AN: Bian Northwind is one of the Four Horselords the K'Miri
worship, and created horses. She and Onua Chamtong belong to
Tamora Pierce. Shana Charres is mine.
Shana fidgeted, feeling unsettled by something...She had the
strangest feeling she should do something, but what...Shaking her head
to clear it, she decided to go for a bit of a walk...worst came to
worst, she'd mingle with the pony herd...that always settled with her.
Frowning as her mind refused to settle, she turned and headed to the
corrals where they kept the main group of ponies the riders used. She
entered, mingling with the animals. A low voice entered her world.
"When I was told someone was mingling with the herd, I had to step
out and see who it was. I'm Onua Chamtong."
Shana hesitated. "Shana Charres. I'm sorry, I just needed to..."
Onua looked at her a long moment. "Follow me. I've been meaning to
have a talk with you."
"Ma'am?" Shana followed Onua to a cafeteria.
"I have been curious, why have you not been following any of the
K'mir customs? Why do you ignore your heritage?"
"My heritage?"
Onua gave her a long look. "You take after your father in looks,
though you have your mother's build."
"You knew my ma?"
"Yes. She was a friend..." Shana shook her head, trying to clear
it. "I'm...K'mir?"
"Half...You didn't know?"
Shana shook her head. "No...I heard she died soon after giving birth
to me...she'd been...attacked."
Onua shook her head. "I am sad to hear it." She gave Shana a long
look. The woman was horse-hearted as was her mother...She
stood. "Well, I need to go. There's a small K'mir temple across
from the Bandit's Bane if you are curious. The Priestess will answer
any of your questions."
Shana nodded. "I will go there...I know where the Bandit's Bane is
but never noticed the temple. Thank you."
"You are welcome. I have been meaning to talk to you for a while but
with training, and you always roaming..."
Shana nodded. "I can be hard to get a hold of. Thank you." She
left, walking over to where she had stabled Storm. She mounted him
and began the trip to the area where the Bandit's Bane was. Founded
by a former magistrate, the bar had an excellent reputation for
welcoming in those who helped to enforce the law...It was one of
Shana's favorite bars.
She rode to it, turned and found the temple. She hesitated, and told
Storm, "Wish me luck."
The animal nuzzled her, and she walked away from him into the
temple. The space was small, but felt...homey to her in a way that
the temples for the other gods did not. A priestess approached her,
but did not speak, sensing the fear and turmoil in her. A wrong
approach and the woman would bolt.
She blinked as she looked out a window and recognized the horse
standing outside. "Your mount is beautiful animal. What do you call
him?"
"Storm...He has a patch shaped like the mage symbol for Storm on his
left flank." She smiled. "His name in the books was Storm Breaking
Over the Sea, but he well...I call him Storm. I'm Shana."
The priestess hid her surprise well. Everyone knew Shana's story. A
shy young woman, she had joined the Riders, and worked her way up
through the ranks. She had attained the Rank of Commander, and
proceeded to walk into a trap. It had cost her the group she had commanded. It had
been her mount that had brought a squad of the King's own to her, and
they had brought her home. She had resigned from the Riders the
moment the healers had finished with her, and she woke up. Now she
roamed.
"You are welcome here. I am willing to help you in any way that you
require."
"I...Ummm...how do I..." Shana blushed. "How do I talk to them?"
"some people make offerings, others sit and talk to them in their
head, others meditate...there is no wrong way to pray daughter."
A nod. Shana walked over to the shrine for Bian Northwind, settled,
closed her eyes and began to meditate.
Shana cleared her mind, and felt herself sinking deep into her soul.
She nearly panicked, having only felt this sensation once, when she
had gone too deep into one of the horses she was healing.
"Easy, Child. I have been waiting for you to come to my shrine so we
could talk."
"What?" A slender woman with long dark hair and deep brown eyes
looked at her. Shana blinked. "Who are you and what are you doing
in me?"
"I am Bian Northwind."
"I ummmm...K'miri Horselords don't usually take an interest in
roamers, right?"
"Not unless they are unusual. You are one of mine...I wanted to say
I am proud of you, daughter. You have helped many of my children."
"Me?"
"Yes..." Bian shifted. "You will have many adventures ahead. just
remember, I will be watching you, and guiding you as I can. My
children and I thank you."
A nod. "I...thank you. But why?" She blinked. The woman was gone.
Shana stood. To think, she had imagined a Horselord...She opened her
hand to find a tiny steel horse shoe threaded on a leather thong.
She blinked, then slid it over her head.
She left a small offering at each of the shrines for the K'Mir gods,
then left, wanting to think over this new development.
Finis