Thanks for the thread! =)

Word Count → 563

Hati Catori was at the stables again, finding himself drawn irresistibly to the warm scents of hay bales and horsehide. Since his first riding lesson with Alder and the mighty Hawthorn, Hati's confidence had grown a little, and he was visiting more and more frequently. He still did not have a horse of his very own, though, and he was beginning to chafe under all the bragging his brother did about the lovely mare Hwin. Still, he didn't feel right asking Alder or his father for his own horse until he knew how to properly ride horseback, so he would have to be patient and continue practicing on the stable's communal horses, namely Jolie.

The midnight-furred wolfdog padded lightly through the barn, hoping to catch sight of Alder today. But the stablemaster was out, presumably riding, and it seemed all the horses were out grazing as well, judging by the empty stalls. It was midday and the sun was high in the sky, early summer warmth making the air pleasant if a bit humid. Hati emerged from the gloom of the stable, bright light momentarily blinding. He blinked rapidly, pale eyes watering as he raised his arm to shade them. He was growing more accustomed to the dark of night, but horses were diurnal, so he would have to tread both worlds as he matured. The fenced pasture was nearby, the dappled herd gathered to graze peacefully or nap under the warm sunlight.

Hati's eyes slowly adjusted to the bright outdoors, and he observed that the paddock's water trough was nearly empty. Obediently, the youth ducked back into the stables to find a metal bucket, hanging on the wall near the saddles and bridles. He carried it outside for a short walk, locating the river they used to cool down the horses on days like this one. He knelt to fill it with the cool water, hoisting it up with a bit of difficulty. His youthful frame did not have much strength to it, and he had not been shifting long enough to build any muscles. A determined look settled on his face, and he gritted his teeth, carrying the heavy bucket back up the slope towards the pasture. It sloshed water on his feet with each step he took, but it could not be helped. The horses would get dehydrated, and Alder was not in to tend to them. Hati had too great a sense of responsibility to simply wait for someone else to do it.

Finally he arrived at the fence, clambering awkwardly over the wooden slats of the enclosure, and then stretched his arms underneath to drag the water bucket through. He hoisted the rusty handle up again, laboriously carrying it to its final destination, where he dumped it in the trough. The fresh water spilled into the basin, the noise attracting several of the more outgoing horses. Hati leaned against the trough to catch his breath, sweat beading up on his nosetip. He was trying to pick up more chores around the stables, with the hope that his presence would endear him to some of the horses that resided there, and he might meet the one that would become his partner. So far the herd mostly regarded the quiet wolfdog with indifference, so he had a long way to go to build the kind of rapport that Alder had.

Ahh my post lengths are really inconsistent, don't ever fret about matching them. xD You'll make me look bad. Also I was jealous of your pretty horse table so I made one for me??

Word Count → 428

Hati slowly caught his breath, rubbing the ache in his shoulder he earned from carrying the bucket uphill. He needed to toughen up if he wanted to be of use around the horses; they were all so large, and the chores required strength to complete adequately. The time he spent reading his books was not doing his body any favors, even if it helped him hone his knowledge of the animals. He did not want Alder to see him as a child. He blinked in surprise, noticing one horse heading straight for the trough. The wolfdog edged subtly to one side, giving the young stallion ample space to take his drink. The chestnut horse seemed worn out, though recently groomed, so the dark sweat did not stain his hide as some of the other horses in the pasture were showing. Hesitantly, Hati reached out his hand, attempting to pat the sorrel colt on the neck, something he had learned on Hawthorn.

It was then the colt's trainer addressed him, surprising him from his respite. Hati stared at the dark-mottled wolf standing head and shoulders taller than him. For once, his sharp mind drew a blank; he did not know the male's name, and memorizing the names and ranks of his packmates was something the studious prince took pride in. That meant the male was a newer member, one who kept to himself... could he be one of the refugees from the disbandment of the Crimson Dreams pack? Yes, Lottie had been with their father when he accepted several of their allies last month, and she had been overjoyed to share the story of the charismatic young couple and their handsome horse. Alas, the name was beyond his powers of recollection, and he had to admit defeat despite how close he had gotten.

Straightening his posture, Hati attempted to look presentable, quickly brushing the stable dust from his midnight fur. "Ah... yes, the water trough is almost empty, and the stablemaster is out. I was just trying to help, but the bucket was heavier than I expected..." His excuse sounded weak in even his ears, and he frowned, pale eyes registering disdain. He shouldn't ask someone he had never met before for help with a simple chore, regardless of how muscular they may be. "My name is Hati Catori, son of the king Vigilante Haskel. I believe you met my sister Charlotte, but she didn't happen to mention your name..." He extended his hand in greeting the way he had been taught, hoping he could salvage his first impression.

Of course, Alli makes all my favorite tables! xD

Word Count → 428

The horse allowed Hati to touch him, his hide warm from the sun and the physical exertion he must have completed. Hati quietly marveled at the thick muscles rippling beneath the skin as the colt drank, petting him gingerly until he pulled back. The horse whinnied, a loud sound when he was so close, causing Hati to flinch a little. It was obvious the young wolfdog did not have a lot of hands-on experience with equines, though just as obvious that he loved being around them.

The older male accepted his handshake, his grip firm and friendly. Hati felt a small inward sigh of relief now that his introduction had been accepted, though his formal demeanor remained. "Avec plaisir, Silvano. I trust the Court has been treating you and your mate well? Lottie was far too busy telling me all about your noble steed to mention much else. I see she wasn't exaggerating, he is quite majestic." All three littermates loved horses, a byproduct of growing up in the Court where their stables were a source of pride. Nearly all of their members knew how to ride, and it seemed more common for them each to own their own mount than it was not to. Skoll had his own mare already, but Hati and Charlotte were still waiting. Hati smiled in admiration of Silvano's mount, jumping a little when the horse suddenly stamped his hoof down, and assumed a very demanding pose. The youth stepped quickly to Silvano's side, not wanting to incite the colt's temper by his proximity.

"I don't want the herd to get dehydrated. Erm, if you don't mind, some assistance would make the job go faster... There are more buckets inside the barn, and we can walk down the hill to the river and carry it back. I was just taking a little break," he added, setting his ears back apprehensively. He didn't want to seem lazy, asking his packmate to work when he was lounging around doing nothing. He quickly grabbed the bucket from where it was resting in the grass, darting to the paddock gate and hoping the dark-furred male would follow him. Taking charge was distressing to Hati, but he was trying to become more assertive as he grew into adulthood. Silvano was new to the pack, which meant he did not see Hati as a pup like many of the long term residents did. It was a chance for him to step up and show his maturity, even if the moment had already been sullied by his need for help.

8)

Word Count → 535

Silvano's words tugged at his heartstrings. Hati had been born here in the kingdom of the Cour des Miracles, and all of his family was here as well -- from his oldest siblings to his little niece and nephew, the littermates he spent every moment of his childhood with, and of course his mother and father. He could not even fathom what a blow it would be if his home dissolved the way Silvano's had, everyone he ever knew scattering to the winds. How horrible. He had not considered it from that point of view before, and it was startling. "I am so sorry for your loss," he said gravely, genuinely upset. His ears fell back, and he continued quietly, "You can stay here as long as you want, though, we'll be here forever." His arched tail swayed slowly with what he hoped were words of reassurance. He firmly believed it; nothing could shake this pack, especially not with his father as the King. And Hati would never leave them, his loyalty was unshakeable. "If you need help with anything, you can ask me. I'll do my best."

He felt Silvano's hand on his shoulder and relaxed imperceptibly, though he was more relieved when they started moving together away from the unhappy colt. He silently promised to return soon and make it better; the horse's discomfort made Hati uneasy, even if Silvano assured him it was not serious. "It shouldn't take many trips with your assistance. A pond would be a good idea, but you'd have to ask Alder about that, he's the Marshall in charge of everything here." There was a note of admiration in his voice, the overt respect he had for the tall coywolf. He hoped Alder would be happy that he and Silvano helped out. They padded from the barn toward the river, a short walk under the warm sun.

"Yes, I like horses a lot," he answered quickly, smiling to himself as he echoed words he had spoken before. He dipped the bucket into the clear running water, waiting for his packmate to do the same as he spoke. "So do my brother and sister. Someday I want to find a horse to be my partner... How did you find your stallion?" he asked, intent on hearing the story. He did not know where his future horse would come from, whether they would be in the wild and their paths would cross by sheer luck, if they belonged to another pack and had to be bought or traded for, or any of the other stories he had dutifully committed to memory. Maybe his horse had not been born yet, and he could help raise them and forge the strongest bond possible. He had been thinking about it frequently, every time he was drawn to the stables. He was patient and used to waiting longer than his siblings for good things, but he could not keep that little glimmer of hope from rising in his chest every time he saw the dappled herd out in that pasture, or the long muzzles peeking out curiously over stall doors. Surely one of them, one day, would have that special quality that spoke to him.

Ahh it's pretty, I love the color scheme! <3

Word Count → 547

"I hope you do," the wolfdog responded in gratitude. Hati was pleased; Silvano had accepted his offer of help, and that made them friends. He hoped he could be of actual use to the mottled wolf, and reciprocate his assistance today in some way. Hati didn't have many friends since his life was so family-centric -- almost everyone he knew here in the kingdom was related to him, and it made him anxious to try and reach out to those that were not. Today was a marked victory.

Hati didn't know whose son Alder was, and he had not really considered where Alder had come from. Everyone came from somewhere else if they had not been born in the Court like he had, but they all seemed like such permanent fixtures in his mind since he had grown up with them. "Alder, he's really tall, with a black mask marking over his eyes...? He's amazing with horses, he's teaching me how to ride." The obvious reverence in his voice grew; Alder was everything he wanted to be, strong and confident and talented. "You two were packmates before, and now you are again?" He asked with a smile, pleased that they could have a reunion. Perhaps Silvano would not be lonely if he had more friends from Crimson Dreams. Surely Alder would be happy to see him again. Hati found himself lost in thought as they began the trek uphill, his tired arms swinging the bucket a little too much, sloshing some water on his feet.

The war. Silvano did not have to elaborate on what war that was; the conflict with the Tribe had deeply affected both of their homes, leading them to an alliance. Ripples spread further than the actual battles and injuries sustained; Hati and his siblings had been born amidst the strife, and their father the King was called away when they were days old. He eventually returned to them unscathed, and tried to make up for lost time, but his absence during their development had affected Hati in particular; he found his father to be intimidating and difficult to approach, a stranger at first, and he clung to his mother's soothing influence instead of trying to reach out to both parents. He was aware of what caused their rift, but he did not feel comfortable trying to forge a new bond or repairing their old one. He frowned, troubled by this. Every family had their issues to deal with.

Reaching their destination, he hoisted the bucket into the trough, dumping his remaining water with a splash. Satisfied that he had helped, he let his mulling thoughts process the male's story. The blizzard must have been before he was born, so the chestnut horse was older than him. "So he came from AniWaya stock... Are all their horses as beautiful as Heritage?" Hati asked seriously, watching as Silvano patted the colt's nose. He was understandably nervous when it came to the tribal folk, but he had been reassured that they were peaceful now, and had overturned the warmonger leader. If their herd was that majestic, perhaps it would be worth visiting them and trying to strike up a deal the way Silvano and his father had done. Maybe he could find his special horse...

That was no wait at all! xD Silly~

Word Count → 411

"You're older than him..." Hati mused, mildly surprised. Silvano was tall and hard-muscled, clearly looking the part of a fit and competent adult. It wasn't that he seemed younger, it was just that Alder seemed older than he really was; he cast such an air of maturity and patience, it was as though he had a wise old soul. Again Hati was reminded that he did not know much about his packmates past their names and ranks, which was not such useful information when it came to meeting them face to face. "Does that mean you played together when you were little?" he asked with a wave of his tail, intent on learning more about the former Dreamers. "How long has it been since you last saw each other?"

Heritage seemed to take part in the conversation, nudging against his wolf partner before lowering his head to drink. Hati smiled at the colt, pleased to see the results of their labor paying off already. The stamping of the hooves, the agitated whinnying, it had already dissipated. "I... I suppose I could ask Father... if he's not too busy," he said softly, ears falling back. It was hard to approach the King. He and his father were both private, solemn creatures, and things were very formal between them. Perhaps later, once he was confident in his ability to ride and care for a horse, then he would be able to ask for that favor.

Silvano posed a question he had not really considered before: what would he do once he found his horse? He wanted one so much, and yet he had not planned much of anything. It did not take him long to find the answer, though. He scooped up his emptied bucket and began the trek again. The chores were more fun with someone to talk to. "I'd spend all my time with that horse, until we were best friends," he said sincerely. It wasn't transportation or entertainment he wanted, it was the bond of a companion animal. Niro and his golden eagle had that bond, as did Alder and his shire stallion. Hati had never been that close to anyone -- perhaps his mother, but he could feel her subtly pushing him to stand on his own as he grew older. He did not have a first crush yet, or anyone he felt close enough to confide in, but he knew a horse would fill that void for him.