Word Count: 573. Sorry for the delay.
Cooperation is a necessary part of interaction. Whether among your own kind or among others, knowing how to compromise and adapt is invaluable. Grace Galaxy knew this. Pulling a cart would be difficult for her, but much easier for a horse. Flying around and scouting was an impossible task for a canine, but for a crow, it was quite simple. Not to say that she formed her alliances based on skills that she could use; no, that would be too calculating, and she was not. Rather, she tried to be kind and reasonable to all, with the knowledge that this may open her life up to new and beneficial experiences, for both herself and others. She had saved Taj out of empathy; now, he was a good friend, and a good scout. She had chosen Layla as a mount, but she treated her as a friend, with love and kindness, and the mare returned the good will in kind. It was karma. Put good in, get good out.
"You know, Taj," came a voice from inside one of the horse stalls. "I didn't think that you could learn to speak." The crow sitting on the stall door cawed, in the same way that a luperci might have shrugged their shoulders. His blonde friend looked up from her curry comb, tilting her head a little. "No, I suppose that you don't know how you managed, either. We've been together for a while, though. Perhaps you are turning a tad canine?" The reply caw was a playful disdain, preening. Grace laughed and tossed a little hay at him. Most of it missed, but one single piece landed on the crow's head, confusing him. Turquoise eyes alight with laughter, Grace put her curry comb down and slipped out of the stall. This was the last horse to be groomed. Nothing left to do for a while! She would just go home, relax, perhaps smoke a bowl...
A call rang out from the border. Grace swore - was the trader from Casa di Cavalieri here already? She took a moment to pout, then sighed and opened a stall. A chestnut mare opened one eye lazily; freshly groomed, she'd been napping. "C'mon, Lay, we gotta go." The horse made a sound of annoyance. Grace gave her a look. "Layla. Let's go, now." The mare blinked a couple of times, made a sound like a sigh, and rose slowly from her resting place. Her horse-mistress smiled, rubbing her nose gently. "That's a girl, Lay. Trust me, I'd rather be chilling out, too." She saddled the mare quickly and mounted up. "Last call for a ride-along, Taj!" The crow landed on her head and leaned over to put his face in front of her eyes. "First!" Grace smiled at her avian friend, whose speech was not nearly as profluent as her own, yet his communication was very easy to understand. "Yes, also the first," she laughed agreeably.
They rode out the the source of the howl. Grace approached slowly; the girl seemed to be sleeping. Nearby was a cart, and two horses. She brought Layla to a halt and dismounted. "I know I don't have to tell you to stay, girl," she told Layla, who exhaled deeply in seeming acknowledgement. Crow still perched atop her crown, the blonde luperci approached the sleeping female and asked in a low voice, "Hi? Are you.. from Casa di Cavalieri? ... Are you even awake?"