Swentzle was moving slowly, riding atop Hamza rather than walking beside him, with bags hanging from the bison's sides before and behind him. Hamza was calmer than he had been the past few days, probably due to the return of the old routine; the buffalo had not liked pulling the wagon, and Swentzle had decided he would train him more slowly next time--though he would keep up the training, as Antiman had paid dearly for that wagon and to not use it would be akin to spitting in his old friend's face. Hamza seemed to prefer bearing a rider, though, and Swentzle would remember that when the time came.
He had enough provisions with him to spend perhaps eight nights away from Ichika, though he hoped he wouldn't be away so long; Irinei still needed close attention, and Swentzle hesitated at leaving him even for this short trip. He'd left for a reason, though, and been reassured repeatedly that Irinei would be fine with only Fovea and Citlali for company. And Swentzle felt a desperate urge to make this journey back to Halifax; he wasn't quite sure what it was, but something was drawing him there. Perhaps in the daylight, things would make more sense, as he would be able to see clearly; and perhaps not. Either way, he had to know.
Something cold and wet landed on his nose, and he turned his eyes skyward, squinting up as the snow began to fall. Hamza bellowed beneath him, and Swentzle heaved a sigh before sliding nimbly from the bison's back, moving around to pat his neck and face and murmur encouraging words. Swentzle, and his companions, had grown up in an area where snow was rare, and so the site of it now--and perhaps the sense that there would be a lot more of it than they were used to--frightened Hamza to the point of refusing to go on. Swentzle led the frightened beast to a more covered area beneath the trees, and settled down to wait out the fit; perhaps Hamza would change his mind before the snow stopped. Perhaps not.
Either way, Swentzle had the feeling they wouldn't be going anywhere for a good, long while.
and when you're fingers ache remember you were born for this".
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