The relative quiet of the house was shattered when Jules came running into the sitting room. "They're here, Dad!"

"Alright, alright, there's no need to get too excited," Moffitt said. He slid a bookmark between the pages of what he was reading, and gave a heavy sigh. "Why did my father's new book have to arrive today?"

Anah slithered out from underneath the blanket draped over Moffitt, where she had been curled up on his chest. "If you had a bit more self-control, dear, you could have waited until tomorrow to spend an entire day reading."

"But I didn't want to. I thought I would have at least another hour." Moffitt sat up, and waited until Anah was fully around his shoulders before standing and going out to the entryway. The door was closing, and Moffitt cursed to himself when he saw Jules running outside in just his trousers, sweater, and winter boots. He quickly put on his own boots and jacket, and opened the door, shouting, "Jules, your coat!"

Jules wasn't paying attention, and nearly slipped on ice when he sprinted up to Dietrich as the skinny German was walking up the path to the house. "Hi, Mr. Dietrich!"

"Hello, Jules." Dietrich grunted as he was tightly hugged. "Why are you not wearing a jacket? It is quite cold today."

"Yes, why aren't you wearing your coat, Jules?" Moffitt walked over, holding out Jules's coat. "Put this on, for heaven's sake, you'll catch pneumonia out here." He looked at Dietrich, then at Dietrich's companion, General Preisner. "General. Good to see you again." Moffitt held out his hand.

"It is good to see you as well, Moffitt," Preisner replied, firmly shaking the lanky Englishman's hand. "Where is Anah?"

Anah stuck her head out of Moffitt's scarf. "Right here. Hello, General."

"Hello." Preisner glanced around nervously. "So, where are… they?"

"The horses? In the stables," Moffitt said.

"Stupid question, I know." Preisner looked at the icy ground. "This does seem to be quite an embarrassing problem to have."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. I love horses, but I don't think you're silly for being afraid of them. They can be intimidating at times. My own horse hated me at first. Threw me off, bit me, pushed me, and nearly kicked me several times when I started training with him."

"Your horses… are they good with new people?"

"For the most part. Snowstripe is a bit touchy. He listens to me almost without hesitation, but he's very intelligent and seems to know what you're thinking at any given moment. Icepatch is a lot friendlier. However, she's very protective of Dietrich here. As long as you don't do anything perceived to be threatening to him, she'll be fine."

"Right." Preisner turned to Dietrich. "Well, I can trust that I will not be threatening to you."

"Not in the slightest, General," Dietrich replied.

"Don't feel pressured into anything," Moffitt said. "This will probably take a little while." As they walked to the stables, he asked, "Do you have any idea what caused your fear of horses?"

"Back during the war, I was kicked by a horse and my pelvis was broken. I was out of action for months, and in a lot of pain for most of my recovery."

"Given how good a commander you are, I guess it's fortunate you were out of action, for the Allies," Moffitt said with a slight grin.

"Fair point." Preisner grinned as well. "Anyway, since then, I have always been… very nervous around horses, to the point where I would rather not be around them, but I understand Dietrich likes them and will have his own someday. I would not like to be a rude guest should I visit and see his horse."

"You are making it sound like this is all for my sake, General," Dietrich said. "I thought you said you wanted to get over your fear independent of me having my own horse."

"I did, but now it feels… more important."

"Well, he will be acquiring Icepatch when he retires," Moffitt said. "Now you'll have a chance to meet her." He unlocked the stable doors. "Just as a warning, sir, you're new, so when we let the horses out, they will want to sniff you and get to know you."

"Alright. Thank you for the warning, Moffitt." Preisner hung back a little when the doors were opened. He watched from a distance as Moffitt and Dietrich greeted Snowstripe and Icepatch, eyes wide with worry as he backed against the wall.

"How's my naughty old boy this morning?" Moffitt said, patting Snowstripe's neck. "You didn't get out of your pen, for once."

"He escapes?" Preisner stared fearfully at Snowstripe.

"Not often." Moffitt pointed to Anah. "Mostly because of her, though."

"Why?"

"If I sleep in, Anah lets him out."

"Oh."

"He has learned how to escape on his own, though, and has taught Icepatch the same thing."

"I see."

"They're not vicious. It's alright." Moffitt stepped aside. "Come say hello."

Preisner hesitated. "Your horse, Moffitt… I really do not like the look he is giving me."

Moffitt turned back to Snowstripe, sighing. "Really? You want to do with him what you did with me in the Scots Greys? I don't care how funny you think it is, this poor man's terrified of you."

Jules approached Snowstripe confidently, then looked at Preisner. "See? If you don't act scared of him, he won't hurt you." The boy laughed when Snowstripe nuzzled him.

"Perhaps you'd be more comfortable with Icepatch," Moffitt said. He looked over at Dietrich, who was already brushing the mare and not paying attention to the others. Part of Moffitt felt bad for interrupting, since Dietrich looked happy—a rare spectacle—but it had been Dietrich's idea in the first place to help his commanding officer with his fear of horses. Moffitt cleared his throat. "Uh, Dietrich? I think it'd be a good idea that Preisner interacts with Icepatch first."

"Is he too scared of Snowstripe?" Dietrich asked.

"Yes."

"Oh, alright." Dietrich opened the pen and led Icepatch out. Preisner moved away, but Dietrich held out his hand. "Do not go any further, General, or you will move into her blind spot. Come over here to my right, that way you are in her field of vision."

Preisner stayed still. "What should I do now?"

"Is she looking at you funny like Snowstripe is?"

Preisner locked eyes with Icepatch. "N-Not really. She seems… less… intimidating." He glanced at Moffitt. "I must ask, though, how did you get them to be comfortable with Anah? I thought horses were afraid of snakes."

"I really didn't have to do anything," Moffitt said. "Snowstripe encountered many snakes when we were in the Middle East together, and I… was already connected to snakes because of the prophecy, so it's not like they posed a threat to him. In Icepatch's case, I think it's because Anah talks and, well, isn't a normal snake. Seriously, though—" Moffitt gently took Anah's head, "does this look threatening to you?"

"Maybe not to you, but if I saw her without knowing who and what she is, I would be nervous," Preisner said.

"Miss Anah's only scary when she's mad, and she's only mad when one of us is in trouble," Jules said. "Are we taking the horses out to ride, Dad?"

"That depends on how comfortable Preisner is with trying it," Moffitt replied.

"Okay."

"If you want, Jules, you and I can go riding later," Dietrich said.

"Really?" Jules looked up at his father. "Please, Dad?"

"Alright. Just don't be out too long. It's cold."

Preisner looked back at Icepatch. He stepped closer to the mare, and gave a nervous glance to Dietrich when Icepatch stretched her neck to sniff the anxious general.

"She is getting to know you. She will not bite," Dietrich said. "Try petting her."

Behind Preisner, Moffitt had opened Snowstripe's pen, allowing the horse to step outside. "Jules, could you get the water changed?"

"Yes, Dad," Jules said.

Preisner reached over to stroke Icepatch's neck. Every movement she made had him jumping a little.

"You are going to spook her if you keep doing that, General," Dietrich said, "then she may just kick or bite you."

"I do not feel in complete control of it," Preisner replied.

"Then take a step back."

Preisner did, looking a bit frustrated. "This is why I like tanks better."

Snowstripe glared at him.

"Don't say that," Moffitt said. "He's very aware of the fact that he was replaced by a tank."

Preisner froze in place, and started trembling when he realized Snowstripe was out of his pen. The big Arabian walked over to the shivering general, giving him a displeased look, and made a huffing sound at him.

"Snowstripe," Moffitt said, firmly, "don't."

"Right. I am out." Preisner bolted, which prompted Snowstripe to chase him.

"Wait, don't run!" Moffitt shouted. "You can't outrun a horse!"

Dietrich was already saddling up Icepatch, working fast but looking calm. He quickly climbed into the saddle, then had Icepatch galloping outside, closely following Snowstripe.

"What do we do, Dad?" Jules asked, a worried look on his face.

"Let Dietrich handle it. He seemed very sure about what he was doing," Moffitt replied. He took Anah out of his jacket. "You, stay with Jules."

"Where are you going, dear?" Anah asked.

"Helping Dietrich." Moffitt ran out of the stables, seeing Preisner trying to hop the fence into the backyard. "No! Don't lead Snowstripe in there! He'll trample my bloody garden!" Moffitt hollered.

Just as Preisner had gotten over the fence, Dietrich and Icepatch had caught up to Snowstripe. Dietrich took hold of Snowstripe's reins, pulling his attention away from Preisner by gently tugging on them. For a moment, he didn't look sure where to point Snowstripe. When he saw Moffitt running up to them, Dietrich turned Snowstripe toward him, then looked over at Preisner, calling, "Are you alright, General?"

"I think a few years were taken off my life, but I am alright otherwise," Preisner said. "Thank you, Colonel. I owe you my life. Again."

Moffitt slowed to a jog as he approached them. "For heaven's sake, Snowstripe," he breathed. "You are not exactly helping here." He looked up at Dietrich. "Nice work."

"Not a problem," Dietrich replied.

"I did not think a horse would get angry over something it cannot understand," Preisner said.

"He heard the word 'tank' a lot before they swapped out the horses in the Scots Greys," Moffitt replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if he associates the word with… me disappearing for a long time."

Preisner nodded a little. "I apologize for this, then."

"Don't apologize. You didn't know." Moffitt looked at Snowstripe. "I'm not going anywhere, alright? You didn't need to charge him."

"One thing I will say, Moffitt," Preisner said as he leaned against the fence, "I admire his loyalty to you."

"Snowstripe has been loyal to me for well over twenty years. The trick with him is respecting his intelligence."

"I think the same can be said for Icepatch," Dietrich said. "She is just a little less sensitive about it because she did not have the pressures that Snowstripe did early in his life."

Moffitt nodded in agreement. "In time, Snowstripe will see you as one of the family, General. He's quite good with the rest of us."

"Except Troy," Dietrich said with a snort.

Preisner raised an eyebrow. "What is his problem with Troy?"

"Mostly Anah. They conspire to prank him at every turn," Moffitt replied.

"Usually, they steal his hat," Dietrich added. "I am surprised that hat has survived the abuse it has been put through by those two."

"So am I."

"But, why does Anah want to prank him at every turn?" Preisner asked.

"Oh, we have no idea."

"I thought it was because Troy did not take the prophecy seriously in the beginning," Dietrich said.

"That probably used to be the case, but now I think it's because Anah gets a kick out of it." Moffitt looked back at Preisner. "We can try this again later, if you want."

Preisner thought for a moment. "I do think a break would be a good idea."

"Would you like a cup of tea, then?"

"I would, actually. What kind of tea do you have?"

Dietrich paled. "Oh, no, General, do not ask that."

Preisner gave Dietrich a confused look. "Why not?"

"Because he has a floor-to-ceiling cabinet dedicated just to tea and he will tell you all about every single box of tea and tea-related paraphernalia in there if you let him."