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Description
CRASH!!

Geralt snorted as he fought against his instrict to bolt. His head whipped around as he looked back to the small forest his herd was nestled against. Birds were erupting from the trees and creating a cacophony of noise. Geralt’s ears perked up and he tilted his head. After the initial sound, it was quiet except for the birds, who were already settling back into the surrounding trees.

Geralt looked into the meadow and saw many of the mares had stopped running after they were initially startled. They were returning to where they had been and he could hear them wondering aloud what the sound had been.

”I’m gonna check it out.” announced Sif, her ears pinned against her head as she loped into the trees before Geralt could say a word.

She wasn’t gone for long and came back shaking twigs and leaves from her mane. She was also dragging something strange behind her. ” A tree fell, that’s all.” she said with a huff through her gritted teeth and rope. ”And I found this weird thing.”

Geralt and the mares went closer to investigate what Sif had found. It was made of wood and only ever so faintly smelt of humans. Geralt pawed at it. It didn’t move. He bent his neck and sniffed at it. It smelled of wood, mildew, and the aforementioned human scent. Otherwise, there was nothing peculiar about it. It was just a slab of old wood.

Geralt shrugged and said, ”Humans are strange. Who knows why they make these things?”

The surrounding mares nodded and agreed, turning and leaving the man-made thing behind and forgotten. Muse and Belize lingered the longest, as foals typically do. But eventually, even they lost interest and wandered away.

Suddenly, a loud whinny pierced through the day. All heads turned and looked as Seraph came galloping over the hillock. The mares shouted excitedly and ran to meet her. She had been stolen days ago and no one knew if she’d ever be found.

”I tricked that dummy and outran him!” Seraph announced happily.

The herd was overjoyed to have her back. Even Ariadne and Sansa, who had both been iill, rose up from where they lay under a tree to greet the returned mare. Sabriel wandered over from the nearby creek where she had been bathing and happily welcomed Seraph back. Once the excitement wore out, the mares went back to grazing and chatting. As usual, Geralt saw that Dayne was hanging around Briar. He shook his head and trotted over. At the sight of his Lead, Dayne stood at attention and smiled sheepishly.

”I uh...finished patrol early…?” he offered.

Geralt stared him down.

Dayne wuffled his lips and rolled his eyes. ”Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m going.” he sighed.

Briar bid him farewell and shared a smile with Geralt. Pleased that everything seemed to be going well, Geralt went in search of his mother. He found Aisling by herself near the entrance of a small cave, barely more than a crack between two rocks. She turned and regarded him as he approached.

”I have a feeling there is something very interesting inside.” she said mysteriously.

Geralt’s ears perked up with mild interest. Though, he and his mother generally had a different definition for “interesting”...

”Like what?” he asked her.

”Something ancient and long, long forgotten.” Aisling replied as she turned and began to walk away.

Geralt snorted in annoyance. His mother never could give a straight answer. But still. She had done what she meant to, and that was to pique his curiosity. With a grumble, he squeezed into the crevice, grimacing as he felt the narrow entryway scrape against his skin. Once inside, it was quite dark. He waited and allowed himself to become used to it. Some light filtered in through the roof of the cave and it was just enough for him to see by. Carefully, he picked his way deeper into the cave. He was unsure how far he went, but eventually the narrow hall opened into a wide antechamber. Here, he could see rock-dust floating in motes on shafts of light.

His eyes widened as he looked at the walls of the caves. Something was...strange about them. There were what appeared to be images of things on the walls. Geralt approached closer and examined them further. Some of these images even looked familiar--like horses. Others he had no clue about. He stayed in the cave for a long while, until the light began to fade. Worried he wouldn’t be able to find his way out in complete darkness, he hurried out of the cave and squeezed back through the crevice. He returned to see the herd completely at peace in their meadow. He sighed with relief.

With one last glance at the cave, he returned to them.

Description
CRASH!!

Geralt snorted as he fought against his instrict to bolt. His head whipped around as he looked back to the small forest his herd was nestled against. Birds were erupting from the trees and creating a cacophony of noise. Geralt’s ears perked up and he tilted his head. After the initial sound, it was quiet except for the birds, who were already settling back into the surrounding trees.

Geralt looked into the meadow and saw many of the mares had stopped running after they were initially startled. They were returning to where they had been and he could hear them wondering aloud what the sound had been.

”I’m gonna check it out.” announced Sif, her ears pinned against her head as she loped into the trees before Geralt could say a word.

She wasn’t gone for long and came back shaking twigs and leaves from her mane. She was also dragging something strange behind her. ” A tree fell, that’s all.” she said with a huff through her gritted teeth and rope. ”And I found this weird thing.”

Geralt and the mares went closer to investigate what Sif had found. It was made of wood and only ever so faintly smelt of humans. Geralt pawed at it. It didn’t move. He bent his neck and sniffed at it. It smelled of wood, mildew, and the aforementioned human scent. Otherwise, there was nothing peculiar about it. It was just a slab of old wood.

Geralt shrugged and said, ”Humans are strange. Who knows why they make these things?”

The surrounding mares nodded and agreed, turning and leaving the man-made thing behind and forgotten. Muse and Belize lingered the longest, as foals typically do. But eventually, even they lost interest and wandered away.

Suddenly, a loud whinny pierced through the day. All heads turned and looked as Seraph came galloping over the hillock. The mares shouted excitedly and ran to meet her. She had been stolen days ago and no one knew if she’d ever be found.

”I tricked that dummy and outran him!” Seraph announced happily.

The herd was overjoyed to have her back. Even Ariadne and Sansa, who had both been iill, rose up from where they lay under a tree to greet the returned mare. Sabriel wandered over from the nearby creek where she had been bathing and happily welcomed Seraph back. Once the excitement wore out, the mares went back to grazing and chatting. As usual, Geralt saw that Dayne was hanging around Briar. He shook his head and trotted over. At the sight of his Lead, Dayne stood at attention and smiled sheepishly.

”I uh...finished patrol early…?” he offered.

Geralt stared him down.

Dayne wuffled his lips and rolled his eyes. ”Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m going.” he sighed.

Briar bid him farewell and shared a smile with Geralt. Pleased that everything seemed to be going well, Geralt went in search of his mother. He found Aisling by herself near the entrance of a small cave, barely more than a crack between two rocks. She turned and regarded him as he approached.

”I have a feeling there is something very interesting inside.” she said mysteriously.

Geralt’s ears perked up with mild interest. Though, he and his mother generally had a different definition for “interesting”...

”Like what?” he asked her.

”Something ancient and long, long forgotten.” Aisling replied as she turned and began to walk away.

Geralt snorted in annoyance. His mother never could give a straight answer. But still. She had done what she meant to, and that was to pique his curiosity. With a grumble, he squeezed into the crevice, grimacing as he felt the narrow entryway scrape against his skin. Once inside, it was quite dark. He waited and allowed himself to become used to it. Some light filtered in through the roof of the cave and it was just enough for him to see by. Carefully, he picked his way deeper into the cave. He was unsure how far he went, but eventually the narrow hall opened into a wide antechamber. Here, he could see rock-dust floating in motes on shafts of light.

His eyes widened as he looked at the walls of the caves. Something was...strange about them. There were what appeared to be images of things on the walls. Geralt approached closer and examined them further. Some of these images even looked familiar--like horses. Others he had no clue about. He stayed in the cave for a long while, until the light began to fade. Worried he wouldn’t be able to find his way out in complete darkness, he hurried out of the cave and squeezed back through the crevice. He returned to see the herd completely at peace in their meadow. He sighed with relief.

With one last glance at the cave, he returned to them.