starkdiary7

Stark and Dragos Bring Back the Horses

Dragos watched silently from across the way, as Stark roped the horses together. They resist her efforts at first, but she seems to be able to talk them into behaving with a few words and gentle nudges. She checks the hooves on all of the horses and makes sure the cinches are tightened enough to keep the sadles on, but looser than normal. Lastly she goes to the roan horse that she has been riding over the past few days and gives it a quick brush down and a carrot. She tightens the cinch saddle tight, just in case there is the need for some fast riding.

While she does this she thinks about the last few days. ‘With the way things are going, I will need to ride fast. I’m not really sure what is going to hit us next-huge man eating land whales? Mom and the critics always say I put myself in the path of too much danger. Animals I know and understand. My fellow travellers and the demons – total mysteries. I can’t belive they are still alive. Watching Cecily convulse and bleed her life out all over the cave floor, was freaky. Harrison’s step away from reality as he fell unconcious and sucked the heat out of anything near him was downright scarey.’ She stops and clucks at the horses to get them moving ‘Who are these people and what exactly have I gotten myself into?’

Stark looks up at Dragos and realizes that he is impatient. "He doesn’t seem like the type to care if he misses some sort of spring festival, but he looks like he wants to get it on the road." And a little more peevishly, "If he didn’t scare the horses so much this would go a lot faster." The horses start off slowly, after a few minutes of snapping at each and rolling their eyes at the figures of Dragos they get used to the lead lines and follow along.

Dragos walks amiably alongside Stark, close enough to talk, but far enough that the lead horse isn't upset.

For the first mile of the walk, Stark is silent. Her head turns back and forth looking at the trees lining the road, small animals and birds that scurry in the underbrush and the birds. She’s sad when she doesn’t recognize any of the birdcalls, because it is a reminder that she is going further away from the home that she loves. She hasn’t had time to acclimate to this new schedule and life. One week ago, they were shooting the wrap on the Wild, Wild Animal Show, now she’s in the middle of wherever, with testosterone warrior Dragos for company.

About this time, Stark realizes how much her back hurts, a lot of it is from the tensions of the last few days, but she doesn’t want Dragos to notice. Stark unwraps Cammi from her back and groans, "You are getting quite too heavy for me to carry you around little girl. Why don't you fly for a bit and strech your wings a little?" The dragonlet nips at her ear, but flies off and then notices Dragos and more importantly his wings.. Kami, unlike mammals, likes Dragos a lot. She buzzes around his head, getting ever closer and closer, oohing a lot.

Dragos looks wary for a moment, and then smiles. "I see where some of your flying dreams come

from."Stark laughs and tells Dragos, "Let me know if she is bothering you too much."

"Come on you, you've had more than enough food. You don't need that, Stark says as pulls the black horse’s head up from the ground. She continues on with the conversation, "So what do warlords dream of?" She asks somewhat teasingly.

He gets a distant look in his eyes, and says, obcurely, "War."

"War...," she stops and pauses, "I think my dreams are more pleasurable....how often are your people at war?"

"My particular clan has not seen war in years. But Eyriens know that war is always close at hand.".

"When was the last time your clan saw war?"

"Long before I became Warlord. I was a child."

Stark is silent, thinking about the life she has led to this point and being greatful for what was given to her, "Dragos do you know of a place called Amber?"

"I know of a place called the Central World, that some do call Amber. It is the true Meeting of Winds."

Could you tell me what you know of this place? We're trying to find it."

"It will be found, in time. We must trust to the winds."

"I'm sure it will be," she says with exasperation in her voice, "but what do you know of the place? Is it in your charter?"

He does not smile, but seems amused. "No, Lady, I have no practical knowledge of your Amber. I do not know how to find it."

"I was hoping you could tell me what it is like. Apparently I have some relatives there, and someone who might have known my father....Tell me what are your cousin and aunt like. You mentioned that your aunt is a seer?"

"A Wind-seer, yes. She is very old now, and holds counsel on the Mountain only once a week. The rest of the time she stays in a warm cave and bickers with my mother. Ilie is her only son, born late to her. He is my right hand."

"I met Ilie the other night, after the fight with the beholders. He was helpful in restraining Cecily," Stark shakes her head, "I don't understand how a fighter like her can hate needles so much. He seems like a good person to have on your side. I like his sense of humor."

Dragos looks non-plussed. "Ilie has a sense of humor?"

"He seemed very amused about having to hold Cecily down so I could give her a shot, but she didn't fret about having her insides hanging out. He also made some comment about liking a race that picks on its weak. Its hard to explain, but we teased Cecily a little about this."

"Ah..." Dragos says in a musing tone. "It was only partially a joke, then."

Stark is quite for a few minutes after realizing what Dragos meant. Does he pick up the conversaton or is he content to remain quiet?

For now he's content to remain silent. But soon you realize that you are walking beside a burbling stream, and very quickly, you come across a small lake bounded by three large green hills.

"Here we are," Dragos says, bowing with a flourish.

Stark smiles at the pretty vista and the flourish. "This is a very pretty place you live in Dragos." Stark leads the horses to water and makes sure they are well watered. She then takes them to a grassy patch and lets them graze. She rummages through the saddle bags and pulls out some clean clothing and some soap. She pulls out two Snicker bars and starts eating one and offers the other to Dragos.

He takes it and sniffs carefully at it (once he follows her example and opens the wrapper). He takes a bite, and his eyes widen. "Great Mountain of Ten Winds," he swears through his first mouthful. "What is this?"

Stark snorts and tries unsuccessfully not to giggle, "Its called a candy bar...don't tell me you don't have chocolate."

"No..." He chews and swallows. "Sweet." He looks around and scoops some water out of the lake to drink.

Stark regains her composure, "I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I love chocolate, these candybars make nice snacks. Would you like a piece of fruit instead?"

He shakes his head. "I'm... fine..." he says, a strangely disgruntled expression on his face. "Would you prefer to camp here, or keep walking?" "This is a beautiful site, but it sounds like time is of the essense,

why don't we continue walking after I wash up. That will give the horses a little time to rest."

He nods. "I will wash too." He immediately strips down to a loincloth.

Stark pulls out seem clean clothes from the saddlebag as she tries to regain her composure.

"O.K. Do you want me to go somewhere more secluded?"

He gives her a blank stare. "Why?" And then launches himself off the ground, flying high up-- then folds his wings in tight to his body and dives down into the water.

Stark climbs up on the rock and thinks for a moment. She jumps up off the rock, somersaults and yells right before she enters the water (in anticipation of the cold). She swims over to where Drago is.

He swims closer. "I could fly you up and let you dive, if you want," he offers, almost shyly.

"You wouldn't mind doing that? That would be awesome," she smiles in anticipated delight.

He does this thing, and several times, each time taking her higher. Each time, she shows no fear of the heights (after cliff diving in the Southern Seas, this still isn't as high). After the last dive she surfaces and laughs. The lines of tension from the last few days are completely gone. "That was completely excellent. Thank you. It was much better than cliff diving." She shivers as the cold of the water finally starts getting to her. "Can you swim underwater easily. It seems like your wings would get in the way."

He folds them in compactly and demonstrates by swimming underneath her and popping up behind her.

"Ah, but can you swim quickly with them?" she says somewhat flirtingly as she turns around splashes him and then stars swimming away as quickly as possible.

Stark is probably a little amazed/afraid at how this happens: he darts forward with a sort of feral grace and catches her in his arms, then pulls her under the water, swimming EXTREMELY fast to the other side of the lake. He seems to use his wings to swim. She pops up with him on the other side breathless but all right-- didn't even get water up her nose. He doesn't let Stark go, however, as he says, "Quickly enough, Lady," he says, his tone polite but his eyes a little dark.