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xp_logsOn the way to visit Daisy for the first time since returning from Genosha, (with plenty of treats for the moose) Meggan bumps into Sooraya. The two make plans to feed Daisy together, at a time when they don’t have a horse beside them trying to steal all the apples.
She needed some fresh air. And something away from all that had happened. So with that idea in mind, Sooraya had dressed, saddled one of the horses in the stable and was now guiding the mare towards the path that lead to her favorite part of the Xavier estate to ride. So far she had not really encountered any people she had not spoken with since their return, but when she spotted Meggan walking over a path, she waved. She at least wanted to check on her classmate briefly...
Meggan waved back to the other girl. “Hi, Sooraya.” She was planning on making her way to the barn, venturing off to see Daisy the moose. She hadn’t paid Daisy a visit since being trapped in Genosha, and so was armed with plenty of snacks for the animal to make up for it, almost certain she’d be met with annoyed snorts and looks if she didn’t. Which would make her feel guilty.
Sooraya changed paths so she could intercept Meggan and smiled as she came closer. "He Meggan. Off to the barn?" Seeing the snacks and putting the two together.
“Yes,” Meggan confirmed with a nod. “It’s been a little too long between moose visitations.” Or at least it felt that way to her. Who knew how it felt in moose world time? That’s where the apology meal came in—the moose could have a meal of apples and carrots before her regular feeding.
"I am sure Daisy must have missed you." Sooraya generally stayed away from the moose, preferring the horses, but she had heard enough about Daisy from Angel. "He must have missed his other friends also..."
“She probably wondered where Molly went, yes,” Meggan agreed. Since sometimes Molly had slept out in the barn to keep her company. She knew someone had taken up the job of feeding Daisy while Garrison and everyone else were gone—but it probably still ended with one grumpy moose when schedules were altered, and fewer people came to sneak things to her. She’d read enough about them to guess that much was true.
The Afghan woman nodded. "Daisy must be ecstatic then." She joked a little, before becoming serious again. "It's a little weird to be back like this, to just do this again..." Sooraya didn't like asking people outright how they were doing, so maybe this way around would work...
“After everything,” Meggan guessed. “But it’s good to know where people are again. Or where they aren’t.” Even if things weren't close to where they'd been before. She’d been scared and at the extreme end of the chart when it came to worry for everybody before when she didn’t know where anyone was, now it was more at the level of…concern for the ones that weren’t doing very well at all.
"You are right..." Sooraya nodded. "And it's comforting to know most people are at least safe... if not completely well..." Sooraya kept her mind firmly away from what had happened to Rachel, locking the pain away.
“Yeah,” Meggan agreed. “Helps to be with everyone.” It had helped some when they’d first returned, just being next to Korvus. Even if they’d both been asleep for a while. “When you’ve finished riding, do you maybe want to help me give Daisy some treats?” She’d brought enough, it wouldn’t be hard.
She eyed the treats a little hesitantly, then shrugged mentally. "I will give it a try... To be honest... I always kinda stayed away from her..." But now that she had faced down a monster that shot lava and had tentacles, she should be able to face a moose. Right?
“That’s okay,” Meggan grinned. It was easy to understand being wary around the moose or avoiding her entirely, if you didn’t know what you were supposed to do. It was different to horses. “But…when you feed her the apple slices, you’d do it like this, though,” Meggan cautioned the other girl. She put it in the center of her hand, slightly facing away, instead of just holding it out like the carrots. To avoid the fingers. “So she doesn’t accidentally nibble what she shouldn’t.” They could think of it as an introduction snack from Sooraya, then apology/missed you/really, really didn’t want to disappear like that snack from her.
Sooraya held out her hand as Meggan demonstrated and then tried it out with one of the carrots and some of the apple. "I think I should be able to manage this." She said with a small, satisfied smile. Suddenly her smile widened as she was butted in the shoulder by the mare she was still holding by the reins. "I think my friend here also would like some... Do you have enough if I give this to her?"
“There’s still enough,” she reassured her. If she’d ended up bringing too much, the horse eating one wasn’t going to harm anything. “I think she’d be sad and betrayed if you didn’t,” Meggan teased. Even if it was a small joke, it might actually be true. And they’d have a horse that was very, very jealous with more head butts and a persistent whinny or two on the way.
The mare poked her head over Sooraya's shoulder and snorted. "I think you might be right, Meggan." She lifted her hand and rubbed the mare's nose. "Alright, you can have a carrot." Sooraya held up the carrot and the mare quickly snapped it up from her hand, chewing it contently. When the mare snorted again, Sooraya sighed playfully and also held up the apple. "Yes, you can have the apple also."
Meggan leaned over to stroke the horse’s neck gently as well, once she’d shifted the snacks to her other arm. So insistent on snack sharing, that she wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the mare made a move to sneak another one. “Aw. There could be some more apples in the barn, if she wanted an extra treat,” she offered. Or she’d sneak her one from the kitchen, too, on her next visit to Daisy, so she wouldn’t feel put out.
"Thanks Meggan, but I think she has had enough for now." Sooraya replied as she affectionately patted the mare. "Usually she get apples when we are done riding. I have some in the stables for that." The mare snorted again and Sooraya eyed her. "You know that very well, young lady."
Meggan decided this was a smart and sneaky horse. “Best guess? She hoped you forgot, so she’d have just one more from begging. Or two or three more, before your post-ride apple.” More snacks than that, possibly going into the double digits.
"Oh, this young lady had been known to sneak into my bag if there were apples in there." Sooraya explained, shaking her head a little exasperated. "You best keep an eye on her. On the other hand, it is what makes her fun to ride. She can be a little... spirited."
“Sounds it. Spirited and oh, so crafty,” Meggan agreed. She tapped the nose, gently keeping it in petting range, and not close to the rest of Daisy’s apples. Suddenly, she asked, “Does she have a name?” Because if she didn’t know the name of this one, she’d soon be dubbing her something like Pretty Horse, Stealer Of Apples Extraordinaire in her head. And that didn’t seem right to do, if she had a name already.
"She has a name." Sooraya nodded. "This beauty is called Hana. I believe it means flower in Japanese. Though maybe she is a little too crafty to just be called a flower."
Meggan tried to think if there were any flowers that were crafty with their pollen, but nothing came to mind outside of people with really terrible allergies, actually being attacked by pollen. “It’s still a pretty name for a pretty horse, even if flowers don’t steal away treats meant for others,” she commented. Maybe Hana got the name by grazing on flowers too much in a field at some point in the past.
"Maybe I should suggest they change her name to 'Apple'?" Sooraya suggested playfully as Hana once more made a grab for the apples that Meggan held. "I think I should be getting on my way before she does succeed and eats all of Daisy's snacks? I don't know how long you are going to be here in the barn?"
“About a half hour,” Meggan surmised, as she finally moved the apples behind her back out of the horse’s sight. Of course, Hana knew right where they were, and was waiting even when she shook her head no to the animal. “It’s never taken her longer to get through one treat and move on to the others.” And then she’d end with a good scratch for Daisy between and behind the ears, just like she preferred. She’d missed being able to do that.
"I will be riding longer... Maybe I can come along next time otherwise? Hana..." Sooraya stumbled a little as the horse butted her in her back. "... is getting a little impatient."
“Yes. I’d like that,” Meggan nodded, trying not to laugh at the horse’s antics. Without an impatient Hana casting greedy looks her way, Sooraya would be able to get to know Daisy, and vice versa. “I’ll tell you next time I’m coming down, maybe a couple hours before?” So she’d be free for moose play.
"That sounds like the perfect plan." Another but in her back had Sooraya turning around. "I am coming, Hana, I am coming." She stood to the side and prepared to hop on Hana. After all those years she still preferred to ride bareback. "Have fun with Daisy."
She needed some fresh air. And something away from all that had happened. So with that idea in mind, Sooraya had dressed, saddled one of the horses in the stable and was now guiding the mare towards the path that lead to her favorite part of the Xavier estate to ride. So far she had not really encountered any people she had not spoken with since their return, but when she spotted Meggan walking over a path, she waved. She at least wanted to check on her classmate briefly...
Meggan waved back to the other girl. “Hi, Sooraya.” She was planning on making her way to the barn, venturing off to see Daisy the moose. She hadn’t paid Daisy a visit since being trapped in Genosha, and so was armed with plenty of snacks for the animal to make up for it, almost certain she’d be met with annoyed snorts and looks if she didn’t. Which would make her feel guilty.
Sooraya changed paths so she could intercept Meggan and smiled as she came closer. "He Meggan. Off to the barn?" Seeing the snacks and putting the two together.
“Yes,” Meggan confirmed with a nod. “It’s been a little too long between moose visitations.” Or at least it felt that way to her. Who knew how it felt in moose world time? That’s where the apology meal came in—the moose could have a meal of apples and carrots before her regular feeding.
"I am sure Daisy must have missed you." Sooraya generally stayed away from the moose, preferring the horses, but she had heard enough about Daisy from Angel. "He must have missed his other friends also..."
“She probably wondered where Molly went, yes,” Meggan agreed. Since sometimes Molly had slept out in the barn to keep her company. She knew someone had taken up the job of feeding Daisy while Garrison and everyone else were gone—but it probably still ended with one grumpy moose when schedules were altered, and fewer people came to sneak things to her. She’d read enough about them to guess that much was true.
The Afghan woman nodded. "Daisy must be ecstatic then." She joked a little, before becoming serious again. "It's a little weird to be back like this, to just do this again..." Sooraya didn't like asking people outright how they were doing, so maybe this way around would work...
“After everything,” Meggan guessed. “But it’s good to know where people are again. Or where they aren’t.” Even if things weren't close to where they'd been before. She’d been scared and at the extreme end of the chart when it came to worry for everybody before when she didn’t know where anyone was, now it was more at the level of…concern for the ones that weren’t doing very well at all.
"You are right..." Sooraya nodded. "And it's comforting to know most people are at least safe... if not completely well..." Sooraya kept her mind firmly away from what had happened to Rachel, locking the pain away.
“Yeah,” Meggan agreed. “Helps to be with everyone.” It had helped some when they’d first returned, just being next to Korvus. Even if they’d both been asleep for a while. “When you’ve finished riding, do you maybe want to help me give Daisy some treats?” She’d brought enough, it wouldn’t be hard.
She eyed the treats a little hesitantly, then shrugged mentally. "I will give it a try... To be honest... I always kinda stayed away from her..." But now that she had faced down a monster that shot lava and had tentacles, she should be able to face a moose. Right?
“That’s okay,” Meggan grinned. It was easy to understand being wary around the moose or avoiding her entirely, if you didn’t know what you were supposed to do. It was different to horses. “But…when you feed her the apple slices, you’d do it like this, though,” Meggan cautioned the other girl. She put it in the center of her hand, slightly facing away, instead of just holding it out like the carrots. To avoid the fingers. “So she doesn’t accidentally nibble what she shouldn’t.” They could think of it as an introduction snack from Sooraya, then apology/missed you/really, really didn’t want to disappear like that snack from her.
Sooraya held out her hand as Meggan demonstrated and then tried it out with one of the carrots and some of the apple. "I think I should be able to manage this." She said with a small, satisfied smile. Suddenly her smile widened as she was butted in the shoulder by the mare she was still holding by the reins. "I think my friend here also would like some... Do you have enough if I give this to her?"
“There’s still enough,” she reassured her. If she’d ended up bringing too much, the horse eating one wasn’t going to harm anything. “I think she’d be sad and betrayed if you didn’t,” Meggan teased. Even if it was a small joke, it might actually be true. And they’d have a horse that was very, very jealous with more head butts and a persistent whinny or two on the way.
The mare poked her head over Sooraya's shoulder and snorted. "I think you might be right, Meggan." She lifted her hand and rubbed the mare's nose. "Alright, you can have a carrot." Sooraya held up the carrot and the mare quickly snapped it up from her hand, chewing it contently. When the mare snorted again, Sooraya sighed playfully and also held up the apple. "Yes, you can have the apple also."
Meggan leaned over to stroke the horse’s neck gently as well, once she’d shifted the snacks to her other arm. So insistent on snack sharing, that she wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if the mare made a move to sneak another one. “Aw. There could be some more apples in the barn, if she wanted an extra treat,” she offered. Or she’d sneak her one from the kitchen, too, on her next visit to Daisy, so she wouldn’t feel put out.
"Thanks Meggan, but I think she has had enough for now." Sooraya replied as she affectionately patted the mare. "Usually she get apples when we are done riding. I have some in the stables for that." The mare snorted again and Sooraya eyed her. "You know that very well, young lady."
Meggan decided this was a smart and sneaky horse. “Best guess? She hoped you forgot, so she’d have just one more from begging. Or two or three more, before your post-ride apple.” More snacks than that, possibly going into the double digits.
"Oh, this young lady had been known to sneak into my bag if there were apples in there." Sooraya explained, shaking her head a little exasperated. "You best keep an eye on her. On the other hand, it is what makes her fun to ride. She can be a little... spirited."
“Sounds it. Spirited and oh, so crafty,” Meggan agreed. She tapped the nose, gently keeping it in petting range, and not close to the rest of Daisy’s apples. Suddenly, she asked, “Does she have a name?” Because if she didn’t know the name of this one, she’d soon be dubbing her something like Pretty Horse, Stealer Of Apples Extraordinaire in her head. And that didn’t seem right to do, if she had a name already.
"She has a name." Sooraya nodded. "This beauty is called Hana. I believe it means flower in Japanese. Though maybe she is a little too crafty to just be called a flower."
Meggan tried to think if there were any flowers that were crafty with their pollen, but nothing came to mind outside of people with really terrible allergies, actually being attacked by pollen. “It’s still a pretty name for a pretty horse, even if flowers don’t steal away treats meant for others,” she commented. Maybe Hana got the name by grazing on flowers too much in a field at some point in the past.
"Maybe I should suggest they change her name to 'Apple'?" Sooraya suggested playfully as Hana once more made a grab for the apples that Meggan held. "I think I should be getting on my way before she does succeed and eats all of Daisy's snacks? I don't know how long you are going to be here in the barn?"
“About a half hour,” Meggan surmised, as she finally moved the apples behind her back out of the horse’s sight. Of course, Hana knew right where they were, and was waiting even when she shook her head no to the animal. “It’s never taken her longer to get through one treat and move on to the others.” And then she’d end with a good scratch for Daisy between and behind the ears, just like she preferred. She’d missed being able to do that.
"I will be riding longer... Maybe I can come along next time otherwise? Hana..." Sooraya stumbled a little as the horse butted her in her back. "... is getting a little impatient."
“Yes. I’d like that,” Meggan nodded, trying not to laugh at the horse’s antics. Without an impatient Hana casting greedy looks her way, Sooraya would be able to get to know Daisy, and vice versa. “I’ll tell you next time I’m coming down, maybe a couple hours before?” So she’d be free for moose play.
"That sounds like the perfect plan." Another but in her back had Sooraya turning around. "I am coming, Hana, I am coming." She stood to the side and prepared to hop on Hana. After all those years she still preferred to ride bareback. "Have fun with Daisy."
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