Sabre snorted, and shied slightly. The big black charger might be well-trained, but he’s still, essentially, a horse. Obviously the beast wanted a rest after a series of walking, and the occasional trot trough the pleasant countryside since dawn. Reis slacked off his grasp on the reins, and let the horse steer off the hard-packed dirt path and onto the grass, bringing them to a nearby grove.
Reis slid down from the saddle and welcomed the slightly warm sensation of blood properly coursing through his legs. It’s nearing sundown and a rest might do them good. Reis retrieved his leather backpack fastened to the saddle as well as his broadsword and placed them under a shady tree. He then unfastened the saddlebags, and also a leather sack containing his suit of mithril armour and placed them all in a pile under the tree. After having retrieved his possessions, Reis began loosening the leather straps and brass braces of the saddle, and removed it from the great beast’s haunch. Normally, the young knight has seen the stable boys using stools and even ladders to tend to this particularly taller breed of warhorses from the proud fleet of chargers of the Kingdom; however, in Reis’ case he was glad for the height he has to be able to utilize the beast in the field. Free of the saddle, Sabre went on with his usual mischief. The horse turned its great big head and pulled off the saddlecloth on its back with its teeth.
“Next time take the saddle off yourself,” Reis said to the horse, stroking its proud mane.
Being the youngest of the family of chargers at the Royal Stable, Sabre has a mischievous albeit playful attitude that Reis has grew fond of. He really loved the horse as they grew up mostly together. Reis saw Sabre being born when the young knight was in his youth, and saw through the training the horse went through when it is old enough to be ridden. Reis would venture into the stables to groom the majestic black velvety horse. The horse acknowledged its rider as well, and it is proud to serve the knight with its life.
Reis let the horse nibble on the lush green grasses. He heard a spring somewhere trickling in the wooded part of the meadow, and he intended to water his horse and refilled his waterskins there. Looking around in a panoramic horizon, Reis could tell that he was at the meadows where it was the onset of the great plains that lie ahead. The last civilisation he encountered was the countryside and the occasional farms as he made his way up north from the White City. That was last week. Now, he was on the Traveller’s Roadway far from hospitalities. Reis sat under the shady tree and retrieved a tool kit from his backpack. He chose a pair of tweezers, and after removing the leather riding glove from his right hand, Reis began to remove the remaining few wooden splinters embedded in his right palm. Courtesy of a fairly large Felbear, Reis’ wooden spear has killed the beast in the skirmish, but had shattered in the process. Caught relatively unaware while he was resting in a grove, Reis had barely enough time to properly defend himself when the Felbear had attacked.
Unarmed, Reis has no choice but to run to a patch of woods for cover, with the bear snapping at his heels. Reis had almost been swiped in two if it had not been for the help of his charger. The horse had sensed the bear via its rancid scent, and had seen the bear on a lunging charge for its rider. Galloping hard, the horse thundered towards the bear and had crashed into it moments before the Felbear could swipe at Reis with its vicious claws. With its back at Reis, giving him cover Sabre whinnied loudly, snapping its jaws and bared its teeth. The bear was momentarily held at bay as Sabre rose on its hind legs and flailed its front legs menacingly. With the spare moment of time Reis grabbed the wooden spear from its holder near the seat of the saddle with one precise grasp, he then slapped the horse’s hind making the mount retreat. The bear stood to its full height on its hind legs and roared loudly. Undeterred, Reis prayed the Light for strength and dexterity to guide his arm, and it seemed that the Light has answered, as for a heartbeat later, Reis charged and plunged his spear into the bear’s exposed chest, piercing the thick fury hide, and piercing its heart. The force was so great the spearhead erupted out at the back of the bear, covered thickly with black blood and the shaft had split and shattered. The encounter with the bear a couple of days ago has made him more humble and cautious with his surrounding.
When at last, the splinters have finally been removed; Reis could begin the accelerated healing process. Then, he took a few sips of the dewberry juice from a waterskin he’d bought from the last farm he had passed through, and chewed some beef jerky. Holding the Kingdom map in his free hand, courtesy of the Royal cartographer, Reis began coursing his way northbound to the nearest town ahead, two days’ ride away - the town of Fieri.
Reis slid down from the saddle and welcomed the slightly warm sensation of blood properly coursing through his legs. It’s nearing sundown and a rest might do them good. Reis retrieved his leather backpack fastened to the saddle as well as his broadsword and placed them under a shady tree. He then unfastened the saddlebags, and also a leather sack containing his suit of mithril armour and placed them all in a pile under the tree. After having retrieved his possessions, Reis began loosening the leather straps and brass braces of the saddle, and removed it from the great beast’s haunch. Normally, the young knight has seen the stable boys using stools and even ladders to tend to this particularly taller breed of warhorses from the proud fleet of chargers of the Kingdom; however, in Reis’ case he was glad for the height he has to be able to utilize the beast in the field. Free of the saddle, Sabre went on with his usual mischief. The horse turned its great big head and pulled off the saddlecloth on its back with its teeth.
“Next time take the saddle off yourself,” Reis said to the horse, stroking its proud mane.
Being the youngest of the family of chargers at the Royal Stable, Sabre has a mischievous albeit playful attitude that Reis has grew fond of. He really loved the horse as they grew up mostly together. Reis saw Sabre being born when the young knight was in his youth, and saw through the training the horse went through when it is old enough to be ridden. Reis would venture into the stables to groom the majestic black velvety horse. The horse acknowledged its rider as well, and it is proud to serve the knight with its life.
Reis let the horse nibble on the lush green grasses. He heard a spring somewhere trickling in the wooded part of the meadow, and he intended to water his horse and refilled his waterskins there. Looking around in a panoramic horizon, Reis could tell that he was at the meadows where it was the onset of the great plains that lie ahead. The last civilisation he encountered was the countryside and the occasional farms as he made his way up north from the White City. That was last week. Now, he was on the Traveller’s Roadway far from hospitalities. Reis sat under the shady tree and retrieved a tool kit from his backpack. He chose a pair of tweezers, and after removing the leather riding glove from his right hand, Reis began to remove the remaining few wooden splinters embedded in his right palm. Courtesy of a fairly large Felbear, Reis’ wooden spear has killed the beast in the skirmish, but had shattered in the process. Caught relatively unaware while he was resting in a grove, Reis had barely enough time to properly defend himself when the Felbear had attacked.
Unarmed, Reis has no choice but to run to a patch of woods for cover, with the bear snapping at his heels. Reis had almost been swiped in two if it had not been for the help of his charger. The horse had sensed the bear via its rancid scent, and had seen the bear on a lunging charge for its rider. Galloping hard, the horse thundered towards the bear and had crashed into it moments before the Felbear could swipe at Reis with its vicious claws. With its back at Reis, giving him cover Sabre whinnied loudly, snapping its jaws and bared its teeth. The bear was momentarily held at bay as Sabre rose on its hind legs and flailed its front legs menacingly. With the spare moment of time Reis grabbed the wooden spear from its holder near the seat of the saddle with one precise grasp, he then slapped the horse’s hind making the mount retreat. The bear stood to its full height on its hind legs and roared loudly. Undeterred, Reis prayed the Light for strength and dexterity to guide his arm, and it seemed that the Light has answered, as for a heartbeat later, Reis charged and plunged his spear into the bear’s exposed chest, piercing the thick fury hide, and piercing its heart. The force was so great the spearhead erupted out at the back of the bear, covered thickly with black blood and the shaft had split and shattered. The encounter with the bear a couple of days ago has made him more humble and cautious with his surrounding.
When at last, the splinters have finally been removed; Reis could begin the accelerated healing process. Then, he took a few sips of the dewberry juice from a waterskin he’d bought from the last farm he had passed through, and chewed some beef jerky. Holding the Kingdom map in his free hand, courtesy of the Royal cartographer, Reis began coursing his way northbound to the nearest town ahead, two days’ ride away - the town of Fieri.
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