Hello, I'm hoping that my Writer's Block will leave his shovel in his shed for a little bit, mainly while I write this chapter! I'm sorry that there wasn't much plot building in the last chapter, and I don't think that there will be much in this one either, but it's part of the story and I must write it. Hope you don't get too bored!

Chapter 8, Friend Wanted

Aoko walked out of the hold doors, and towards the stables. Naomi was waiting for her so that they could go for a nice long ride in the fields, and get some much needed fresh air.

The Holderkin workers were still going, nearly done. The new addition to the hold was going to be wonderful, and it was going to be needed from what Midori had been telling her. The Healers and their family had just arrived, and Géven was currently talking with them.

The two people who were wearing green, she knew as Healers. There were their also three children, or so she figured. The oldest boy, who looked about sixteen, was taller than his father. He was watching the Holderkin work, with a look of disgust across his face. His deep brown hair closely manicured, so much that Aoko thought his family might be of some kind of nobility in Valdemar's courts.

The middle child was a female, and she was busy taking care of her rather large pony. She looked to about the same age as Aoko. Her long brown hair was tied at the back of her neck with a piece of what looked to be yarn, and there were a few stray pieces sticking out in odd directions. She seemed wrapped up in making sure her mount was taken good care of.

Finally, there was a young boy, about seven years of age, with bright orange-red hair. It was cut short, and it resembled straw, which was odd, since neither parent had the same hair type. He looked worried and scared, looking about with curiosity. His soft brown eyes were wide, and darting from one thing to another.

:He looks worried. I don't see why, it's can't be that much different from what he's used to, can it, Naomi?: Aoko felt sort of sorry for the little kid.

At that moment, the boy's eyes rested on her and he held them there for some time. :You know, it's rude to jump to conclusions about people.: When Aoko looked around to try and find the owner of the strange Mind Voice, the boy smiled. :It's me, the boy you just insulted. And yes, it is a lot different from what I'm used to. I'm used to a large city, where everywhere you look, there is a person. It would be like you moving from here in the country, to a city like Haven, where I'm from.:

:Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to insult you, I didn't even know you could be listening.: The boy just shook his head back and fourth in disgust. He took his attention and put it back on Géven.

Aoko looked away from the family, and walked into the stables., where she found Naomi already tacked and ready to get moving. :I thought that you said that you couldn't get tacked on your own!:

:That is what stable boys are for. when I Felt you stop to look at that family, I thought it might be a good idea to be ready for you.: Naomi nudged her to get her going. Aoko turned and walked out of the stables, Naomi's reins in hand.

When Aoko found room enough to mount, she slid her booted foot into the left stirrup and mounted easily. :You know, I should probably tell Géven where we are going and about how long we should be. Don't want him going frantic thinking that we set out for Haven without a goodbye.:

:True, very true. I think that he's the kind of person who would do that too, jump to conclusions, I mean.: Naomi walked slowly over to where Géven was and stood still while he finished talking to the family about where their rooms were.

Géven looked up at Aoko, "This is a Aoko, a young Herald-Trainee, and her Companion, Naomi. they were staying for a some time, while she recovered from a bandit attack on her town. She was chosen after coming here,"

Géven was about to continue when the older boy snorted, "I don't see how that horse could be a Companion. It's black and white, Companions are supposed to be white. Is this some kind of joke?"

"You see, there was something wrong with her when she was born, and the problem was just solved a week or so ago. she's now getting to her rightful colour, but as you can see, it is taking some time." Géven knew this kind of boy, and he wasn't going to let him overpower Aoko with his insults.

"Emree, you know it's rude to jump to conclusions about things! Why don't you try to be more polite some time?" his mother laid her hands on her hips and sighed. Now Aoko knew where the younger boy got his sayings and rules from.

"It's quite alright, no damage done. now, Aoko, what were you going to tell me?" Géven looked up at her.

"Oh, right. I was going to say that Naomi and I are going out for a ride. I just wanted to warn you so you didn't think that we went off to Haven without a goodbye or anything." Aoko smiled.

"Thank you, I'll try to remember where you've gone. Have a nice ride" Géven nodded and turned back towards the family. "If you'd like, your children can walk around the hold and explore what we have while we talk business."

The two healers looked at each other and nodded at Géven in agreeance. But, Aoko was already too far away from the family to even notice. :Naomi, do think that Emree might give us some trouble while we are here at the same time as him?: Aoko was worried that he would bother her too much, and she might accidently do something drastic.

:Well, I think that he might bother us a bit, but I'll keep him clear of you for the time being.: Naomi snorted and went into a slow canter. right as she did that, Aoko heard the quick pounding of hooves from behind them.

Aoko looked back, to find the younger boy coming towards them on his shaggy, yellowish Mountain pony. :Naomi, slow down to a walk, would you please? We have a visitor.: With that, Naomi slowed, and turned to welcome their company.

"I thought that maybe since Géven said we could do what we wanted in and around the hold, you might want someone to ride with. I can always go back to the hold and do something there." The boy looked at her pleadingly.

:We might as well let him come with us, it won't do any harm, and it would do you good to make a new friend, my dear.: Naomi look back at her.

"It's fine if you want to come. Then Naomi and I will have some more company." Aoko smiled at the boy, and he smiled back, with great pleasure.

"Thank you, I need to get out and away from my family. I'm not normally around them so much, like this past week or so. I'm used to going to school and not seeing anyone that I'm, related to for the rest of the day, until dinner, that is." The boy made a face, and continued, "I don't like being near my older brother so often, he gets quite mean sometimes."

"I could see that, from what he said to Naomi." Aoko patted Naomi's neck and smiled.

"Is she really a Companion? I mean, I've never seen or even heard of a black and white Companions before!" The boy looked at Naomi with curiosity.

:What do you think now? Does a normal horse Mind Speak to others?: Naomi had a twinkle in her eye, and when the boy's mouth gaped open, she whinnied.

"Well, that answers my question well enough! By the way Aoko, my name is Eoleo. my older brother's name is Emree and my sister's name is Fips." Eoleo grinned widely and kicked his pony, so that it moved beside Naomi. He looked up at her and added, "you know, if we are going for a ride, we should get going!

Aoko grinned back, "Yes, yes we should get going. Especially if we expect to be hone my dinner time!"

The two laughed and got their mounts moving at an easy pace, a trot. "So, where are you from, Aoko?" Eoleo ducked as his pony went too close to a small apple tree, trying to grab a light snack.

"I'm from a small town called Edinbrook. It's about a five day ride from here. I lived with my parents, and my five brothers and sister, all older than me. There's one thing we have in common, we are both the youngest child in our families!" Aoko glanced over at Eoleo, to see his pony grab at the grass, causing him to be trust forward onto the pommel of his saddle.

"I hate it when he does that, and he's been doing that a lot more often now that we are near grass that's not closely manicured. He likes to eat, and does so at every chance. And yes, that's one thing we have in common, I hate being the youngest though, you tend to fal under the wrath of your meaner siblings."

"I never really had that, my brothers and sister were all kind to me, my parents would not have put up with it."

"Well that was lucky for you. I've been picked on by Emree, but Fips seems to leave me alone if I stay out of her way, mind you, she mostly only cares about her horse, more than anything else, more than she even liked her off and on boyfriends!" Eoleo shook his head back and fourth, and was jolted once again by his pony grabbing at something with his mouth.

"I saw how carefully she kept her eye on that horse. Do you want to go back to the Hold? I mean, we can talk there too, and then your pony could eat all the hay he wanted and wouldn't be hurting you that that pommel!"

"If you don't mind, we haven't been out for that long though." Eoleo wanted to go ack, but he didn't want to cut Aoko's ride short.

"It's fine, I can still see her any time I want, plus, we share part of our minds, and we can talk whenever. We could also talk in the barn for a while, in Raven and Naomi's stall. I'm sure that they wouldn't mind. Raven's probably out with Géven and your parents." Aoko looked down at Eoleo and he nodded vigorously yes.

"Then it's settled, we'll go back to the Hold, and talk about family and homes, and such in the stable for a little, while we wait for dinner time to arrive. Fine with you?" Aoko knew that Eoleo would probably like that idea, and his pony would probably also like that idea.

"Fine with me." Eoleo an Aoko turned around, an headed back to the hold. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.