A Donkey Story. (Shut down for the time being)

[Kriv]

Bowline milled about the mountainside, eating some grass here and there. The donkey was moving slower than usual. The pouch on the side of his saddle had something in that was weighing him down. Bowline's nostrils flared as he sniffed a flower, he then let out a loud sneeze. He backed away from the allergen plant and accidentally walked right into a deep muddy patch, he sank until the mud was up past his stomach, he let out a large breath through his nose.

[Kratesis]

Julia's horse clomped as it struggled down the mountain; the pass she had attempted to use had been washed out by the rain. Noticing a donkey half buried in the mud she tugged the reigns, coming to a halt. Taking an apple from her saddle bag she tossed it over near the mud hole, to see if the donkey could escape.

[Kriv]

As the apple landed Bowline's eyes widened. He attempted to pick it up in it's mouth but it was to far. The young donkey tried his hardest to reach the apple but his body wouldn't budge. He stuck out his neck as far as he could, he stuck his tongue out and he was just barely able lick it. Bowline made a small shrug and he continued to lick the apple.

[Kratesis]

She chuckled at the sight but was not quite certain how to drag the donkey out of the mud. Although she could simply ride on and leave him she hated to see an animal suffer, which he surely would if he remained trapped in the mud.

Digging through her saddle bags she removed a long, heavy hemp rope. One end she tied around the the saddle horn, the other around her own waist. Then she hopped down and climbed into the mud, from which she attempted to climb onto the donkey's saddle.

[Kriv]

Bowline was surprised at this sudden show of affection, he like the gesture, but he really wanted that apple. He looked up at his savior with his cute shining eyes. He tried to make as many gestures to the apple as he could. He attempted to reach the apple again hoping his gestures were getting through to her.

[Kratesis]

After climbing atop Bowline's saddle Julia untied the muddy rope and re-tied it around the horn on the donkey's saddle. Slipping out of the saddle she held the rope and climbed back out of the mud to the shore. "Come on.. boy, I guess.." Clicking her tongue she pointed at the apple and begin to tug on the rope, trying to give Bowline the boost he needed to get free of the mud and eat the apple.

[Kriv]

Bowline seized his opportunity to reach the apple. He struggled and squirmed with all his might until he was finally free. As he got out of the mud he struck a victorious pose. Bowline trotted over to his apple and ate it triumphantly. He then shook the mud off of him and gave a look of appreciation towards Julia.

[Kratesis]

She chuckled, a short little huff of breath, then sighed as she considered how much work it would be to clean the mud out of her maile leggings and splint shin guards.

Taking another apple out of her saddle bag she tossed it on the ground in front of Bowline and untied the rope from his saddle horn. Unless he made some sort of donkey protest or moved away she looked through his saddle bags to see what he was carrying.

[Kriv]

Bowline ate his second apple as Julia searched his saddle bags. He was hoping she'd hurry up, not just because what he had in them was heavy, but because he was curious to see what was inside.

[Kratesis]

Fishing around inside the saddle bag Julia withdrew a single rod of unadorned iron. Though it had no jewels it seemed to glitter in the light. Though it was un-engraved it seemed to draw the eye. It seemed unnaturally heavy for its size, heavy and cold.

Julia frowned. "..Huh."

[Kriv]

Bowline was relieved to have that weight literally lifted off his shoulders. The iron rod held his sight for a while, but he then prepared to travel. For he had decided as soon as Julia started helping him that he would have to try and help her the only way he could, carrying things. Bowline trotted off at a quicker pace and came back with his only other possession, a rope lead. He leaned down until the loop was around the horn of his saddle he took the other end in his mouth and pulled, tightening the noose in the lead. He then trotted back over to Julia with the other end in his mouth hoping she would take it.

OOC: Sorry if it is too long, I just got really into character. :P

[Kratesis]

Fascinated Julia examined the metal rod for a time before tucking it away in her pouch. It was almost certainly magical, but how? And what did it do? These were questions Julia knew she could not answer on her own.

Accepting the rope from the donkey she raised and eyebrow. He was certainly much more intelligent then she would have thought. Perhaps the artifact had changed him somehow? Or perhaps he had been chosen as its bearer due to his unusual wit.

"Lets see if we can find where you came from." Patting his back she leads both him and her stallion on a search for hoof prints.. hoping to follow Bowline's trail through the wet ground and discover from whence he, and his unique possession, came.

[Kriv]

Bowline realized what Julia was trying to find and he trotted ahead and lead her off the trail. The three arrived at a dark cabin. Bowline trotted up to the door and waited to Julia to open it.