#earthrunes

"These are nice, we could do some more work on ours..."

"THe baroness lives rich at times" Siv says "But she's not obnoxious about it"

"Must be nice."

"To not be obnoxious? Oh, it is a heavy burden at times. I know" All too seriously.

The horses turn, ears flicking up. Curious looks. Sniffs.

"Hello there."

Soft voice, open hands - all the tricks she's learned to say "safe person" to horses.

And there is a variety. A golden hued horse, almost truly shimmering. A black arabian. A Tennessee walker. A heavy Clysdale. Some are fae steeds, some are pure Chimera.

And many of the horses warm right away to Dagmar.

One Brown Horse seems very friendly, downright sweet "That's Samson. He's the Baroness'. Wasn't always fae blooded rumor has it"

"No?"

"No. But I don't know the story behind it." She says

"Surprised there are so many..."

"Is there a Horse Master?"

"Far as I know, no one official. There's a master of hawks and hounds, and a few stable boys."

One horse nearby does seem big enough for a troll to ride.

"Aren't you handsome?"

"Is this the one for you, Siv?"

"He's the one for trolls if you're not on tauntauns. That's Stomper. " She smiles.

"If you want to try him, I'm sure it's okay"

"You're the one who needs practice. Have you made friends yet?" She holds out a hand for Stomper to inspect.

"Well, I've ridden him, but he seems to see it as his duty." Siv says

Sounds of footsteps, or is it hoofsteps

"Hmph. Need to get him to like you, it'll be better."

"Horses aren't machines, they're as smart as dogs, at least, if not kids."

and a voice "Sorry, sorry your majesties. Don't thrash me"

She turns to look.

A wilder pooka comes up , and it is clear she is a horse pooka, "Sorry, I was giving Dame Temeritys' horse a cleaning and it was steam dry only so it took awhile. You ready to ride? I'm the unstable stable girl."

Her looks are definitely different.

Blink.

"I don't think... I mean, you're a pooka."

She has hoofs, not as delicate as a satyr's goat hooves, and a tail swishes lightly. But her mane is...well a mohawk

"Oh, uhm.. Hi," Siv says. "I dont' recall meeting you before. Right now i"m just trying to get on Stomper's good side." Siv says "Dagmar says it will make for a better ride to befriend the horse."

"NAH," The girl smiles, "Horses enjoy being taken for granted and never like nice treatment." A wink to Dagmar "And yes, you got me. I'm a Centaur."

"Right..." Blink.

"So, yeah - Siv, let Stomper get a good sniff, so he knows you."

"Okay. " Siv says following a lead.

"Hit him with an apple hard" The Stable girl offers an apple slice to Siv, who takes it and feeds it to Stomper

Then pooka looks at Dagmar "Would you like an apple slice too?" She munches on one and then offers.

"I'm good, but thanks"

"How good?" the pooka asks "Like, truly virtuous or merely not a jerk?" tilting her head

"Um..." A frown.

"I guess.. um.. not a jerk, most days?"

"Well then, I'd say you deserve an apple, but that's me." The girl says "I'm Pinky, of the Pie Clan."

Stomper makes a noise.

PInky nods, then snorts and stomps her hoof.

She seems to be talking with the horses!

She chews on a hangnail, looking uncertain.

Then she says "This is where a pooka tells you all you need to know about befriending a horse and surely nothing bad can come of that" Pinky tells Siv. "But you should TOTALLY ignore your cool friend here." She points to Dagmar "Who clearly doesn't know what's she's taking about if I'm not being too subltle for you"