The way the white-furred girl defended her horse amused Vesper, but from her vantage point she could see that the pair had a bond. A paw absently rubbed the horse’s off-white neck and back, and she seemed to understand the stallion’s noises and gestures. It was unusual, but the concept of friendship was familiar even if the interaction of two very different species wasn’t. The coywolf was still astounded that prey and predator could cooperate like this.
Leigha was eager to explain how she met the pony; as always, she began to ramble on and on. Her story was interesting, however, and the hybrid stopped criticizing the details for a moment. She tried to imagine the merchants and the loads piled on the horses’ backs, and her ears pricked in interest when the book of languages was mentioned.
The pale luperci suddenly smacked her forehead. “I ranted on didn’t I?” she asked, and Vesper chuckled.
“Frankly, sweetheart, I’ve gotten used to it.”
She continued to smirk until the she-wolf moved, coming to the pony’s side and asking if Ves knew how they rode horses. The hybrid was about to snap that she hadn’t asked that question, but at the same time, her curiosity had flared up again. She stepped back when Leigha mounted Archie, fingers curled in his mane as her legs pressed close to his flanks.
Leigha asked her if she wanted to run with them, and Vesper sighed. She almost thought about declining, but she wouldn’t pass up a chance to see the girl make a fool of herself on horseback.
“You look so awkward,” the tawny female teased, but she only did so for a heartbeat before breaking out into an uncertain trot. “Let’s go, I guess. Watch out for the tombstones; I imagine it’s a little dark for a gallop.” At least, she’d hoped so back when she thought the stallion was going to attack her.
