A/N: Two friends catch up. Not the most spectacular chapter, but I like it. DISCLAIMER: As always any thing, one, or place you may recognize belongs solely to Kristen Britain. Enjoy!

Prompt: A friendly chat between Laren and Elgin

Laren was taking a break from her duties as Captain by spending some long overdue time with Bluebird. She had been ignoring her gelding for far too long. Her duties kept her away more than she cared to think about. Bluebird was overjoyed to see her and Laren immediately felt guilty as he put his head over his stall door and nickered at her.

"I know, I know, I haven't been down here in a while," she said as she her gelding's head. Bluebird snorted in agreement. Laren gave her horse an affectionate slap on the neck as she went to the tack room to retrieve one of the boxes of brushes kept there. She carried it back to Bluebird's stall and let herself in.

Bluebird nuzzled at her pockets looking for treats. Laren shook her head as she took out one of the peppermints that she kept there.

"You know me too well," she told her horse as he happily lipped up her offering and nudged her for more.

"That's all you're getting for now." Laren picked up the currycomb and started in on the patches of mud that spotted Bluebird's gray coat from his adventures in the pasture last night.

"You certainly enjoyed yourself last night it seems," she said to him. Her barely flicked an ear at her as his head drooped and his eyelids hung at half-mast. Laren chuckled as she leaned into the currying.

She had moved onto the dandy brush when she became aware of someone standing in the doorway. She looked over to see Elgin standing there.

"I went looking for you in your office and when you weren't there I figured I would find you here," he said. "Getting back to the basics?"

"Something like that," she said flicking the dirt off of Bluebird's coat with short, quick strokes of the brush. "I just needed a break for a while. If I have to read one more report or sit in one more meeting I'll scream."

Elgin chuckled as he picked up a comb and started in on the gelding's mane. "The joys of leadership."

"You should know."

He nodded, "That I do."

"Speaking of which, how are the new Riders coming along?"

"They're coming along pretty well actually. Don't tell them I said that. Once you get the concept of taking things seriously through their thick skulls they straighten themselves out quite nicely. Mind you, there are still a few rebels of course."

"Sounds familiar. We weren't too different if you remember," Laren said as she grinned at him over Bluebird's back. He laughed.

"Your group was one of the sorriest that I have ever seen."

"Thanks."

"Remember that one fellow from L'Petrie Province who could ride better than anyone I had ever seen, but couldn't walk without tripping over his own feet?"

"William? Gods, he was a mess, but you had to hand it to him, the man was a damn fine Rider."

"That he was? Whatever happened to him?"

"Last I heard he ran his own courier service and had married a baker. Apparently he's still just as clumsy as ever as she's banned him from the kitchens."

Elgin laughed, "Then there was Elena, the spitfire. She couldn't quite compare with you of course."

"She was quite the spitfire, that was for sure," Laren laughed. "Remember- Remember that time she laid out that Weapon, what was his name?"

"Dylan?"

"Yes Dylan. That time she laid him out in the hall just because he whistled at her?"

Elgin grinned, "I never will forget the look on his face when she hooked his feet out from under him.

Laren joined him on the other side of Bluebird and immediately doubled over in laughter as he imitated the Weapon's surprised face. Bluebird flicked his tail impatiently as the two friends howled with laughter.

Finally Laren was able to straighten up and catch her breath. "There was certainly never a dull moment whenever Elena was around. Charlie was the only one who could tame her it seemed."

"Oh Charlie," Elgin sighed moving onto Bluebird's tail. "He and Elena made a fine a team. He was one of the finest men to come through the Green Rider Corps in my opinion. Not a mean bone in his body. He could make friends with a damned rock, but when it came to message runs he was one of the fiercest and toughest Riders I ever came across. He would get any message delivered, no matter what the circumstances were.

Laren nodded, "I remember that one time he came back with his arm strapped to his chest in a makeshift sling and his uniform was so bloody and covered with dirt that you could hardly tell that it was green."

"Ah, that message run to one of the border lords. The outlaws hiding there chose the wrong Rider to delay."

Laren nodded in agreement, "That they did."

The pair worked in silence for a few minutes reflecting back on their own time as Riders. Laren moved on from the dandy brush to the soft brush running it in long, smooth strokes over Bluebird's coat to get the last of the dirt and dander off. Elgin finished detangling the gelding's tail and moved on to picking out his hooves. Bluebird himself looked like he was in equine bliss as he enjoyed the ministrations of the two humans.

They finished grooming the gelding and Laren gave her horse another peppermint as they left the stall. He took it from her and crunched it happily.

"I really needed this," she said stroking Bluebird's nose.

"You know what else you really need?" Elgin asked her.

Laren glanced at him still petting Bluebird. "What else might I need?"

"A good stiff drink, I propose we move this conversation down to the Cock and Hen."

Laren grinned, "That's a proposal I'll agree to. Just like old times eh?"

"Just like old times," he agreed.

Laren laughed and gave Bluebird one last pat before the pair left the stables and headed down towards the city.

A/N: As always I would love to know what you think. Please leave me a message after this note. ~Naomi