Sharpening Claws

Everything has rules even sharpening claws.

Rule Number 1. No surprises. Make sure your kaiila knows you are there - approach so that he can see you and talk to him as you do. Position yourself by his shoulder, pet his neck and move your hand down his shoulder and leg checking for puffiness, tenderness or other problems down to just above his ankle.

Number 2. Grasp his leg at the back, keeping your thumb close to your hand. Then tell him to pick up. If he is used to being handled, he may comply immediately, if not then squeeze in with your thumb and forefinger until he obeys.

The list goes on.

The rules and lessons that were being provided were hands on for the first mount that Cana had segregated out. The remainder I would be allowed to tend to. By the time I was finished several of the creatures sported brand new pedicures. Oooh they did look sharp and yes that pun was very much intended. See wrist, knee and calf for proof.

It hadn't taken near as long to see to that task as I thought and with the extra time I had left over, I lavished Bluesky with a good rub down. No matter how much affections she gets, she still sighs mournfully and noses tufts of grass petulantly. It is almost endearing how much she misses Trilock. Cana and Noya's concern is showing more visibly as well. I'm not good at consoling, not with my trip over my own tongue and land on everyone's face not just my own abilities. I say something funny to make them laugh but that doesn't really help, I know.

My own growing sadness made me feel as if I were slogging around in quicksand, just going in deeper and deeper. I didn't want to bring everyone around me down so I kept putting on happy faces, smiling, nodding, making jests, teasing and making others laugh. Even when I petted the sweet mare and walked away, I wondered if her misery was real or whether she was picking up and emulating what she felt in me or vice versa. Purely selfish thoughts there but they were mine and I gave them freedom for a little while.

My shoulder was hurting almost continuously now and at times the stretch or roll of it didn't alleviate any of the growing burn or ache. I brushed Barhk off when he asked about it. I'd had Petra look and she said she didn't see anything wrong except a small ragged gash from where I'd hit the post. A dab of salve and it should be fine soon.

All of that slipped my mind when I saw the men begin working a few of the colts in cutting maneuvers. Looked like a few new wagers to get in on, and a lot of fun riding between the barrels. New lesson, never bet against Corbin. That man knows his stuff. I won a few and lost a few so I broke even in the end ... sort of. I was out a few eggs but I went home with a few kaiila talons. Oh now those were going to be tasty for first meal, weren't they?

The last of the evening I spent with two of the mares. These would be the ones that would foal the Ubar's new acquisitions. What they ate, how they ate, how well they were exercised would be part of how well those new babes did when they hit the ground. It was an investment to me. There was a bit of concern growing for one, her belly looked painfully huge. You could see the limber limbs of the whelp she was carrying sticking out past her ribs. It wasn't going to be an easy birthing and everyone around the pens didn't seem to want to talk about it with me.