[closed]

[stonefaith]

Date & Time: 01/13, morning
Location: ALONG THE FROZEN THAMES
Characters: Syllona and Bariyan
Summary: sledding !!
Warnings: n/a

---

[ Bariyan's sitting at the edge of Exsilium, along the approximate shore of the Thames. The sled's still on the ice, with its cargo, and the harnesses are empty. The dogs are out and about, wandering, eating, resting, doing what sled dogs do. Bariyan waves at one and whistles her over. He digs around in the bucket at his side and tosses her a chunk of frozen meat once she's close enough.

He gives the bucket a rattle when that's done, and doesn't receive much of a reply. That's the last one, then. A few more minutes, and it'll be time to get going again.

Bariyan yawns and keeps watching the dogs. His attention is absolute. Nothing that walks on less than four legs is in his thoughts right now. ]

Comments

[stonefaith]

Absolutely not. [ Bariyan's having some trouble finding the jacket, so he just grits his teeth, represses a shiver, and moves on to look at the empty harness. ] I only arrived here, mm, a little more than a month ago? What about you?

[ He shakes the harness out and looks to Syllona. ]

I'm going to strap the dogs in. You can help, if you'd like!

[ He doesn't expect her to take him up on that offer. He's just trying to warn her, tactfully. DOGS INCOMING. ]

[lexiconning]

Oh... [ The question has her scrunching her face in thought -- she stopped counting recently. She shifts her hands to poke her fingers out of the coat. One, two, three... Syllona nearly yells next, lowering the volume as she goes. ] Oh!! Ah-about eight months. [ A smile is ducked and hidden. ] I'm fifteen.

[ It's a good long moment before she answers again. staying put where she is, watching the dogs... She comes a little closer, at an angle where Bariyan is more between her and the sled team. ] Mmaybe.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan looks up sharply at her exclamation, but he doesn't ask about it. He is likewise surprised by her answer to what he intended as a warning -- but, hey, he's not going to actively discourage her. Besides, he knows the dogs will be good.

He whistles to himself. ]

Eight months... that's quite a while.

[ He moves to the front and calls the lead dog over, picks up the harness, folds it together, and deftly slips it over the dog's head and neck. Then he moves to her left side and turns to Syllona, beckoning to her. ]

If you'll just hold her harness in place for me? Just like I'm holding it now.

[lexiconning]

Yeah... I guess so. [ the bit of energy from her outburst makes the call over easier, thoughts not fully on the dogs when she makes her way over.

Its all the hesitation, she knows, that's the hardest part to get through so at Bariyan's instruction Syllona breaths in, then forces her hands to touch the harness. A poke first, feeling leather and watching the dog for any sign of snapping. A breath out when none comes, and she inches the rest of her fingers, gingerly, where his wants. ]

I can do that... Its easy. [ she's not looking at Bariyan when she says it, but she nods shortly; determined. ] If-if it stays still, I mean. Did the family you live with train them?

[stonefaith]

Not the family I lived in, but one of their friends. [ Bariyan gives the lead a scratch behind the ears, then leans over to pick up her left paw. ] I'm gonna pull her through -- just hold it right there, thank you!

[ He's already gone and started pulling her paw up through the harness loop before he's done speaking, though. ]