5th Ymiden 716
Yuli'anyh's Residence,
Evening
Yuli'anyh's Residence,
Evening
Flicking the reins, Yuli’anyh directed Ahiro to the right a little. One hand grasping casually around the pommel of the stallion’s newly bought saddle, Yuli’anyh began to see why people enjoyed riding leisurely. The padded leather helped to absorb the impact of her rear bumping up and down on Ahiro’s back and with her feet resting in the stirrups, her thighs weren’t so tense.
As the sun lowered towards dusk, a last wave of the Trial’s warmth flooded across the desert dunes. A soft evening breeze carrying a light layer of sand across the Hotlands, made the ground appear as though it were a moving sea of orange.
Swiftly, the sandy humped terrain began to give way to dried cracked earth. In the short distance ahead, the young twin could see her temporary homestead appear on the horizon. Leaning forward a touch, Yuli’anyh kicked in her heels to spur the Namib stallion on into a canter, eager to get home, the threat of war urging her on with haste.
Uncomfortable wearing his new riding gear, the commands given through the bit, odd and awkward, Ahiro snorted and shook his head in protest. He was perfectly content strolling across the sands at a walk and Yuli’anyh new no amounts of pestering would convince the stallion otherwise. He was stubborn and there was no changing his mind.
Squinting crossly into the back of the coffee coated Namib’s head, the young twin sighed and resigned to the stallion’s will. Instead, Yuli’anyh decided to remain vigilant and scanned her surroundings, watching out for any scouting parties. The sooner her and Beorn left this doomed wasteland the better. Residing in a territory at war was to risk everything, better they move on while they had the chance.
Half a break later, Ahiro and the young twin sauntered right up to the twin’s cave opening. Yanking back on the reins Yuli’anyh brought Ahiro to a halt and just as she swung a leg over the stallion’s slender shoulders, she caught Beorn in the doorway, a contrite expression glazing over his clean shaven face.
Frowning down at her twin, Yuli’anyh’s brow furrowed, her emerald eyes glinting with suspicion as she slipped from Ahiro’s back, her feet thumping the ground, “Where are you going?” Her gaze flickered to the full rucksack hanging on Beorn’s back, before slowly dragging back to the lowered gaze of her twin questioningly.
Staring at his feet, Beorn struggled to look his sister in the eye. He didn’t want her to find out like this, he had expected her home far earlier. “Look, I was going to tell you. I wasn’t just going to leave without saying goodbye…” He finally found the courage to look Yuli’anyh in the eye, his gaze stern, devoid of all emotion. At least, if she hadn’t known him as deeply as she did, that’s how he would have appeared. Yuli’anyh could tell the man was fighting back tears. “…I promise you that.”
His whole countenance frightened her. Catching him at the doorway of their home frightened her. Ahiro suddenly began to meander away, swiftly catching hold of the leather reins, Yuli’anyh dragged the stallion back.
Anger began to boil to the surface as the young twin realised Beorn was leaving… without even so much as discussing with her what was going on. Since when did he start keeping secrets from her? “Leaving? Why are you leaving? Why haven’t you said anything to me? Beorn, tell me what’s going on!”
As the sun lowered towards dusk, a last wave of the Trial’s warmth flooded across the desert dunes. A soft evening breeze carrying a light layer of sand across the Hotlands, made the ground appear as though it were a moving sea of orange.
Swiftly, the sandy humped terrain began to give way to dried cracked earth. In the short distance ahead, the young twin could see her temporary homestead appear on the horizon. Leaning forward a touch, Yuli’anyh kicked in her heels to spur the Namib stallion on into a canter, eager to get home, the threat of war urging her on with haste.
Uncomfortable wearing his new riding gear, the commands given through the bit, odd and awkward, Ahiro snorted and shook his head in protest. He was perfectly content strolling across the sands at a walk and Yuli’anyh new no amounts of pestering would convince the stallion otherwise. He was stubborn and there was no changing his mind.
Squinting crossly into the back of the coffee coated Namib’s head, the young twin sighed and resigned to the stallion’s will. Instead, Yuli’anyh decided to remain vigilant and scanned her surroundings, watching out for any scouting parties. The sooner her and Beorn left this doomed wasteland the better. Residing in a territory at war was to risk everything, better they move on while they had the chance.
Half a break later, Ahiro and the young twin sauntered right up to the twin’s cave opening. Yanking back on the reins Yuli’anyh brought Ahiro to a halt and just as she swung a leg over the stallion’s slender shoulders, she caught Beorn in the doorway, a contrite expression glazing over his clean shaven face.
Frowning down at her twin, Yuli’anyh’s brow furrowed, her emerald eyes glinting with suspicion as she slipped from Ahiro’s back, her feet thumping the ground, “Where are you going?” Her gaze flickered to the full rucksack hanging on Beorn’s back, before slowly dragging back to the lowered gaze of her twin questioningly.
Staring at his feet, Beorn struggled to look his sister in the eye. He didn’t want her to find out like this, he had expected her home far earlier. “Look, I was going to tell you. I wasn’t just going to leave without saying goodbye…” He finally found the courage to look Yuli’anyh in the eye, his gaze stern, devoid of all emotion. At least, if she hadn’t known him as deeply as she did, that’s how he would have appeared. Yuli’anyh could tell the man was fighting back tears. “…I promise you that.”
His whole countenance frightened her. Catching him at the doorway of their home frightened her. Ahiro suddenly began to meander away, swiftly catching hold of the leather reins, Yuli’anyh dragged the stallion back.
Anger began to boil to the surface as the young twin realised Beorn was leaving… without even so much as discussing with her what was going on. Since when did he start keeping secrets from her? “Leaving? Why are you leaving? Why haven’t you said anything to me? Beorn, tell me what’s going on!”