I will search the world

[Skoll Haskel]

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Word Count → 555 :: Excited for this; I'm sure they'll get along. xD

After a lot of practice simply sitting on her back as she walked and eventually riding her around the pasture, Skoll had gotten the confidence to saddle up his gift mare and head into the neutral territories. He had traveled into the hills before in his large secui shape, finding the lost puppy there, but it seemed even safer to be atop a horse. It made him feel like a knight, even if he had no weapons and the bay sabino only moved at a leisurely walk, but it was one step toward galloping valiantly throughout the lands, right?

He shifted in the saddle, looking out at the lovely scenery of spring. Soon he and Terra would go explore the entire region, meeting all the different packs and finding treasure and probably causing a whole host of trouble, but he was content to be by himself just a little ways away from the Kingdom for now. He didn’t really need to trick bears or meet the strange packs of the north if he had an entire expanse of hills to ride across.

Gingerly, he tapped his heels in their stirrups against the mare’s flanks. Hwin picked up her pace, and he accommodated for the new gait before kicking her again. He crouched low, his fingers tangled in the reins and in her dark hair as they began to race through the green fields. Eventually, he whooped and lifted his hands in exhilaration, but she leaped a ditch and he was nearly jarred from his seat.

As he clutched her, reduced to a clumsy boy once more, she slowed down to a trot and began to munch at the fresh grass. He tugged at her reins, but he was afraid of hurting her, and her stubbornness only revealed itself more and more each time they butted heads.

“Fine,” the young Haskel relented, sure to spit the word crossly, but his hand was gentle as he patted her shoulder and dismounted—dropping from the saddle and landing on his butt. Hwin blinked at him then went back to grazing, and he managed to fight her head to get the bridle off and the bit out of her mouth so it wouldn’t bother her. He’d learned a trick to hobble her so she wouldn’t wander too far, being very, very cautious in tying rope around her ankles, but she didn’t fuss.

That danger over, he sighed and pushed his blonde mane out of his face before scanning the area. Maybe he could shift and catch some rabbits—but there was a big tree not too far. His tongue lolled as he grinned, and with a merry farewell to his horse, he loped toward the tree.

Skoll was surprised to see someone already occupying the shade, though. He slowed down, pricking his ears. It was a lady in a dress, with snowy-white fur and mahogany hair. He wasn’t yet at the age where he truly noticed girls, but he categorized her as pretty well enough.

“Hello, ma’am,” the sun prince greeted as he came a little closer, remembering his courtesies. The last time he’d made an effort to be polite, Cercatori d’Arte had given him a horse. He grinned slightly and offered a gallant little bow, knowing that some of his pack mates would whack him for being over-the-top.