[au] an early snow

[the_seafarer]

It's only mid-autumn, as the Bar-year reckons, but one morning Caspian wakes early to find that the light coming through his window has that particular muted quality to it that only comes from sifting through clouds and a veil of snow.

And snow it is indeed, when he comes outside: it crunches pleasantly beneath his boots as his breath freezes in the air and his cheeks turn pink with the cold. Snow; and still it falls, silent and light.

He heads to the stables with the intention of finishing his chores quickly so he can let the horses out to frolic in it, whistling as he goes.

Comments

[the_seafarer]

He nods – it's as good an explanation as any here. "I like it," he says.

"It makes this place seem more real to have some woodland creatures about."

[sai_delgado]

"Even if they're not talking ones," she says. "Other than Jah-lila and Neysa and now Sir Reepicheep, I've not known any here who are."

[the_seafarer]

"There were plenty of non-Talking animals in Narnia, too," he tells her. "Though I do miss them. A conversation with one of the Badgers or Horses or Foxes was always a good way to gain new perspective."

[sai_delgado]

Ghost shifts under her, and she controls the sidle, but then turns him in a circle to keep him from being too restless. The rabbits alert slightly before dismissing the horse and his rider as a concern.

"I'd imagine," she laughs. "What kinds of things would they tell thee?"

[the_seafarer]

"Well, it depended," he laughs. "With the Horses it was all grass quality and gossip. And Badgers are very down to earth – as you might guess. But the Foxes were often very good problem-solvers. Excellent scouts and messengers, too."

[sai_delgado]

"It might be fun to talk to a fox," Susan muses. "Are the mice usually like Reepicheep?"

[the_seafarer]

"His tribe was, certainly. Valiant soldiers all."

A bird flies overhead and the rabbits freeze as one, then scatter into the underbrush before slowly poking their twitching noses back out once more.

[sai_delgado]

"They're clever, oh aye." Susan considers them. "But I suppose that's the way of it, with sai Tarquin's people."

[the_seafarer]

"Tarquin?" Caspian asks, curious.

[sai_delgado]

"The Rabbit, the way sai Aslan's the Lion," she explains.

[the_seafarer]

Caspian makes a soft understanding sound and watches the small, gray- and brown-furred things as they eat and socialize.

"Shall we stay a while longer?" he asks. "Or do you want to give Ghost a run back around the lake?"

[sai_delgado]

“He’s been very patient,” Susan admits. “A run’ll do him a world of good.”

[the_seafarer]

"Of course it will," Caspian agrees. "We'll keep up with you as well as we're able, and meet you back at the stables?"

[sai_delgado]

Her eyes sparkle as she beams at him. “See ye both there.”

Susan tugs her hat down on her head, leans forward and urges Ghost ahead. The stallion leaps as if shot from a bow, heading along the lake path.

[the_seafarer]

"Come along, Corella," Caspian coaxes, as the rabbits flee back to their warren. She isn't interested in much more than a loping canter, but he's perfectly happy to ride with her along the snowy trail, back along the path towards the bar and buildings.

[sai_delgado]

She’s worried about the footing at first, but the ground’s not frozen yet nor too icy, and Ghost’s well able for the messy terrain. By the time they’re circling back around the long, looping arc of the path, they’re both ready to turn toward the stable once more.

[the_seafarer]

It's very pleasant to ride along the wintry path, Corella's ears flicking back to listen as Caspian chats lightly to her, clucking to coax her onwards, her hooves muffled in the light, feathery snow.

They're well behind Susan and Ghost, but Corella doesn't mind and neither does he, enjoying this gentle ride through the early winter woods.

[sai_delgado]

She slows Ghost as they round the final curve into where people are more likely to be, no matter that she’s kept a careful eye out the whole time. Susan draws him back into a trot, then a walk, and is pleased to find that even his boundless energy is well-tempered.

She has him cooled out when they reach the stables, and walks him around for a bit to be sure before she dismounts and leads him in to unsaddle and groom him prior to turning him out.

[the_seafarer]

It's a fair bit of time after when Caspian and Corella come trotting up, but she doesn't need to be cooled as long as Ghost, having not expended nearly as much energy. Caspian dismounts to unsaddle her and curry the sweat and dirt from her coat, then leads her by the halter to the other horses, apparently all enjoying their snow day.

"How was he?" he asks, nodding at Ghost.

[sai_delgado]

“He so loves to run,” Susan tells him. “And he’s fond of the snow, say true. I’d never have thought it.”

[the_seafarer]

"He's not the only one, it seems," Caspian says, amused. He comes to lean on the paddock fence, watching the horses play and frolic.

"And did you like it, Su?"

[sai_delgado]

“Well enough,” she says, laughing. “Thee did, I’m sure.”

[the_seafarer]

"Almost enough to go roll around in it as the horses are doing," he teases.

[sai_delgado]

Susan tosses her braid back over her shoulder and laughs. “Oh, that’d be a sight indeed!”

[the_seafarer]

"Do you think so?"

In the blink of an eye Caspian's climbed the fence like a squirrel and dropped onto the other side; there, he spreads his arms wide and lets himself fall back into the drifting snow, landing with a soft thud and a laugh.