get down the side. But could Fleet? "Can you make your way to the bottom?" Her voice echoed hollowly across the gap.
The jack hop didn't answer immediately, she seemed to be eyeing her side of the divide. "I think so." With that statement, Indira watched Fleet approach the edge, and try to pick her way down to a close ledge. Indira held her breath and the jack hop began her journey. She seemed to be going slowly and carefully.
"I'll see you at the bottom Fleet!" She surveyed the edge near her, finding an area with a ledge only a few feet down. She carefully hopped from the safety of the chasm edge to the narrow ledge. The Noulicorn did her best to lean her weight into the wall of the chasm, so as to not plunge. She had an uncomfortable memory of her time in the ruins. No, this was different. This was a natural chasm, not some other made monstrosity, Indira assured herself. She spared a moment to look across for Fleet. She smiled, the jack hop was making far swifter progress than she was.
Setting her mind to the task at hand, she found another close ledge and made the hop. Her hooves scrabbled for a moment, but she recovered quickly. "Just keep going ..." Indira muttered to herself. Each ledge took her closer to the bottom, and closer to finishing this trial. The sun beat down on Indira's back as she picked her way ever closer to the chasm floor.
After what seemed like an eternity, the floor was only a few meters below her. Indira frowned, not seeing any easy ledges to hop to. Suddenly she heard claws on gravel. Fleet appeared just below her. "You're almost down!" The jack hop seemed to be scanning for an available ledge. Indira was heartened to see her friend. She considered the chasm wall, and it's slope. It was quite gentle, and it wasn't really that far to the floor.
She edged over the side of the ledge, firmly setting two hooves on the rock. Taking a deep breath, she stepped the rest of the way off the ledge and slid. It was not the most controlled descent, but it wasn't catastrophic. She leapt at the last moment, to prevent too hard of a landing. Breathing heavily, she grinned as Fleet ran up. "Well, that can't say we didn't make it back to each other! Now we'll just have to figure a way out."
The jack hop nodded. "But together this time."
"Yes, always together now."
wc: 880
