Tavàri and Gabriel had been travelling for days, looking for a safe place to hide from their enemies. They had escaped from a city where they had been hired to kill a noble, but the job had gone wrong and they had been exposed. Now they were hunted by the guards, the noble's allies, and their former employer.
They had two horses, Bones and Bless, who carried their supplies and weapons. Tavàri also had a pet wolf pup, Luna, who she had found alone in the forest. Bless was a bay stallion with boundless energy and a fiery spirit.
They set up camp in a clearing in the forest, near a stream. Tavàri lit a fire and cooked some meat they had hunted earlier. Gabriel tended to Luna, Bless and Bones. They ate in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
In the middle of the night, Bless started to whinny and thrash in his sleep. He was having a nightmare about his past. He remembered being bounced around from owner to owner, some of them cruel, some of them kind, but none of them lasting. He remembered being sold to the merchant, who had whipped him and starved him. He remembered being loaded onto a wagon with other horses, including Bones. He remembered being taken to the town, where he saw Gabriel for the first time.
Gabriel, Tavàri and Luna heard Bless's distress from where they were sitting by the fire. Gabriel went to calm him down. He stroked his mane and whispered soothing words in his ear. He felt a bond with the horse, who had also suffered a lot in his life. He hoped to give him a better future.
Bless gradually relaxed and stopped dreaming. He opened his eyes and saw Gabriel's gentle smile. He nuzzled his hand and snorted softly. He felt safe and happy with his new owner.
Gabriel smiled and returned to the fire. He looked at the stars and wondered what tomorrow would bring.
'But Kayleigh, what does any of this have to do with the plot?'
I ask myself that every day. <3^^