Kally was finally learning to use her Gifts. She had been at the Collegium
for over two years now and by rights she should have waited another year
before taking this class but her abilities were keeping her at night.
She did have a strong mindspeech gift but that wasn't what was keeping her awake. It was her animal mindspeech gift that wasn't letting her rest. She could hear animals in the Palace complex without trying and had a very hard time blocking them out.
Over the past few weeks she had learned to shield out the thoughts of the animals around her and today was going to be her first attempt to speak to animals of her own free will.
Her teacher had asked her to meet her by the palace stables just after she finished eating her luncheon.
She was so nervous she didn't think she would be able to eat a bite.
"Hey little sister. You look like a mouse surrounded by cats." Elf appeared by her side.
"Close enough. I am going to call an animal today." She explained.
"Well, have a good meal and try not to stress over it. You know you can speak to people and it can't be that different." Elf tried to reassure her as she steered Kally to a table away from most of the others.
Before Kally could protest Elf had snagged two plates from a passing trainee. She had not changed much in the years since Kally had met her. She was still very poised and graceful, but know Kally knew more about what was behind the façade. Elf had a tendency to ordered about those who came within her sphere, including Heralds. She also had a temper and little tolerance for what she termed the 'blissfully ignorant'. But she was loyal, an excellent listener and Kally's closest friend despite the four year gap in their ages. They had spent all their winter and summer breaks together in the Collegium.
"Will you come with me?"
"Only if you eat." Elf ordered as she started on her own meal.
Kally started to shovel her food not tasting it.
"You are only going to make yourself sick." Elf chided her.
Kally scowled and slowed down.
"How was your riding class this morning?" Elf asked calmly.
"Good."
"How about your Karsite, have you improved much?"
"Yes."
Elf smiled and the monosyllable answers but continued to make one-sided conversation. Slowly Kally relaxed enough that she was able to eat normally.
"Do you have clean up after this?" Elf asked as the last bit of food disappeared into Kally's mouth.
Kally shook her head. "I have sewing this evening."
"Let's be off then."
Elf let Kally take the lead. When they reached the stable four very placid horses were in a ring. Her teacher was standing at the fence.
"There you are. Are you ready?" Herald Seena greeted Kally.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"I want you to Call one of these horses to you. Just your mind, that is all." Seena explained.
Kally rested her arms on the fence and tried to relax again. Elf took a position next to her. Elf's simple presence made her feel more confident.
:Please come here.: She sent to the horses.
One horse raised his head and slowly started towards her.
Kally took a deep breath and put more force into the thought. :Come here.:
The other three horses started towards her at a trot.
:Come to me.: Kally ordered, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.
The horses started to canter to her. Each with their ears up and eager.
"It would appear you have been successful." Elf commented dryly.
Kally relaxed. "They came, did you see that?"
Elf nodded, however she wasn't looking at the four horses fawning over Kally. In stead she had her back to her.
Beyond were several cats and dogs that were looking curious and staring at Kally.
"Maybe next time we should practice just calling one animal." Seena sighed.
Elf laughed softly. Kally's little experiment was still reaping results. A horse dragging his handler was cantering up from the stables. Mice hurried out of the hay. The shouts of the guards told them more chaos was approaching.
"Get down!" A masculine voice yelled. Kally ran towards the disturbance.
Horses with riders trying desperately to turn them were trying to get past the gathered guards.
Dogs wove between legs trying to reach Kally. Some were so massive they sent guards flying trying to pass. A goat tried to batter down a massive guard even though he was still hooked up to a ragman's cart. One finely bred lady was screaming as her normally tame horse dragged her and her gig into the fray. A merchant was shouting oaths as he chased the oxen who where plodding towards them with a wagon of beer strapped to it. A thief had tried to take advantage of the melee but was not caught up in the stampede of animals. More animals and irate owners flooded into the street beyond.
Beside her Elf tried to hold back a laugh. One of the largest dogs walked over the gathered smaller animals and placed a paw on each shoulder nearly knocking Kally down.
"Oh dear." Seena groaned.
"What is going on?" Another Herald demanded.
"I didn't mean to call them all." Kally pleaded trying to get the massive mastiff off her. "I was just trying to call the horses."
More Guards had appeared to help deal with the invading animals but they stood no chance.
"You best call off your army before they get hurt." Elf commented.
Kally nodded. :Stop.:
All animals paused. For a moment it looked like a comic painting.
:Go home.: Kally ordered.
This created more chaos as animals tangled together trying to obey.
The shadowy tunnel became a knot of animals, carts, carriages, and people.
Elf strode past the stunned guards and grabbed the collar of a dog and pulled him out of the way. Soon guards where following her lead and guiding the animals into the courtyard. It took all afternoon before the tunnel was clear and the animals were being brought back home.
Heralds, guards, pages, bards, healers, trainees, and servants were all streaked with dirt and covered with animal fur.
Some late coming animals were still arriving.
Kally could hear a Bard swearing he was going to write the Tale of the Beast Army. Others took up the challenge and were soon composing lines for their songs.
"Well, my little sister. You don't do things by half." Elf commented as she sat next to Kally.
"How on earth am I going to clean this all up?" Kally groaned.
"We all will." Elf assured her. "A bit of magic won't be amiss."
Kally started to protest that it was her mess when the massive black dog that had embraced her earlier escaped the guard that tried to haul him out of the gate and bound over to her. He sent her flying backwards and started licking her face.
The total absurdity of the situation hit her as she lay on the ground and she started to laugh. Tears poured down her cheeks.
A young guard stood up and raised his arm in triumph. "We have repelled the forces of hoof and claw!"
A cheer went through the crowd. Even the Queen, who had joined in the fray let out a cheer.
Elf ginned impishly. "To the Hero of the Battle of Hoof and Claw!"
She did have a strong mindspeech gift but that wasn't what was keeping her awake. It was her animal mindspeech gift that wasn't letting her rest. She could hear animals in the Palace complex without trying and had a very hard time blocking them out.
Over the past few weeks she had learned to shield out the thoughts of the animals around her and today was going to be her first attempt to speak to animals of her own free will.
Her teacher had asked her to meet her by the palace stables just after she finished eating her luncheon.
She was so nervous she didn't think she would be able to eat a bite.
"Hey little sister. You look like a mouse surrounded by cats." Elf appeared by her side.
"Close enough. I am going to call an animal today." She explained.
"Well, have a good meal and try not to stress over it. You know you can speak to people and it can't be that different." Elf tried to reassure her as she steered Kally to a table away from most of the others.
Before Kally could protest Elf had snagged two plates from a passing trainee. She had not changed much in the years since Kally had met her. She was still very poised and graceful, but know Kally knew more about what was behind the façade. Elf had a tendency to ordered about those who came within her sphere, including Heralds. She also had a temper and little tolerance for what she termed the 'blissfully ignorant'. But she was loyal, an excellent listener and Kally's closest friend despite the four year gap in their ages. They had spent all their winter and summer breaks together in the Collegium.
"Will you come with me?"
"Only if you eat." Elf ordered as she started on her own meal.
Kally started to shovel her food not tasting it.
"You are only going to make yourself sick." Elf chided her.
Kally scowled and slowed down.
"How was your riding class this morning?" Elf asked calmly.
"Good."
"How about your Karsite, have you improved much?"
"Yes."
Elf smiled and the monosyllable answers but continued to make one-sided conversation. Slowly Kally relaxed enough that she was able to eat normally.
"Do you have clean up after this?" Elf asked as the last bit of food disappeared into Kally's mouth.
Kally shook her head. "I have sewing this evening."
"Let's be off then."
Elf let Kally take the lead. When they reached the stable four very placid horses were in a ring. Her teacher was standing at the fence.
"There you are. Are you ready?" Herald Seena greeted Kally.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"I want you to Call one of these horses to you. Just your mind, that is all." Seena explained.
Kally rested her arms on the fence and tried to relax again. Elf took a position next to her. Elf's simple presence made her feel more confident.
:Please come here.: She sent to the horses.
One horse raised his head and slowly started towards her.
Kally took a deep breath and put more force into the thought. :Come here.:
The other three horses started towards her at a trot.
:Come to me.: Kally ordered, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.
The horses started to canter to her. Each with their ears up and eager.
"It would appear you have been successful." Elf commented dryly.
Kally relaxed. "They came, did you see that?"
Elf nodded, however she wasn't looking at the four horses fawning over Kally. In stead she had her back to her.
Beyond were several cats and dogs that were looking curious and staring at Kally.
"Maybe next time we should practice just calling one animal." Seena sighed.
Elf laughed softly. Kally's little experiment was still reaping results. A horse dragging his handler was cantering up from the stables. Mice hurried out of the hay. The shouts of the guards told them more chaos was approaching.
"Get down!" A masculine voice yelled. Kally ran towards the disturbance.
Horses with riders trying desperately to turn them were trying to get past the gathered guards.
Dogs wove between legs trying to reach Kally. Some were so massive they sent guards flying trying to pass. A goat tried to batter down a massive guard even though he was still hooked up to a ragman's cart. One finely bred lady was screaming as her normally tame horse dragged her and her gig into the fray. A merchant was shouting oaths as he chased the oxen who where plodding towards them with a wagon of beer strapped to it. A thief had tried to take advantage of the melee but was not caught up in the stampede of animals. More animals and irate owners flooded into the street beyond.
Beside her Elf tried to hold back a laugh. One of the largest dogs walked over the gathered smaller animals and placed a paw on each shoulder nearly knocking Kally down.
"Oh dear." Seena groaned.
"What is going on?" Another Herald demanded.
"I didn't mean to call them all." Kally pleaded trying to get the massive mastiff off her. "I was just trying to call the horses."
More Guards had appeared to help deal with the invading animals but they stood no chance.
"You best call off your army before they get hurt." Elf commented.
Kally nodded. :Stop.:
All animals paused. For a moment it looked like a comic painting.
:Go home.: Kally ordered.
This created more chaos as animals tangled together trying to obey.
The shadowy tunnel became a knot of animals, carts, carriages, and people.
Elf strode past the stunned guards and grabbed the collar of a dog and pulled him out of the way. Soon guards where following her lead and guiding the animals into the courtyard. It took all afternoon before the tunnel was clear and the animals were being brought back home.
Heralds, guards, pages, bards, healers, trainees, and servants were all streaked with dirt and covered with animal fur.
Some late coming animals were still arriving.
Kally could hear a Bard swearing he was going to write the Tale of the Beast Army. Others took up the challenge and were soon composing lines for their songs.
"Well, my little sister. You don't do things by half." Elf commented as she sat next to Kally.
"How on earth am I going to clean this all up?" Kally groaned.
"We all will." Elf assured her. "A bit of magic won't be amiss."
Kally started to protest that it was her mess when the massive black dog that had embraced her earlier escaped the guard that tried to haul him out of the gate and bound over to her. He sent her flying backwards and started licking her face.
The total absurdity of the situation hit her as she lay on the ground and she started to laugh. Tears poured down her cheeks.
A young guard stood up and raised his arm in triumph. "We have repelled the forces of hoof and claw!"
A cheer went through the crowd. Even the Queen, who had joined in the fray let out a cheer.
Elf ginned impishly. "To the Hero of the Battle of Hoof and Claw!"