#gazef

The ride was uneventful. Hraefn spent the entire time learning how to ride from Hilma, who used her previous riders as a reference to instruct him how to position himself and move alongside her. <Relax your hips a little more- Yes, like that. Move according to the rhythm of my body. And tighten your knees a little more.>

They made camp shortly before sunset, while they could see what they were doing. Not knowing how else to assist, Hraefn was mostly uninvolved in the whole process. For lack of anything more specific to do, he healed the horses after their long trip to help them recover to top shape by the next day so they could leave earlier. He may or may not have snuck them some treats as he did, an apology for enabling the group to work them harder. Although, according to his still-active [Speak with Animals], they were happy with it, feeling better than they had in a long time. A side effect of [Mass Quick March], maybe?

Being a horse must suck. Hraefn remembered reading old jokes about how the human body sucked, but at least it was better than a horse's. So delicate.

Though he didn't know how bad it was, he'd make an effort to swing by the stables when he could to help them out a bit. He didn't need, or want, to know how it was to justify helping them out. He just would.

Then again, while he thought over helping them, he began to wonder. Should he be getting involved in these sorts of things? He was a level one-hundred heteromorph messing around in the affairs of humans. Shouldn't they be able to rely on themselves? Should he really be letting them depend on him?

Ah, he'd think about it another time.

He was hungry again, but he'd already agreed to help for now. He felt as though everything would be easier if he wasn't alone.

...Was he?

Hraefn wasn't thinking about any members of the Warrior Troop. His thoughts flicked to his familiars, pets, and minions. They were all summonable, and he counted a pair of twin dragons, Yssirel and Yssirdes, as his most used during casual play. As level one-hundreds themselves, they should be intelligent creatures he could count as allies - if they didn't turn on him. Well, he could always shift back and order them down if they tried, or plain kill them as he was, but he didn't want to take the chance.

Especially since-

"Takahashi-dono!" A familiar voice called out. He didn't need to turn his head to know that woman from before was waving at him as he approached.