Stables: Early Saturday AM [6-23-07]

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana hadn't slept very well with Jim gone, so she was up early and looking for something to do to distract herself. She made a quick stop to pick up some apples and headed to the stables to see Trenor.

She enjoyed her occasional stolen time with the horse. He reminded her of Donatello and the good times back home.


[OOC: Open]

Comments

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal was tired. He had barely slept last night, mind racing and stomach aching, because the answer he thought he'd found had slipped through his fingers like water when he's tried to pin it down.

But Trenor needed to be fed, regardless of everything else that was happening, and he was paying absolutely no attention as he slid open the stable door. "Good morning, Trenor," he said wearily.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana had been focused on talking to Trenor, stroking him and feeding him apples. She was completely caught off guard when the door opened and jumped at the sound of someone's voice.

She turned around and looked startled - and more than a little guilty - to see the horse's owner there. "Karal... hi. I was... Sorry..." Her voice trailed off and she just stood there looking uncertain.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal started and blinked at her. "Oh, Lana. Good morning. No, that's perfectly all right. You know you're welcome to visit him whenever you like." He mustered a smile, because no on else should have to deal with what was bothering him. "And I am slightly late with his breakfast, so I am sure he is happy you're here."

Trenor apparently agreed with the late sentiment, because he whickered and nudged his feed bucket with his nose.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

She relaxed a little and managed a smile. "I'm glad you're not upset. I don't usually run into anyone else when I stop by."

She stepped back to let Karal get to the feed bucket, then looked at him a little curiously. "Are you okay? You look, well, like you haven't been sleeping very well."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I am all right," he assured her, giving her another smile as he slipped into the stall, nudging Tenor out of the way, to retrieve his bucket. "Thank you for your concern, but I really am. And you? Are you well?"

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

She leaned against the wall and nodded, watching him go through the type of morning routine she knew so well. "Just... didn't sleep very well."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He nodded, slipping back out with Trenor's bucket and heading for the feed barrels. "Do you know why, if it's not rude to ask?" he asked, looking at her with concern.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

She blushed and ducked her head a little. "Jim, my boyfriend, is away and, well... I don't sleep as well when he's gone."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal slowly went red. "Oh, yes, well," he covered his embarrassment by lifting the lids off the grain and staring to scoop out a bit of each for Trenor, carefully measuring it out. "It is hard to sleep when things are different than you are used to."

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana was fascinated by the straw on the stable floor. "It is," she said quietly. "I... have nightmares. And when he's there I don't. Or if I do, when I wake up he's there and I know I'm safe."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Trenor bobbed his head up and down and whickered again, obviously not in the least interested in humans and who they slept with, except for he part where they weren't feeding him. "It is coming, Trenor!" he laughed, grateful for the horse's interruption, and finished dishing out his feed.

Karal pushed him back so he could hook the bucket back in place, and Trenor shoved his nose into it and started eating.

"I can understand how that would be difficult," he said quietly. "When we get used to feeling safe and secure, and then it's taken away...Do you know when he will return?"

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Tomorrow," she said with a smile. "So, not too long. I just have one more night to get through. I'll wear myself out today and hopefully be too tired to do anything but sleep tonight."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"That sounds like a very good idea," Karal said, scratching Trenor under the forelock and being completely ignored. "Nightmares can rarely make it past exhaustion. If I weren't occupied with something I cannot leave, I would take you out to ride Trenor."

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Really?" Lana asked breathlessly. "You'd take me - ?"

She smiled up at him. "Maybe another time...?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Certainly. It would be no trouble. It is only a pity that there are no other horses on the island, but yes. We will go out one day, perhaps to the preserve, and we can take it in turns," he said, oddly feeling like he wanted to save riding Trenor together for Molly. "Trenor won't mind."

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"I would love that," she said quietly. "I wish that you could meet my horse, wish I'd brought him along."

She sighed and shook her head. "He's better where he is. Clark takes good care of him and he's in a familiar place. He's too old for me to feel comfortable uprooting him."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"If Trenor had not settled so well, I would have sent him home." Karal patted him again, earning a flick of the ear. "Luckily he has, though, so we will go riding. I am not sure when, but you have my word that we will do so."

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"I trust you," Lana said. "And I truly appreciate it. As I do your letting me come visit him here."

Her hand stole out to stroke Trenor's long nose again, almost without her being aware of it. "So, you have plans for the day? Fun ones, I hope."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Necessary ones," he said quietly, walking over to close the lids on the grain, checking to ensure they were properly latched. "But I can leave Trenor, knowing he has someone to give him some attention today. Lana, could I ask you a favour, do you think?"

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Of course, Karal," Lana replied. "What can I do for you?"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I really need to get back to what I am working on." He ran a hand through his hair and down his face and smiled hopefully at her. "Would you mind waiting until Trenor has finished his breakfast and then letting him into his paddock? You just need to open the outside door to his stall and give him a nudge, and he'll go out."

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"I'd be glad to," Lana said happily. She smiled over at Trenor, who was too involved in his breakfast to pay much attention to anything else. "I can do that easily. And really, I'm glad to help out with him any time."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, Lana," he said gratefully, giving Trenor a last pat. "And now I truly should go. I hope your day goes well, and that you wear yourself out and sleep peacefully tonight."

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"You're very welcome," Lana said with another smile. "And thank you. I hope your plans work out well for you also."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"As do I." Karal's smile faltered just a bit. "Goodbye," he said, lifting a hand in farewell before slipping out through the stable door.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana watched him go with a worried expression on her face. His assurances aside, things didn't seem well with him. She made a mental note to check on him another time, then turned her attentions back to Trenor.

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin wanted to meet the horses, so he came with a box of sugar cubes to say hi. "Hi!"

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana smiled over at him. "Hello, Robin."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Hi Lana, I came to meet the horses, and I brought sugar."

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Well, there's only one as far as I know," Lana admitted. "Karal's horse, Trenor."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Then I should have lots of sugar left over." Robin giggled. One horse was better than none.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana waved towards Trenor. "Well, there he is."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Hi!" Robin waved to the horse, then hopped up onto the door of the stall. He fed a sugar cube to Trenor who seemed to like it. "Too much isn't good for them right? Just like people?"

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Right," Lana said. "Just a cube or two should be sufficient."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Got it." Robin gave Trenor one more cube, then patted his nose. "If you bring friends next time I'll give them some sugar too." He was, in fact, totally unaware that that could be taken dirty.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana blinked at him. "Are you talking to me or the horse?"

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"The horse." Robin said. "But if you want some," he held out the box of sugar cubes.

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

"Thanks, no," Lana said, waving the box away politely.

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Okay." He turned back to Trenor. "It was nice to meet you." he said. "Bye!"

[lovelylana.livejournal.com]

Lana smiled at him. "Take care, Robin. I'm sure I'll see you around."