riding--for Michael, but also open to others

[bloodofthehunt]

She'd left the pendant on after talking to him, but gone quickly upstairs to change into more casual clothes;jeans, boots, a short-sleeved blue shirt. Her hair tied back out of her eyes and braided

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[allknightlong]

Where was Michael? Michael was in the library frowning over a book. A big book with lots of brightly coloured pictures.

Thank god for pictures.

Of course, it is rather hard to see said pictures when a red flying thing parks its butt in the middle of the page.

Michael stared at it a moment. It stared back.

"Okay, I give in. What do you want?"

It continued to stare and sit in the middle of the page as if to prove the point that it could.

"What?"

It muttered something at him and a picture of Cerridwen, a horse and the stables appeared in his head. He glared at the red flying thing. "You coulda told me first up." Another muttered sound that clearly said 'I just did' and the the little thing flew off in a huff.

Michael closed the book and shoved it under one arm, heading up to his room to change. He pulled out the 'I brake for no-one' t-shirt - he'd actually grown quite fond of the silly thing, and put it on, along with a clean pair of jeans and his boots. The book got dumped on his nightstand.

A hop, skip and a jump, and he headed out to the stables.

[bloodofthehunt]

She's waiting just inside the stables' door. The place is half full,
and several of the horses, spotting her, are clearly hoping for treats if not exercise. She has apples in her pocket. Cerridwen cuts one into quarters, offers the white gelding she often rides a piece.

[allknightlong]

Michael opened the door to the stables and peered inside. He was immediately assailed by the warm smells of horse and hay. Several horses muttered as the door creaked.

He spotted Cerridwen by one fo the stalls and, smiling, walked up quietly behind and wrapped his arms around her, kissing gently and whispering in her ear. "Hello, gorgeous."

[bloodofthehunt]

She turned to look at him smiling. "Hello."
Moved off a little, glanced past him, still smiling. "See anything you like?"

[allknightlong]

He smiled, unable to resist.

"I see you."

[bloodofthehunt]

Mischievous grin. "Same here, but I don't think that's the sort of 'ride' we had in mind."

[allknightlong]

Arched eyebrow, but a smirk that disarmed it.

"Okay." He looked at the horses. "Oh, I dunno, do you see one that shouts 'Michael' to you?"

[bloodofthehunt]

She resisted the urge to facepalm.
"No. You pick on your own, except for the ones that have nameplates over their stalls--they're spoken for." She walked a short distance away. "I'll
take Firefall out for a run again this afternoon...I promised Gwydyr I'd see to it." She patted the Friesian's neck.

[allknightlong]

Shrug. "Okay." He wandered the length of the stalls, eyeing each of the horses. To be honest he didn't know that much about them. He had ridden a little, but more as an idle interest during his Academy years as a part of his training. Something he hadn't pursued.

One dark horse, a deep chocolate colour, whinnied at him and he paused.

The horse snickered.

"Oh really?"

It tossed its head a little, snorting.

"Your considered opinion, huh?" He wandered over to it. Another small whinny. He looked back at Cerridwen. "Either this one wants to kick me out of the barn or he wants to go for a run." Michael reached out a hand to let the horse smell him.

It sniffed a little delicately before snorting again and dribbling on his fingers. "Uh yeah."

[bloodofthehunt]

"True cupboard love," she laughs. "You feed me, I love you. They're insatiable little critters. Here," proffers one of the apple pieces.

[allknightlong]

He took the piece of fruit and offered it to the horse.

Instant vaccuum cleaner, he nearly lost his fingers to it.

"Okay, this one is definitely a fan of food." The horse snorted at him again and Michael addressed him. "These are fingers, choco-boy. Need them to do things like scratch." He demonstrated, runing his nails gently across the horse's coat. "See? If you eat them, I'm not gonna be able to do that."

'Choco-boy' winnied and Michael ended up with horse slobber on his nose.

He was about to comment on that, when there was a yip from the doorway and Rayne came barrelling in.

[bloodofthehunt]

Cerridwen struggles to keep a straight face. "Horses are greedy." She crouches, holding out a hand to Rayne. "Hi there. Where've you been?"

[allknightlong]

"She has probably been playing with the red flying things. They seem to have a thing going. They taunt her and she chases them. I did try to ask them why once, but all I got was an image of a pie being thrown in my face, so I haven't really followed up on it."

The horse ran out of apple and nudged Michael repeatedly as Rayne licked enthusiastically at Cerridwen's fingers, her tail wagging merrily.

[bloodofthehunt]

"Coming along with us, are you? All right." Smiling. She turned to Michael,
patting Rayne's head. "The tack room is this way..."

[allknightlong]

Michael followed Cerridwen, snapping his fingers gently at Rayne, who for once actually obeyed him and fell into line behind him with a little yip.

"So where did we want to ride?"

[bloodofthehunt]

"Oh.We can go almost anywhere, I hadn't really planned it out." Looks thoughtful. "Care to meet some of the Realm's friendlier 'citizens?'" thinking of the unicorns, or possibly leprechauns.
She looks at the tack, finding Firefall's saddle and bridle hung on a wall
peg.