Change of a ride (WoT FF)

Chapter 1

They have been riding for days now, barely stopping, really. Lan was surprised, not for the first time, at how much Moiraine could go through and still drag him along towards the next thing. She had bonded him close to seven years ago, but he was still awed sometimes.

She reached to pat her horse on the neck, even though they were galloping through a pretty rough terrain. This was not a problem for his Aes Sedai - she was clearly a horsewoman with years of practice. No surprise with her pedigree, really, and with the horse she was riding.

Arrow was a fine animal, well suited to her rider both in temperament and in size, making her comfortable to start with. Although sweet one, she didn't like him very much as proven one day he actually needed to ride her. He didn't blame her - her and Cat Dancer were constantly at odds (although they got used to each other after several months of travelling together and getting snowed in in a small inn for a week) and Lan smelled of Cat Dancer more times than not.

Despite all the amazing qualities she exhibited, one of the most important and, frankly, surprising to him, being the ability to keep up with much bigger war horse, Arrow was not everlasting. Lan felt Moiraine pull the tiredness from the mare just now. All he wanted to do was stop to rest, but he knew she was right. The area was frequented by the Whitecloaks lately and they would do best to get out of here as soon as possible. He would try to persuade Moiraine to a night at an inn first chance they got.

It was two days before they arrived in a village, but almost a week before they were sure enough to actually stop and rest properly. He caught her reaching to Arrow with her bands in that familiar way.

"No need for that" he said. "Full night and good feed will suffice."

"You're right." This confirmed what he already knew from the bond – she was tired to the bone, unwilling even to argue with him. "I guess this is habitual by now."

"You've been doing it a lot lately, taking her tiredness," he said. "Mostly during the ride, when you think I don't notice." He talked to her only after they made use of the large bathing room he managed to charm their way into. Relaxed Moiraine was always more malleable. "We need to talk about finding you a new ride soon."

She bristled at the thought, but he was prepared for her anger. She loved that horse. But he was right, he knew it. Love or no love, this horse was not only a fancy companion, but a means of transportation and in that regard, it was not the ideal one. At least soon it would be close to failing.

"Arrow is perfectly fine," she said. Well, Moiraine did take measures to ensure her good health, but this was not the question. "And she is well capable of carrying me wherever we need. Or have you forgotten that it was Cat Dancer that had to be pushed yesterday?"

He smiled, remembering how they rode the previous afternoon. Arrow was a great pony. It would have been nicer had Moiraine not needed to augment her stamina. Tear was close and it would be much trickier there.

Cat Dancer was positively prancy the next morning. He easily rode faster than Arrow, which allowed Lan to push him to scout ahead from time to time. But Arrow was good too, he had to admit. He would have suspected Moiraine and saidar had something to do with that, but she started fresh and smiling, definitely well rested today. He could feel through the bond she took her rest, even ate more than the bare minimum that morning.

It was a strange but not unwelcome thing that they would ride for hours without even one word spoken. Before they bonded and started the search together, almost every one of his companions would require at least some verbal participation. Moiraine was perfectly fine in silence. He wondered if it might be something the Aes Sedai training prepared her for or of it was hers alone. She was a nice companion when she decided to talk or if he brought something up, but silence between them was good as well.