Post by aspiritofwind on Jun 7, 2009 23:36:59 GMT -5
Kleitos was a beautiful city, at least as far as cities went. Ara regretted missing the opportunity to get to know it better. The move had gone well, and she had only begun to settle in when she had gotten the call. It was not something Ara could describe; it was like a new sense, something she felt deep in her bones. To describe it would be like trying to describe the shape of a cloud to one of the eyeless creatures of the deep. It came in the middle of the night, and spoke of urgency, need. Even more, it would have been easier for Ara to sacrifice her right hand than to ignore it or put it off even until morning. So Ara packed a change of clothes, a few necessities, and a map, then set off to the barn to retrieve Sunna.
Where are we going? Sunna had asked, but Ara had no better answer for the mare than "West".
We just got here. Sunna was reproachful, and Ara understood why. She came to help Owen and the remainder of the Knights, to join this new land. She had work to do. It was something Ara had told Sunna often enough that the irony of Sunna's reproach was not lost on Ara now.
"I have to go, I can't ignore this." Ara did not even know for certain who or what was calling her, only that she had to answer.
It did not take long to add a couple of brushes and tools she would need for Sunna to her things. Her set-up was odd, as Ara disliked normal tack. She'd rigged a saddle pad with a loose girth and a breast collar to hold it on. Of course, it was held up more by the breast collar than the cinch, but it carried packs well enough and did not bother Sunna. As an afterthought, Ara added a halter and rope lead. Putting something on Sunna's head would help them to blend in.
Kleitos was a big enough city that there were folk about, even in the hours between midnight and dawn. Most of them were on foot, though, and easy enough to avoid. Instinctively Ara wrapped her magic around her like a cloak, something subtle that told onlookers there was simply nothing to see here, nothing worth remembering. Besides that, she rode as though she was in a trance. As soon as they were free of the traffic from city, Ara asked Sunna to settle into a canter. Sunna's rolling strides carried them west, to the mountains and the call that guided Ara like a beacon. Into the night they went, and into the wild.
Where are we going? Sunna had asked, but Ara had no better answer for the mare than "West".
We just got here. Sunna was reproachful, and Ara understood why. She came to help Owen and the remainder of the Knights, to join this new land. She had work to do. It was something Ara had told Sunna often enough that the irony of Sunna's reproach was not lost on Ara now.
"I have to go, I can't ignore this." Ara did not even know for certain who or what was calling her, only that she had to answer.
It did not take long to add a couple of brushes and tools she would need for Sunna to her things. Her set-up was odd, as Ara disliked normal tack. She'd rigged a saddle pad with a loose girth and a breast collar to hold it on. Of course, it was held up more by the breast collar than the cinch, but it carried packs well enough and did not bother Sunna. As an afterthought, Ara added a halter and rope lead. Putting something on Sunna's head would help them to blend in.
Kleitos was a big enough city that there were folk about, even in the hours between midnight and dawn. Most of them were on foot, though, and easy enough to avoid. Instinctively Ara wrapped her magic around her like a cloak, something subtle that told onlookers there was simply nothing to see here, nothing worth remembering. Besides that, she rode as though she was in a trance. As soon as they were free of the traffic from city, Ara asked Sunna to settle into a canter. Sunna's rolling strides carried them west, to the mountains and the call that guided Ara like a beacon. Into the night they went, and into the wild.