On A World Called Horizon

Hoove and Tooth and Claw

Something's up with Rey. A little something, but it's there, and Aloy wonders if she didn't get a bit reckless with her dawn "session".

She really shouldn't have. Bad habits from too much time going alone. And stupid reckless when she object of desire was only two feet away. Sure, Rey's been looking at her as well, but that's no guarantee. Might just be because she's never seen a Nora before. Aloy, recklessly, finds herself hoping it isn't just that.

Still, Rey's... lovely. She's exactly Aloy's type, enough so that had she just run into Rey in a tavern, she'd have absolutely gone for a roll in the hay with her. And beyond the physical, she's kind, attentive and funny, despite social skills which, like Aloy's, could probably use sharpening. There's an odd kinship between them, Aloy fancies. The Seeker, anointed by the Goddess, and the Jedi, bearer and wielder of this strange mystic power.

Despite the cacophony of thoughts and feelings inside her head, she doesn't say anything until she's back from scoping the outside, finding Rey starting to cook breakfast. "Everything alright, Rey?"

Rey's head snaps around just a little too quickly, nearly enough for Aloy to lose her own composure. "Yeah. You good to move out after we eat?" Pause. "You're looking at me in a funny way, Aloy."

"Am I?" She quickly glances everywhere but at Rey. It probably doesn't work. Answer the question instead. "Yeah, go in ten minutes?"

Rey cocks her head in a quizzical way for a moment, then she lets it slide. "Sure."

They make quick progress. It helps that they come across a few Striders as they descend into a valley.

Upon sighting them, Aloy turns to Rey, pulling out her spare Corruptor cylinder and a Focus.

"We can use this to take them over. Overriding, we call it. Once you've applied this, you can use your Focus to link to a machine."

"How's it work?"

"Well, we get in close. Can't let them notice us, but if you can do that, you touch this to the machine and activate it."

The brunette's eyes are wide with excitement already. "And that gets us steeds?"

"Yes, but don't get too excited just yet."

Goodness, she sounds like Rost to herself. "This needs stealth. We'll go through the long grass. I trust you can sneak?"

Mercifully, Rey seems to do stealth just fine. They advance slowly through the long grass. There are two Striders at the very edge of the herd.

"I'll take the one on the right," Aloy whispers.

"Sure you know what we're doing?"

"Yep." Rey nods. "Get up close, touch it to the machine and..." she mimes flicking a switch.

"Good. And good luck."

Aloy, moving with an assurance born of experience, is quicker, slipping out from the grass to catch her Strider and override it. She keeps low, not wanting to alarm the other straggling Strider as Rey steps silently from cover. She already has the Override in hand, and slowly, slowly, she presses it to the metal hide of the Strider.

For a moment, Aloy holds her breath. Then there's a flash, and the machine's lights turn soft blue. Delight steals over Rey's face, and she turns to give Aloy a shaky thumbs up.

Aloy returns it – and with a springy jump, she hops up onto her new steed. Rey clambers on a little more slowly, egged on by Aloy's encouraging grin.

"How's your balance?"

Gingerly, Rey tests her posture. "I think I've got it."

"At a girl. Now, tap your heels on its flanks to get it moving."