The Unnamed Blade (Book Two of The Horns of Elfland)

Chapter Six

By the time they pulled up in the beech hangers to the east of Tashik, the Elves – and to a lesser extent the other beasts – had grown accustomed to the regular intrusion of Star's Awareness on their own. The colt regularly raided information from them; he learned how to pull in harness by leaching knowledge from the Awareness of whichever beasts were in draught, and when paired with one of them was relentless in badgering it to equal his own effort. Pack-carrying caused few problems; but if the pack was unevenly weighted he let whoever had laden him know about it.

The worst tussle Farinka had with him was riding; he'd regularly pick up her wishes from Awareness, anticipating physical signals, and when she shut the Awareness down in an attempt to make him learn a more conventional method of communication between beast and rider he got frustrated enough to throw her off with some force.

She kept hold of his halter rope and jumped to her feet.

– That was bad!, she shouted at him. I know it's not half so efficient, but you've got to learn. Not everybody is like us, Star.

He nudged her lightly, letting his remorse wash over her. She stroked his nose gently, and sighed. – Shall we try again? And this time, don't listen, feel. If you learn to respond to my signals alone, I'll teach you other things with the Awareness – but you'll have to learn the signals as well as the movements, okay? Do we have a deal?

Star rubbed his head vigorously against her shoulder, and caught her plait between his lips, tugging gently at it.

Sherath laughed. – You're going to have to teach him things he'll enjoy, Domina, he said.

– That won't be a problem. He enjoys working, he delights in movement, he relishes learning, and he loves to play games and show off. We can have a lot of fun together.

She was right. It took mere minutes to teach him which leg was more efficient at leading in canter, and the introduction of flying changes was something he initiated himself. She melded her mind with his, and showed him new games to play, borrowing from everything she had seen in her past. The concept of sideways movement delighted him, and he took a stalliony pleasure in the pure exhibitionism of piaffe and passage, the modifications of trot which are full of spring, bounce, energy and floating.

– I've never seen a packbeast learn to dance before, said Jevann with a laugh that evening.

– It's all very well, but I'm aching in places I'd forgotten I had places, let alone muscles, said Farinka, stretching her back muscles. A hot bath would be very welcome.

– You're out of luck there, Domina, said Sherath, handing her a steaming plateful of rabbit and venison stew. But a massage is certainly not out of the question, and probably even more effective.

– That would be nice. I hadn't realised how hungry I was getting, either.

– That's what hard work and total concentration does for you, said Tarke. Are we riding down to Tashik, or walking? she asked Sherath.

He looked up thoughtfully. – The fewer who go, the better. We don't need to go through, at all; just branch off on the westward trail from here. So I'd suggest that possibly just Nemeth and Farinka go down to find out if Mishaar's ship has docked yet. Domina?

– Yes, okay. I'll take Star down; it will do him good. Nemeth?

– I'd like to take Flax, but he's been working hard the last two days. He deserves a rest, answered Nemeth.