She was still unsettled by what she and Rook had found on their ride. So was he, but he tried not to show it. He did too, but he did not show it, beyond the point of telling her she was not to leave the confines of the wagons, at all. Loch re-enforced that same thing to her. They had no worries, she was not a foolish woman for the most part.
The new day found her at the pens. At first, Ciegue would not let her near him, but through patience and determination, she had managed to regain his trust. He had only balked slightly when she smeared the salve on his rings and inspected them. In a day or two, they would be healed enough to try and put the reins through. Today, she slipped the rope halter around his neck and led him around the pen, speaking to him in that calm way she has. It was trust that she was trying to build up in him, and that took time. Just like it took time with some people.
Walking around the pen, she got an eerie feeling and stopped. Turning in a slow circle she became more aware of her surroundings. There was nothing different, nothing odd. There were the kaiila in the others pens, the out riders working with them. Her brother Gabe, sharpening the claws on some, Leonette inspecting a pregnant mare, nothing unusual. Then why were the hairs on the back of her neck standing up?
Slowly she makes another turn, only to see some riders standing near the fence. Only one caught her attention, and that was only because the day had dawned warm and pleasant, and he still had his windscarf pulled up around his face, obscuring his features. Only his eyes could be seen. She did not recognize him, but that was not unusual either, their were thousands of men among them.
She caught him staring at her, and furrowed her brow. Dropping the rope, she started towards the fence to speak to him, and he turned and walked off. He did not run, but his head ducked slightly, and he quickened his pace. Stopping she watched him, then shrugged. Her experience with Rook had made her jumpy, nothing more. Returning to Ciegue, she took up the rope and began to speak to him, telling him how foolish she was at times.
But, that niggling unease did not leave her. She simply tried to ignore it. But, if things were fine, why was her braid tingling?
The new day found her at the pens. At first, Ciegue would not let her near him, but through patience and determination, she had managed to regain his trust. He had only balked slightly when she smeared the salve on his rings and inspected them. In a day or two, they would be healed enough to try and put the reins through. Today, she slipped the rope halter around his neck and led him around the pen, speaking to him in that calm way she has. It was trust that she was trying to build up in him, and that took time. Just like it took time with some people.
Walking around the pen, she got an eerie feeling and stopped. Turning in a slow circle she became more aware of her surroundings. There was nothing different, nothing odd. There were the kaiila in the others pens, the out riders working with them. Her brother Gabe, sharpening the claws on some, Leonette inspecting a pregnant mare, nothing unusual. Then why were the hairs on the back of her neck standing up?
Slowly she makes another turn, only to see some riders standing near the fence. Only one caught her attention, and that was only because the day had dawned warm and pleasant, and he still had his windscarf pulled up around his face, obscuring his features. Only his eyes could be seen. She did not recognize him, but that was not unusual either, their were thousands of men among them.
She caught him staring at her, and furrowed her brow. Dropping the rope, she started towards the fence to speak to him, and he turned and walked off. He did not run, but his head ducked slightly, and he quickened his pace. Stopping she watched him, then shrugged. Her experience with Rook had made her jumpy, nothing more. Returning to Ciegue, she took up the rope and began to speak to him, telling him how foolish she was at times.
But, that niggling unease did not leave her. She simply tried to ignore it. But, if things were fine, why was her braid tingling?
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