Jan 08 03:47:56 107 PA - Visiting Summer Riddle
From Chronicles
Logfile from Rifts.
The current game time is: Sun Jan 08 03:47:56 107 PA. Kingsdale - Public Stables
Having bumped into Erica along the way, Sage ended up leading the way here. She pauses to give a small apologetic smile to the other woman, "I guess I must be feeling a little guilty for not seeing my horse in a little bit." She comments, before she considers the other woman. "Have you ever ridden one?" She asks after that brief pause, before reaching for the door to open it up.
Erica follows after Sage as she leads the way. "I'm sure your horse is being treated well. I have heard good things about here." She gnaws on her lower lip for a moment before shaking her head. "No I have never ridden a horse before. I have never been that good with animals I guess. I lived on a farm when I was little, but I didn't really deal with the animals too much."
"More than likely." Sage concedes before adding her admission, "But, I have a special connection with animals." She smiles softly to herself, before she pauses in the motion of opening the door to consider the other woman. "Would you like to?" She asks softly, "Perhaps not on your own... I could lead the horse or we could ride two to a saddle. If not, I'd understand." She comments, "And, I can just give Summer Riddle a treat." She waits long enough for the other woman to answer before opening the door to usher the way in.
Erica keeps gnawing on her lower lip before nodding her head. "I... I guess I could give it a try. As long as you don't expect me to really ride him or her." She offers Sage a quick although nervous smile before walking through the door. "Summer Riddle is a nice name for a horse. What kind treat do you usually give it?"
Once into the Stables, Sage begins to walk a familiar path towards a particular stall. She chuckles softly in response, "Well, if we ride together, you'd just need to hold on to me... otherwise you'd just need to hold on if I led the horse." She comments, before nodding with a smile. "I liked the name when I was looking for a good mount." She comments, "And, just a little apple and carrots." She glances to Erica with a slightly amused sparkle in her eyes. "Would you to feed her? It might help if you end up in the saddle alone." She can't help but chuckle a little at her mildly teasing ocmment.
Erica giggles and quickly sticks out her tongue at Sage playfully as she follows the other woman's lead. "Sure I'll give her a little food. I guess it will help us get to know each other and she'll be less likely to buck me off or something." She keeps giggling a little as she looks around the stable with wide eyes enjoying the sight of all the other animals.
A grin is flashed to Erica's response before Sage wanders up to the stall. "Summer." She calls softly, before being greeted by the horse peeking out of the stall. The breed of horse is a common one for those that just want a quality riding horse rather than anything showy. "At a girl..." She says encouragingly as she rubs the horse's nose before having to pull back as the horse begins to nose towards the pouch on her waist. "Hey!" She playfully protests, "I missed you too." She says teasingly to the horse with tone that's far too amused to be truly angry or disapproving." She glances back to Erica, "She knows the deal." She confides before she opens the poach to take out some carrot sticks and half an apple. "Take whatever you'd like to offer." She says holding out the offerings in her hands.
Erica's smile quickly widens as she watches the horse in the stall. She claps her hands together quickly, merrily as she slowly approaches the stall herself. "Oh she is so beautiful." She exclaims as she walks up behind Sage. "Really a wonderful horsie." Erica giggles to herself happily as she takes a carrot stick from Sages hand and holds it out for Summer Riddle hesitantly.
A pleased smile comes to Sage's lips when Erica reacts positively to horse, before stepping aside to let the other woman try her hand at feeding the horse. Like any good horse, Summer Riddle knows how to take treats without biting the hand that offers her. It could be disconcerting for the ones that aren't used to feeding horses when the horse's lips delicately begin to feel the feeder's hand to ensure no harm is done.
Erica giggles louder as she feels the horses lips against her hand. Her smile widens even more as she reaches out with her other hand and hesitantly strokes the horse's nose affectionatly. "Oh she is really cool Sage." She turns to share her wide smile with the other woman before truning back to the horse. "How long have you had her?"
"I'm glad you like her." Sage replies softly with a smile, as she moves back closer to the horse. "And, it should be about a year come May." She replies softly before offering the horse the partial apple that the horse takes as readily as the carrot stick earlier. She gives the horse a chance to finish off the apple as she offers it more fond rubbing of its nose and mane. "Would you like to do a lap or two while we're here?" She asks the horse that seems to understand and respond positively. "Alright then." She replies, before glancing towards Erica. "Stand back a little it opens outward." She advises before she begins to work at getting the door open. Erica watches Sage feed the horse the apple with wide eyes and a warm smile. She nods her head quickly as she takes a few steps back to allow the stable door to open up. "Well she looks like a wonderful horse. Where did you get her at?" She reaches down to her utility belt and grabs at a small bottle of water hanging off her belt. Unhooking it she brings it up to her lips for a quick drink before reattaching it to her belt. "Where do you do your laps at?"
"I got her from here." Sage replies as she steps into the stall after the doors are open. "Beautiful." She murmurs as she runs her hand along the well-brushed hair on the horse's side. She glances towards Erica, "They have an exercise ground on site... at least for some of the animals. I'm not sure where they exercise the large mounts." She comments, as she begins to saddle the horse. She'll put a blanket under the saddle for the horse's comfort. She seems to be well-practiced at this. "I've ridden her on a long trip too... I was a little sore after a while, but it was worth it." She comments.
Erica approaches the horse as Sage starts saddling the horse. A smile still on her lips she walks over to the other side of the horse and using her hands she strokes her fingers through the soft horse hair. "Where did you go to? How long of a trip was it? Are you sure she'll be ok in the cold weather?" She asks quickly as she keeps stroking the horse's neck.
"I was helping Kesslan recover one of his lost friends for a proper burial." Sage comments, "I think we went close to a place that used to be called Texas... but, perhaps it was not that far. It took about a week to get there at the pace we were going." She nods to the next question, "There's a room in here that's big enough for our purposes." She comments, as she smiles knowing the horse is enjoying the extra attention despite not giving much outward sign of it. "We're just about ready." She says as she tightens some straps and finally gives the horse the bit to hold in its mouth. "Here we go..." She comments softly as she leads the horse towards one of the rooms further back. "The larger mounts need more space and it'll do in a pinch."
Erica nods her hand as she listens to Sage's story attentively. "Oh wow that is pretty far south. This is pretty much as far south as I have ever been." She comments as she walks out in front to get out of the way as Sage starts leading the horse out. She follows along beside Sage as they head to one of the rooms further back. "Are you sure it is ok for me to ride her?"
"Same for me." Sage replies, "I'm glad I was able to leave Summer far enough behind when we ran into some creatures... but we managed to fight them off and recover Kesslan's fallen comrade." She comments, she shakes off the memory for the time being. Then she glances over to Erica with a smile. "Well, I can either lead her slowly and most likely feel unbalanced by the horse's movements or you can be in the saddle behind me and just hold onto me." She comments, "Whichever you feel more comfortable with." She offers, continuing to lead the horse until she reaches the large room. "We'll even have an audience..." She adds, gesturing to the larger stalls that hold the bigger and often more exotic mounts.
Erica's eyes widen as she looks around looking at the bigger and stranger animals. She stops for a moment to look at a fury beetle before shaking her head and continuing to follow behind Sage. "How about I ride behind you. I think I would feel more comfortable just holding on to you. If that is ok?" She gnaws on her lower lip a little nervously as they reach the large room.
"I'd love to try taking some of those for a ride... but I'd probably have to work here for that." Sage chuckles softly as the other woman looks wide-eyed upon them. She smiles to herself and shakes her head at the thought. When the other woman answers her preference, before letting a look of amusement come into her eyes. "I suppose that might be better than my getting some entertainment at your discomfort." She muses before nodding. "Alright." She replies, "Let me get up first, so I can help you up behind me." She comments, before she smoothly climbs up into the saddle. She gets her foot out of the stirrup. "Okay, now... you'll need to put your foot in there..." She gestures towards the stirrup, "then reach up to me... and I'll help pull you up... you just need to get your other leg over the horse like you're climbing over a fence... and then, just slip your foot back out of the stirrup and settle in behind me." She instructs, leaning a little towards Erica's side in preparation to offer her hand and help the other woman up.
Erica keeps gnawing on her lower lip as she watches you easily mount the horse. She nods her head slowly as she walks up to the horse. Reaching up with one boot she puts it into the stirrup and the reaches out with her arm. She grabs your hand and with your help she awkwardly swings up into the saddle behind you. Squirming a little behind you to get used to the saddle she losely grips your waist with her arms. "Uh... ok I think I'm ready."
"You'll do fine... it doesn't have to be graceful." Sage says in encouragement of the other woman as she comes up to the horse, before shifting her attention to keeping the horse from moving too much while the other woman squirms. "It gets easier with practice." She replies with a little amusement before nodding faintly to the other woman's comment. "I'll take it slow at first." She comments, before making a clicking noise to the horse and urging it forward slowly to walk around the room. To someone not used to being on a horse, it may feel a little bit like being on a ship in wavy water.
Erica squeaks loudly as the horse moves forward and her grip around Sage's waist becomes a little tighter. She quickly overcomes her startlement and giggles at herself. "This is pretty cool." She comments as she turns her head from side to side watching the room as the horse walks along. She sways along with every step, but she starts to become a little bit more comfortable on the horse.
"Just make sure you don't try to squeeze the air out of me." Sage musingly teases as the other woman tightens her grip. She keeps the pace slow as she waits for the other acclimates herself to the feel of the horse moving underneath her. "And this is only a sample." She reminds the other woman, as she nudges the horse into a bit more of a canter. "I don't think they would let us get up to a full gallop in here... but, that's better to do on a nice day when your hair can stream out behind you and feel the breeze carress you."
Erica lossens her grip around Sage's waist as she giggles again. "Sorry. just startled me." She says to Sage's teasing. "I'm guessing tickling you would be a bad idea?" She says in her own teasing manner. As the horse moves into a canter she squeaks again and her grip returns to a tighter grip. "Uh yah I don't think the weather will really let that. Unless you want to be really bundled up."
Sage's head nods, "Yeah, its a bit different than being on a vehicle." She replies, before chuckling softly at the question. "Yeah, probably... might accidently confuse Summer into rearing and I imagine we'd both end up in a pile on the floor." She comments. She only grins to herself when the other woman reacts to the faster pace, but keeps any teasing comments to herself. "And, there likely wouldn't be much space for it inside... but, I could give you a little sample if we get lined up for the longer part of the room if you like."
Erica returns to gnawing on her lower lip nervously before she gives her head a quick nod. "Alright lets give it a try. I'll try to keep a hold on." She squeaks out as she keeps a good hold on Sage, but not too tight. "Yah vehicles don't have all this swaying motion and you don't have to rely on someone else's judgement for movement. I guess I can see the advantages of both. So has Summer Riddle seen combat before?"
"We don't have to if you don't want to." Sage replies sounding a little amused, before she slows the horse to make it easier to get into position at one of the walls. She slows effectively to a stop as she gets the horse oriented in an unobstructed path. "Lean forward a bit to start with... it'll reduce the feeling that you might slip off." She comments as she begins to lean forward herself. "Hold on as tight as you need to... I wouldn't want you to get hurt... but you'd be in the best hands if you did." She comments, trying to be re-assuring. "And, true enough... but, a horse is smart enough to move without direction... where a vehicle would always need direction." She comments, "And, no, I haven't bought the armor yet to protect her for that." She takes a breath as she gets herself ready and she leans a little forward. "We'll go in ...3...2...1..." She says before raising her voice, "Ha! Summer Ha!" She cries as she nudges the horse off to a sprinter like start, she lets the horse go like this for what might seem like an eternity to one not used to a horse before she begins to call out "Woah! Summer! Woah!" She says, pulling back the horse and slowing the horse down before they have to worry about skidding to a stop. All in all, they don't go anywhere near the horse's true full speed and they safely come back under control before she goes back to a slow walk. she reaches out to pet the horses neck. "Good girl... I long for a good day too..."
Erica leans forward against Sage as she trys to prepare herself for the fast speed. Her grip tightens around Sage and she bites down on her lower lip. She whimpers a little bit as she prepares herself and as the horse starts moving quickly she lets out a loud squeal of excitment and surprise as the horse moves. She pants for breath as Sage slows the horse down and her skin is flushed with her excitment. "Oh my that was pretty cool although it felt like I was going to bounce off. I don't know how I feel about that."
A soft chuckles comes from Sage as she keeps the horse going in a slow walk, "That's because you haven't gotten used to how to sit on a moving horse." She comments, "But, that takes time." She leads the horse around, "As for Summer, she hasn't really be trained for combat... so I'm not really planning on taking her into combat unless I can't avoid it." She comments, content with their little exercise. She walks the horse around for a little longer before she eventually pulls the horse to a halt. "Well, I think that's good enough for now..." She says softly, "I hope I haven't turned you off of horses for good now." She adds in a playful voice, before she moves her foot out of the stirrup and moves her arm for the other woman to use as leverage to get back down.
Erica laughs softly and shakes her head. "Well I still love horses, but I don't know if they are for me." Still laughing she takes your arm and awkwardly gets off the horse. Smiling warmly at Sage she reaches out and affectionatly pats the horse. "Thank you so much for letting me give your horse a ride. She really is quite awesome.
"Fair enough." Sage replies softly, waiting for the other woman to be safely on the ground before she moves to dismount herself. She's a bit more natural in this motion as well. She smiles as she notices one of the stablehands come over and offer to take the horse back to the stall. "Thank you." She tells the man, before turning back to Erica with a smile. "Any time. Riding can be more fun when its shared at times." She comments, "I'm glad you enjoyed it." She adds before gesturing for the woman to follow as she begins to head back towards the exit.
Erica nods her head as the smile remains on her lips. "Well I'll have to keep that in mind. Maybe we can ride again together sometime. Who knows with some time I might actually become good at this." She giggles again in her soft little voice as she follows Sage towards the exit.
