position. Tal chose that moment to stand up.
A second later, Aluna thudded to the ground. Miraculously she managed to land on her side instead of on her head. She spat sand out of her mouth and stared up at the horse.
“You’re not making this easy,” she said.
Tal reached down and tugged at her tunic again.
“Yeah, yeah,” She hopped to her feet and shook the sand from her hair. “Remember, this is a lot easier for you than it is for me.”
Three falls later, Tal managed to stay still long enough for Aluna to swing her legs into position. Tal’s bony back dug into her thighs, but she let out a whoop all the same.
“Tides’ teeth, it’s a whole new world up here!”
Tal took a step forward, and Aluna bobbed backward.
“Guess I’d better hold on.” She grabbed Tal’s mane just in time. The horse bolted into a canter. Aluna felt like she was floating on top of the waves, only with more fear of falling and a lot more pain on her backside. She clutched Tal’s sides with her legs.
Tal cantered in slow circles as Aluna adjusted her grip. Her body was already sore from bouncing against Tal’s back. She could feel the bruises forming through her light tunic and pants. But no amount of pain was going to stop her. Not today.
“Faster,” Aluna said. “As fast as you can go.”
One of Tal’s ears swiveled back to listen, and she nodded. Aluna could feel the muscles in the horse’s body bunching and extending.
So much power!
Tal gathered herself up and launched into a gallop.
Aluna tried to keep her grip, but was face-first in the sand within seconds. At least she’d managed to avoid the prickly cactus, which seemed to be watching with amusement half a meter away. She wiped the sand out of her mouth, shook the surprise from her head, and waited for Tal to circle back.
The next time she fell, she got sand up her nose. Ocean sand ended up everywhere, so she was used to the discomfort, but desert sand burned and stuck to anything wet. And since Aluna had been sweating all day, her face, hands, and neck were covered in the gritty yellow nuisance.
But Tal proved just as stubborn as Aluna and kept coming back for her after she fell. The horse didn’t even need to kneel after a while — Aluna managed to vault onto her back and scramble into place without help. Two more falls and Aluna managed to keep her seat when Tal broke into her gallop.
Air rushed past Aluna’s face, blowing the sticky sand away in sheets. She watched the golden landscape zooming by below Tal’s hooves and felt the same exhilaration she got underwater, when she hit open ocean and could swim as fast as she wanted.
“We can go anywhere,” Aluna said. “We can do anything!”
Tal whinnied and ran faster. Aluna laughed and tightened her grip. She loved the way the horse’s hooves thundered against the sand in perfect rhythm. Her chest felt light. Her heart sang. She wanted the feeling to last forever.
B Y THE TIME Aluna returned to the settlement, the Equian word-weavers were already at their fires, telling stories to the sunken sun. Aluna limped slowly, each step causing an explosion of pain through her thighs, backside, and ribs. Tal had simply trotted off toward the food troughs when they were done, no worse for their day of exercise. Aluna felt mushy and weak, like a lobster without its shell.
She lifted the tent flap with a groan. Somehow she’d managed to bruise her arms today, too. Not since the day High Senator Electra had taught her the basics of the Aviar spear had she so wished for a bottle of stinging jellyfish goo to ease the pain in her muscles.
“Aluna! Where have you been?” Calli said. “You look terrible. Is that cactus in your hair?”
“Food,” Aluna said, stumbling inside. “Wash.”
“I’d suggest grabbing some food first,” said Calli. “Hoku’s been taking all the best morsels for his teacher.”
“Food,” Aluna agreed.
“Have you met Rollin yet?” Calli asked. “I was nervous at first.
A second later, Aluna thudded to the ground. Miraculously she managed to land on her side instead of on her head. She spat sand out of her mouth and stared up at the horse.
“You’re not making this easy,” she said.
Tal reached down and tugged at her tunic again.
“Yeah, yeah,” She hopped to her feet and shook the sand from her hair. “Remember, this is a lot easier for you than it is for me.”
Three falls later, Tal managed to stay still long enough for Aluna to swing her legs into position. Tal’s bony back dug into her thighs, but she let out a whoop all the same.
“Tides’ teeth, it’s a whole new world up here!”
Tal took a step forward, and Aluna bobbed backward.
“Guess I’d better hold on.” She grabbed Tal’s mane just in time. The horse bolted into a canter. Aluna felt like she was floating on top of the waves, only with more fear of falling and a lot more pain on her backside. She clutched Tal’s sides with her legs.
Tal cantered in slow circles as Aluna adjusted her grip. Her body was already sore from bouncing against Tal’s back. She could feel the bruises forming through her light tunic and pants. But no amount of pain was going to stop her. Not today.
“Faster,” Aluna said. “As fast as you can go.”
One of Tal’s ears swiveled back to listen, and she nodded. Aluna could feel the muscles in the horse’s body bunching and extending.
So much power!
Tal gathered herself up and launched into a gallop.
Aluna tried to keep her grip, but was face-first in the sand within seconds. At least she’d managed to avoid the prickly cactus, which seemed to be watching with amusement half a meter away. She wiped the sand out of her mouth, shook the surprise from her head, and waited for Tal to circle back.
The next time she fell, she got sand up her nose. Ocean sand ended up everywhere, so she was used to the discomfort, but desert sand burned and stuck to anything wet. And since Aluna had been sweating all day, her face, hands, and neck were covered in the gritty yellow nuisance.
But Tal proved just as stubborn as Aluna and kept coming back for her after she fell. The horse didn’t even need to kneel after a while — Aluna managed to vault onto her back and scramble into place without help. Two more falls and Aluna managed to keep her seat when Tal broke into her gallop.
Air rushed past Aluna’s face, blowing the sticky sand away in sheets. She watched the golden landscape zooming by below Tal’s hooves and felt the same exhilaration she got underwater, when she hit open ocean and could swim as fast as she wanted.
“We can go anywhere,” Aluna said. “We can do anything!”
Tal whinnied and ran faster. Aluna laughed and tightened her grip. She loved the way the horse’s hooves thundered against the sand in perfect rhythm. Her chest felt light. Her heart sang. She wanted the feeling to last forever.
B Y THE TIME Aluna returned to the settlement, the Equian word-weavers were already at their fires, telling stories to the sunken sun. Aluna limped slowly, each step causing an explosion of pain through her thighs, backside, and ribs. Tal had simply trotted off toward the food troughs when they were done, no worse for their day of exercise. Aluna felt mushy and weak, like a lobster without its shell.
She lifted the tent flap with a groan. Somehow she’d managed to bruise her arms today, too. Not since the day High Senator Electra had taught her the basics of the Aviar spear had she so wished for a bottle of stinging jellyfish goo to ease the pain in her muscles.
“Aluna! Where have you been?” Calli said. “You look terrible. Is that cactus in your hair?”
“Food,” Aluna said, stumbling inside. “Wash.”
“I’d suggest grabbing some food first,” said Calli. “Hoku’s been taking all the best morsels for his teacher.”
“Food,” Aluna agreed.
“Have you met Rollin yet?” Calli asked. “I was nervous at first.
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