Leaving Time

The morning had been eventful as Drake had gone to seek out those who would have been missed the night before to be told that they were heading out in the morning. He had not wanted to leave his bed's warmth and his lovely Calliara but duty called and he had to go as he always did to make sure that everything was running smoothly.

He patted Calliara's horse's neck and clicked his tongue at it. It was a sturdy animal and he was pleased that it was ready, bobbing it's head wanting to go. He had made sure that the stable staff had saddled all their horses and any that would be extra due to those who had none. The couple of mules which would carry the loads were also ready as was his own sweet equine but he would not be riding her at this time. He was always on the move, always making sure things went smoothly.

The sun was not yet up and he could hear Pendra in the other barn with others. He chuckled at the thought that she was probably making the horses "laugh" by kissing them between the nostrils on that soft section. It sometimes worked but not always and he felt it was a funny thing to tell the dwarven weapons master. Sometimes he could be evil in his own right.

"I can smell you, emma sa'lath (my one love)." He turned to smile for a moment. It was only for her.

''Does that mean that I smell foul, my heart?'' The Wolf chuckled, walking into the barn while checking the arrows in her quiver, fresh, ready, and still with her hangover but she deserved it.

Assan, her white mare, brushed her big head against Calliara's happily, and the Dalish kissed the mare's forehead. Fenrir trotted inside as well and immediately trotted over Drake to chew on his boots playfully, excited with all the movement the morning was bringing to the estate.

''Because if that's what you mean, I remember bathing with you last night. So, if I smell foul... it's your fault''

Khael hesitated as he stood outside the door to the barn, hearing voices inside. He didn't want to interrupt, but he had been told to report first thing in the morning. He also hesitated because he had been held in many barns over the last few years and they brought back bad memories, mixed with the good memories of the barns at home.

Taking a deep breath Khael pushed the door open and entered the barn with Takara on his heels. "Good morning," he called as he entered, "we were told to report here first thing, ready to move out."

Takara followed silently behind Khael as he made his way to the barn. So much about her life had changed in the last few days that she was still rather in shock. She stopped outside the door with Khael, sharing many of the same thoughts he did.

Takara looked around herself in awe at all the horses as they entered the barn. She had seen horses before of course, but mostly poor old nags bought for cheap to haul the prisoners around. These were fine beasts in comparison and she was momentarily staggered by their beauty.

Good morning Wolf. Are we... are we going to take horses? I.. I've never.. ridden a horse before. Is it hard? Can I touch them?"

''Good morning, cubs'' Calliara greeted them with her calm smile, but she wondered if they were going with them to Vigil's Keep, and wondered if that would be too dangerous for such young people.

''Good morning Wolf. Are we... are we going to take horses? I.. I've never.. ridden a horse before. Is it hard? Can I touch them?"

Assan sniffed curiously at the two youngsters when Calliara whispered something to her. The Wolf smiled again.

''Of course you can touch them. Let them sniff at your hands first, before you try to touch them. That'll make them feel comfortable with you. Maybe Khael and you can share a horse, or either of you can ride with someone. Which you prefer?''

Ostef and Rakot found themselves on a field not far from the camp. They spent the night practicing combat, Ostef stood in defensive position, knees bent, the massive shield low to the ground. Rakot stood behind him, crouched to the ground to receive the protection from the shield, his weapon held by its poll with one hand to the side.

"READY!!!"

Rakot roared.

"KILL!!!!"

Ostef yelled out, and the berserker ran forward unleashing his rage, pushing off of Ostef's shoulders and leaping high into the air. As Rakot landed, he swung his weapon, piercing the marker laid out of twigs on the ground.

"Alright, ten meter mark complete. You're getting better at this."

Ostef said, sweating and breathing heavily.

"Still may not be enough if we have to fight mages. There is no set distance on the battlefield, though this will help me close in, whatever it may be. We need to be faster...what if you charged them as well, after I pushed off of you? That'd provide them with two targets to aim their spells at, they'd have to make a decision, and that time they take to make it will prove fatal. Sticking a blade through a mage is a matter of portions of a second, and every one of them counts. We're going to have to work on your sprinting speed, you're gonna have to get used to charging in full armor across long distances."

Rakot remarked, but Ostef just looked to the side and lowered his weapon.

"Well, there goes the sun rise...so much for sleeping....I understand you get too much energy if you rage and don't kill anything like you did last night. But what the hell am I doing?"

"Getting stronger, faster, becoming a more efficient killer?"

"True, but that could have waited until I got my sleep...lets go see if we can get breakfast before we move out."

Rakot nodded in agreement, the two warriors walked back towards the camp.

"I grew up on a farm, I can help Takara ride. I'm a bit out of practice but it's not something you ever really forget how to do. Plus she is a quick learner."

"Come on little sister," Khael said as he lead Takara over to a horse and showed her how to hold out her hands to be sniffed. "Do you know where we are going Wolf?"

Takara had a natural way with animals despite her limited exposure to them. They seemed to calm her and comfort her in a way nothing else could. They were so much simpler than people, and so much less demanding.

''In first place we're going with the rest of our group, cub''

Calliara hid her smile seeing the two youths making friends with the animals. Fenrir was also there, trying to claim Takara and Khael's atention over the horses, panting and chewing their boots lightly, and waving his little tail like crazy

''The Commander will explain everything''

"It doesn't matter where we're going brother. We're going because we want to, not because we have to. That's all that matters to me. Never in my life have I got to go somewhere cause I wanted to!"

Takara looked down at the puppy chewing on her boots and squatted down to scratch him behind the ears. She had learned that mabari seemed to like this. She giggled in delight at the puppies antics. She had had so little reason to laugh in her life that the sound startled her and she stopped for a minute. Then Fenrir licked her hand and she laughed again.

"Thank you little Fenrir. I wonder if I could have a puppy like you one day." Hesitantly she stood back up and went back to learning what Khael had to teach her about horse riding so they could get on the road.

"We're going to the Vigil's Keep, kid. "

After grabbing food, Ostef went to wander around camp, looking for a dry place to take a quick nap out of Rakot's sight. The barn looked promising until he heard voices, but decided to approach anyway out of curiosity.

"Didn't mean to barge in like this, but thats what the Commander told us yesterday."

He looked around and spotted Calliara.

"Oh...I know you, you stabbed me that one time, how ya been?"

He said faking cheerfulness.

Calliara looked at Ostef, and smiled innocently.

''Hello, Ostef. I see Rakot hadn't kill you already''

"Oh...I know you, you stabbed me that one time, how ya been?"

''Yes, you know me, and yes, I stabbed you. I even remember where. I've been fine, thank you, what about you? If you're still angry with me for what happened, just think about it this way: It was one of your little sisters the one that was kidnapped, you found one of the kidnappes and he didn't wanted to tell you a thing. I'm sure you would have given him a flower and a good bye kiss before walking to the sunset to continue looking for her. Am I correct?''

"Of course not, I'd break every bone in his body until he talked. I understand why you did what you did, but holding a grudge doesn't have anything to do with rationality. That said, I'm not THAT angry still I had other things to occupy my time with."

Ostef smiled.

"And I've been good, thanks, gotten a lot stronger, more combat proficient, learned about tactics, learned many wonderful different ways to kill things. Rakot didn't go back on his word, I got the extra training from him, and the instructors at the Koru Estate provided the rest. Me and our berserker friend work quite well in a combat team actually."