“Dead? All of them?!” King Ukhaan sat back in his seat absolutely stunned.

Huo Lohse gave him a minute to process everything and choke back her own emotions before continuing. “Your majesty, Captain Dulaan and his men took care of the bodies, but there are four other small tribes along the southern road to investigate. I fear that we will find more of the same.”

The Old Phoenix nodded. “I will send men to investigate this morning.”

“There are some other matters that I need to discuss with you.”

“Continue.”

“My friends and I have a lengthy quest that can no longer wait, but, to my regret, this means that I can’t continue training General Baatar and the Phoenix Tribe military. However, I do have a replacement for me in mind. Fengli Daozi from my home tribe is an excellent military trainer and has been well educated in military leadership. With your permission, I will send for him.”

“Permission granted. And thank you.”

Huo Lohse bowed. “May I request a favor?”

The king smiled. “Name it.”

“My friends and I need to travel light. Could we leave our armor and the artwork we brought back from the Badger Tribe here for safe-keeping?”

“That’s it?”

She nodded.

“Consider it done.”

“Thank you,” she curtsied.

“Do you need anything for your journey?”

Huo Lohse turned to look at her friends standing behind her. “Perhaps some provisions?”

“I’ll do you one better, princess Lang.” The king signalled for his head steward to approach the throne and whispered something to him. The steward smiled and nodded. “Please follow him. He will take care of your things and get you and your friends ready for your journey.”

“Thank you, your majesty,” Lolo bowed for a final time.

“Princess Lang,” the Old Phoenix smiled, “safe journey.”

She nodded.

The steward first ordered a group of servants to collect the armor and Durfein’s artwork to store in a vault. He then led the five friends to a large room lined with magnificent bolts of cloth and leather and bustling with women chatting while they measured, cut, and stitched. The steward found a plump woman with rosey cheeks and crinkles around her eyes.

“Head seamstress, the king has requested that these young men and women be outfitted for a long, dangerous journey, and he asks that you make the project top priority. They need to be ready to go by tomorrow.”

The seamstress observed the friends exchange looks of surprise and smiled. “Certainly.” She clapped to get the attention of the room, and soon, an army of women swarmed the five friends, collecting measurements (requiring a chair and two measuring tapes for Standig’s height), discussing color palettes, and debating what pieces and styles they should create for each person. The steward moved to the side with a chuckle.

“Ladies!” the head seamstress shouted over the chatter. “Let’s keep things simple. Linen gambesons, travelling capes, simple tops, pants, and knee-high boots for everyone. Neutral colors, except perhaps the shirts.” With the measurements taken, the crowd disbursed, and the head seamstress addressed the friends. “You are staying in the guest quarters?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Huo Lohse nodded.

“Expect delivery by tomorrow after lunch.”

“Thank you,” Lolo curtsied.

The steward led his charges outside. “Do you know how to ride?”

“Ride?” Standig seemed unnerved.

“As in horses?” Only Fortus and Huo Lohse had any meaningful riding experience. They turned a corner, and Standig immediately startled and retreated to the back of the group.

“Wow!” Lolo had never seen so many beautiful horses in one place.

“Steward! What can I do for you?” The stable master walked to the fence with a steed in tow. As the horse stuck its nose over the fence looking hopefully for a snack, Standig recoiled.

“I’m going to need five horses prepared for these young men and women for a long journey tomorrow.”

The stable master looked at the group, his gaze resting for quite a while on Standig. “How tall are you?”

“Me?” Standig answered distractedly. “Uh, eight foot four.”

“What do you weigh?”

“I don’t know. Somewhere around four twenty?”

The stable master whistled. “I’ll be right back.” When he returned, he was leading a massive black stallion already saddled for riding. “This is Toma. He is our biggest horse at a little over twenty hands high. He’s much too big for most riders, but in your case, he’s about perfect.”

“He’s so beautiful!” Lolo and Ulana gushed in unison before giggling at each other.

The stable master brought Toma forward for Standig to meet him, but Standig nearly tripped over his own feet to get away.

“Standig,” Ulana laughed, “you’re not afraid of horses are you?”

“Horses and I are not friends,” Standig growled through gritted teeth.

“Toma is a calm horse,” the stable master tried to assure him.

Standig just shook his head.

“When was the last time you were this close to a horse, Standig?” Lolo asked. “I didn’t think that the Bear Tribe kept many horses apart from maybe the military.”

Standig scowled. “It’s been a while?”

“How long is a while?”

“... Not since I was five.”

Lolo had to work hard not to laugh. “Come here, Standig.”

“Why? What are you going to do?” he narrowed his eyes at her.

“Just come here!”

Standig cautiously moved behind Lolo.

“Can I touch him?” she asked the stable master.

“Sure! You could feed him or ride him too.”

Lolo gently stroked Toma’s cheek. Toma seemed to enjoy being petted, so Lolo moved to his side to rub his neck, at least the part that she could reach. “Come closer, Standig. He’s really quite gentle.” Standig refused to move, so Lolo found his hand and yanked a little. “You can stay behind me, but you have to come help me.”

“Help you with what exactly?”

“He’s too tall for me,” Lolo stated the obvious. “Can you give me a boost?”

“You’re going to ride him?!”

“He said I could,” Lolo pouted. “Please?”

“Fine,” Standig grumbled, but he gave Lolo the boost she requested. She looked tiny on such a huge horse.

“Are you sure you can handle him?” the stable master asked as he passed her the reins.

“I’ll manage,” she grinned. “Standig’s coming with me.”

“What?! No, I most certainly am not!”

“You don’t want me to fall off, do you?” Lolo quipped coyly and then watched as the battle between fear and protectiveness raged in Standig’s head. “I need you, Standig.”

“That’s a dirty trick, Lolo,” Standig growled.

“Is it working?” she asked, feigning innocence with a fluttering of her eyelashes.

Standig glared at her, and Fortus had to look away to keep himself from laughing as Standig uneasily used the fence to mount Toma behind Lolo.

Turning around as much as she could while straddling Toma, Lolo gave Standig an awkward hug. “Now, get your feet in the stirrups and put your hands here on the saddle horn,” Lolo said, pulling his arms around her waist to position his hands. “Hold on!”

They started out slowly, following the fence around the field. After a loop, Standig relaxed a little and Lolo nudged Toma into a trot. She waited until Standig relaxed again to speed up into a canter. With her hair already whipping Standig in the face, she resisted the urge to go any faster.

“Whoa, whoa!” Lolo tugged gently on the reins as they approached the fence once again, and Toma slowed to a stop. “Alright, Standig, it’s your turn,” she smiled, handed him the reins, and swung her right leg over Toma’s head.

“Wait, Lolo, wait!” Standig was nearly panicking.

“Hey, calm down. I’m just moving in behind you,” Lolo grabbed Standig’s shoulder and pulled herself onto her feet to step around to Standig’s back. “Scoot forward a little for me.” As he shifted forward, Lolo wrapped her arms around his waist. “Ok. You’re going to relax the tension on the reins. Let them sit loose but keep a firm grip so you can guide Toma around with them. To get moving or speed up, gently tap Toma’s sides with your heels. To slow down or stop, tug gently on the reins. Alright?”

“I can’t do this, Lolo.”

“Sure you can! And if you get into trouble, I’m right here. Just try to relax. Toma is really responsive, so it won’t be hard. Oh! And lean forward slightly when you start moving or speed up, and lean back slightly when you slow down or stop. It will help you to not fall off.”

Standig very cautiously leaned forward and spurred Toma onward. Lolo was right, of course. Toma was gentle and responsive. A few laps around the field, and Standig actually started to enjoy himself.

“Speed up, Standig,” Lolo encouraged.

Standig nudged Toma’s sides again, and Toma broke into a trot. Another nudge and they reached canter speeds.

“Going to try galloping?” Lolo had to shout over the sound of Toma’s hooves hitting the ground.

Another nudge, and Standig felt like he was flying. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. After a few laps, Standig tugged the reins to walk back to the fence.

“Well done!” Lolo squeezed his waist. “Going to let me off so you can try it on your own?”

Standig stiffened. “I don’t know about that.”

“Oh, please. You’re a natural! You and Toma make a great team.”

“Don’t push it, Lolo.”

“Just a walk. Besides, I think the stable master has a horse ready for me. I’ll come with you, just on my own horse.” Back at the fence, Fortus helped Lolo dismount Toma safely. Lolo whipped around to stare Standig down. “Stay up there. Don’t move. I’ll be with you in a minute.”

There was a horse ready for each of them. A smokey black stallion named Khuchad for Fortus, a bay mare for Ulana named Nisekh, a dark bay mare called Zolon for Jadu, and a dun mare named Choloo for Huo Lohse. “Choloo has a bit more spunk than some of the others, but I think you two will get along,” the stable master grinned as Lolo pulled herself into the saddle. “Why don’t you take them out for a proper ride? I’ll open the gate.”

“That would be great. Thank you,” Lolo smiled. He let them out, Fortus in front, and a very nervous Standig taking up the rear. "Fortus," Lolo sped Choloo up a little to catch him, "I didn't realize you had experience with horses."

"Not recreational experience, but I was taught how to use war horses in battle. In other words, I learned how to ride and then how to fight while riding."

Lolo sighed. "I should have known. Most of your experiences relate in some way to fighting or military training."

Fortus chuckled. "Well, so what about you, Lolo? You obviously have some experience too."

"Not a lot, and nothing formal. That year I was looking after Xiao Shen, I learned how to ride. We don't keep horses at Pack Hall. The military has some horses, but most horses in the Wolf Tribe are used on the farms. Living among farmers, I picked up a few things, and occasionally, when I go back for a visit, I have the opportunity to ride for a while."

"Hey, Lolo," Ulana called, "I think Standig needs some help."

Lolo looked behind her to see that Toma had found a nice patch of grass to graze on, and Standig was struggling to figure out how to regain control of him. She turned Choloo around. "Toma, you stinker. Whoa, Choloo." She dismounted to snag Toma's bridle and give him a talking to. "You’re making things difficult for Standig, aren’t you? Between you and me, Standig doesn't need this from you today, Toma. He was only just warming up to you. Come on! There will be plenty of things to munch when we get back." With a little coaxing, Toma was persuaded to give up the grass.

"Thanks, Lolo," Standig said, trying not to sound too relieved.

Choloo protested a little when Lolo remounted. "Don't give me that, girl. There's no need to be jealous," she laughed. "Coming, Standig?"

He exhaled sharply and gave Toma a little kick.

"You know, you really are doing great, Standig. But I'm curious, why are you afraid of horses?"

"'Had a bad experience as a kid."

"What kind of experience?"

"My dad took Philige and me to see a horse show at the tournament grounds. Before the show, I was allowed to feed one of the horses, but it bit me, and then the show itself was chaos. The horses kept trying to buck off their riders and one guy was nearly trampled to death." Lolo started laughing. "It's not funny, Lolo!"

"No, I'm not laughing at you. I'm sure as a little boy with no experience with horses, that must have been terrifying. I'm laughing because you misunderstood what kind of horse show you were watching! Your dad took you to a rodeo. The riders tie tight straps around the horses’ hindquarters intentionally to make it buck. The challenge is in trying to stay on. That was all part of the show."

Standig was flabbergasted. "Why on earth would anyone want to ride a bucking horse?!"

"Thrills, entertainment, the challenge, the glory, take your pick."

"But isn't that horribly dangerous?"

"Oh, most definitely! Especially if you don't know what you are doing. But the horses we are riding are not rodeo horses, Standig. These have been bred and trained as riding horses. Treat them right, and they'll treat you right. Besides, I really like Toma. He's a good horse."

"How can you tell?"

"The same way that I knew I liked you. I just know."

Standig wasn't sure why, but he felt much more relaxed for Lolo's encouraging instincts about his mount. Lolo smiled at Standig and winked before spurring Choloo quickly into a gallop from a walk. Standig gave Toma a little motivation and sped up to chase after her.