~The Hatching Journey~ [PR]

Rhaenys shrugged.
“I can’t choose, it will tell me when it’s born” she said and smiled. That was the way of the dragons, they already had a name, they just had to tell their Rider. Rhaenys was excited for it, to know what to call her soulmate, instead of just saying “it”.
“It’s different from the way I’m used to, usually we name our animals, but in this case we don’t” she said and looked at her friend.
“But I’m guessing that it’s different with dragons, they are more complex, after all” she added. She looked around the forest before speaking again.
“I think it’s beautiful in some way, being able to choose your own name”

Rhaenys shook her head.
“I don’t think so, I like Rhaenys” she said with a smile. She wondered if she would have been different with another name, would she even be on this adventure? Was a name bound to a person’s destiny?
“But then again, I’m used to it” she added with a laugh. She looked up at the sun again, and then on her friend.
“When do you think we’ll get to the cave? Is it very far?” she asked and looked on the road ahead.

RHaenys nodded.
“I’m fine with a non-stop ride” she said with a smile. She flexed her hands, and stroked Aimon over his neck.
“You are up for it, right?” she asked and Aimon frusted.
“I’m always up for a sprint” he said and Rhaenys smiled.
“It would be nice to get there quickly” she said and grabbed the reins firmer in her hands.
“We’ll be right behind you” she said and smiled.

As Rhaenys saw Thélowên and Voron sprint, she pushed her heels into Aimons side, and he galloped forward fast. Rhaenys felt the wind in her hair and curled up to go even faster.
“I’m ready for anything” she yelled back and kept her eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. She had a hard grip around the bag as they ran through the forest, crushing twigs and leaves as they went. Rhaenys prepared herself to ride for a long time, and she longed for the evening and the break they would take, even if it would be in a cave.

The day stretched on as they rode through the forest. The tempo had slowed from the initial sprint to a steady, beating rhythm of galloping hooves and pounding paws - mixed with heavy breathing and the swooshing sound of the wind gripping the tops of trees all around them.
"We should slow down." Thélowên said to Voron who obliged her by taking it down a notch. It gave her time to take in more of the surroundings. The trees were different from last time, the branches hung lower - heavy with thick green leaves - and the ground softer with its lush green grass.


Looking over her should, at her friend Rhaenys, she said;
"We're almost there, just an hour more or so. But I think we should stop by a creek that's up ahead so we can have a drink and a quick breather." Her words were more of a command than a question, what could she say? It was in her nature as a general to be commanding. But she smiled while saying it and with that being hopeful that Rhaenys would understand that it was out of concern for the animals that she wanted to take a quick break. She turned her head forward again without waiting for a reply and not before long she got Voron to halt by the little creek she had mentioned less than an hour earlier. They all stopped and allowed Voron and Aimon to have a drink while getting of the let their backs rest a bit despite Thélowên and Rhaenys not being heavy at all.
"Feels good to stand up a bit, don't you think?" she askes as she stretches out her legs, arms and back, "I love to be on his back but it's noce to stand on my own two feet as well." Thélowên smiles as you can here one last pop from her neck as she leans her head from side to side.

Rhaenys nodded when Thélowên suggested that they should take a break. It was needed, both for them and their animals. When they arrived at the creek, Rhaenys got off Aimons back and stroked his neck before letting him drink and rest. She turned to Thélowên and nodded.
“It sure does, the muscles really tell you that you’ve been sitting a long time” she said with a laugh and looked around the surroundings. It felt really good standing again, feeling the earth under her bare feet and not moving for a while, just taking in the nature and its beauty.

Rhaenys opened her mouth to say something, when she closed it quickly. Her ears picked up steps from the distance, an unknown creature moved towards them. She gave Thélowên a quick glance before rapidly pulling out her two daggers from the sheaths around her ankles. Her gut feeling told her that it was a threat coming towards them, as the sound of the creature came closer and closer.