|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:14 pm
Lenore looked around sheepishly as she stood in front of the bulletin board, paper in hand. Sighing slightly to herself, she put the paper against the board and took one of the free tacks and pushed it in. The paper read, in plain black letters: I'm looking for information about horses. I don't understand them. Please help. I'll be at the stables after training on Monday.
P.S. If you want to learn about horses, you can come, too. Maybe I won't look as silly.The young girl ran off. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monday afternoon arrived without incident. The sun was blaring over head, and so the pale girl took refuge in the stables, which were thankfully less smelly than usual. And then she waited for someone else to show up.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:50 pm
Shakuntala ventured through the compound, finding herself taking a trip down memory lane as she visited each location fondly. Hayagriva, her Scout horse, trotted alongside her without the need of a lead rope. The copper-skinned soldier had grown exceptionally close to the steed during their short time together and seemed to pour its trust in her. Despite knowing this, she was still weary of bringing the somewhat docile horse into the campground, but getting him used to the sights and sounds of bellows heard all across the campus and the throng of soldiers here or there could slowly adjust him to moments that were to be very common.
She stopped on her way to Luchse upon noticing a flier hung up on the cork board just before the dorms. "Horses" seemed to be her trigger word because she did a double take at the request inquiring for information about horses. Tilting her head at this, she turned over to Hayagriva.
"I... I-I guess we should come back then, eh, Hayagriva?" she asked the horse.
Her affirmation was a little nicker in reply.
+
Come that following Monday a little passed noon, Shakuntala was back at the compound with her trusted mount by her side. He was roped this time, her attempt at providing a good example to whoever was inside. Upon pushing the door open and reveling at the familiar weight and then subtle, musty scent to follow, she peeked in and looked to a short, black-haired girl in the distance.
Raising her head, she called out, "H-hello? Did you, um, d-did you ask for help? About h-horses?"
(( Hope it is all right I play Tala as a post-grad since I want to get a bit of a hand on her maturer character. I'll leave her age ambiguous, though. ^^; ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:10 pm
Lenore looked up at the sound of the door opening and nodded at the following question. Standing up, she brushed off her bottom. "Yeah. I don't get them, at all. I was hoping someone could help me out." She kind of recognized the older girl, but wasn't sure from where. Something about Santos Baldy... She shook her head and scowled at the thought of the man before walking forward.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:21 pm
As with Lenore, Shakuntala couldn't place a name to the girl's pale face. Her red eyes did shake a bit of familiarity from her memory tree, but her thoughts concerning the compound branched out further than a moment she had with the black-haired girl. Her welcoming smile faded a bit at Lenore's rather ambiguous inquiry. Shoving the door fully open to allow a shaft of light into the barn, she entered and led Hayagriva inside.
"W-what... about them?" she asked. "Your... Y-your request is rather broad... How they a-act? U-using them?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 5:45 pm
Lenore turned her gaze from Shakuntala to the horse behind her. "To begin with? Yes. I've been chucked off and nearly bitten by horses. Do you know why?" She gave the horse a look that all but said "I'm watching you," before turning back to the scouting legionnaire and tilting her head.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 6:19 pm
The stallion wasn't even paying the girl any mind, instead quite curious about the other horses hanging their heads over the gating of their stalls. As he trekked forward towards one, Shakuntala reflexively jerked the lead rope lightly as a warning that he shouldn't travel any further. Stalling in his tracks, the horse slowly turned his head about; blue eyes examining his surroundings instead.
"Well... It d-depends..." She realized her reply wasn't exactly answering Lenore's question, but she was getting there. "I mean, o-on the horse. Some horses... S-some horses aren't trusting of p-people yet, especially some of the horses h-here..." Sliding her eyes across the stalls, she could pick out which few were unruly, which were too timid, and those who had the sweetest temperaments she had come across.
Despite this, she marched down the rows to the penultimate stall on the right and came across the horse she had come to love the most during her stay there. Securing Hayagriva to a nearby hook with a quick release knot, she opened Velvet's stall and led her out after giving her a welcoming pat on the neck. Hooking her fingers onto the horse's halter, she led the mare over to Lenore and stopped her just before the girl.
"This, um, t-this is Velvet. She's o-one of the... good horses. I-I mean, she's kind... Not jumpy or, um, b-bitey. Do you w-want to pet her?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 6:30 pm
Lenore made a mental note about what Tala had said: Different horses were different. Turning, she looked at Velvet suspiciously. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she raised a cautious hand up and brought it slowly to the horse. Velvet moved slightly, and Lenore's hand shot backwards, wary of being bitten. Seeing that no attack was coming, she timidly brought her hand forward again, closer and closer, until it rested on the mare's side. Looking at the side of Velvet's face, she slowly brought her hand across the horse's side, lifted her hand, and repeated the motion, gaining in confidence that this particular horse wouldn't attack her with each pet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:56 pm
Velvet was ambivalent about the new hand touching her. While her front appeared focused and a tad relaxed, Shakuntala noticed the slight elevation of her tail; a good sign the ebony mare was on some alert about Lenore. As she had come to learn during her time on the compound, she was one of the most shyer horses and didn't warm up to people much. Even with someone she knew there, Velvet wasn't going to put her trust completely into the girl.
Not once removing her hand from the mare's bridle, Shakuntala bent at the waist and picked up a rope she had also brought with her from Velvet's stall. Tying a quick knot onto the harness, she offered the end of the rope to the younger girl.
"T-take it," she began, "and wrap it around your h-hand, like so-" She paused to show Lenore how she pinched the beginning of the length between her thumb and palm and wrapped it a few times about her knuckles. Unraveling it, she continued with, "Hold onto it t-tight. I want you to l-lead Velvet outside. Do you... D-do you think you can do that?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 9:09 pm
Swallowing, Lenore stared suspiciously at the rope, studying it. She turned her red eyes up at Shakuntala. "You sure it isn't going to drag me around...?" It was obvious the girl thought it a very real possibility.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 9:20 pm
Lenore's worry reminded her of the time she was pulled along by Drakon during the parade. It was that little incident that seemed to plant her everlasting love of horses in her head. Smiling at the girl, she replied, "I... I-I promise. I'll be just behind you, d-don't worry."
And she meant it because, whenever the rope was taken by her, Shakuntala was quick to return to Hayagriva and retrieve his. The stallion seemed thrilled to have his owner back by his side; lowering his head onto her shoulder and nuzzling the interior of her neck.
This horse is too attached, she huffed inwardly as she half-led, half-dragged him outside with the trainee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2014 9:34 pm
Staring at Velvet for a few moments, Lenore finally accepted the rope. "Alright." Wrapping it around her hand like Tala had demonstrated, she slowly lead the horse out of the stables.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 11:36 am
Shakuntala squinted an eye against the blaring brightness of the sun after stepping out from the dimness of the barn. Guiding the way out to the middle of the arena, she separated herself a good distance away from Lenore and held Hayagriva beside her. The stallion hung his head over her shoulder again, subtly pining for her attention. Her concentration on Velvet certainly wasn't appreciated.
"H-have you ever lunged a horse b-before?" she asked Lenore. "If not, I-I'll show you."
Presenting the idea to her with her own horse, Shakuntala commanded Hayagriva to stay as she backpedaled a distance away from him. Holding the lead rope at the core of her body -- her belt -- she cuffed the end of the rope hard in her right to not let it go and lengthened a section with her left. The apex of a triangle was formed between her, the horse, and rope that connected them.
With an audible click of her tongue, Hayagriva began a simple walk forward and, with Shakuntala guiding him with her direction always facing him, he made a few circles about her. After her small demonstration, she looked to Lenore and said, "I-I want you to do the same... If you c-can. V-Velvet has some guidance in l-lunging, but she stops if you... If your back is to h-her. Remember to always face her, o-okay? I'll watch and make s-sure you're doing it right."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:11 pm
The young girl swallowed and looked at the rope in her hand. Backpedaling from Velvet as Shakuntala had from Hayagriva, she did as the older girl had demonstrated with the rope. Feeling lost for a moment, she finally clicked her tongue and Velvet began to move in a circle, with Lenore at the center. Remembering what she was told, she shuffled her feet to keep facing the horse as she walked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 11:47 am
An appreciative smile encompassed Shakuntala's features when she noticed Lenore catch on quickly. That was certainly an admirable skill and, despite her patience, going over things took an arduous effort if the opposing company had some qualms with what they were learning. Flashing her the underside of her palm, she signaled for Lenore to stop, and whenever she did, she nodded her head in approval.
"T-that's good enough," she said. "You, um, y-you learn quick. That's impressive. N-now... How are you with r-riding?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 12:47 pm
Zinnia had been unable to find her friends. Colin and Walter both had duty, and she wasn't sure where her roommates had gone off to. She had looked all over the library for Lenore, but the younger trainee had been mysteriously missing from her usual haunt. So Zin eventually found herself wandering around outside and, feeling lonely, decided to pay a visit to the animals.
She was surprised to see Lenore and Shakuntala when she entered the stables. Her face split into a wide grin, and she finally felt her energy returning. "Whatcha guys up to?" she asked, watching them lead their horses around. "Can I join?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
