Disclaimer: this is the part of the show where I say I own nothing (which is basically true) if its new I will gladly take credit for it, (unless you don't like it (in which case I blame… ummmm the freshman yeah, blame everything on frosh) ) the familiar stuff probably belongs to Mercedes Lackey.
A/N First a general thankee to all the reviews on the last few chaps of Cye. And now individual thanks to all reviewers of the first chap of this fic: Stee of course you're right, but its much more fun for him to be dead…but then I'd have to go to all the trouble of finding another name and that is a daunting prospect so yeah thank you much. Andi G. thanks, much as I'd like to claim that concept as my own I got it from one I read so I hereby disclaim it!!!!! (but thanks anyhow) Fireblade K'Chona I hope you keep watching thanks for the review Hawk-Sister yeah, that was supposed to be Kern's herald who happens to be Caedmon's brother. Thanks for the review. Katsiebee I'll keep writing for a good long time. Thanks for the review my fascination with cliffhangers has more to do with the irritating apparition I call 'the evil tone of doom' better known as the bell signaling the end of classes. Okay epiphany… I live in a thriving metropolis… compared to medieval cities that is…. By any other standards the tallest building in town (3 whole stories) is a joke… but back then … a mansion! Thus even a mid-sized modern city is beyond imaging to someone from say Valdemar?
Before I forget (which I did until I got to it so I am now back here adding it in (blah) is when the horses are 'talking' to each other.
I woke up on my side in what appeared to be a large field. As my eyes focused I saw multiple black and brown noses. Refocusing I realized that I was surrounded by young horses. One particularly bold one walked up to me and nudged my forehead. I stirred and the colt bolted as if I had snapped at him. The others scattered a short distance leaving me room to stand.
The covey of colts remained standing a short distance away shooting curious glances my way and communicating via body language. I listened in for a moment, finding comprehension difficult without the aid of mind speech and with the added problem of a regional dialect.
(Where you from?) The bold colt asked taking a tentative step toward me.
I wasn't sure how to respond (Somwhere else,) I finally settled on hoping that would be enough.
(Us too… new field, scary,) the colt responded. I took a minute to think about it, factoring in the apparent age of the horses I came to a conclusion. These where weanlings; I was trying to carry on a conversation in a language I barely knew with the equivalent of toddlers.
(Gotta go. You stay here,) I said, (more fun here.)
(We stay,) the colt agreed brightly and ran off starting a race among his companions. The entire herd of weanlings was soon off playing chase.
I surveyed my surrounding and headed for the closest fence. There were older horses there. I admired the bluish tone of the grass as I went. It rustled around my ankles.
(Hello,) I called when I was close enough to make their lazy gossip. One mare looked up from her grazing and snorted at me. I thought for a long moment trying to remember what that meant. As I did I realized that for the first time I felt as if I should be going somewhere. I felt drawn away from the fields and horses and pulled to a new horizon. The snort clicked just about then, it meant something to the effect of go away in this case.
I obliged happily. I picked up a steady canter and headed in a new direction. In the distance a fence loomed up at me. I approached it without slowing and leapt effortlessly over the top. I went three strides before I felt the ground transition from grass to an odd paved surface beneath me. My hooves, normally bell-like sounded muted. As if someone was holding the clapper. I stepped cautiously along, relishing a mental image of myself promenading through the streets with my exaggerated high-stepping gait.
Gradually I decided to trust the strange new road and I followed it until I reached a huge gateway. There were ornate sidepieces, but the gate itself consisted of a single metal bar. I eyed it up, took into account the odd springy hard footing, then I jumped over it and found myself at a place where the pavement ran on in a near perfect straight line perpendicular to the paved path I had just followed. I looked around for any carts, people, or wagons. There weren't any.
I went to the middle of the road where some one had drawn two perfectly straight yellow lines. Perplexed I decided it must be for some sort of children's game. Having decided it was a game, and not wanting to miss out I immediately joined in making up my own rules for it. I figured it must be a matter of balance. The children had kindly considered us fourleggers in their games by having the second line. I placed half my hooves on one line and half on the other and set about the tedious job of remaining balanced.
Suddenly I heard a whooshing noise behind me. A large shiny object was rushing toward me. It resembled a wagon, but there was nothing pulling it. I dove for the grass on the side of the road and the wagon zoomed by. I noticed that there were people inside of it. Unfortunately they also noticed me.
The device screeched to a halt a short distance away and the people inside piled out. Three of them moved toward me slowly, as if they were trying to catch a skittish horse. The fourth, a small boy, ran off down the path I had originally followed. I watched him pelt off out of sight before turning to watch my would-be captors. They had spread out, I assumed to cut off my escape. Two were on my flanks now and then third was slowly advancing on my head. I stood calmly, thinking it best not to antagonize the natives. This was obviously a very different land from Valdemar wherever it was, and it seemed apparent to me that the humans didn't know how special companions are, or even that I was one.
"It has blue eyes dad," the girl on my left interrupted my reverie. I snorted in offense, of course I had blue eyes! And the nerve of calling me an it! I was quite obviously a stallion.
"Hush Janie, I Bob coming back yet?"
"I see him dear he's coming and he's got someone with him," the woman on my right answered. I looked off in the direction the little boy had gone. He was returning along with a man who was holding a halter and lead rope, as well as something I vaguely recognized as a twitch. I shuddered at the thought of that thing on my nose.
"Do you suppose this is one of Farmer Jack's famous racing thoroughbreds?" Janie asked. I pricked my ears toward her. This was interesting, at least she recognized a fine animal when she saw one.
"I expect so, that's Farmer Jack's farm and he only keeps thoroughbreds," her father replied. At least I knew who owned the colts I had spoken with earlier, now if only these people would mention where we were I would know where to go once I found my chosen.
"I didn't know he had a white stallion though," the woman put in absently.
"I don't," the man who was with Bob said as he approached us, "I've never seen this animal before in my life.
"Does he belong to one of your neighbors then?"
"Naw, I would have heard of such a peculiar beast in this area, I'd best bring him up to the barn until we can see about finding his owner," the man advanced with the halter. I stood patiently while he put it on, dismayed by having the chain on the end of the lead rope looped over my nose.
The farmer thanked the family, who piled back into their cart and drove off. Then the farmer led me back the way I had come. He removed the big bar and led me toward a huge long barn. I went along reluctantly figuring he would turn me out or something so I could escape and find my chosen. As we reached the barn I noticed the fully closed in box stalls and pulled against the rope. Unfortunately this revealed the purpose of the chain to me and I was pulled up short by it pinching my nose. I struck angrily at the farmer, how dare he so manhandle me, a companion?
I went up on my hind legs and pulled back against him. He gently, but firmly pulled me back onto all fours and shepherded me into a stall. Once I was inside he hastily unhooked the lead rope and shut and bolted the stall. I snorted at him and then I paced for a minute. He stood outside my door and admired me. Surprised, I went to the door and looked through a large window in it to observe him. For a moment we stared at each other.
:Let me go and tell me where I am!: I demanded.
"Wha?" the man yelped, "Who said that?"
:I did! Open this stall now.:
"What? Anna, get in here, this stud is acting weird," he called looking as if someone had just told him he was really a fence post.
A lady came over looking exasperated and looked into my stall, "What's the matter Jack? He looks fine to me, maybe a bit nervy, but fine. Where did you get him?"
"He was out in the road, a family in a car saw him and stopped."
"Well, with a colt this fine some one will surely come asking after him."
"My thoughts exactly, and if not he will certainly make a good racer."
"Can we put him out to see how he goes in the kangaroo pen?" the stable hand asked. I wasn't sure what she meant by kangaroo pen but I was eager for the opportunity to be let out, that might be the chance I needed for escape.
"I'm not sure," I could tell the farmer was thinking about how he had heard me earlier, and I cursed my poor luck. I would have to be more careful about speaking to people around here.
"He won't be able to jump it, six feet is too tall by far. If he could jump it we have no need for a crazed jackrabbit anyhow," the hand cajoled.
"Oh very well," the farmer said with a scowl, "I'll go get the bag whip you take him and meet me there.
The hand smiled and grabbed a lead rope. She opened my door a crack and clipped the rope to the halter, which I noted was not leather but some odd cloth-like material.
"He shouldn't have put a nylon halter on you my boy, such a fine beast needs leather, what if you should need to break it hmm?" the lady seemed to echo my thoughts, though it appeared she was talking more for the sake of producing a soothing sound than to inform me of anything. I considered the truth of her words. Apparently I was wearing some sort of unbreakable halter, terrific, that would certainly aid in my escape, I though sarcastically.
Such thoughts left my mind as we approached the pen. It wasn't small, but neither was it particularly large. Perhaps sixteen feet by twenty. It was the height of the white post and rail fence that astounded me. Despite the hand's mention of six feet I estimated it to be at least a half a foot higher. It would be nearly impossible to jump such a fence, kangaroo fence indeed. My heart sank as she led me inside. I would have to try to get away after they saw how fast I was. Maybe playing the slow lame deadbeat would be advantageous….
The farmer approached with a stick attached to a crackling white thing. The Stable hand turned me loose and locked me into the enclosure alone. They both watched me for a minute. I stared at them standing stock still. Then the farmer shook the white thing, a bag I assumed, and it rustled and crackled and frightened me half out of my wits. Nearly crawling out of my skin I leapt for the far corner trotting at full speed by the time I reached it and then I stopped, turned and glared at them. I snorted my disgust in their general direction and slowly approached them after a moment. I got most of the way back before they rustled the bag again, but this time I expected it so I wasn't nearly as frightened. I simply stopped and stared.
"Clever devil," I heard the farmer mutter.
"And fast!" the hand added exuberantly, "With that kind of speed…" she let out a low whistle.
"Alright, bring him in and put him away, I'll go call the police and see if there are any missing horse reports filed."
"Good, and make sure to tell them we'll keep him here until he's claimed."
"Of course," the farmer agreed heading back to his house. The lady came to the fence and I made my way over to her she got hold of my halter and I followed her obediently back to my stall. I had learned my lesson about the chain well. Besides, following wasn't so bad. Once I was in my stall the lady scratched my neck and fed me a candy, following was not bad at all.
A/N can anyone guess where Caedmon is now? Hehehe, I'm trying to finish this quickly now cause I've got an entire original series to write as well as two separate novels but this is currently top priority thus I intend to finish it quickly. I have a snow day today so I am baking cookies and writing and generally goofing around.