Insider

Before continuing on to the rest of the day's chores, I try to catch a glimpse of Me Too, Wily and the other boys at the practice fields. Watching the weapons Master impart the lessons of life as a Tuchuk warrior to them adds more respect for both his skills and the potential that each of these boys had. This right of passage into manhood, most of them took very seriously. Sometimes too seriously and the bottled up strive into warriorhood can boil over the surface into fisticuffs. I know that Me Too has a lot of catching up to do and the frustrated anger seethes just beneath the surface a lot of the time. It is why Master Rook's devotion to him means so much to me. He held a firm rein on him, coaxing the man within him out and perhaps can leave a sense of honor that I've seen missing within him. I wonder if it will be enough.
Then it is on to the pens. Exercise for the kaiila is not much different than for humans. It takes time and moderation to build stamina. I'd been allowed to walk some of the mounts, warming muscles, allowing them to expand their lungs and excelerate their heart rates. We walked, I talked, they listened. We spoke of the plains and its beauty, the harshness of this life though it had wonders yet to unfold.
Lyric could be a bit temperamental at times, at least with me, having little to add to the conversations except an occasional huff. The cream color twins, Curds and Whey, that isn't what Cana named them, it is just what I tended to call them, anyway, they were usually agreeable but they would get sidetracked easily. Whey liked to lick my hair, like Brute does, giving me a unique up do on the side. She never seemed to mind my snort and hurried rub, to try and paste it back down. She was patient, when I got through she would fix it again. Curds had something to say about everything. It was either a squeal, a chirp, a wheeze or a whinny as his two cents worth especially when he was trying to root through my pockets for treats. Mind you, I don't have any pockets so that made for some wide-eyed moments and a swat followed by an immediate ...'cut that out!' Wager was the most affectionate of the bunch, she liked having that little indention beneath her ear rubbed. Leaning into my hand would sort of veer our direction a time or two and I could have sworn that she almost thumped her hind claws. Wager was the collector of most of my secrets. Who would she tell? Cana already knew most of them, not all but definitely the majority.
Two of the other colts have just gotten their rings. The rest of the kaiila seem so proud of them, even if they are still a bit haughty about it.