[o] [SE] they call the thing rodeo

Colt

It wasn't often that Colt was still. There was always work to be done, and she liked to keep her hands busy, so she was often in motion, no stride without purpose. This morning though, as the dawn broke across the meadows and backlit each wildflower with gold, she paused. Her lips pursed with a small smile, joy setting in as she admired the view. "Wouldn't give this up for the world," she murmured as she sipped at her tea and sat down to gather her pen and paper. She still owed that poem.

The moment could never last though, as a shrill whinny in the distance and a loud series of bangs reminded her. The moment splintered, and irritation streaked across her face as she yelled out "I'M COMING!" This of course, set off all the dogs, who took off like lightning towards the barn. Amid barking more bangs rose and Colt swore under her breath as she slapped her tea down on the table.

She slammed the door open and stalked out to feed the goblins their breakfast. Halfway to the barn she realized she still had the pen and paper in hand. Annoyed, she tucked both in a back pocket. "I was having a moment, you know," she admonished the stalled beasts as she strode to the hay.

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

relive who i've been at my worst,
every single night, looking for a distraction

It was a shame that Sunjata was no longer attuned – sometimes missing the fact that he used to have the ability to compel creatures and speak to them. It made it difficult these days, even with the zoo that lived under his skin, to be able to accurately get certain creatures to move. Stubborn as they are.

It’s what brings him this way, after all. To a familiar ranch within Meadowreach as the flowers bloom and grasses finally grow with the burst of warmth and the disappearance of snow from the past season. He arrives this morning precisely at the time he hears the yell from Colt, presumably toward the barn. And sure enough, there she goes, stalking over toward them as if they’d interrupted something important.

Now, Sunjata wasn’t the smartest man alive – everyone knew that – but he really hopes he isn’t interrupting anything either – finding his problem of the wild herd of yaks that had been impossible to move from the main road could wait a little longer. “Hey, Colt!” He calls out, flashing her a lopsided smile as he hurries his long strides toward her. “You want some help?” He asks, gesturing toward the barn, because maybe if he helped her with a favor she’d help him in return.

the flood

waiting for the sun to rise
pretty sight for some hollow eyes

totally sniped from odd ilu

Colt

The dogs were worked up in too much of a frenzy to notice Sunjata approaching. Colt was nearly equally blind as she seethed at the idiot animals she'd surrounded herself with, as if chaos of this sort was not a daily occurrence. She had been late this morning, gods forbid she take a moment to herself, but on time was already late for these beasts so she supposed they had been kind to wait as long as they did.

She heard her name flit by like a gnat as she vanished into the barn. She spun hard on her heel and poked just her head back out, narrowed gaze piercing past the barn doors to this newest interruption in her morning. She's surprised to find the Flood hurrying towards her, and her vexation quickly melts into the warm country butter that is the grin she fastens to her lips. "Sunjata!" she calls out. "'Course, I never say no to help," she laughed, handing him the hay she'd bundled in her arms already. "Take that to the stupid yellow one throwin' his head up and down. And watch you don't get any in your eyes," she cautioned as she turned and grabbed another set of flakes for the bay gelding next to his assignment. "Similar amounts for this whole side," she called out as she elbowed a greedy face that lunged for the food in her arms. The dogs belted past them, barely a bark spared for Sunjata, as they ran over to the pastures, racing each other to some unknown finish line. The horses were merely the starting gun, a warm up, before they ran and 'checked on the herd' (read: went out to find the smelliest shits to roll in).

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

relive who i've been at my worst,
every single night, looking for a distraction

Seeing her emotions change, the Flood is far more relieved upon his approach – avoiding stepping on paws the best he can, flashing her that crooked smile as he gladly takes the hay she places into his arms with an accented laugh. “Sounds good.” He peers down the way as she takes the lead, trailing after her as she elbows the greedier one that lunges for the hay in her arms. He manages to avoid it as the equine recoils from it.

Able to evade much of it, he once again misses the ability to compel them briefly, before he finds the yellow one that seems to be quite the metal head. Utilizing his height and his broad shoulders, he manages to avoid the dogs and the hay from getting in his eyes as he gets the yellow one’s breakfast situated. And thankfully, with him eagerly distracted by breakfast, Sunjata manages to make his quick escape, returning to the space with the hay to snag a similar load, this time coming face to face with the original greedy face, with a hiss and a korofian chastise before he manages to get past to get to the next stall. “Whatcha got planned for the day? After this, obviously.” He calls over to the blonde as he gives breakfast to the one next to where he’d just been - a surprisingly patient horse.

the flood

waiting for the sun to rise
pretty sight for some hollow eyes

totally sniped from odd ilu

Colt

She glanced over her shoulder to see the Archon hard at work, and though she did wonder why he'd come here to do it when he had the entire countryside to do so, she would not be so foolish as to ask and lose her new hand. A bemused smile tilted her lips as he gave no ground to the more obstinate brutes, a challenge many struggled with for fear of cruelty. Colt did her best to remind them being in charge was not the same as bullying, and that if they didn't bother to step up, sure as shit the horses would. The world was built with boundaries in mind, that was why even wild animals pissed on trees to mark them out. She just didn't need to drop her pants to do it, just some well-timed elbows.

She slung another handful of hay at a brown beast. The bangs had steadily quieted to ravenous munching and ugly faces as teeth and flattened ears were flashed from neighbor to neighbor, even if they'd be friends on the field in an hour. Breakfast was serious business. Dusting hay from her hands and her shirt, Colt turned to arch a 'brow at Sunjata's question. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were tryin' to flush out some quail, the way you're beating around the bush." Her hands propped up on her hips, one of which tilted up as a foot rested out to the side, reminiscent of a horse in waiting. "Thankful as I am for your help, out with it," she demanded with a knowing glint in her eyes.

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

relive who i've been at my worst,
every single night, looking for a distraction

Maybe it’s the fact that he had been attuned that he’s able to navigate it so well. Maybe it’s because the Pegasus shift under his skin takes over occasionally to give those boundaries to the equines as he works to feed the line he’s been assigned. Not sure exactly what it was, the Flood can’t deny that he’s glad the ruckus has calmed down to steady munching by the time they’re finished and he takes the moment to brush the hay from himself in return.

And a rogue one that’s made it into his grey streaked hair.

Her voice drags his attention again and he chuckles an accented sound before sighing as if being caught out, so he flashes her the crooked smile. “You always know, huh?” He laments, snorting, before continuing. “I wanted to see if you could help me get a herd of yaks out of the road. But if you’re busy it’s not a big deal, I’m still happy to help regardless.” Shrugging a tattooed shoulder, he leans against a beam within the barn and crosses his arms. “They’re just really fuckin’ stubborn, and no matter what shift I use they don’t seem to care. Even the dragon one.” This is more dramatic, punctuated with the sigh of ughhhh.

“But I figured if anyone had some tips or tricks it’d be you.” So here he is.

the flood

waiting for the sun to rise
pretty sight for some hollow eyes

totally sniped from odd ilu

Colt

Her lips quirk to the side as he admitted she always knew. Maybe it was that, maybe he was just easier to read than he realized, maybe a bit of both. The smile fell off into neutrality as she listened and chewed on what his problem was, laughing a bit at the clear vexation he finished with given all he'd tried so far. "Yeah they're about as stubborn as it gets," she admits. "I'm guessing you didn't use your dragon teeth?" She half-teased, wondering if one of them had gotten munched on if it might have inspired the rest to move, and maybe provided her some ribs for dinner. It was surprising his shifts had not made them budge. She crossed her arms in thought, one one her boot toes scuffing the dirt back and forth as she pondered it.

"Could be you needed more people with you, regardless of your size." she mused aloud, mentally checking off how many hands she could spare for this mission. "Or could be you triggered their protective circling, it is calving season after all and they'd keep the babes on in the inside and put all their horns on the outside." Either was likely, so they'd just have to go in prepared. Maybe she'd glean more after watching the herd herself, not that she doubted Sunjata's abilities, but sometimes you needed the minutia that got lost in re-telling. Slapping her hands on her pants with a decision, Colt began to turn. "Alright, we'll help you move them, but you owe me a rack of ribs." She grinned and then started for the tack shed.

"Help me tack some of these horses up for the boys, I can give you four riders and myself. You should stick to a... less threatening shift than a dragon when we do it this time." Colt gave a sharp, shrill whistle as she pinched her lip. A few answering hoots came from other barns, and the dogs in the distant pasture yipped.

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

relive who i've been at my worst,
every single night, looking for a distraction

Humming a laugh, Sunjata seems to deflate under Colt’s attention, dramatically sighing more as his folded arms fall to his sides. “No, but I tried to poke with some lightning.” And they’d merely just stared at him like they knew he wouldn’t do shit, like they were daring him to try.

Listening as she explains what could’ve been the issue, he perks up a touch to hear the explanation that makes sense with what he’d seen. “Yeah! That’s what they were doing.” For having a zoo under his skin and guided by the predator versus prey aspect numerous times, the Flood is quite ignorant of the actual tact most of those he encountered here had.

His lopsided grin only brightens into a toothier one as she says she agrees to help with the condition of a rack of ribs, and honestly? She could have the whole yak for all he cares, racks of ribs included. “Gods, thanks Colt. I think I owe ya more than just a rack of ribs for this.” Chuckling lightly, he immediately sets himself in motion to help tack up the far less hungry beasts now.

“You got any recommendations? I’ve got a Pegasus, a Nyala, and a Shepherd that might be less intense.” And which wouldn’t get him to be stepped on like the snake, and kept on the ground unlike his bird or bat shift.

the flood

waiting for the sun to rise
pretty sight for some hollow eyes

totally sniped from odd ilu

Colt

Colt was in motion before she'd waited for his response. Part of the trick of staying ahead of all the work here was being efficient with time and steps, and it didn't hurt to take big, long, and fast steps either. Her boot heels thumped with industry along the bricks as she moved pairs of horses out of stalls and to the ties. "Don't mention it," she said in earnest as she finished leading out the last horse. Out of places to tie it, she threw the lead on the ground and wagged a serious finger in front of its nose. "No. Moving." As if in rebellion, the horse shifted its weight, taking a partial step forward in doing so. She arched a challenging 'brow at the mare, who let her lip droop in turn, ears spinning at all the noise.

Convinced the mare would stay well enough, Colt pivoted and grabbed a brush. The group of hands arrived, and without much question, ducked their heads and went to work pulling out tack. Quick, sweeping armstrokes had her shuffling the debris from the backs of the mounts, ready for Jata to throw on pads and saddles. Finished, she clapped the brush along the side of the barn, nose wrinkled up in thought as she considered the options Sunjata provided. "A nya-what?" she asked as she chucked the brush back towards the tack closet.

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

relive who i've been at my worst,
every single night, looking for a distraction

Immediately set to motion as he helps Colt get the horses ready, the weight of the saddles were practically nothing for him to help hoist onto the equines backs once he’d gotten the pads into place. Having been around horses often enough in his time in King’s End (and randomly at the ranch here and there), he’d learned from her just how to cinch them up and make sure they weren’t going to drop their riders.

“A nyala.” Sunjata repeats, snorting, flashing her his usual crooked and charming smile. “It’s like an antelope? Not super big but it’s got horns, so. Might be the closest yak-ish thing I’ve got.” He says easily before he’s stepping away once his work is done. “I can show you before hand if you wanna see?” Head tilting as he brushes some of the dust and shedding fur from the horses from his hands, he glances back at her curiously.

the flood

waiting for the sun to rise
pretty sight for some hollow eyes

totally sniped from odd ilu

Colt

"No need," she said to Sunjata as she swept around and finished saddling the last horse. "That sounds like that should be the one. I'm hoping you can lead them in the front, inspire movement by walking forward and lookin' like 'em. We'll put pressure on the backs and the flanks with our rides and the dogs." Just then, the hurricane of paws and tails came whipping through the barn. They'd heard her whistle from earlier, but it had taken them time to race back across the pastures, and likely they'd gotten distracted a time or two along the way. Some of the men dropped to a knee and feel to tongue lashes and muddy paws. The horses, accustomed to such chaos, were as idle as ever.

"I was thinking your pegasus, if that doesn't seem to work, to help with herding. The shepherd maybe, as a last resort. It's a bit too, wolfish, so I think it might get the same result the dragon did." The herding dogs were smaller, more agile, and only applied pressure as a group at areas they were directed to. The dogs would be asked to wait back at first, specifically to avoid flaring up the yak defenses again. She grunted as she dragged the cinch up, tightening it despite the irritated tail swish the buckskin mare gave in protest. Reaching for the bridle, Colt called out the plans to the team, which thus far had just answered her call.

"Alright, the deal is we got a herd of yaks blocking a main path. We think they have calves they want to protect so don't get 'em too scared. We want to motivate them. Sunjata will guide them as a Ny—" Colt paused, forgetting the name, and cast a glance at Sunjata for help. "A deer thing," she finished instead, impatient. "Hank, Jim, you're on the left flank. Randy, Mikey, you're on the right flank. I'll stay behind and focus on stragglers with the dogs. Everyone understand?" Colt glanced around, waiting for the nods before turning to her mare and unbuckling the halter to offer her the bit. "Great, then saddle up and move out. We succeed, we got BBQ tonight!" The metal slid into the horse's mouth and Colt pulled it behind her ears gently. She plucked the forelock from the brow band and moved to the left side, checking the cinch one last time, in case the mare had held her breath, and then swung up into the leather seat. The paper and the pen she'd stuffed back there earlier crinkled, and she reached back to pull the pen out. "Damn poem'll'avta wait," she muttered and chucked the pen in her boot instead. She'd been pushing this Family's requirement off day after day, aware the season was drawing to a close. She didn't want to get on their shit list, but damn she was too busy for their silly sonnets.

"Sunjata, lead the way."

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

you'll find the cross only fits when your hands and feet are nailed to it

Nodding, and absolutely not going to push the question further, it’s decided. The dogs return and Sunjata stays out of the way of the flurry of paws, looking back up to Colt when she speaks next, nodding as he snorts – because of course it makes sense when she explains it. “Cool, yeah, I can do that.” Easily, too. Start off with the nyala, see if anything happens, and if it doesn’t? Pegasus.

Looking to the group that arrives to help, he inclines his head to each of them in turn, not interrupting to correct Colt with the reminder of the nyala. And with a curious glance to the mention of the poem Colt mutters about, the Flood steps up to lead them where the yaks had been last he’d seen.

The tall demigod soon becomes a nyala, the long fur bouncing slightly with the bounce of his steps as his gold tipped legs strike the ground, guiding the group of them all toward where he’d originally come from. It doesn’t take long, and by the time they get there, the yaks have moved. They’re not gone, completely, just down the road from where they originally had been – still blocking part of it but at least no longer on the fork of the road.

And while the Nyala was fuzzy and horned just as the yaks were, Sunjata’s shift is small in comparison. His shoulder coming up about halfway toward the yaks as he approaches, immediately watching as the larger of the yaks investigates his form and the horses that approach on his heels. There’s a snort, the angle of their heads down toward him, before there’s a call somewhere in the herd and they start to move – not in the circular display, but almost as if trying to investigate Sunjata.

Taking the lead, he lowers his head with his spiral horns carefully out of the way of the biggest of the yaks as he’s sniffed, before he starts to try to utilize their curiosity to his advantage, guiding them out of the road. Two of them begin to follow, along with a way too curious calf, where it seems like it's about to go south quickly.

SUNJATA

Colt

As they mount up and ride out, Colt gives an affectionate gasp once she sees Sunjata's nayayalayla form. It's adorable and she calls out to him, "you should go like that more often, you're much cuter!" Laughing to herself, because her humor is usually just for her anyway, she puts the reins around the saddle horn so they don't fall. The horse is trucking along with the rest of the group, so she doesn't need to direct it. "Time to kill two birds with one stone," she mutters, lifting one leg out of the stirrups and also hooking it around the horn, at the knee. She fishes the pen she'd tossed in their earlier, and grabs the wrinkled paper from her back pocket. Slapping out the paper into as smooth a surface as she can, she lays it over her boot and pantleg, not the best of tables, but it'd do. She twisted the pen, tapping it a bit on the tip of her tongue before jotting down some chicken scratch shit for the Family. "Here's your rent muthafuckers," she grumbled.

The quick purple Vox jumps over the log
He slipped, he tripped, he hit his nog
Along hopped over a helpful frog
He ate it.

The lowing of nearby yaks snagged her attention back up, and hastily she shoved the sonnet back in her rear pocket, the pen holstered in her boot as she freed her leg and slid it back into the stirrup. She whistled and hollared something incomprehensible at the dogs, but each listened and dropped abruptly into the grasses. She gripped the reins in her left fingers, sitting a bit deeper in the saddle to slow down her ride while the four men peeled off as planned. Under the brim of her hat she watched Sunjata approach them, and his size was small, too small she thought as she bit at her bottom lip in worry. He could handle himself, she knew, but she didn't want to have to live down any painful stories about him avoiding a stampede that her advice got him into. "Jim! Randy! Get up closer ta the front, the herd's shifting!" she bellowed out at her hands, the rising tide of large feet sweeping closer to Sunjata in a way she didn't like.

"PEGASUS!" She called to him, those yak horns beginning to toss in a threatening way. Curiosity was turning into bullying and fast.

I ain't gonna be that easy to leave
I'm gonna make you miss me

The moment the poem slips from Colt’s pocket to the pocket of the world, something unseemly rustles in the air—not wind, but something like wind. The birds overhead shiver. A strange, metallic tang briefly bites at the back of her teeth. The fire of her earlier mutter, "Here's your rent muthafuckers," might as well have been an incantation.

The dogs whimper and shake it off. The yaks don’t notice.

But Vox does.

A little ripple of reality near Colt’s saddle blinks out of alignment—just briefly. A shimmer like hot air on stone, except cold and violet and vaguely electric. There’s no image. Not really.

Just a sensation.

And then a sound—buzzing and bubbly and delighted—fizzes up like a cork popping out of a soda can:

"Roses are red,
Yaks travel in herds,
Your poem’s a marvel—
But so are your words~!"

A static purr trails through the grass, winding around her boots like a purring cat made of broken signals and good gossip. Then, just as quickly as it came, the feeling peels away.

But somehow... the frogs feel fewer.

And one of her dog’s ears? Is sticking straight up in alert.

As if he enjoyed the poem too.