The return trip had been an easy one, for Salvia knew the route home by scent alone. She did not stop except to rest the horse and sleep for short periods of time, but always wary, always with one-eye open. Instinctively she was wary, and Sirius’ teachings had taught her this was not foolishness. As long as she maintained an appearance that spoke of nothing but confidence, however, she would rise. This showed even as she approached the barn, doubly-so when Odessa appeared.
Salvia dismounted in one fluid movement and exchanged the muzzle-to-muzzle greeting with her cousin. Mischievous light burned in her eyes. “Oh, wonderful. I hope you can come next time, it’s so strange there. Father was brilliant, though,” she added, pleased to have seen why it was Sirius trusted the dark man with such a long absence from the pack. One hand took the reins. Salvia spoke as she walked, leading the horse into the barn. “You should be happy, too,” the girl went on. “That cart you mentioned to me will be arriving when they return.”
She flipped open the handle to the stall’s crude door and took the gelding in. With practiced ease, he removed his bridle and went to the straps of the saddle. A strong girl, Salvia hoisted this (along with the weighty saddle-bags) onto her shoulder before heading out of the stall. “Can you close that, Dessa?” She called back.
#sal-tiger {
font-family:'times new roman', times, serif;
font-size:14px;
width:95%;
margin:0px auto;
line-height:18px;
}
#sal-tiger p {
text-indent:50px;
padding:0;
margin:10px 0;
}
#sal-tiger p.anatole-img {
text-align:center;
text-indent:0;
font-size:11px;
font-style:italic;
float:right; margin:5px;
}
#sal-tiger .txtooc {
text-align:left;
font-size:12px;
font-family:georgia, serif;
text-transform:none;
font-style:italic;
font-weight:normal; }
#sal-tiger .txtooc .word { font-weight:bold; font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-style:normal;}
#sal-tiger b { letter-spacing:-.5px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 12px; }
#sal-tiger u { text-decoration: none; border-bottom:1px dotted #000000; }
#sal-tiger b.npc { letter-spacing:.5px; font-style:italic; font-weight:normal; }
</style>[/html]