Hati felt better having escaped from his household and the gloom that pervaded every corner of it. Dreams were dreams, he could leave their nonsense behind when he slipped out of bed. But even that simple relief brought a new wave of guilt; to be a good son, shouldn't he be at his mother's side while she recovered? He gritted his teeth, scrubbing at the tears that had sprung unbidden to his eyes. He just wanted Ayita to be all right again. The healing process took too long, and it was wearing everyone thin. He couldn't talk to Skoll about it, because they were not on speaking terms, nor could he approach his father. It was lonely at home. All he had to look forward to was the stables. This place was everything to him, the herd like a second family that never put pressure on him. And Alder... Alder made him want to try harder every day, made even the simplest lessons feel like a victory. He wished he could spend all his time here and never have to face the stress outside.
Gradually the sniffling subsided, as he was calmed by the sweet hay scent around him. Crying wasn't going to make his problems go away, even if it was cathartic. Hati slowly uncurled his body, resting his chin wearily on the hay bale. He didn't want to think about anything else anymore, he couldn't handle it. He would just take his time here today, unwind, and -- was that laughter? Dark ears perked forward, catching the unmistakable rumble of Alder's timbre. Hati felt a quick flutter of nerves, and he compulsively smoothed back his mane, picking the loose bits of straw from his pelt. It was hard to break the self-conscious habits, even if their work here was often dirty. Were his eyes puffy? He would be mortified to be caught crying by Alder. If the Marshall was nearby, it was lucky Hati's arrival had gone unnoticed.
Slowly, quietly, he slunk down the ladder, peering around the stables for his teacher. The morning air was already heavy with humidity, and all the barn doors were open to promote some sort of circulation. In the bright summer sunlight he could see the shapes of horse and master just outside. Alder's good mood was magnetic. Hati padded toward the pair, hopeful that he would be greeted with a smile just for him. That would make today worth waking up for.
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