Dark Edge Village

Dong-Ha stood by the edge of the heimin village by his horse, checking the saddle and reins for the umpteenth time. Partially, because he did not want either of them falling off the horse and partially because he was nervous and wanted to have something to do with his hands. A well worn mattress had been rolled and tucked in front of the saddle, propped against the cords that kept a small saddle bag in place.

The gentle winds blowing across the fields fluffed his hair that he had combed and plaited for the occasion. He had also taken time to shave, removing the stubble that had been growing on his chin.

Dressed sensibly for the impending horseriding, Tomoe arrived to meet her first teacher. "Konnichiwa, Iuchi-san," the Hare greeted with a bright cheerful smile, and she kept a hand on her straw-hat as some of the wind tugged a bit too much on it.

She carried with her a bamboo bottle in addition to the normal satchel she was often seen with. Coming closer, she took a moment to stop and look at the horse. It was... a lot bigger than the ponies she had occassionally seen before.

"Good afternoon, Usagi-san." Dong-Ha quipped in return, offering the petite samurai-ko a bow. "I hope your day has been good so far." Dark clouds were gathering in the distant horizon. "We chose a good time for our outing." He nodded at the clouds. "Few hours and it'll rain."

"So this is Poppy." Dong-Ha introduced his horse, patting her neck as if to show how calm the animal was. "She's bit bigger than most you've seen, eh?"

She nodded. "Hai... it seems we'll be lucky, since there won't be too much sun either." Like most Rokugani women, she seemed to appriciate keeping the skin mostly untouched by the sun.

Tomoe offered her hand to Poppy, allowing the animal to catch her scent... and hopefully sense that she was a good-natured girl with a strong connection to the animals from her Kitsune-ancestry. "Hello, Poppy," she said in a soft voice. "Unh... I had seen from a distance how much bigger than the Unicorn horses are, but... up close they are even bigger."

"You barely feel the sun when you rid like the wind." he chuckled softly. "Though perhaps we'll take it slower today." Small or not he didn't want to risk her falling from the horse.

Seeing Tomoe's hand, Poppy reached her muzzle towards her as if to catch her smell. If the horse had an opinion of her owners guest, she did not express it. Dong-Ha watched the exchange with a bemused smile on his lips. "The Otaku ones are even bigger, though they are sacred, unique breed."

Tomoe gently gave a pat on Poppy's muzzle. "She seems very sweet... but you say the Otaku steeds are a sacred breed? I don't think we have anything like that in the rest of the Empire, at least not that I think I've heard of."

She really seems like a nice and pretty horse. I'm sure this will be fine!

"Perhaps I could tell you the story as we ride?" Dong-Ha offered, placing his foot on the stirrup before pulling himself on the saddle. "Here, take my hand." he inched Poppy closer to the Hare before reaching to her. "Set on my foot and I'll pull you up." He was grinning ever so lightly.

"I'd love to hear it," she nodded, but blushed a little as he offered his hand. He made mounting the horse look very easy. "H-hai..."

With some shyness and uncertainess, the Hare at least didn't fall or trip as she followed his instructions and managed to pull herself up into the saddle.


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D4 LA Horsemanship...? Ok, we actually spend a void for skill!: 3d10o10k2 14 (for fluff, kinda... xD)

Dong-Ha actually pulled her behind his back, allowing her to sit on the wider part of the saddle usually reserved for the the rider's belongings. He twist his body when pulling her up, letting her settle on the horse that her feet hung on the same sideof the animal. While slightly awkward, the position was notably less intimate than the alternative. Satisfied that she was in no immediate danger of falling off he nodded at her. "There you go."

"Now... hang on." he flashed her a smile before grasping the reins, leading Poppy into steady, bust slow canter.

Hang on to what? she thought briefly before the horse started to move, at which point she grabbed onto the only thing she could see within reach that seemed logical to hold onto - Dong-Ha, and she probably gave him a rather sudden tight squeeze that easened up soon enough.

The Hare blushed a little more once she realised what she had done.

"Sorry about that," she easened her hold a little. "I've never been on a horse before..."

Dong-Ha for his part had expected her to do exactly that and was only surprised by the strength she had applied. "Unf..." he gasped, reflexively tensing his muscles. "It's alright..." somewhat strained voice reassured the Hare. Taking a deep breath Dong-Ha leaned into Tomoe to allow her to better hear him. "Just hold on."

He led Poppy through the village, with some of the heimin stopping to gawk at a passing samurai. Once they had cleared the village, the young man turned Tomoe. "Everything's fine?"

She nodded a little. "H-hai. It's... a little exciting," she giggled softly, looking down. Tomoe had no fear of heights, but it was certainly a new experience to let an animal carry her like this.

"You were going to tell me about the sacred Otaku steeds?"

"Oh yes..." He pulled the reins, slowing the trot down to a more manageable speed. "So once upon a time... even if this story is true.." Dong-Ha added emphasis on that particular word. ".. the Otaku family, or at least large portion of their samurai was captured by heartless sorcerers. Heartless, for they were both cruel and immortal, storing their hearts into magical jars that cause them to awake, should they ever die."

"The Otaku were turned into slaves, made to work for the sorcerers. There was much grief and suffering during this time." As he led Poppu towards the hills, he turned to see her expression. "The legends say the Otaku were imprisoned for generations... decades. That many Otaku were born as slaves... some fathered by the sorcerers themselves."

"I am sorry Usagi-san, the story is... rather dark."

Tomoe had a very serious expression as she listened to the dark turn of this story, but she gave a reassuring nod to Dong-Ha. "It's alright... go on."

She wouldn't say it, but she had heard worse. Most likely.

"Either way, the Otaku hatched a plan." Dong-Ha began anew, leaning backwards so that he did not need to shout for Tomoe to hear his words. Meanwhile, the ever trustful Poppy was taking them over a low hill, avoiding small crevices on her on volition. "So, one of the Otaku got an idea. She her most intelligent and beautiful kisnwomen infiltrate the cabal of sorcerorers as... err... er... concubines." He gulped, blushing a little. "The Otaku, beautiful and wise, sow seeds of distrust among the unliving... and... and the sorcerers began to fight between them in jealous rage."

"During the infighting, one of the Otaku managed to break into the magical stables... and discovered Valah, the father of the Otaku steeds... well, there were other horses too, just as magical. I mean, the horses were magical, created by the magi. But Vala did all kinds of cool things, like crushing sorcerer's skull with his hooves and forcing the gates open, allowing the Otaku to feel imprisonment as the different factions of sorcerers were too busy killing each other with flame and lighting." Dong-Ha had never been the greatest story teller, unfortunately. "And so the Otaku were freed and able to escape thanks to the stamina and the intellect of the horses they had stolen... freed."