Can Failures be Redeemed?

[Siani Frey]

Eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve..

She counted and re-counted, again and again, but there was still a head missing. Despite the Fjords all looking much the same, she could always tell them apart. She wasn't skipping over anyone, there was simply an equine missing. Big, green eyes scanned the pasture once more before she was practically stomping away towards her personal pastures, her three horses grazing peacefully in the late afternoon sun, separated only by a fence so that they could at least feel like they were together. The last thing Siani wanted was her two studs fighting over poor Runa.

At her shrill whistle, Tua's head snapped upwards, ears flicking forward as he nickered softly. Another whistle had him approaching at a leisurely pace. It was moments like this that made the Oisen glad she'd trained each horse to their own whistle. No walking across a pasture to fetch her mount for the day.

Once Tua was at the gate, she opened it and he stepped outside, immediately turning so that both of his eyes were on her. A gentle pat was given before Siani moved to the makeshift shed where she kept her tack, throwing on nothing more than a blanket with a girth attached that she'd fashioned out of sheep's wool. Then, with a handful of mane, she was hoisting herself onto his back, clicking her tongue as her head swiveled in search of her Chieftess. Surely Xahrina Oisen would want to know a member of the Fjord herd was missing before Siani embarked on her search. They were among the most protected equines, after all, even their location a closely held secret to Xahrina and those she trusted to look after them. Even one missing was cause for concern.

[Xahrina Oisen]

Xahrina was tending to Enbarr, running a bone comb through his thick mane and working an oil through it to help with the shine and keeping any brambles from his thick mane. She was thinking, her mind lost but a smile on her face as she did so. There was someone on her mind and she was aching for them and it was hard not to but she would patiently wait.

As she was combing through though, the sound of hoofbeats filled her ears and she would reach to Enbarrs' face and rub his nose as he looked to the woman who was approaching.

She would turn to look at who it was. Xahrina was dressed casually, it would be hard to pick her out as the Chieftess if it wasn't for the arm bands that were around her upper arms that marked her as such. The woman wasn't one to be flashy and she liked to be simple yet elegant at the same time.

"Siani...you look troubled," she pointed out gently, her hand rubbing the strong horses neck gently as he let out a small nasally snort with his head shaking a bit. A smile was on her face as he shifted around a bit but the massive animal did not worry his rider in the slightest with his size and weight moving inches behind her.

[Siani Frey]

Her eyes had caught sight of Enbarr just before Xahrina. The beast nearly dwarfed anyone next to him, and the chieftess was no exception. Siani brought Tua to a halt just as Xahrina spoke. Immediately, Siani's head was whipping in the direction of the Fjord's pasture, dark hair flying into her face. "I was doing a head count. One of our Fjord's isn't present with the herd." She said as her eyes returned to the chieftess.

Xar was perhaps the only person that could see through Siani's hardened expressions. Her worry was deep. The chieftess has given her the role of equine protector for a reason and Siani had been keen on keeping her promise to never let Xahrina - and by extension their clan - down. Even now, her plain clothes were stained in dirt, no longer the light tan they'd once been, clearly showing the work that she'd put in over the last year since being appointed the protector of the herds. Despite only being in the afternoon hours, the younger Oisen woman was still covered in dirt, her face and hands streaked, nails filthy. It never bothered her, however. It was all part of the job and she loved every bit of it.

Again her head was turning back to the Fjord's pasture, Tua picking up on his rider's nervousness and turning to face in the direction Siani's eyes refused to drift from for long. She hadn't even had to ask him to turn, he'd simply done it, tossing his head as if he knew that something wasn't right. "I was about to get ready to search the pasture, but I thought I should let you know first. I'm worried something's happened.." She admitted, her restlessness translating to the stallion she rode, who now refused to stand still.

[Xahrina Oisen]

The look on Xahrina's face was calm, it was hard to ever see an angered look about her as she would move close to Tua and rest a hand on her. Almost instantly the beast calmed and Siani could feel a calmness slowly washing over her like a gentle wave from the shoreline as she explained.

What was said though, wasn't good and as much as it upset her she didn't show it so as to not upset her friend. "Calm Siani, calm," she told her as she wanted her to think clearly on this as she would then give a nod to her worried question that was tossed her way. Something happening to one of the Fjords was bad. Truly so and Xahrina did not want to see any harm come to these special horses that they had.

"One moment then, let me get my bow," she told her as she would head over to where she had a halter and reigns. Enbarr would easily follow her and allow her to place those on him and then the soft blanket on his back while she grabbed saddle bags that held some equine medicinal items for emergencies.

She was calm as she gathered the items, her hands even moving to quickly braid her hair as she told someone that she was going out for a bit. Once ready, the Chieftess would move to Embarr and he would bow down and allow her to mount him before he stood up and she moved right next to Siani, "Let's go to the herd and count one more time, was it a mare? Could she have been foaling?" she asked her curiously. Some first time mothers wanted to be alone so maybe that was all it was; at least it was what Xahrina was hoping for.

[Siani Frey]

Siani was always thankful for the calm that Xahrina was able to bring to her. She felt Tua relax beneath the woman's touch. Closing her eyes, she nodded her head as Xar willed her calm and took a steadying breath. Then the Chieftess was moving to gather her things, Siani absent-mindedly feeling for the short sword at her hip. She should have brought her own bow, but it was likely that she wouldn't need it. Xahrina was a fine archer and Siani considered herself decent with close-combat weapons. Together, they should be able to handle anything thrown their way.

With both Oisen women on their mounts, their equines standing side-by-side, Xar was presenting questions to Siani and the younger woman pulled her lips into a hard line. She hadn't even thought to check if it was one of the mares, but as far as she knew, it wasn't time for any of the pregnant horses to give birth. With spring having only just arrived, it would likely be a few weeks more, but stranger things had happened..

She shook her head softly. "I did not check if it were one of the mares, though if I were a betting woman..." The words trailed off and she sighed quietly. "I would like to think the mares could hold off on foaling a while longer, but I suppose it is a possibility." The tone of her voice indicated she was not confident on the matter. It was unlikely, but not impossible. With that thought, she wasn't able to sit still for a moment longer. She looked to Xar before urging Tua to move forward at a steady trot. "I believe they came from the far back end of the pasture this morning, so perhaps we should start there." She suggested.

[Xahrina Oisen]

Xahrina kept her calm, there was no need to panic and upset Siani more than she was. She felt it and so would just try to urge her to calm and clear her mind of the stress. They would find the missing horse and bring them back alive. There was nothing else to it as she refused to think something ill would happen to one of those sacred beasts.

Settling on her own mount, she offered her a calm smile, “Well, then maybe it was a stallion who slipped off smelling another mare but not part of the herd he should be in,” Xahrina added. It was possible for both, worst possibility was something had attacked and killed it but she refused to think on that.

“Lead the way Siani, we will find them,” she promised her. “And do not blame yourself, even the best of us lose count at times…when I was young watching the heard I lost three mares once because they wandered off to another pasture,” she told her, a little laugh in her tone to try and lighten things while also keeping her eyes peeled for anything amiss. She was ready to strike with a bow if it was needed.

[Siani Frey]

Siani was always grateful for Xahrina's presence. Worrier that she was, her Chieftess could always put her at ease, even if only a little. It was always more than enough to take the edge off, however, and for that, she was even more grateful.

She nodded at Xahrina's reasoning, trying to tell herself that she'd only miscounted or one of the horses was late to join the others at the front part of the massive pasture. Nothing bad could have happened under her keen watch. Nothing bad should have happened.

She waited for Xahrina to ride up next to her as she asked Tua to slow his pace to a walk with nothing more than her body language. Her hands fell from his mane to his withers where they rested as she listened to her Chieftess's story. She laughed lightly along with her, though the sound lacked much humor. "At least you were able to find them. I hope that our outcome today is the same." She responded as they approached the gate leading into the pasture.

She asked Tua to move parallel towards the latch that secured the gate closed, opening it from her place on his back and allowing Enbarr to carry his rider in first before she followed, closing the gate behind her and making sure it was shut before moving on. "I saw them coming up from this way early this morning." She said, urging Tua into a slow canter. The Fjords that were present watched curiously, some choosing to follow at a lazy pace, even if only out of interest and hopes of treats and pats.