Ba'atar was off on his hunt, so there was much less to be done around the wagons. Rising early, she had fed the boys, then walked with them to her family's wagons. Anaya had offered to watch them for the day, and Tug was excited about going to the herds with Ephrim. Her brother and his mate both seemed concerned about her, but she had assured them that she was fine, the baby she was carrying was fine, everything was fine.
Leaving them, she had walked through the rows of wagons, stopping to speak to people along the way, holding a new baby at one wagon, then sitting for a time with an older leather worker who was beginning to lose her sight, promising to send one of the girls by to help her clean her wagons. She even stopped to talk with Leah, it had been a long time, and she felt a bit guilty about not coming by sooner. Keeping watch over the woman was a bit important to her, but she found the woman was not in need of anything. Her sons were growing, one even had earned his first scar, which would have made Tayco so very proud. She left here, making a promise to send word when the baby was born, and to bring Another One by for a visit.
She had finally made her way to the pens, and stood for a long time, just watching them, and inhaling that musky, animal smell that she loved so much. Rousing out of her reverie, she had gone to the breeding pen to check on BlueSky. They had put her in with the stallion that Trilok had brought home, and now there was signs that she was with foal. By her calculations, the mare would drop around the time they got ready for the next move.
She also checked on Tone, who seemed to be doing very well. Running a hand over the swollen side of the mare, she spoke softly to her to calm her. She knew that Ba'atar was probably missing the mare, but he had been wise enough to realize that taking a pregnant mare off on such a journey was not the thing to do. She had to admit, he had looked quite handsome riding away on the dun stallion that he had chosen to ride while Tone was with foal. and the sandy colored beast was strong and smart, so he was a good choice. The beasts name was Ishtar. She had actually been pleased when Ba'atar had chosen him. He would have been the one she would have chosen, had she been the one choosing. He was a product of her roan, Wager and a light colored stallion that belonged to Rook, and had proven to be a very good mount.
Ciegue had come to her, nuzzling her belly. Laughing, she had draped an arm around his neck, and lay her cheek along his face, asking softly if he had missed her. A bond had grown between her and the afflicted beast. She loved him dearly, and he returned that affection. Few others could approach him. He did not seem to want to interact with any other two legged creatures but her. Saddling him, she had gone for a ride, something that she was in need of. They had ambled along the perimeter of the herds for a time, then Ciegue seemed to set his own course, and she did not stop him.
Climbing a small hillock of land, he had stopped and simply snorted. Lifting in her stirrups, she had looked in the direction he seemed to have been guiding her, and laughed softy. Down in the shallow valley, there was a group of wild kaiila. At first, she made note of landmarks, so that she could send Gabe and some of the other riders back to round this group up. But as she watched them, her heart had turned. It was a small group, and there was a beauty in the way they were enjoying their freedom. She would use the landmarks to find her way back here, but she would tell no one about them. This small herd would be left to enjoy their freedom for a bit longer.
Turning Ciegue back towards the wagons, she rode along slowly, lost in her own thoughts. Ba'atar had said he would be gone about a hand, and that hand had stretched into almost two now, but they expected them back any day now. She could not help but wonder how he would react to some of the changes around his wagons. Honestly, if he no longer cared for her, then he would probably be happy that he no longer had to put up a pretense. Her heart was sad, but she had made the decision that she would deal with things one day at a time. And on this day, she was going to enjoy her own freedom.
Back at the pens, she was a bit surprised to see Aamon there, watching the animals. Sliding off of the kaiila, she took reins in hand and walked to him. For a long time they just stood side by side, watching the beasts. He had finally pushed off the fence, looking down at her, and told her that she looked better this day, that there was a bit more color in her cheeks. She had laugh softly, and told him that it was turning out to be a good day. He had nodded, and said one thing as he walked away.
"You should spend more days with the beasts, the seem to be good for you." Watching him walk away, her head had shook gently. She liked the man more and more as the time passed.
Leaving them, she had walked through the rows of wagons, stopping to speak to people along the way, holding a new baby at one wagon, then sitting for a time with an older leather worker who was beginning to lose her sight, promising to send one of the girls by to help her clean her wagons. She even stopped to talk with Leah, it had been a long time, and she felt a bit guilty about not coming by sooner. Keeping watch over the woman was a bit important to her, but she found the woman was not in need of anything. Her sons were growing, one even had earned his first scar, which would have made Tayco so very proud. She left here, making a promise to send word when the baby was born, and to bring Another One by for a visit.
She had finally made her way to the pens, and stood for a long time, just watching them, and inhaling that musky, animal smell that she loved so much. Rousing out of her reverie, she had gone to the breeding pen to check on BlueSky. They had put her in with the stallion that Trilok had brought home, and now there was signs that she was with foal. By her calculations, the mare would drop around the time they got ready for the next move.
She also checked on Tone, who seemed to be doing very well. Running a hand over the swollen side of the mare, she spoke softly to her to calm her. She knew that Ba'atar was probably missing the mare, but he had been wise enough to realize that taking a pregnant mare off on such a journey was not the thing to do. She had to admit, he had looked quite handsome riding away on the dun stallion that he had chosen to ride while Tone was with foal. and the sandy colored beast was strong and smart, so he was a good choice. The beasts name was Ishtar. She had actually been pleased when Ba'atar had chosen him. He would have been the one she would have chosen, had she been the one choosing. He was a product of her roan, Wager and a light colored stallion that belonged to Rook, and had proven to be a very good mount.
Ciegue had come to her, nuzzling her belly. Laughing, she had draped an arm around his neck, and lay her cheek along his face, asking softly if he had missed her. A bond had grown between her and the afflicted beast. She loved him dearly, and he returned that affection. Few others could approach him. He did not seem to want to interact with any other two legged creatures but her. Saddling him, she had gone for a ride, something that she was in need of. They had ambled along the perimeter of the herds for a time, then Ciegue seemed to set his own course, and she did not stop him.
Climbing a small hillock of land, he had stopped and simply snorted. Lifting in her stirrups, she had looked in the direction he seemed to have been guiding her, and laughed softy. Down in the shallow valley, there was a group of wild kaiila. At first, she made note of landmarks, so that she could send Gabe and some of the other riders back to round this group up. But as she watched them, her heart had turned. It was a small group, and there was a beauty in the way they were enjoying their freedom. She would use the landmarks to find her way back here, but she would tell no one about them. This small herd would be left to enjoy their freedom for a bit longer.
Turning Ciegue back towards the wagons, she rode along slowly, lost in her own thoughts. Ba'atar had said he would be gone about a hand, and that hand had stretched into almost two now, but they expected them back any day now. She could not help but wonder how he would react to some of the changes around his wagons. Honestly, if he no longer cared for her, then he would probably be happy that he no longer had to put up a pretense. Her heart was sad, but she had made the decision that she would deal with things one day at a time. And on this day, she was going to enjoy her own freedom.
Back at the pens, she was a bit surprised to see Aamon there, watching the animals. Sliding off of the kaiila, she took reins in hand and walked to him. For a long time they just stood side by side, watching the beasts. He had finally pushed off the fence, looking down at her, and told her that she looked better this day, that there was a bit more color in her cheeks. She had laugh softly, and told him that it was turning out to be a good day. He had nodded, and said one thing as he walked away.
"You should spend more days with the beasts, the seem to be good for you." Watching him walk away, her head had shook gently. She liked the man more and more as the time passed.
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