Našobok followed the gesture to see Aylaniś, leathers covered by a colourful blanket, her arms crossed and profile tilted duskwards, backlit by Sun’s rising. Odd, that she was here. Or perhaps not; as he saw her, Našobok knew what he had to do. And he’d long ago decided that coincidences to do with his lovemates often weren’t that at all.
“She hailed me as I boarded the raft, came across with me.” Kalisom seemed uneasy as Našobok turned back to him.
“What has your clout knotted, wyrhmate? You’ve seen Aylaniś horse-chieftain before.”
“She is spouse to Alekšu, now.” Kalisom made a warding gesture.
“Hunh!” Našobok cuffed him, half joke and half chide. “You sound a superstitious landwalker. Be easy, she won’t bite.” He smirked. “Hard, anyway.”
A return smile teased at Kalisom’s lip. “Well, the others will be back soon, wyrh-chieftain.”
“See if you can round them up sooner. Start preparing for a journey. We’ve rich cargo in the offering.”
“That’s good news!”
“To put food in our hold is always good,” Našobok agreed, and added, “I’ve a playmate in my own hold. So if a dark-haired oških comes updeck whilst I’m gone, don’t cut him, thinking him a thief.”
Kalisom’s eyes lit up, tease and respect. “In your hold? He must be quite a special lover.”
Našobok chuckled. “He is that. You would not know him; a cousin a’Naišwyrh, new to his indigo. He’s called Tokela.”
“Lucky oških, then!” Kalisom smirked and gave a suggestive lift of his eyebrows. “It’s well known our wyrh-chieftain has many skills to share.”
“Ai, flattery will have you.”
“Already it’s had me,” Kalisom complained, “and enough for one port! It’s well we’ve a rich cargo; I’ve not your luck at the gaming.”
Našobok laughed, and watched his wyrhmate retreat across the deck. Then he leapt up to Ilhukaia’s topmost deck.
“We can’t seem to catch any luck between the furs on Earth’s skin, Aylaniś horse-chieftain!” he hailed. “Have you come to remedy that?”
A snort, and a toss of her braids. “You think I’d cadge a ride from one of your wyrhmates merely to drag you back to my furs? You border on insufferable, Našobok wyrh-chieftain.”
“Only border? I must be slipping.” He took her hand and placed it against his breastbone.
“Palatan has talk to make with you,” Aylaniś said, her fingers stroking, light.
“As it happens, I’ve the need for talk with him, as well. Do you now run errands for Alekšu, horse-chieftain?”
“When it involves River instead of Earth beneath his feet, I do,” she countered, serious. “He went on ahead, said I was to give you a good mount, should you be able to meet him at Stonebridge.” One eyebrow arced upwards as she eyed him, up and down. “I would suggest you dress first. That blanket is quite fancy, but it won’t protect your haunches.”
NAŠOBOK COULD ride when he had to, and since Stonebridge was a good several leagues upRiver, it would be best if he did.
Sun’s journey limned the damp trees, promised a good ending to First Running. Soon his lovemates would make their journey as well, back towards Dusk and away from River.
They’d not had enough time together. They never did.
Našobok smelled Smoke before he saw ša curling up the lee side of the bridge, and a’io, there Palatan was, lounging on his horse blanket in the grass, puffing at his pipe. Arrow, of course, lay curled beside, and lifted his long head to determine whether this newest arrival made friend or foe. Palatan’s mare, her black hide still riffled with drying sweat, looked content from a run and now grazed with white-blanketed haunches turned towards the coppery dust of the Riverside track. As Našobok cantered up, the mare’s head lifted and, ears pricked, she nickered greeting through a mouthful of grass. The bay answered. Našobok slipped the bridle, let him go on to graze with his herdmate.
Palatan didn’t rise; merely extended the pipe.
Našobok accepted, taking a deep drag. He sat, one knee brushing Palatan’s.
Palatan seemed preoccupied but nudged Našobok, accompanied by a sly smile. “You’d company lastdark, I understand. Was it good?”
Arrow, in abandon of his normal aloof courtesy, moved his head to lay upon Našobok’s thigh. Našobok fondled the old fleethound’s ears, then returned Palatan’s nudge and let Smoke curl from his nostrils. “Tokela is… enthusiastic.”
“And owes me a return debt, now. As well as Aylaniś. Our lastdark would have been better by one addition.” Palatan leaned closer and nuzzled Našobok’s neck.
Našobok went abruptly cross-eyed with the sudden thought of how his own Moons passage would have benefited with the addition of Palatan, then smirked at himself.
That just might be entirely too much of a good thing.
“How does it feel to be such in demand, Riverwalker? But I mustn’t be selfish,” Palatan admitted. “I think Tokela needs you more at present.”
Našobok frowned; something odd ran beneath the tease.
“I ride towards duskLands thisSun,” Palatan ventured.
Disappointment was a poor companion for Smoke. Našobok let the latter curl out his nostrils, wished the former could do likewise. “Now?”
“A’io. I plan to go and come back as quickly as I can. I’d hoped you’d come with me.”
A sigh, and Našobok closed his eyes.
“You can’t.” More disappointment.
“I want to.” Nasobok passed the pipe back. “And would, if I hadn’t contracted with Galenu to carry a shipment. It’s a rich deal, and we need to take it. With all the difficulties outLand, our lines of trade are suffering. Even outliers have to make a living.”
Arrow got up, stretched, and wandered over to a path of Sun-filled grass. There he dove one shoulder down and rolled over, scratching his back.
“Surely Munro could make the run?” Transparent as the Smoke Palatan exhaled, and hopeful; it made denial all the more painful.
“Munro knows the way, but he’s not getting any younger. I can’t ask him to take full responsibility for a running that’s danger nose to tail. We’ll be heading downRiver past the estuaries and into outLands atolls. Galenu offered the chance because he knows my People have done it
