01-20-2010, 02:29 PM
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Word Count: 477 - SoSuWriMo As the sound of a howl reached Dawali's ears he quickly signaled Belle to halt, and the well-trained horse did so immediately. He had just been heading back to get her settled back into the stable, having no further need for using her that day. She had helped him haul some large logs, as he was slowly repairing the fences around the area. Or perhaps not repairing, but more specifically improving them. He had a bull, now. He had kept it among the horses in the stable, but he did not seem happy there, nor did the horses approve of his presence. Though the indignant horses amused him to some extent, he knew that sooner or later he would need a separate place for the bull to live. And so he had started to spend his winter days collecting logs that had already fallen and needed little.. persuasion to be separated from their roots. Belle, his always preferred companion when doing work such as this, had hauled them from the heavier forest to a place he had cleared. There were several large logs there already, though he would not begin to build the fence during winter. The ground was as hard as solid stone, and there was no way he had the patience to try and best it when the solution was merely to wait for spring. He signaled to the horse to turn back, and the rider and his horse headed for the borders. He was the Chief, and though he was tired now, he could not neglect his duties. Besides, he should really consider it an honor to have these obligations anyway. He had not been chosen by the spirits like Ayegali, but in times of need someone had to step up. The forces of this world had yet to punish him, and so it seemed to him that he was approved by them, at least for the time being. Gvihita soared overhead, quickly flying out of his view and towards the stranger. He knew very well when she had found them, for the images were clear as day. A stranger - with a horse? Horses! Several, how interesting. Dawali was quite used to being one of the very few who kept horses (though he knew that Cour des Miracles did so as well, he was not sure how common it was, still), and so this came as a surprise to him. Then again, he could hardly think that his tribe was among the only ones in this large world that had discovered the many uses these animals could be put to. That would be arrogant. It did not take long to reach where their scents thinned out and mixed with that of unclaimed land. Their highest fence (though human-made) marked what he considered their border, and by it stood a strange male. Gvihita flew in circles around him, far up above where eagles best enjoyed themselves. Signaling to Belle to start moving slower, Dawali was uncertain at which distance to stop. Sometimes, horses did not approve of other, strange horses, and that stallion looked mighty fierce. Then again, he seemed to be strapped to some sort of.. device. The chief did not know what it was for, but it was probably good for something. If he was lucky, this traveler might share its secrets with his tribe. Smiling, Dawali waited until he was close enough for normal speech, and greeted, though he did not step down from atop the horse. He found that it felt safer to be on top of it — he had heard there was war in the north, and he was increasingly nervous when strangers lurked at their borders. "Hello, there. I'm Dawali, Chief of the tribe whose lands you're currently standing on." He left it at that. The other would understand his inquiry even if it was not a direct question. |