video; un: weishappened

[weisshappened]

Type: Video
Sender ID: weishappened (Davrin)
To: All
Subject: Horse Training
Warnings: N/A


[The video is of a rocky shoreline, under a grey autumn sky. A small handful of the demon horses can be seen grazing on washed up seaweed.]

[Davrin slowly lowers the camera back down, turning it to face himself. Both he and Assan the griffon, are perched on a couple rocks higher up. Out of immediate view of the horses.]

I know we're supposed to be gathering clippings from these things but... call me crazy.

[Assan lifts his head from where he'd had it balanced on his foreclaws, looking skeptical.]

- Not you. [Then back to the camera.] Anybody tried maybe... taming one of them?

[They're no halla, but maybe it'd be a good idea to have a horse around for land-based travel.]

Comments

[empyrean_mirror]

...I think you'd probably want a lot of protective equipment, first. Even normal horses are pretty dangerous when feral.

[Says a man with a unicorn.]

[weisshappened]

Like what? Armor?

You can't move well enough in armor to approach wild animals. You want quiet and slow. Armor... well. You're slow.

[empyrean_mirror]

Only if it's metal. Wouldn't something padded at least add some layers between you and the...teeth?

[And the hooves and the horns and...]

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but I've heard a horse can shatter bones with a single kick. I imagine these don't hit any less hard.

[weisshappened]

I appreciate the concern. But I've been handling animals since I was a kid.

[He holds up a hand.] I'm not saying I'm not going to be careful, just that wild animals aren't new to me... Do you know anything about these horses, specifically?

[empyrean_mirror]

These ones? No...my husband wouldn't let me take the manta request.

[Kaveh huffs loudly.] I swear, I bring home one rescue and he thinks I'll adopt any animal I see!

[weisshappened]

Hah. I hear that happens. I mean, look at me.

[He gestures over his shoulder to where Assan is curled. The griffon flicks an ear.]

Already got one kid, looking to pick up another.

[empyrean_mirror]

I mean, they're quite a handsome young one, I can't say I don't understand the impulse.

[Kaveh chuckles a little, and then turns his phone slightly so Nima--an actual goddamn unicorn--is in frame.

And...all the chocobo...don't worry about those.]

Nima got a little too big for the island we live on, so we had to bring her over to a larger space...I think she likes being with the flock, though.

[weisshappened]

[Assan lifts his head, clearly hearing that-]

This is Assan. He came from Thedas with me.

[And - what. What is that.]

Your horse has a horn. [Because it can't actually be what it looks like. Right?]

[empyrean_mirror]

They're called unicorns, apparently. Nima is native to this world.

[He's going to give her chinscritches, for being a very good girl!]

She was in...a rather terrible situation, but seems to have imprinted on me after we saved her. How long have you known Assan?

[weisshappened]

I... was kind of thinking you were about to say that.

[He's only heard the word a few times, in passing. In legends. There's never been one actually seen, as far as he knows.]

I can definitely understand taking her in, in that case. As for Assan... well. Since he hatched. And launched himself at me.

[empyrean_mirror]

Oh? Do unicorns exist in your world? [What had he called it?] Thedas?

[Kaveh does chuckle softly, while he continues to give a mythical beast chinscritchies.]

Launched himself at you as in imprinting, or launched himself at you as in seeking lunch?

[weisshappened]

There's stories. And rumor had it there was an undead horse with ... a sword for a horn, but - [He shrugs.] I've never seen one until now.

[Davrin turns his head, looking back at Assan.]

Well? Which one was it, boy? Was it snacks? [The griffon sneezes. Then tucks his front legs under him, looking prim.] Yeah, that's what I thought. He wanted the food we'd brought the hatchlings.

[empyrean_mirror]

With a--uh?

[THOSE SURE WERE WORDS? THAT YOU SAID?]

That's not surprising. Baby cats and baby birds are the hungriest creatures in the world, and he's a bit of both, isn't he?

[weisshappened]

Just a rumor. Like I said, I never saw the "bog unicorn".

[They sure were words!!]

He is, yeah. Body of a bird, a cat... heart of a halla. [That last bit, is mostly said to Assan. Because Davrin can't help reaching back to scratch at Assan's floppy ear, fondly.] Isn't that right?

[empyrean_mirror]

A halla?

[Kaveh's gonna focus on that instead of addressing "bog unicorn" literally ever thank you.]

[weisshappened]

A halla. They're... how do I explain it.

[There's a lot of backstory. How to condense - ]

They're something like a deer, but sturdier. Dalish, like me, raise and live with them, revere them. They pull our aravels, we use their wool, their milk. They guide us through new territory. They're more intelligent than most wildlife, too. Our partners, not our livestock.