Chapter 3

When Tymber got home, she was so full she felt like she would explode.
Martha wasn't as critical as she thought. She was actually a very sweet woman. She once helped train the horses until an accident left her leg paralyzed. Now she wasn't able to do the things she once did to help out around the farm. She walked with a crane that Potter made just for her. The two monsters didn't turn out to be monsters at all, but two very inquisitive little girls. They asked so much of Tymber that she barely had enough room to answer them. Sera and Peewee they were called. Peewee assured her that her real name was Pesima, but that her sister couldn't pronounce it right when she was younger. She called her "Peewee" and the name stuck. They were both very adorable, and even though Sera had dark hair and eyes and Peewee had light hair and eyes, they looked very much alike.
It turned out that while Tymber would be working there, all she really had to do was clean the stables and the horses. Potter said that she could assist Daire in training and exercising them and see how she was at it. She already knew that she'd have to get used to riding. When she stepped off her horse, her knees buckled and she'd have fallen if she wasn't hanging on to the saddle. Her legs hurt something terrible.
She untacked the horse and let him into the tiny corral. Soon she would want to name him.
His name is Seabring. Staar told her.
"How do you know?" Tymber asked.
I don't know. Staar bluntly replied.
"Alright." Tymber said. "Seabring it is." But she felt Staar's puzzlement afterwards. How had he known the horse's name?
It is late. Let's find my gift for Presta tomorrow. Staar yawned
"Yes, that'd be better." Tymber said as she poured some oats into a bucket for Seabring. Potter had been kind enough to give Tymber a whole bag of oats and even gave her permission to have more if she ran out. She patted Seabring's neck as he bent it down to eat from the bucket. "Do you think school will be fun?" Tymber asked.
What do you do in school? Staar asked.
"You learn things." Tymber answered. "The girls get to learn cooking and sewing, and the boys learn, horsemanship (but only if they show great skill since there aren't many horses), fighting, reading, and writing. And everyone learns how to communicate with their spirit bond and work with their powers properly."
It sounds better to be a male. Staar observed.
"I know." Tymber replied sadly. "They have so much more to learn. That's why they start so much earlier than girls. And I'm starting tomorrow; the day the boys do. I still don't understand why."
Maybe you learn with the males tomorrow. Staar suggested.
"That's absurd! Why would they put me in class with a bunch of childish boys?" Tymber asked.
Maybe, Staar said with humor in his voice, you are a boy.
"Staar!" Tymber said, laughing, "You are evil!"
Rowr! Staar pretended to snarl and leaped, nipping Tymber's arm. He ran in circles, panting.
"Why you crazy mutt, you!" Tymber laughed, chasing Staar through the camp. By now, everyone was in bed, and Tymber was laughing so hard that she could see that people were starting to light their lamps. Tymber keeled over and smothered her laughter.
Evil am I! Ha! Look at you, waking the people up! Who's evil now! Aha! Staar ran around in mock satisfaction.
"Alright, alright," Tymber whipsered laughing, "let's go to sleep now."
Where do we sleep this fine night? Staar asked.
"I don't want to go back into the tent." Tymber replied. "Let's go to our secret spot." she whispered.
Ah, the secret spot! Staar said. He ran into the woods and Tymber followed him at a much slower pace.
When Tymber got to the tree, Staar was already curled up inside the large hole in the ground. She climbed in and snuggled up beside him.
Tomorrow will be good. Staar said.
"Yes." Tymber replied. "Good."

Tymber awoke to Staar nuzzling her face with his cold nose. She stretched as far as she could in the cramped space. It it time to go! Staar said excitedly. The sun will be up soon!
"Oh my goodness," Tymber said, "I forgot! Let's go." She brushed the dirt off her breeches when she got out and then ran for the corral. She tacked Seabring up and then remembered what Potter had said about wolves.
No. Staar said.
"What?" Tymber asked, smiling slyly. "I didn't say anything."
You didn't need to. I saw the image in your mind. I am not wearing anything around my neck. Staar said, obstinatly.
"You know you must." Tymber said. "What if someone mistakes you as a wolf?"
Then they wouldn't be mistaken, would they?
"Staar, come on. It's only while we are in town. You don't want to be shot dead, do you?" Tymber pleaded.
Fine. But this means that you can't ignore me all day. If this collar is going to make me noticable, it might as well be you who notices me. You aren't going to keep me locked up in the stables all day like lastnight. Staar said, stubbornly.
"Oh alright." Tymber laughed. She quietly walked up to the clothesline beside her tent. She pulled off a red rag and tied it around Staar's neck. "Let's go." she said. She mounted Seabring, and they were off.

Tymber realized that Staar had exaggerated when he said that sunrise would almost be there. It was black as night. She sighed. Wolves can't comprehend time past the next hunt and mating season. Atleast she was able to take her time on the way there.
Tell me about Sunn and Staar. Staar told her.
"What?" Tymber asked, surprised.
On the day we met you said there was a story called Sunn and Staar. I want to hear about it. Staar explained.
"Okay. Hum. Where do I start..."
The beginning.
Tymber laughed.
"Hundreds of years ago, there was a girl named Sunn. She and her spirit bond, a jackal named Staar, were assigned to guard the tribe. Back then, women were able to do the things only men can do nowadays. They were watching the camp when suddenly, Vansons, the demons of the forest, came upon them and tried to kill everyone in the camp. Using her fire power, Sunn blasted all of the demons away! But her powers were never that strong, and she couldn't control her fire. Staar was killed. There has never been a jackal in these parts since, and they say to see one is bad luck. The Vansons have never been seen again, but they say that when the time is right, they will once again be awaken to take revenge."
This is true? Staar asked.
"I suppose so." Tymber answered.
Staar nodded silently and ran ahead of Tymber to lead her into the city. Seabring trotted to keep up. Tymber laughed at the insane contrast of the red rag on Staar's black fur.
Look at me! shouted Staar. I'm a dog! A mountain breed! He frolicked in the field that led into the town. Tymber laughed.
She stopped Seabring in front of Potter's field, and opened the gate. She walked him into the stables and heard a glorious sound. After putting him into the stall, she found herself wandering toward that intoxicating noise. She saw, in the very last stall, a young man, playing on a magnificent instrument. He looked up at her and stopped. "Oh, don't stop." she pleaded. "It was lovely."
He smiled at her. "I suppose it's time I get on to work anyways." he said. "My name is Daire." He stood up and brushed himself off.
"I'm Tymber."
Daire looked her up and down. His eyes held a moment at her clothing. Tymber had realized that she didn't wear the same odd things that the women here did. "You look strong enough to help me train." Diare observed. "It can be tough dealing with the young ones. But it has to be done. Potter has high hopes for two of his young stallions, but he finds them too unruly to be bred. Too high-strung."
"What's the hard part?" Tymber asked.
"Breaking them without breaking their spirit." Daire answered. "And not getting hurt in the process." he winked. "I think you'll do fine. Just fine."

Tymber couldn't believe she'd agreed to this. She was riding atop a stallion that was running in circles. Daire had the horse on a lead stood in the middle of the corral. Tymber wasn't used to riding horses; her legs still felt horrible and her backside was getting increasingly sore. But she wanted that necklace to give to Presta more than anything.
She had worked out the calculations. If she rode home just after noon, she'd make it in time for lessons. She remembered that she had to patiently wait in line at Elder Greta's tent while Greta handed out the assigned classes. Tymber was curious as to what classes she would get. She might be the only girl to start a month early. Imagine what her classes could be!
She was daydreaming so much she didn't hear Daire calling to her. "Tymber! Tymber! Pull back on the rains now!"
Tymber pulled and the horse reared. She clutched the horse's mane and let out a silent scream. The horse thrashed and Tymber almost fell. Instead, she slid herself off the saddle and watched the horse run after Daire. He dodged the stallion, and ran for the fence. He leapt over just in time. Tymber soon realized that she had to do the same. The stallion ran up to her. She jumped over the fence and landed flat on her bottom. "Oooh..." She twisted around and rubbed her aching backside.
"What happened in there!" Daire yelled, approaching her. "You weren't listening to me. I had to repeat your name several times, and by the end you didn't know what to do and yanked on Strawberry's reigns! I swear, I almost had a heart attack. You were supposed to give a gentle tug, not bloody pull his teeth out!"
"I-- I - I'm sorry." Tymber said. "I- I was daydreaming; it was all my fault. I'm so stupid!" she cried, pounding her head with her palm. "I'm just stupid."
Daire sighed. "You aren't stupid. And I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was just surprised, that's all. You did very well out there until -- well, you know." He extended his hand and helped Tymber up.
She sniffled, quickly wiped an eye, and smiled sweetly.
"I'll try and train the horses on my own. I'll let you clean out the stables." He waited until she nodded, and then took her into the stables. Tymber listend carefully as Daire explained what to do. It was fairly simple. She had to dump the maneur into the pile behind the last stall. Then she'd scrub down the stall sides, replace the hay and oats and let the horse back into the stall. Daire said that he would finish training the horses when they began to tire and then return to help Tymber.
It was harder than Tymber thought. Her back was aching and the pike was heavy as she replaced the old hay. The horses were more skiddish than she thought. They'd try and run away as she switched them stalls.
Suddenly Staar appeared into the stables. Hello sister. he said.
"Where have you been?" Tymber inquired.
I walked around the land. You know this man has odd beasts. They have horns and smell rotten.
"Cattle." Tymber told him.
Whatever you say. I bet they taste better than they smell. Can I eat one?
"No." Tymber said sternly. "If Potter finds out, he'll kill you."
Fine, fine. Need any help? Staar asked.
"It would be nice, but I'm afraid you may spook the horses. They are afraid as it is." Tymber sighed.
I see. said Staar. Well, I guess I'll just lie down right here. He plopped himself beside the pile of maneur.
Tymber cringed. "How can you stand the smell?" she asked.
It may smell discusting to you, Staar explained, but it is merely interesting to me.
"Uggh." Tymber groaned. She moved on to the next stall.
When she was almost finished all of the stalls, Daire walked into the stable entrance. He looked tired and sweaty. "Those two really beat me up." Daire told Tymber. "I didn't think they'd last that long." He looked down. "I was wrong."
Tymber giggled. "I'm almost done here."
"Good. Good. I'm looking forward to a nice warm bath. You know, Potter has plenty water in the well, and he always lets me have a warm bath. I'm sure that we can find an extra tub around here somewhere, and if we heat up the water now..."
"Yes!" Tymber said. "You have no idea how much I would love a clean bath. Where I live, it's impossible to have a clean bath. I always get shoved in the tub last, and by then the water is filthy."
"Where do you live?" Daire asked as he scrubbed the dirty wall.
"I- I live outside here. In the forest." Tymber answered.
"In the forest?" Daire exclaimed. "I mean, not to offend you, but why would anyone want to live out there?"
"I'm not too sure. I guess my people just like to be with nature." Tymber answered uncertainly.
"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it would be a nice place to be." Daire looked off. "Falling asleep to the rush of the creek; waking up to the chirping of birds."
Tymber looked down. "Sometimes when I'm there I wish I'd never wake up. Just sleeping forever would be nice."
Daire looked concerned. " Why's that?" he asked.
"There are other things out there than nature."