Spring Break with my family was really too short a time; it was over way before I wanted it to be. Mum had tears in her eyes and Da was as gruff as he usually was about things like this. Arun had run off with Maria somewhere and Zeegor was trying to work with a few of the foals that I had helped with. "Bye, Cari! Oh, I'll miss you!" Mum cried out as Emyr trotted up the hill. "Fancy that. My Baby's gonna be a Herald!" "Stay out of trouble, girl!" That was Da, practical as ever. "You know I will!" I shouted back, half turning the saddle. I turned back around just as Emyr started on the down-side of the hill and pat her neck. "Just us girls, now, Em. And about five days to get back to Haven—plenty of time as far as Emyr was concerned. "Man, I didn't realize how much I missed them before I came home, or how I had grown! I'm almost as tall as Mum now!" :Just don't turn into a giant or anything—then you won't be able to ride me!: Emyr sent through our link. "Oh, don't worry about that! All of Mum's side of the family are short and Da's the tallest on in family for four generations back! Actually, I think I might be somewhere between Mum and Da's height when I'm done growing." We rode in silence for a good while when I decided that we should stop at the net village to grab something to eat. "Ya know what? Mero's right about food and growing kids," I said after the fifth time my belly growled from hunger.
It was raining. Again. It had been raining since the day after I had left home. "Will we make it back to Haven all right? And be truthful, I don't want to have to nurse a pulled muscle or a bruised hoof because you were showing off." :If we push it, we'll make it.: Em told me. :I hate rain. I hate being wet morning noon and night.: "I know, I do to. Hopefully the next village will have a decent barn for you. Failing that, I might just bring you into the common room. It'll be warm there and you could finally dry of—along with your tack. When we get back, this stuff is going to need a major going-over." I hung my head in the rain. I had forgotten to back a poncho and was now paying for it, but at least my clothes were always warm and dry by morning. Emyr's saddle blanket and saddle were generally still damp by the time we were heading out. To make matters worse, the road had turned into mud practically hock- deep and it covered everything. By sunset (or rather, when it just got darker), my grays would be mud-colored again, even with my careful washing and Em's careful going. I sighed. "If it's this bad here, how do you think Tris is? Do'u think he's got all this rain, too?" Emyr snorted, :probably, love. Maybe worse. But he'll be okay, what with Cyrek, Herald Lianas and Corfu. Herald Lianas was born for this kin of weather and Corfu loves it, too.:
When we finally made it back to Haven, it was still raining. In fact, except for one candlemark, it hadn't let up at all on the trip back. Emyr and I were bedraggled and muddy and, to be honest, somewhat cross. I had managed, thought, to buy a poncho at one of the villages we passed through, which saved me and Emyr no deal of heartache. Sneezing, I led Em into the barn and proceeded in striping off her all-but- ruined-tack when a pair of familiar hands stopped me. It was Brooke, now a full Herald. "Hey, look what the rain swept in!" Behind her were my year- mates, they had all stayed at Haven, wanting to work on some extra-credit for some class or other. "Well, what'd ya know! Here, let us do that, Cari, you look wiped out." Tor said, stepping forward. "No, that's—achoo!—okay, I got i—achoo!—sorry," I mumbled, sniffing a bit after I had sneezed on Anzelm, who had gently pushed me aside. "That's okay. And yes, we will get this for you. You won't help Emyr one bit if you come down with something more serious than a cold. I should know, too, my mom's a sort of healer." Anzelm said, giving his head a curt nod after he was done talking. "Okay guys, you take care of the tack and Emyr while I get Cari washed up and settled back in. You can catch up on news tomorrow—oh! By the way, classes have been postponed for the rest of the week to allow for late trainees." Herald Brooke said, grabbing my shoulders and propelling me out of the boy's way. As we left the relative safety of the barn, Charly yelled, "Sleep tight! You'll need it for tomorrow." "I'll try!" I hollered back, but the strong wind swept most of it out of my mouth, away from the barn.
It was raining. Again. It had been raining since the day after I had left home. "Will we make it back to Haven all right? And be truthful, I don't want to have to nurse a pulled muscle or a bruised hoof because you were showing off." :If we push it, we'll make it.: Em told me. :I hate rain. I hate being wet morning noon and night.: "I know, I do to. Hopefully the next village will have a decent barn for you. Failing that, I might just bring you into the common room. It'll be warm there and you could finally dry of—along with your tack. When we get back, this stuff is going to need a major going-over." I hung my head in the rain. I had forgotten to back a poncho and was now paying for it, but at least my clothes were always warm and dry by morning. Emyr's saddle blanket and saddle were generally still damp by the time we were heading out. To make matters worse, the road had turned into mud practically hock- deep and it covered everything. By sunset (or rather, when it just got darker), my grays would be mud-colored again, even with my careful washing and Em's careful going. I sighed. "If it's this bad here, how do you think Tris is? Do'u think he's got all this rain, too?" Emyr snorted, :probably, love. Maybe worse. But he'll be okay, what with Cyrek, Herald Lianas and Corfu. Herald Lianas was born for this kin of weather and Corfu loves it, too.:
When we finally made it back to Haven, it was still raining. In fact, except for one candlemark, it hadn't let up at all on the trip back. Emyr and I were bedraggled and muddy and, to be honest, somewhat cross. I had managed, thought, to buy a poncho at one of the villages we passed through, which saved me and Emyr no deal of heartache. Sneezing, I led Em into the barn and proceeded in striping off her all-but- ruined-tack when a pair of familiar hands stopped me. It was Brooke, now a full Herald. "Hey, look what the rain swept in!" Behind her were my year- mates, they had all stayed at Haven, wanting to work on some extra-credit for some class or other. "Well, what'd ya know! Here, let us do that, Cari, you look wiped out." Tor said, stepping forward. "No, that's—achoo!—okay, I got i—achoo!—sorry," I mumbled, sniffing a bit after I had sneezed on Anzelm, who had gently pushed me aside. "That's okay. And yes, we will get this for you. You won't help Emyr one bit if you come down with something more serious than a cold. I should know, too, my mom's a sort of healer." Anzelm said, giving his head a curt nod after he was done talking. "Okay guys, you take care of the tack and Emyr while I get Cari washed up and settled back in. You can catch up on news tomorrow—oh! By the way, classes have been postponed for the rest of the week to allow for late trainees." Herald Brooke said, grabbing my shoulders and propelling me out of the boy's way. As we left the relative safety of the barn, Charly yelled, "Sleep tight! You'll need it for tomorrow." "I'll try!" I hollered back, but the strong wind swept most of it out of my mouth, away from the barn.