all the things we l o v e .open.

[sham`]

BINTI
loose the earthquakes, keep the faults

This was where I belonged, deep within a land that did not look inhabitable. A smile danced across my thin lips as that thought wound its way through my brain. Indeed, these lands look quite drab in the middle of the day with the sunn shining relentlessly down upon them. Despite the constant rays, it was still comfortable, the temperatures not soaring too high nor dipping to low. This weather was perfect, one of the many reasons I loved the wastelands and where they were located. Thinking about the lands, I sent my deep emerald gaze wondering across the stumps, rocks, and random trees littering the open plain. The whole land did not just look like this, there was a rather large forest in one corner where my people lived out their days.

Smiling at the thought of the few friends I had left behind, I raised my hand up to shade my eyes. For once I was not trying to hide my femine features with the hood that normally cast my face into shadows. It was thrown back, resting on my neck while the rest of my cloak was thrown out behind me, splayed across the grey rump of my beautiful little mare. Running my fingers along Sacramenta's satiny nape, I crooned to her as she pranced about, as eager as I was to get home. Now, however, I just wanted to enjoy the sun upon my face and not be thrown back into the shadows just yet. Shadows seemed to be the only thing I could wonder in for the time being, except for here. Here, I could roam wherever I wished dressed however I liked.

Stretching my arms out to the side, I pressed up the sleeves of my simple hide shirt so that they could get some sun as well. I was just the picture of propriety with my bare arms and pants now wasn't I. Smiling to myself, I urged Sacramenta forward across the lands that stretched before me. I could not yet see the forest but I could feel it getting closer so my pace quickned slightly in anticipation. Oh, how I had missed this land when i was gone.

['F A U K S]

The heavy rays of the sun were beating down over Xeria's white pelt and ivory skin. It'd been a while since she'd been anywhere but the forest and town. It was a little unsettling, especially since she knew the rogues lived out this way. Since she knew the danger, she'd knocked her bow with an arrow and held it down in front of her. Her slender white legs carried her along at a run. Her run was different from a horse's or most other animals at that. She hopped more then an actual run. Her long legs pushing her up and over the terrain before landing and rising into the air again.

Her short hair hung white around her face, framing her pale blue eyes as they stared intently ahead of her toward the forest. She could just barely see it. A dark line on the horizon. The shrubs were beginning to thicken and in excitement she decided to just barrel through, practically forcing herself to run much like a horse would for more speed. She barrel through the shrubs, but didn't watch where she was going. This cost her, big time.

She felt her hoof land on something metal and from there everything went in slow motion. She felt something jerk under her and pain seared through her leg. She tried to lift her leg to get away but found it trapped and toppled to the ground. She quickly scrambled to a more upright position and found that her leg had been caught in a toothed trap. She inspected the wound. It was cut and bleeding, but it didn't look broken or anything. She should still be able to walk, probably run as well, save a little pain.

She frantically looked around, seeing a smudge of someone on the horizon. She could hardly tell but it looked like a horse and rider, or some sort of taur. She hoped that wouldn't try to harm her further. She propped herself up with a front leg and waves her human arms about, not daring yell until they were closer.

[sham`]

BINTI
loose the earthquakes, keep the faults

The current pace was not quick enough for me or my Sacramenta. She was high stepping in her smooth trot and I was shifting anxiously in the saddle. Finally, I urged the grey mare into a full gallop, her powerful legs stretching forth as if gobbling up the very earth itself. There had been many days when we had run across these wastelands, learning from each other and learning to move with one another. It was almost as if I did not have to guide her over the scattered stumps and boulders due to our journeys before. I knew this land like the back of my hand, I also knew what the rogues did in an attempt to keep others who were not welcome from their lands. Oh, I knew of the random traps and snares that were littered about having had an experience with those very same traps.

As my thoughts dwindled upon the steel teeth of our animal traps, my fingers absently reached toward the scar that stretched along my left cheek. A shiver ran along my spine as we continued to run, my thick blonde hair streaming out behind me, now free from the pins that had held it up earlier. As the way seemed clear, my mind returned to the traps. It had been a day much like this one, the pair of us running along much in this very same matter. It was one of my explorations of this land in an attempt to know what it held. I had not known of the traps as they were new and Sacramenta had stepped into one of the toothed ones. She had stumbled and I tumbled from her, landing in another of the traps. I had been quick enough to pull back before the trap closed but it still had drawn itself along my cheekbone. My little mare was worse for the wear, laid lame for a few months by sharp scars and a broken leg. Granted, it was not the trap that had left the lasting scar upon my features still visible today but it had been the start.

Shaking my head rather violently to rid it of the memories, I turned my emerald gaze back to my enviroment. I was suprised slightly to see that I was not alone anymore. Another figure had appeared not a hundred paces away and neither of us had noticed her flailing arms. Reining in my fleeing mare, she skidded to a halt and I was able to look closer at this girl. My eyes widened as I saw why she was waving me down. She was a Taur, a delicate deer attatched to her rear and she had a hind leg trapped in one of the toothed traps. Leaping nimbly from the back of my grey mare, I hurried to her side. "You are in some trouble are you not?" I could see her situation and I knew how she felt, I just had to get her out. I had not seen the others when they released mare as I had been holding her head and trying to comfort her. Kneeling down beside the trapped leg, I examined the trap. It had not dug too deeply which was a relief and it would be easier to release. I cleared the debris of leaves and stones from around the base of the trap, searching for the release that I knew was there. In finding the small lever, I pressed it causing the jaws of the trap to slacken. Placing my fingers carefully within the teeth, I pried it apart, leaving it splayed open around her hoof. Standing up, I returned my gaze to her. "Caution is definately something you need around these parts. I'm Binti."

['F A U K S]

Xeria's heart was hammering in her chest. She was relieved that her leg seemed to have set in just the right place that it hadn't broken. But she was still rendered completely helpless until the stranger got there, and if the stranger meant her harm she was in even greater danger.

As the rider and her horse came closer Xeria could see more detail. It appeared to be a woman on a very lovely equine. They seemed to be headed her way pretty quickly, she hoped she hadn't waved down the wrong woman. She'd generally avoided all contact except to trade her bows, and even then it was minimal. She shied away a bit as the human leaped from her horse, her natural deer instincts kicking in.

"Hello, kind lady," she greeted her, hoping she was right. She waited tensely as she watched the woman search through the leaves before releasing her from the trap. As soon as her leg was free, Xeria scrambled up, raising her leg in pain before gently setting it down again, and turning her attention back to the helpful woman.

"My many thanks, Lady Binti," she said, her voice misty and oozing with politeness. "My name is Xeria." She bent over, her front legs falling to their knees so she could reach her bow and arrows that had fallen to the ground in her fall.

[sham`]

BINTI
loose the earthquakes, keep the faults

The way she shied away as I approached made me shudder as that could not be the most comfortable thing to do. None the less, I continued to work at the trap around her ankle before it released and lay open. I settled back on the balls of my feet, squatting before the pair of trap and Taur. I allowed my gaze to wonder across the sharp teeth as I heard her flitty voice come across my ears. I simply nodded at the greeting she gaze, noting the ease of her voice despite the predicament that she had just been in. A light smile danced across my features as I realized that she was most likely alright and there was not any lasting damage.

Turning my attention from her for a moment, I focused back on the trap lain useless before me. As much as I disliked them being strewn about, I knew they were necessary in keeping us rogues protected and hidden. Picking up the steel teeth, I examined it for any inlaid damage before settling in back onto the ground where it had lain origionally. Moving deft fingers, I quickly reset the springs and levers. Standing back, I observed my handiwork, noting that it would snap shut as any pressure placed on the center plate. It really was a marvel, what our thinkers were able to come up with as these contraptions were quite intuitive.

Finally turning my attention back to the other girl, I noticed that she had collected her things where they had been discarded on the ground. My eyes ranged over her bow, noting its quality and smiling as I realized that she was probably a lover of that particular weaponry just as I was. I turned my head slightly so as to hear her words better and my smile became welcoming and inviting as I spoke up in response. "Binti is alright in itself, I am no lady by any standards." I chuckled slightly at the very thought before speaking up once more. "And I'm glad to have made your aquaintance Xeria." I turned to my grey mare after speaking and my smile widened as I realized that she was quietly standing and watching with her deep intelligent eyes. Reaching out to her, she came forth and placed her velvety muzzle against my splayed fingers. Caressing her lightly, I turned back to Xeria. "May I ask who made your bow? It is quite beautiful." While awaiting her answer, I checked Sacramenta's tack to be sure it was still tight and ready.