Paladin had learned the female creature was called Katherine. She didn’t say it to him but she said it to the other two-legged creature, the one called Henry. This one had new smells on him and he too had a horse companion, one that he sat on. He was called Smoke by Henry and seemed at ease with this name.
Smoke also had things fastened around his body. Paladin recalled there were words for these too. There was a saddle, a bridle, and more. He had no memory of the way such things felt though. Smoke ignored Paladin, for the most part. They eyed each other when Smoke and Henry first entered that clearing but after that, the other horse just followed Henry. And Paladin was content to follow Katherine.
At least, he was until he saw that barn, that field, that… other one.
He stopped behind the trees. The smell of that place washed over him. His skin twitched with the remembered strike of the whip. His ears buzzed as his heart pounded in his chest. He backed up then stomped his foot.
Katherine turned around and came to him. She stroked his head, spoke quietly. He watched the other out there in the field just at the edge of his vision. The one called Henry spoke in harsh tones. Paladin couldn’t focus on the words.
Then Katherine was guiding him back through the trees. He followed and, when they stopped, he looked back and could no longer see beyond the trees. Henry and Smoke were nowhere in sight.
The buzzing cleared away as he pressed his head against Katherine’s chest.
“Don’t worry, my friend. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again. I promise.” She stroked the side of his face. “Henry will be back soon and we’ll have you looking the part of a proper steed.”
Paladin was soon grazing while Katherine continued to chatter like a squirrel.
When Henry and Smoke returned, a second saddle was draped oddly over Smoke and Henry carried some things too. Katherine took something from Henry and brought it over to Paladin. She held it up in front of his head.
“I’m going to put this bridle on you.” She held it out and he stretched out his nose to touch it. He eyed Smoke and saw the other horse was grazing. Katherine didn’t move. She was just holding out the bridle. This female, she had been kind… so far. He lowered his head and held still.
The leather of the bridle slid over his head and settled behind his ears. She slid something into his mouth. It was cool and smooth. He shifted it around and found it wasn’t as uncomfortable as it looked.
“Good boy!” she said and stroked his face. Paladin bobbed his head up and down which made her laugh. The joyous sound made his chest feel warm inside.
The bridle was followed with the extra blanket and saddle that Smoke was carrying and a pair of saddle bags. Paladin stood mostly still while Katherine and Henry fastened everything in place. He couldn’t resist trying to look back to see what they were doing. The straps were tight but didn’t dig into him the way the plow fastenings had. The weight on his back was new but it was no hardship.
Katherine came to stand in front of him again. She touched the side of his head. “Paladin, we have to make it seem like you’ve always been my steed. That means you’ll have to let me ride. OK?”
Paladin looked past her at Henry who stood by Smoke and was shaking his head. “You talk to him like he understands. Whether the animal likes it or not, he’ll be made to let you ride.”
Katherine stayed facing Paladin, “He seems to understand. This horse is smarter than any horse I’ve ever seen.”
Musings of an Overgrown Halfling 