fandomhighdorms | The Stables: Thursday evening

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The Stables: Thursday evening

Karal stood in Trenor's stall, grooming his horse in what was admittedly a not very successful attempt to take his mind off…things. Trenor was picking up on his tension, tail switching irritably back and forth as he stamped one foot.

Karal sighed. "I am sorry," he said quietly to the horse, who flicked an ear back at him.

:Sorry for what?: Altra appeared out of nowhere, which was a tendency he shared with ordinary cats. Ordinary cats, however, rarely brought paper wrapped bundles with them

He stared at it suspiciously. "What's that?"

:You probably didn't realise this,: the 'cat said, sounding extremely pleased with himself. :But today's your birthday.:

Karal blinked and stared at him. "No it's not."

:It is. You were born on the longest day of summer in Karse. Today is the longest day of summer here. Therefore it's your birthday. Open it.:

Karal did so, finding a handsome leatherbound notebook, a small box of Valdemaran chocolate, and a palm-sized statue of a Firecat. "Is this supposed to be you?" he laughed.

Altra rolled his eyes. :It's the first Firecat that Vkandis sent to one of the Kin. But you can pretend it's me, if that makes you happy.:

Karal settled on a hay bale to examine his gifts, smiling at Altra. "Thank you," he said quietly, touched that the 'cat had done this.

Altra simply looked smug.

[ooc: open if you like! Thread with Jaina locked to them, thanks...~~and I am just about to get dragged off to meeting hell, for what I suspect may be a couple of hours, but I will be back!~~ I escaped!]

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Jaina was glad to see she wasn't the first one down to the stables, because hanging out with a horse she'd only met as human might have been a little awkward. "Hi," she greeted him. Well, them.

Trenor whickered and pricked his ears forward, stretching his nose towards her over the stall door. Karal looked up and smiled. "Jaina, hello, and I guess that he does remember you," he said, setting his things down and hopping off the hay bale.

Jaina looked up at the horse, grinning. "Trenor, you've changed."

"How's it going?" she asked Karal.

Trenor was stretching as far over the door as he could go, looking imploringly at Jaina, and Karal had to laugh. "He has and it goes well. Apparently today is my birthday." He still sounded surprised about that as he fetched a lead rope and clipped it to Trenro's halter. "Will I bring him out so you can say hello properly?"

"Oh. So it's like a surprise. Happy birthday... apparently," she said. "And yes, please, bring him out."

"It was," he agreed, opening the stall door and leading Trenor out. The horse immediately walked over, pretty much ignoring Karal, and started snurfling Jaina. "Trenor! Manners, please." Karal tugged gently on the rope. "He definitely remembers you."

"I'm honored," she said, though she knew that if he leaned on her today, that might pose a problem. "Can I pet him?"

"Of course! You have not had much to do with horses before have you?" he asked, slipping his fingers through the cheek piece of the halter, just in case Trenor got any bright ideas, like leaning on her. "Just hold your hands out flat so he can sniff them, and he likes to have his forehead scratched."

Jaina held her hands out as instructed. "My brother's always been the animal person," she said. "But I think it's different when one hangs out in your room first."

"Yes," he said, shaking his head at the memory, "and that is just not something that I think happens anywhere but here. Though he looked quite content with you. Thank you again for caring for him." Trenor lipped at her hands delicately, whiskers brushing against her skin as he searched for treats. When he didn't find any, he sighed again, ears flopping to the sides, and nudged her gently. "That means he would like you to pat him."

She reached her hand out to pet him gently, kind of wishing for the first time she had Jacen's knack with this. "You'll have to tell me if I'm doing this wrong," she said, like Trenor wouldn't have the opportunity to do that first. "And it was no problem. He's good company."

"He is, even as a horse. Err, even when he is horse shaped." Trenor pressed against her hand, eyes closed in apparent bliss as Jaina patted him, and shifted a little bit closer to her, pulling at Karal's arm. "I'm not sure you can do it wrong," he said, smiling as he watched Trenor. "He is quite taken with you."

"Good. I like him myself," she said, smiling at Trenor. "I think my first horse-shaped experience is going pretty well. I'm completely surprised by this."

"You have never met a horse at all?" he asked, surprised, though he knew he shouldn't have been, "Well, you are a natural with Trenor at least." Trenor bobbed his head in what might have been agreement - except he was just a horse, and didn't understand English - and stepped forward to press his forehead against Jaina's front. Karal very quickly let go of his halter. "If he bothers you, tell me, please. He is getting over used to having only humans for company."

Jaina hadn't expected that, and laughed. "Wow, hi. It's okay. We have animals like this by me- kind of- but I've never really been around them, except for the zoos," she explained. "Is there anywhere you can take him nearby? Where he'd be around other horses for a little while?"

"I don't know," he answered thoughtfully. Trenor looked quite happy to stay where he was. "I, maybe. There were horses in New York, in Central Park. It is a shame there is no livery stable on the island, and then Trenor would have company and others could come riding with me." He could feel himself go a bit pink, but he ignored it. "Would you like to try riding him some time?"

"Sure," she said, surprised at herself. But she actually really liked Trenor. "I'll probably fall off at least once, but I'm sure that won't be too bad, right?" She was mostly joking about that.

"It is said that you cannot be a truly great horseman or horsewoman unless you have fallen off at least fifty times," he made a face and stroked Trenor's neck, who lifted his head, ears flicking back and forth as he looked around the stable, "but I think we can skip that, since you will be riding for fun. He will look after you, and if you ride on the beach the sand is soft if you fall," he said with a smile, "but I do not think you will."

[oops!]

"I think that's a good plan and one that needs to happen," she said, trying to follow Trenor's gaze to see what was so interesting. "It would probably be the only time I would fall off and want to apologize to the horse."

[I saw nothing.]

Which just made Karal laugh, and he pressed his forehead against Trenor's neck as Altra wandered into view. "Yes, I think that would be a first," he chuckled. "I promise, he willl not be offended if you do. This weekend, well, I doubt I will have time, but perhaps next week would work."

The Firecat ambled over and rubbed against Trenor's legs, before stopping in front of Jaina and looking up at her expectantly. "And now you have a quandary. Do you pat the horse, or Altra?"

"Next week is good," she said, and looked from Trenor to Altra and back. "This isn't fair, you two. I have two hands, but there's a height discrepancy."

:I can fix that,: Altra snickered, and leapt gracefully up to the top of the stall wall, putting himself about even with Jaina's shoulder, tail idly flicking back and forth. Trenor stretched out his neck to whuffle the 'cat's fur.

Karal grinned. "I think Altra is trying to make your life easier, or perhaps his own."

And with that, Jaina could reach over to pet them both. "If I told people back home I was doing spoiling your animals, they wouldn't believe me," she said. "You should all feel special."

Altra looked smug. :I am special:

Karal hid a smile. "It can be our secret," he promised as Trenor leaned into Jaina and Altra purred. "I'm sure they do. And please, feel free to visit with Trenor if you ever wish to. He would be glad of your company. I don't spend as much time with him as I should."

"Thanks. I'll definitely have to check in on him every now and then," she said, and not taking her hands away from Trenor or Altra yet, said, "I should probably be getting back. Let you all have some quality time."

Which made both Altra and Trenor very happy, as they were enjoying the attention. "I should head back as well. There are things I must do tonight that will not get done if I am here. But," he leaned against Trenor's shoulder, "I may stay, just for a little while. Thank you for coming to meet him, Jaina."

"A couple minutes probably won't hurt." Jaina finally pulled her hands back. "Thanks for letting me. I'll see you all later. And happy birthday again."

"Thank you. I don't feel any older, but I guess I am." Trenor looked at her sadly as she pulled her hand away and Karal tugged on his ear. "No moping. I am sure Jaina will be back. Until then you can survive with just myself and Altra." He smiled at Jaina as Trenor heaved another long sigh. "Ignore him, please, and enjoy the rest of your night."

They so wouldn't believe this back home. "You, too," she grinned, and with a little wave, turned to head back.

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The Stables: Thursday evening

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