Live Wild.

“Like a dog with more fleas.” She grinned and splashed Chell with a kick at the river. “Bet you can’t catch one of these fish with your bare hand!” 

“Lucky stallions, if the only mare was a clydesdale.” She snickered. “Good to hear it was family and not some stupid slave-driving racetrack breeder farm or something.” 

-Yes. They loved their horses. They weren’t just property to them.- a small sigh. She drew a quick, simple sketch of one of the horses. Long flowing mane, well brushed and bright, happy eyes. -I miss them.-

“What happened to ‘em? Or d’you just regret leaving?” She scooted a bit closer to make reading the notes easier as well as to keep a better eye on Crook, who was scouring treetops for birds’ nests. “Pretty mare. You’ll like it better out here, though. Ever seen a deer up close?” 

“’Scute. What kinds of horses? Did they breed something specific or they were just a family ranch?” 

-Family ranch. Mostly stallions. Had a clydsdale, too.-

“Lucky stallions, if the only mare was a clydesdale.” She snickered. “Good to hear it was family and not some stupid slave-driving racetrack breeder farm or something.” 

“Me, too. You take care of horses often? Or perhaps giant carnivorous reptiles?” 

-Horses. Lived on a ranch for a few months once. It was nice. I liked the different animals, except maybe for the sheepdog. Not one for dogs. The horses were my favorite though.-

“’Scute. What kinds of horses? Did they breed something specific or they were just a family ranch?” 

“Crook’s always hungry and she wants to eat just about everything, you included. Last time I saw her so calm, though, we’d both been up for two days. This isn’t right.” 

-Strange. Hope she’s okay.-

“Me, too. You take care of horses often? Or perhaps giant carnivorous reptiles?” 

“Yeah, probably somewhere, but she’s such a rare animal I have no idea what to give her. Were she human or a dog or something I could help no problem, but…a goddamn lizard-horse?” 

-True.- ah. So Crook wasn’t a common animal, even here? -Maybe she’s hungry? She was looking at the birds like she wanted them.-

“Crook’s always hungry and she wants to eat just about everything, you included. Last time I saw her so calm, though, we’d both been up for two days. This isn’t right.” 

-I hope she's okay. Is there any medicine we could give her?-

“Yeah, probably somewhere, but she’s such a rare animal I have no idea what to give her. Were she human or a dog or something I could help no problem, but...a goddamn lizard-horse?” 

Chell watched them, fragile, fleeting life just under the surface. Fish. And birds, tiny chicks that in all likelihood wouldn’t survive until adulthood. Even if they did, they held no purpose but to lend their genetic code to their young. A code that would slowly degrade until there was nothing left of what it once was. And that was just here. One world out of countless others. -Its beautiful here.-

Chell watched them, fragile, fleeting life just under the surface. Fish. And birds, tiny chicks that in all likelihood wouldn’t survive until adulthood. Even if they did, they held no purpose but to lend their genetic code to their young. A code that would slowly degrade until there was nothing left of what it once was. And that was just here. One world out of countless others. -Its beautiful here.-

Cade misunderstood the gesture. “Woah, don’t sleep yet, it’s hardly afternoon!” 

She opened her eyes again, gaze unfocused, distant. After a moment, she straightened up and watched the trees pass by, anything to apease her current partner.

“Cade.” She patted her steed’s neck. “This is Crook.” 

-It’s nice to meet you both.- She closed her eyes and leaned against Cades back, not a sign of physical exhaustion, but an emotional one.

Cade misunderstood the gesture. “Woah, don’t sleep yet, it’s hardly afternoon!”