to discuss the details now,” Serdra continued, “because you need to learn many things in the coming days and I think it's best to portion information. Besides, it's just good for you to wonder a bit, and think.”
“The old people were constantly telling me similar nonsense,” Katja murmured. “I didn't heed them either.”
“Well,” Serdra said, unbothered. “How do you plan to make me talk?”
“Well - what if I just stay here?” Katja asked with attitude though she intended no such thing.
“Then I'll tie you up and toss you across the saddle.
She didn't say it threateningly, or angrily or jokingly. Just with the same calm security she said everything else.
“And would you enjoy it?” Katja fired back with an insolent grin.
“Perhaps. What about you?”
Katja laughed a bit, took a few steps back and did a running jump into the saddle.
She wiggled her ass a bit to fit and again hugged Serdra's waist.
“What are we waiting for? Go.”
--------------------
As the second day passed Katja started to wonder if she would be better off stuffing rocks down her pants to cushion her rear. They occasionally dismounted to rest the horse but it was a cold comfort knowing that the reprieve wouldn't last long.
The wind started blowing in from the north again the previous evening, bringing the cold mountain air with it. Serdra had minded the horse and examined his hooves, then they wolfed down supplies and lay up against one another under two blankets to keep warm.
The wind wasn't letting up. Katja had dug a wool cap out of the backpack but was still almost glad when Serdra mounted the horse. Her rock-hard back was at least warm.
“Where are we heading anyway?” Katja asked.
They hadn't talked much. During the evening she had just wanted to fall asleep as fast as possible and on the journey she'd been wary of distracting Serdra while she was steering the horse through the more treacherous areas.
“To Flat Top. Do you know of it?”
Katja had seen it once, from a distance, and been told to never go there as long as she lived.
“Ah, yes. But I was told it was haunted by a sorcerer. I was told the fell is dangerous.”
“Not any more. But it's good that people are still scared of it. We will have privacy.”
Katja didn't doubt it. People were terrified of the fell, there was no habitation near it and in any case the way there was difficult.
They had started to see Flat Top in the early twilight. Serdra considered going through the boundaries of some fields to spare the horse a bit, but decided against it when Katja mentioned having cousins in the area.
Their environment had become ever more overgrown throughout the day, and they camped in some dense scrubs. The night was a good deal more comfortable with cover from the wind, but Katja couldn't help but wonder what staying up on the fell would be like.
Serdra needed to tend the horse a bit more this time and Katja had always needed quiet to sleep. So as the older woman examined the horseshoes in great detail and picked little annoyances out of them Katja took out a long, thin strip of leather she'd brought from home and fished the pebble from her pocket.
It was almond shaped and reached from the tip of her little finger to the second knuckle. She had never been considered much of a craftsman but she did have nimble fingers and it was a small matter to tie the strip tightly around the pebble until it was barely visible. Katja then put on her new necklace, tied it securely and put it under her shirt.
Serdra finished her work on the hooves, gave the horse grain from a bag and then lay down.
“We'll hopefully reach the top of Flat Top tomorrow,” she said. “There are only three routes fit for a horse, and if there is some problem with the one we are heading for we'll have to circle around.”
“And then will you teach me.”
“Yes. Then I will teach you.”
Katja lay quiet and still after that and rubbed the necklace. She had
“The old people were constantly telling me similar nonsense,” Katja murmured. “I didn't heed them either.”
“Well,” Serdra said, unbothered. “How do you plan to make me talk?”
“Well - what if I just stay here?” Katja asked with attitude though she intended no such thing.
“Then I'll tie you up and toss you across the saddle.
She didn't say it threateningly, or angrily or jokingly. Just with the same calm security she said everything else.
“And would you enjoy it?” Katja fired back with an insolent grin.
“Perhaps. What about you?”
Katja laughed a bit, took a few steps back and did a running jump into the saddle.
She wiggled her ass a bit to fit and again hugged Serdra's waist.
“What are we waiting for? Go.”
--------------------
As the second day passed Katja started to wonder if she would be better off stuffing rocks down her pants to cushion her rear. They occasionally dismounted to rest the horse but it was a cold comfort knowing that the reprieve wouldn't last long.
The wind started blowing in from the north again the previous evening, bringing the cold mountain air with it. Serdra had minded the horse and examined his hooves, then they wolfed down supplies and lay up against one another under two blankets to keep warm.
The wind wasn't letting up. Katja had dug a wool cap out of the backpack but was still almost glad when Serdra mounted the horse. Her rock-hard back was at least warm.
“Where are we heading anyway?” Katja asked.
They hadn't talked much. During the evening she had just wanted to fall asleep as fast as possible and on the journey she'd been wary of distracting Serdra while she was steering the horse through the more treacherous areas.
“To Flat Top. Do you know of it?”
Katja had seen it once, from a distance, and been told to never go there as long as she lived.
“Ah, yes. But I was told it was haunted by a sorcerer. I was told the fell is dangerous.”
“Not any more. But it's good that people are still scared of it. We will have privacy.”
Katja didn't doubt it. People were terrified of the fell, there was no habitation near it and in any case the way there was difficult.
They had started to see Flat Top in the early twilight. Serdra considered going through the boundaries of some fields to spare the horse a bit, but decided against it when Katja mentioned having cousins in the area.
Their environment had become ever more overgrown throughout the day, and they camped in some dense scrubs. The night was a good deal more comfortable with cover from the wind, but Katja couldn't help but wonder what staying up on the fell would be like.
Serdra needed to tend the horse a bit more this time and Katja had always needed quiet to sleep. So as the older woman examined the horseshoes in great detail and picked little annoyances out of them Katja took out a long, thin strip of leather she'd brought from home and fished the pebble from her pocket.
It was almond shaped and reached from the tip of her little finger to the second knuckle. She had never been considered much of a craftsman but she did have nimble fingers and it was a small matter to tie the strip tightly around the pebble until it was barely visible. Katja then put on her new necklace, tied it securely and put it under her shirt.
Serdra finished her work on the hooves, gave the horse grain from a bag and then lay down.
“We'll hopefully reach the top of Flat Top tomorrow,” she said. “There are only three routes fit for a horse, and if there is some problem with the one we are heading for we'll have to circle around.”
“And then will you teach me.”
“Yes. Then I will teach you.”
Katja lay quiet and still after that and rubbed the necklace. She had
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