The Song of Wind

[Paladienne]

Ann looked at her with an appreciative smile. "My own. It wasn't until I was a little older that I was taught not to cut off the fingers of others. It doesn't do you any good if you simply cut off fingers, after all."

He took another bite and chewed slowly, allowing the juices of the meat to flow over his tongue and down his throat as he swallowed. He heard the praise in her voice at his cooking ability and felt a flare of pride. It wasn't often that he received such praise, and he enjoyed it. He couldn't help but smile as she tried to hide it, and he pretended that he hadn't noticed it.

"Well, there's plenty more. So, help yourself. Just be careful, because they're going to be hot. Don't burn your tongue." He turned then when Ma'akéné whickered, and rummaged around for something for her to eat as well, giving her more of the sweetgrass that he had harvested. "And you," Ann admonished lightly, stroking his sister's nose, "don't eat too much of that."

Ma'akéné snorted, flicked her tail, and then took her treat over to Ortec, offering the stallion some of the sweetgrass. She looked back at Ann as if to say, See? I'm not eating all of it.

Ann couldn't help but laugh, the sound clear and strong, and shifted his attention back to the fire to keep it from burning low and going out. "I swear I spoil her. Sometimes I wonder who's in charge here, me or her."

[DragonSong]

Ortec eagerly lipped up the offered treat, then nibbled at the base of Ma'akéné's mane, near her hocks, in appreciation.

Riala chuckled quietly and nodded. "Yeah, I know the feeling." She crinkled her nose at the stallion and shook her head. "Flirt," she accused, and he tossed his head at her as though offended she could even think such a thing.

[Paladienne]

Ma'akéné snorted and swung her head into Ortec's, butting him with her muzzle and giving him a playful shove. Her tail swung back and forth twice in quick succession before stilling. She shook herself, pawed the ground, and snorted for a second time.

Ann smirked. "Is that so?" He turned his attention to Riala, his smirk turning into a full-blown grin. "He can flirt all he wants, but Ma'akéné is on to him. Our mares don't allow just any stallion to mount them. And if one tries, he could very quickly find himself a gelding, and humans wouldn't have a hand in it."

He was teasing, of course, doing a poor job of hiding his mirth. Some of it was true, though. The mares were highly selective about which stallion could mate with them, which was a trait that Ann hadn't ever seen in the wild herds. Perhaps it was because their bond with humans had changed them, or perhaps they had observed for generations how the women of his tribe selected their mates. Either way, Ma'akéné was no fool, and as much as she enjoyed Ortec's flirting and solicitousness, she wasn't about to allow him to take liberties with her.

Ann looked at Riala, giving her a small smile before passing her a waterskin. "Here, have something to drink. You need to stay hydrated. In the morning, I'll check your wounds, and if they've healed some, perhaps you can try walking around. You already seem to be feeling better, if you're scooting all over the place like a prairie dog."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, he knows his place," Riala laughed easily. "He's just incorrigible about it."

She took the offered waterskin, then choked on her first gulp, glaring at him over the mouth of it. "Prairie dog?!" she demanded. She tried to sound offended, but her voice held too much mirth.

With a shrug, she handed him the skin back and drew her knees up to her chest carefully. "I'm...alright, I suppose. Mostly just sore now." It wasn't even entirely a lie. 

[Paladienne]

Ann laughed at the sound of her voice filled with incredulousness. He hadn't meant to insult her, and at first he feared he had, but then the look on her face combined with the laughter in her voice proved that he had only amused her. That was good. He didn't want to hurt her. He took the skin back and set it aside, shifting to face her a little better so he could rake his eyes over her form. It was more the gaze of a healer than anything else, of one who knew what to look for as far as healing injuries were concerned, and nothing more.

Nodding, Ann replied, "That'll go away with time. I was afraid that you might have a brain injury, but since you fall asleep and wake up without a problem, you're going to be just fine. The sun's going down now, but in the morning, we can see if you can get up without getting light headed and head outside for some real exercise."

Glancing at Ortec, he smiled a little. "Maybe see if your brother over there can contain himself long enough to let you go outside for some real exercise."

[DragonSong]

"Oh, he'd love a good run." Riala smiled a bit as she watched the horses play. She tried to settle herself back and winced again, a frown tugging at her brow as she mused aloud, "Though I'm not actually sure that's such a good idea. If someone sees us-- your tribe or mine...it won't end too well."

[Paladienne]

Ann lifted his shoulders in a slight shrug. "The plains are a big place. And I know where my tribe will frequent, just as you know where yours will. Besides, I know many places here where no one will go, whether because they believe it's too dangerous or because of the superstitions they hold about it."

He shifted to bank the fire, careful to keep the embers from jumping out and rolling toward Riala or himself. He frowned, though, as her commentary was true. If anyone saw them, then they both would find themselves on the run - as if they weren't already - and if they were caught, then they would likely be killed simply on principle. Ann didn't know if his own tribe would turn on him like that for repaying a life debt, but he'd seen what Riala's tribe had done to her, and he didn't think they would let her live.

"I could..." he paused, looking up at her, "I could try to talk to my chieftain. See if he'd be willing to adopt you into our tribe. You'd have our protection, then. If you don't want that, then... I could help you escape the plains. To get away from here."

The offer was said softly, almost uncertainly. Ann knew what it meant to leave home and leave home for good. Not many people could do that - leave everything they had known for something unknown. He believed Riala was strong enough to do that, but he wouldn't force her. She would have to make that decision on her own.

[DragonSong]

Riala snapped her head up, staring at him with wide eyes. "You..."

She blinked, then swallowed thickly. "You would...do that?" She shook her head, still looking rather stunned. "I don't-- I can't ask that of you."

Trying to regain some control of her expression, she cleared her throat and glanced away. "No, I... I'll just wait until I can ride and then-- Ortec and I, we'll figure something out. You've done enough, I can't ask anymore of you."

[Paladienne]

"You don't have to ask it of me, and yes, I would do that." Ann replied, his voice quiet. He shook his head and focused on the fire burning before him. "But in the end, it's your decision. I won't force you if you don't want to, and anyway, all I can do is ask the chieftain. Whether or not to accept you is his choice, not mine. All I can do is vouch for you."

He picked up a stick and stirred the coals of the fire, not really trying to breathe new life into it, but also preventing it from going out. He shifted to sit cross-legged, then set the stick down and braced his hands on his knees, extending his arms until his elbows locked. Ann took a deep breath, then lifted his gaze from the fire to Riala.

"I told you before, I owe you my life. And Ma'akéné's life. That's a debt not easily repaid. So, until you're well, and until you're able to make a decision, we'll defend you. And if that means riding with you until you find your way out of the plains, then that's what we'll do."

As if to accentuate her human's words, Ma'akéné snorted and stamped her hoof against the stone, making a loud noise, as if putting a stamp of finality on the statement.

[DragonSong]

Both Ortec and his heart-sister were quiet for a moment. Then Riala sighed softly and dropped her eyes, nodding slowly.

"Then...I thank you. I don't think this is something you have to do, but I can tell I'm not going to talk you out of it. So thank you, Ann."

[Paladienne]

"I'm very stubborn, you'll find." Ann replied quietly. "As is my sister here."

Ma'akéné snorted in agreement.

Ann shifted to bank the fire once more, then shifted to allow it to finally go out. "You should get some sleep, Riala. Especially if you decide that you're going to try moving outside tomorrow. You're going to need your strength."

[DragonSong]

"I'm not a child," the hunter grumbled, even as she found herself settling back into her little corner to sleep.

Realizing what she was doing, she flushed, pouted, and muttered, "Fine... But only so I can get the hells out of here in the morning."

She rolled onto her side, huffing tiredly. "Goodnight, Ann."

[Paladienne]

"Good night, Riala." Ann replied, dimming the fire so the bright light wouldn't disturb her as she slept.

He smiled at her comment, though, knowing the bite of her words for what it was. Ann wouldn't fight her if she wanted to leave, and he was sure Ortec would keep her from doing anything stupid and dangerous.

Eventually, he curled up as well, opposite Riala, and closed his eyes to sleep. He hadn't slept in a long time, having stayed up to care for her and ensure that she didn't have some kind of catastrophe in her own sleep. He was tired, and he was ready for some rest.

[DragonSong]

Her sleep was restless, haunted with shadowy nightmares that frayed at the edges of her memory and dull aches and pains throughout her battered body. She tossed and turned, at one point nearly rolling into the dying embers of the fire. Her brow was drawn into deep creases, lips slightly parted as the occasional soft gasp of moan was pulled from her throat.

A circle around her, Lani at her back. The honor circle, but she had not been part of it, not then, she was too young.

Riala's fists clenched, nails scratching against stone.

The men and women she had known all her life closed in, snarls and shouted insults blurring together before her eyes with swords and arrows. Lani pressing back against her, her voice echoing--

"Stay strong, little one."

Then she was gone, a spurt of blood and a flash of steel.

"Lani..."

The blades were turned on her now. Traitor, they called her, disloyal, unfeeling, dangerous, wrong. Traitor, traitor, traitor, TRAITOR!

Riala woke with a start, gasping and shaking as she looked around wildly.

[Paladienne]

Ann had already woken before her, and had left her alone in their cave. He stood outside, his eyes closed as he faced the rising sun. With him, his four-footed sister grazed on grasses still wet by morning's dew, and when she raised her head toward the cave and flicked her ears, Ann also opened his eyes and turned toward the mouth of the cave, peering inside as if he could see what was going on. He slowly approached then, ducking inside and moving back to the campfire to build it up when he saw that Riala was awake.

"Are you all right, Riala?" Ann asked, keeping his voice quiet.

[DragonSong]

The huntress started, already reaching for a weapon that she didn't actually have, the knife she normally slept with under her pillow. It took her a moment to remember where she was, recognize who was speaking to her. Once she had, her shoulders slumped forward a bit and she dropped her head with a sharp, weary sigh.

"I'm fine," she muttered. She moved to wrap her arms around herself, then winced as she tugged at various bruises and strains. "Just-- just a bad dream. It's nothing."

Outside, Ortec paced the front of the cave, tossing his mane and pawing at the ground in agitation. His sister was hurting, and he couldn't help her.

[Paladienne]

Ann watched her for a minute, then moved to retrieve a bowl and a waterskin. He poured the contents of the skin into the bowl, and shifted closer to her and offered her the bowl filled with a sweet-smelling hot liquid. "Marigold tea. It'll help. I made it earlier."

He leaned back then and stoked the coals into life once more, his head angled downward as he watched the flames begin to grow. Then Ann looked up toward Riala. "Dreams, my people believe, are often portents of the future and the past colliding within our minds. There is a message there, but one only the dreamer can decipher. So perhaps there is a reason for your bad dream, and perhaps you must consider why you had it, since you haven't dreamed the entire time you've been here."

Ann glanced over his shoulder at Ortec and Ma'akéné, who was moving closer to the stallion to bump her nose against his in an attempt to calm him. "Once you figure that out, perhaps we'll have some direction in which to go, then. And you'll stop worrying your brother so much."

[DragonSong]

Riala reached out for the tea automatically, wrapping her fingers around the cup and letting the warmth seep through her skin for a few moments in silence. Her lips twitched up briefly when Ann mentioned Ortec's worrying and she glanced toward the stallion almost sheepishly.

Ortec seemed to have calmed a bit now that she was awake, and he was burning off his anxious energy by stretching his neck out to nibble at Ma'akéné's poll gently, tail swishing as he absently groomed the mare.

"Have you ever seen an honor circle?" the girl asked abruptly, not quite looking at Ann but the question obviously directed to him.

[Paladienne]

"An honor circle?"

Ann had heard of the practice, but his tribe didn't participate in it. They had their own ways of proving one's strength, pride, and honor, and most often, those practices fell in line with coming of age ceremonies and milestones in a youth's life as they grew up within the tribe. But, intellectually, he knew what an honor circle was about. Two warriors met in a ring drawn out by the tribe and they fought until one party surrendered or died. Surrender was just as bad as admitting weakness, and so most often, only one warrior walked away from the honor circle. He stared at the flames for a minute before he focused on Riala, studying her for a long while. When it was clear she wasn't going to look at him, Ann returned his attention back to the flames.

"I've heard of it, yes. But I've never seen one." Ann said at last, his voice quiet. "My uncle described them once, when I was small, to me and those of my age. He made them seem... barbaric... compared to our own practices and ceremonies. But then, my tribe is far different from yours."

He didn't want to insult her. He knew that what he was saying probably sounded like an insult and would be taken as one, but he didn't know how to soften the words any more than he already had, and he didn't know what else to say. Ann was quiet for a heartbeat, before he returned his gaze to the girl and studied the lines of her body, the tenseness of her form, the sorrow in her eyes. The honor circle meant something to her, that was clear. He recognized both a subdued joy and a tempered sadness in the way she held herself, and gleaned that, perhaps to Riala, the honor circle was something more than what his uncle had described to the youngsters. To Riala, it was important.

"Is that why you're here? Because of that?" Ann asked gently, though not demanding an answer all the same, giving Riala an option of not answering by his question. Otherwise, Ann was settled in to hear her story, determined to give her all of his attention. "What happened?"

[DragonSong]

Her hands tightened on the cup. "...Yes," she answered after a long moment. "I'm here because of that." Twice over.

She took a sip of the tea, considering her words. "It-- it wasn't as bad for me. They gave me seven opponents. They still beat me down, but I-- I survived it." Another shaky breath, eyes fixed on the liquid in her cup. "I don't remember much after-- after my brother." Half brother, really, but her brother all the same. He'd taught her to use a bow... "He was the fifth person I fought. They way my fa-- my chief makes the circles, you don't have to be defeated by the dishonored, you can simply...step out, let a fresh warrior take your place."

She drew in another breath and closed her eyes. "Ortec fought his way in. They thought they'd bound him tight enough but they hadn't. I-I think they were going to finish me, but Ortec dove in." Like Nemeira. She shuddered at the memory. "I really don't remember much after that..."

Silence reigned for a moment. Then Riala lifted her eyes to meet Ann's gaze, her mouth drawn into a tight, hard line. "They did it to my cousin Lani, almost three years ago. She should have been our chief, but Ashtari wanted the power. He made her fight the honor circle, and she fought twenty warriors. Twenty. I couldn't even manage seven."

She dropped her head again, clenching her eyes shut and struggling to force back tears.