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Tor sat on her bedroll and glared at the humans huddled in the far corner of her tent. Eric had wrangled another promise of being kind to them out of her.

"No eating them!" he had scolded. "Not a single one."

"I don't go around eating humans like candy!" she protested.

"Tor!" He gave her a stern look. "I mean it. Be nice. No eating them. No scaring them. Nothing. Just leave them be." He had to pause as a heavy thunder clap followed a lightning flash.

"Just who do you think you are, bossing me around? I'm your owner!" She crossed her arms across her chest and glared down at him. Eric was wholly unaffected. Whether that was due to the dim light in the tent, or he had just gained that much of a backbone, she didn't know. "Whatever. I won't eat any of the humans. Not like I actually planned to, anyway.

"You know, you do owe them."

"How?!"

"The doctor is their wagon train leader, too. When you took him, you left them without a leader or guide," he pointed out.

"I brought him back. Before dark."

"After he, his family and the whole group was terrified."

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "So? What am I supposed to do about their feelings?"

"Personally, to help restore your honor and reputation with them, I think you should escort them the last leg of their trip to the new human settlement they are headed to," he suggested. "They already lost one wagon due to a giant cow. And one due to a wild-cat. With your escort, they would be safe."

"Do what? No! Do you know how long it will take to get them there? A week or more! We could be halfway to Settlement by then. And their settlement is going the opposite direction we need to go." She frowned down at him. "I'm not escorting them. I'm not their babysitter."

Eric sighed. He would take the small victory of their safety tonight and try to work on her some more tomorrow. Perhaps after a good night's sleep and the doctor working on him she would be wiling to escort the other humans to safety. He turned and walked slowly over to the humans in the corner. "She isn't going to hurt you. She only took the doctor so he could work on my legs. That's all. She's agreed to let you stay in the tent for the night. While you're here, you'll be perfectly safe. I promise." He smiled charmingly at a girl who looked to be roughly his age. "It's Julia, right? Well don't worry, Julia. I'll be here the whole time. And Tor keeps her word."

Tor glared at them from across the tent. She rolled her eyes, flopped down on her bedroll and pulled the covers up over herself. She faced the opposite directions of the humans, purposefully ignoring them. She could just catch the low murmurs of their voices but was unable to distinguish any individual word. She heard a familiar yelp, Eric's, and immediately sat up. Her violet gaze had the group shrinking against the tent, as if trying to phase through it.

"It's alright," Eric called, a bit breathless. "Just a numbing salve. It was unexpectedly cold. That's all."

The Elder woman grumbled as she laid back down. She ignored everything else she heard until Eric pull himself onto her bedroll. She didn't move, even when he called out to her. She heard his sigh as he walked up to the back of her neck, exposed thanks to her braid. He carefully climbed onto her neck and slid down to the nook between her chin and shoulder. It took him a minute to work his way under the covers, but he soon settled against her shoulder.

"I would have thought you would go sleep with the other humans," she sniped.

Eric gave her a confused look, even though he knew she couldn't see it. "Why would I?" he asked. "You're my owner, as you like to remind me. I know you. I don't know them. Yes, they're human, but they're strangers to me. I am comfortable with you. You are my security in this world. Not them. Now, please, don't be sore about my wanting to help them. It's the compassion most humans have for one another. As I'm sure Elders have for each other."

Tor didn't say anything, but Eric could have sworn he felt the slightest rise and fall of her shoulders, indicating a sigh. He smiled and patted her shoulder. "Go to sleep, Tor. I'll be here in the morning."

When the morning came, the rain was still pouring. But Tor had her horse to take care of. She pulled herself from the warmth of her bedroll and stepped outside. The tarp was holding up well, adding a couple extra feet to the front of the tent. It shielded her well from the rain. She whistled loud and long and was quite pleased to see Idiot walk over to her. He couldn't move fast due to the hobbles on his front legs but he hopped along until he reached the shelter. He sighed heavily as Tor wiped him off as much as possible.

"I know. I don't like the rain either," she said softly. "I would rather have the sun shining down and riding you across the earth, watching as it swept away beneath your strides. But, it's not safe to do that kind of riding in the rain." She kissed his face before hooking his feed bag to his halter. She glanced down around his feet, noticing that the human horses and livestock had sought the shelter the tarp provided. "Don't step on them," she told the horse. "I don't want you coming up lame with a bone in your frog."

She scratched under his thick mane before ducking back into her tent. Eric was half-awake on her bedroll but had chosen not to move. He was trying to absorb the lingering warmth she had left behind. Her chuckle had him turning to look at her, blinking in a hazy way. "What time is it?" he mumbled.

"I'm not sure. The sky is so grey and dreary I can't really tell." She laid back down, careful to ensure that Eric ended up in his usual nook. "But it's definitely morning. Idiot came right up to me and accepted the feed bag so he was hungry." She yawned and propped up her head with her arm. "The sky is ugly. It's not going to stop raining for a while. And when it does, it's going to be muddy and sloppy. Idiot could walk, but running would be out of the question. At least until we get to firmer, dryer ground."

The humans couldn't help but overhear this. They looked nervously between each other, hoping they wouldn't be put out in such mess. Their wagons would be stuck fast before they got very far at all. The doctor approached Tor and Eric with great care. "Um, Lady Tor, would you be kind enough to allow us to stay until the rain stops and the ground dries up somewhat?"

Eric stood and hustled to where Tor could actually see his face when he spoke. "Please, Tor. The doctor has been kind enough to look at my legs. He wants to take a better look this morning. Let them stay until the ground is dry enough for them to move on their own. I'll even rescind my request that you escort them if you'll give them this one kindness."

The Elder woman narrowed her eyes at Eric as she thought for a few moments. Finally, she relaxed her gaze, and rolled her eyes. "Fine," she grumbled. "Go play with the humans since you want them to stay so much." She plucked Eric up and set him on the other side of her, face to face with the doctor.

The younger man rolled his eyes at her mood but didn't push the issue. He simply turned the doctor back to the group and assured him of the extension of shelter. The doctor smiled with relief.

"For your generosity, I would like to offer my services free of charge," he called to Tor. "I will look at Eric's legs, check him over and make sure he is in good health."

Tor turned over to face him, eyeing him without saying a word. Then, she spoke. "He started coughing two days ago. Check that out." She looked over to the other humans huddled on the far side of the tent. "Your livestock gathered when I fed Idiot. I suggest you go feed them."

The people looked between each other. "Out there?" One asked. "In that weather? We'd be washed away!"

She gave the man a droll look. "Your animals are under the awning-tarp. They're doing just fine. Idiot adds another layer of shelter. They are huddled under his belly."

"We could be crushed if he moved!" the same man protested. "It's not safe. Not in the least."

"I'm not feeding your animals for you," she snapped. "I don't really care if you feed them or not. But I am telling you they are hungry, too. If you decide to starve them due to a little rain, be my guest. But don't whine when you can't get anywhere because your animals are dead from starvation." She turned back to the other side of the tent and seemed to fall asleep again.

Eric sighed and was about to apologize when the doctor hurriedly crossed the tent and snagged the younger man who had spoken up by the arm. "Do not push your luck! Lady Tor has been generous in offering to let us stay in her tent until the weather clears. Don't screw this up for the rest of us. Get out there and feed the horses. You," he pointed to another young man. "You go help him. Feed the cattle. A little rain is not a good reason to neglect our animals." He pushed the two young men out of the entrance to the tent.

The two men cast him a look that was a mixture of fright and anger. But they dutifully stepped out of the tent and went to tend to the human animals. They returned a while later, a little wet but whole and well. Although one of the men was rather ashen. He had looked up just in time to see Idiot run his massive horse-penis out of its sheath and let it hang. That, combined with the girth of the monolithic horse's balls had him feeling rather insignificant. He sat down against the tent wall and buried his head between his knees.

Roughly an hour later, Tor sat up and pulled her pack over to her side. She dug through it and produced her jerky, fruit and canteen. She tore off a small hunk and handed it down to Eric, who had come over when she produced the food. He happily gnawed on a corner of the jerky and fruit, taking occasional sips of water. A couple of people went back out to their wagons, that were parked on the very edge of the tarp overhang, to retrieve food. Eric noticed how scarce their food was, especially for the children who stared with hungry eyes at his comparatively large hunk of meat.

Without a second thought, he stood and crossed to the group of children. It took some effort, but he managed to tear up his piece of jerky and hand it out to the children. He broke up the fruit he had been given and handed it to the adults. He was met with rounds of effusive thanks which he waved off. "Human compassion. That's all it is," he said. "Simple human compassion."

Tor snorted. "They have their own food. Let them feed themselves."

Eric sighed. "Tor, they don't have much. I have plenty. There is nothing wrong with me sharing from what I was given. I'm not going to ask you to share with them."

"But now you're going to have less," she pointed out. "And you will be the one going hungry."

The princeling shrugged. "I've never known hunger. I'm not likely to know it anytime soon. If I have to, I can go hunting."

"And then have it said I'm a bad provider? No. You won't go hunting for yourself."

"But what if I want to?" He looked up at her with a pointed expression. "What if I want to go hunting? Just to exercise some independence?"

She pursed her lips in irritation. "No. If you wander off from camp, you're too likely to get hurt. Now, enough of this conversation." She tore off another small chunk of jerky. "This is yours to eat. Not theirs. Let them take care of themselves."

He sighed but didn't protest the new meat. He gnawed off a corner and sat back against her thigh, content to eat his breakfast. He couldn't wait for the rain to stop so Tor could actually cook a real breakfast. Hot meals were always better than jerky and fruit. At supper, Eric did the same when Tor gave him his portion. He pulled it apart and gave it to the families. She grumbled again, but did not deny him a portion for himself.

The next morning, however, she only gave him enough for himself. And, once he fed the other humans, she didn't give him any extra. He didn't ask and she didn't offer. He didn't say a word when vague pangs of hunger rumbled in his stomach. When one of the other humans tried to offer him food, he declined. The young man made sure to drink plenty of water over the day in an effort to abate the hunger. At supper, Tor huffed and gave him an overly large piece. He smiled up at her and hugged her hand while it was still in reach.

"Thank you, Tor. You are very kind." He shredded the meat and fruit and handed it out before settling back to eat his portion. He didn't see Tor's hand until it came down and tussled his hair.

It rained for the next week. Day in. Day out. Without letting up. When the rain finally stopped, the ground was saturated. The puddles came up to the toes of Tor's boots. She pursed her lips in irritation. Her tent needed a day to dry out before she rolled it up. But the temperature was low, the sun was hidden and there was no wind. It would take a while for the ground to dry up. She sighed and looked to her big stud. He needed some exercise anyway.

So she worked him and was pleasantly surprised at his good behavior. Right up until he decided to act up. He reared, tossed his head and nearly took the lead from her hands. But she held on. Even when she was yanked to the muddy ground, she still held onto the lead. She was back on her feet in a flash, teeth grit as she glared at the misbehaving horse. She took the detached reins and popped them in the air behind Idiot's rump. He snorted and jumped forward.

"That's it. You want to be dumb? Alright. Here's the price." She worked in him circles for several minutes before switching around to the other direction. When she cued him to turn, he squealed and half-reared before turning with a flourishing buck. "Move!" she barked, popping the reins again. Idiot complied, moving forward at a fast trot, then a lope when she urged him faster. A few minutes later, when he was breathing good and heavy, she slowed him back down. She stopped and he stopped, not quite looking at her. Then he turned to look at her, ears flicking backwards and forwards as he seemed to think. Her hand was held out, palm up, in a peace gesture that was offered at the end of each "lesson." He took one step, then two, before bridging the gap and pressing his muzzle into her hand.

"Good boy," she sighed and scratched under his chin. "That's all I want." She walked him around the area to cool him off. She hobbled him, fed him and proceeded to brush out his mane and tail. She wiped him down and checked his hooves and legs. Everything was good and that relieved her immensely. Spending a week in crappy weather could take a toll on a horse's legs. She kissed his face and went back to her tent.

"When are you leaving?" Tor asked the humans. "The weather has cleared."

The doctor looked uncertain. "I checked the ground while you worked your horse. It is much too wet and deep for our horses to pull a wagon through. We would get stuck fast with little hope of pulling out. Could we possibly stay one more day?" He gained an expression of minor terror when she scowled. "B-but we can go now if we have to!"

She grunted and laid down on her bedroll. "One more day. My tent will be dry tomorrow."

Chapter End Notes:

Please comment! They mean so much. Also, I've gotten a couple questions about the size of horses, Idiot in specific. He is proportionate to Tor. As in, he's a big boy when she sees him. He stands about 16 hands at the shoulder. That's just shy of 6 feet to Tor. She's 5'8" I believe. Have I said her relative height? Idk. If not, here it is! Haha Her height to a human is 80 feet. Eric, and most other humans, appear to be around 5 inches to her. And here is what he looks like: https://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6210293/il_fullxfull.216749322.jpg

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