Rose spent half an hour or so packing her knapsack (she'd wheedled a sonic-screwdriver flash-drying so that she could pack her spare outfit) and drying and fixing her hair, while the Doctor paced around the cottage and babbled. When she had killed all the time she could, she dropped her knapsack by the door and made one last trip to the jakes. Returning to the front of the cottage, she was greeted by the Doctor, who was all but bouncing as he held her bag.
"Ah! All set?" Rose stifled a giggle; he was like the Time Lord equivalent of a puppy nearly weeing himself to go for a walk. Nodding, she fell in step beside him as they headed toward the village center. As they walked, Rose enjoyed the smooth, calm functionality that seemed to envelop the whole community; every job seemed to get done, every adult was busy but attentive to friends and children, and the children knew when to help and when to scram. She was so interested in watching the people go about their daily routines that she didn't notice when Shahved stepped out from a side lane into their path.
"Good morning, Rose, Doctor. Will you be coming along on our agrantha expedition?" His dark eyes gazed coolly at the Doctor and glittered lingeringly on Rose.
"Oh, I think so. Sounds like an interesting trip, and certainly quite the opportunity. How many of us will be attempting to touch a mindstone?" The Doctor spoke lightly and politely, though Rose noticed that he stepped just a hair closer to her.
The Doctor's inquiry seemed to shock Shahved. "You will be touching the agrantha?" At the Doctor's cheery nod, the young man's face went through a quick range of emotions: surprise, irritation, and satisfaction. "Well, that is something that not many outsiders are willing to try. I applaud your mettle. As it happens, I will also make another attempt, so may we both have safety and good luck. I will see you both after the noon meal, when we depart." Shahved gave Rose a parting glance, then nodded and disappeared down the side lane as quickly as he'd appeared.
Resuming their pace, they walked in silence for a moment, until the Doctor glanced over at Rose. "I think our friend has a bit of a, what do you say? A crush on you."
"Yeah…don't much care for that. There's something slimy about him. And he looks at me all lizardy and creepy." Rose wrinkled her nose and took hold of the Doctor's hand, swinging it with the cadence of their steps.
"He's not done anything…inappropriate, has he?" Stopping dead still in the middle of the path, the Doctor looked square at Rose, and she could see the flickers of those rarely-used but frightening Oncoming Storm eyes.
"Oh, no. Just…he wants to talk to me, and find out about us, and he invited me to walk around the village yesterday evening while I was on the way in. Didn't sound like much of a date. Don't worry. Not gonna be swanning around after him anytime soon." Rose tugged on his hand and smiled to reassure him, and they set off again.
Soon they reached Duleian's house, though they were halted at the porch entrance by the leader calling from across the lane. "Doctor! Rose! If you please, we ought to get your mounts chosen!" The stocky silvering man beckoned with a sweep of his arm, and they turned to cross the path and join him at the entrance to a building in front of what looked to be stables. "Doctor, Rose, this is Forennal. He is the senior stablemaster, and the father of Ellaran, whom you have met. He will help you choose beasts for the expedition. You are in very good hands! When you have arranged that, I believe that Rose can show you the way to Shahved and Orrona's storehouse, and you can get your gear together. Then I hope you will join me for the noon meal…?"
"We'd love to, thanks…erm, I'm afraid we don't have any of your currency, so –"
"Oh, that is not an issue at all! We have beasts and supplies enough for any visitors. Think nothing of it. I will see you in a bit." Duleian waved and headed off in another direction, leaving the Doctor and Rose standing with Forennal, a tall and gentle-looking man who smelled of leather and straw and looked very much like his son.
"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you both. Ellaran is terribly excited; he hardly slept at all last night! Follow me, and we shall see if any of these beasts suit you. Normally they would be out in the pasture, but with the expedition leaving today they need to conserve their strength, and we need to match them with riders." He led them through his small, tidy office, through the back door into the long stables. Several dozen gray-and-brown riding animals placidly whuffed and squeaked (squeaked? Rose thought) in their half-stalls, some chewing on mouthfuls of the reddish grasses that they'd seen growing all about as they'd approached the village. They looked for all the world like donkeys, but with woolly coats and stubbier snouts, and crystal-blue eyes. Forennal turned to the Doctor and Rose and gave them each an appraising look. "You, Doctor, will need a larger animal. Have you any riding experience?"
"Ah, yes, but it's been a while…"
"Good. Then we will try you with one of these two; they are as headstrong as the larger beasts tend to be, but they are excellent mounts so long as you keep a firm hand. Come into the stall and get acquainted while I see to Rose here…hmm. A smaller one for you, and I think I see from your face that you are not much accustomed to riding?" He smiled kindly, and at Rose's embarrassed head shake, he patted her hand. "Nothing to worry about. I have a perfect one for you down here. She is small, and as gentle as a crettnir, and takes instructions very well. My wife trained her, so she is particularly responsive to female riders. You will do well with her!"
Forennal led Rose to a smaller gray animal, and motioned to her to slip into the stall. She did so, feeling self-conscious, and held out the back of her hand for the animal to smell. A soft, warm tongue flickered against her wrist, and the animal sniffed and nuzzled, obviously wanting a treat. Forrenal reached into his pocket and pulled out a chunk of some unidentifiable vegetable, which he handed to Rose. "That's a good girl, this lady will be riding you, so make friends now!" Rose offered the morsel, which was quickly but delicately lipped up, and tentatively stroked the animal's wooly neck. Bending down, she said softly, "More where that came from if you'll help me stay on your back, okay?"
Throwing his head back, Forennal laughed heartily. "You will be just fine! Let us go and see how the Doctor is coming along with his new friends!" Rose slipped back out of the stall, giving her mount one last stroke, and followed the stablemaster back up to where they had left the Doctor. Forennal's face creased in concern when they saw no trace of the Doctor's wild brown hair poking up above the stall dividers, and for a moment they both looked up and down the stable. Just as Rose was about to trot out and see if he had made a dash for it, they heard a quiet muttering down inside a stall, and they leaned over to see the object of their search sitting cross-legged in the straw, talking to one of the beasts as it peered intently at his animated whisperings. Rose rolled her eyes.
The Doctor peered up at them; he had donned his specs. "Hello, just having a little get-to-know-you. The other didn't want much to do with me, I'm afraid, but this one's quite keen on making friends. Very good listener, too. We'll get along smashingly!" Leaning in for one last sotto voce comment, he patted the brown beast's fuzzy jowl and stood up, moving out into the corridor. "Well, Rose, find yourself a friend as well?"
"That she did, and a very good match, too. Now I must make a note of this, and mark the stalls, and you two must get your packs together. Orrona is expecting you. The beasts and I will see you after the noon meal!" Forennal smiled and bowed slightly, taking two strips of parchment-looking writing material out of a pocket and turning toward his office.
Grinning widely, the Doctor offered his arm. "Shall we?" Rose curtsied and took it, and together they strode out onto the porch. Rose indicated the direction toward the storehouse, and they strolled leisurely toward the large building, chatting idly and enjoying the relatively warm late morning. There was no one outside when they came to the storehouse, so Rose rapped on the office door. A muffled call and approaching footsteps answered, and soon the door was flung open to reveal a smiling Orrona, with a sheaf of notes under her arm and a very dusty work apron tied around her torso.
"Come in! Has Forennal arranged your riding situation?" At their nods, she motioned for them to follow her back into the storage area. "This is a good time. All of our men have already gotten their supplies cleared out, so things will be quicker and easier. Packs first…" Rummaging in a large freestanding locker, she drew out several framed packs of a tightly woven material. Quickly and efficiently she held them up to their backs, adjusted straps, switched one out, and finally nodded. Handing them each a pack, she pointed the way to the next area.
Stopping before a series of horizontal wooden poles, she scanned the racks. "These are your ground mats and cold-weather sleeping rolls. You will not actually need to carry them on your hike, since they will stay at camp with Ellaran and the mounts..." She heaved off two thick hide mats and lowered them to the floor, then stepped aside to the next series of rods and removed two bedrolls. She spread them out on the floor, rolled each tightly, and secured them with straps, then showed the Doctor and Rose how to fasten and unfasten them to the outsides of the packs for riding.
Rose followed Orrona closely as they headed further back in the storehouse, and the Doctor trailed, fingering his pack and and muttering about the waterproof weave's material and method. Thus distracted, he ran full into Rose's back as she and Orrona suddenly stopped in front of a set of heavy shelves holding smaller gear. "Oof!" she said, nearly falling over Orrona and dropping her pack in the process.
Abashed, the Doctor dropped his own pack, letting loose with a flurry of apologies to both women as he picked up Rose and dusted her off, completely oblivious to the fact that he'd run his hands all over her hips and bum in his flustered efforts to remove the nonexistent dirt and set her to rights. Both women noticed, though, and erupted in a fit of silent giggles as Orrona began selecting items from the shelves and laying them out on the floor in two identical piles.
Composing herself, Orrona recited the lineup. "Filled lantern. Flask of oil. Flint. Travel bread, dried fruit, jerky. Water bottle. You can fill that at the well. Knife. Bandages and salve. Blanket. Insect cream. You will want to pack a change of clothes…and that should be all. Ellaran will have the mounts' grain loaded already. Mostly they graze, but we like to give them a solid meal after a long walk." She talked more about expedition details as she meandered back toward the front and the office. Just as she reached the door, she turned to Rose. "Do you have a thick jacket? It gets even colder out in the lowlands than it does here. No? Here, try this one, you are only a bit taller than me. I have several, and I am not going on this trip anyway, so you wear this. It is not fancy, but it will do the job."
Rose spluttered her thanks and slipped on the coat; it did indeed fit rather well, and she hadn't even thought of needing a heavier coat than her cotton hoodie. She impulsively hugged Orrona, who delightedly returned the embrace. "We'll see you in a couple of days, yeah? Thanks for the help, and the supplies, and the jacket." The Doctor added his thanks, and soon they stood on the store's porch hefting their filled packs.
"Well. We have a bit before lunch; do you want to go and switch some of that stuff in your knapsack to the pack?" The Doctor looked incongruously…normal with his specs and trainers and his pack on, like any student or backpacker waiting for the Tube.
"Oh, yeah. Suppose so." They walked back to the cottage, where Rose transferred her spare clothes to her pack while the Doctor took their water bottles to the well. Dropping her own small pack by the bed, Rose gave the cozy cottage one last glance – she was not looking forward to animal droppings and sore feet and weird noises close by, and she would absolutely, positively pine for that hot pool! Sighing, she followed the Doctor out the door, and they walked to Duleian's home, arriving at the same time as the leader himself.
"Excellent timing! Do you have everything that you need?" Duleian ushered them inside, closing the door behind them and urging them to drop their packs and head to the table. "Best eat heartily; while our travel food is healthy and safe, it is nowhere approaching my Nianna's cooking…"