D
DeerPrince
Guest
Saros Mabry
"Don't be so overdramatic," Saros ran a hand through his hands, double checking the various straps that connected both their mounts and her saddles. The first time he had attempted to saddle his own equipment had ended in near tears when he had tried to mount. The martingale hadn't been tightened far enough, and when he had managed to swing his body up, the whole saddle had tipped sideways, yet one foot had remained tangled in the stirrup, so while the rest of his mass collapsed in a heap on the group, his left foot was strung above him, hopelessly stuck, and horse spooked.
Shep hadn't quite let him off the hook so easily, teasing the boy until his ears turned pink, and his body seemed to emanate heat in his humiliation.
"Hold onto the reins, alright? But keep them loose or else the bit will dig into her mouth. I'll lead you around in a few circles to ease you into the riding, but try not to be too stiff. Move along with the horse; If you try and keep your body too stiff you'll be super sore tomorrow." It was the one instance where it was just better to go with the flow.
He would grudgingly admit that so far, Thea had been far more graceful and collected than his first time attempting to ride a horse. Reaching for the reins on his own horse, Saros began slowly, strides short and measured, cerulean cesspools trained on Thea just in case she startled or fell.
"See? It isn't as bad as you expected it, right?" Saros couldn't help the grin that seemed to flit across his face like a shadow as he gripped Orion's dark mane, pushing himself off with his legs in an elusive, practiced flourish. "Your life is in my hands, you say?" Tapping his feet against the animal's flank, his fingers held the reins loosely, wrists slackened, before he clicked his tongue, both horses beginning to pick up their pace, easing from a walk into a rougher trot. He could feel their warmth radiating from their massive bodies, his legs hugging Orion's sides, the firmness of his body underneath him like a steady promise. Always there for him. Over the years, his body had grown so accustomed to Orion's strides, memorized every quirk, and the horse's large chestnut toned eyes held a deep sense of unspoken trust. One that spoke of an irreplaceable bond that had formed throughout the years.
@Elle Joyner
