Battle Horse

Chapter Seventeen

After two miserable weeks in a sling, unable to use her right arm, Ena was finally able to get her stitches out. They told her to continue to take it easy, but she ignored them, and was hauling water pails ten minutes after arriving at the stables. She hadn't seen any of her ward mates in that time period, or the week after. Three weeks passed before Horace finally visited the stables one Saturday morning.

"Finally come to see me, have you? Or have you come to see Kicker?" She asked, almost bitterly. Horace gave her a guilty smile.

"I'm actually here to see Ulf. I'm joining a boar hunt and I need a horse." He said.

"Go into the school and take the right hand corridor. His study is the third door on the right." She gave him directions dully.

"Thank you, Ena. I'm glad your arm is better." He said gesturing to her arm that was no longer in the sling.

"Yeah, it's a relief." She said. She didn't say anything else, just continued to brush out Dancer. Once she heard Horace's footsteps fade, she then turned around to see he was gone. Dancer looked at her, as if he was wondering why she had behaved like that towards Horace.

"He isn't exactly friendly towards your kind. And for Kickers sake I sure hope he changes." She told him.

***

Ena was just finishing up storing Dancers halter and brushes in the supply room when Ulf approached her.

"Fetch Kickers tack. Horace is taking him out on a boar hunt." He said.

"The horses won't go anywhere near a boars lair." She told him.

"I know." He said in a matter of fact tone. "That's why you'll be accompanying him so you can hold Kicker while he is off slaughtering that blasted pig." Horace peeked over Ulf's shoulder and smiled at Ena, which she returned with a glare.

"Yes sir." She began to gather up Kickers tack. Once Ulf had left the stable, she shoved Kickers saddle in Horaces arms. He stood their dumbly, not sure what to do with it.

"Oi! What do I do with this?" He asked her.

"You put it on the horse." She said smirking. He glared at her and made his way over to where Kicker stood, tied to the cross ties. Horace dropped the saddle onto Kickers back and the battle horse shifted uncomfortably as Horace tightened it. Kicker lashed out his back leg, trying to strike Horace, though he managed to jump back just in time.

"What did I do wrong?" He asked. Ena smiled slightly.

"You forgot his blanket, you idiot."

***

After twenty minutes of attempting to teach Horace how to properly tack up his horse, they found themself riding in a group of riders. Several of Ena's fellow first years were also leading horses as the knights road. Ena was the only one stuck with an apprentice, which was rather embarrassing. They were following two shaggy horses closely behind, which held two green-grey mottled cloaked rangers atop of them. Ena recognized Will, but the second one was new to her. On further inspection, she realized it was the ranger Halt. The man she had feared most of her life. Halt held up his hand and gestured for the knights and Horace to dismount. Horace gave Ena a shy smile before following the group of knights into the thickets. They were soon lost from sight. Kicker nickered uncomfortably as Horace disappeared.

"He'll be fine." She said, petting his nose and kissing it briefly.

They had been waiting for almost twenty minutes. Ten minutes before they had heard the boar screaming and the howls of the hunting dogs. But even after the boars screaming stopped, the men didn't come back.