Trying Our Luck

It wasn't something Clara would say drew her in, not anything that she wanted to be involved in, especially not when Yni seemed overly excited. She'd never been into animials, more interested in her and Cailani's research...and now Cailani was dead. She sighed, leaning her head back. She was with Yni've because he'd give her a good child, at least that's what she told herself. She didn't really want to be on the back of a horse she didn't know.

"Are you ready to get off?" Yni've asked out cheerily, looking back slightly at the Castilian he'd desperately fallen for. His brother and sister were much less showy about their partners, but he made sure everyone knew who Clara was. Everyone had to know who Clara was. He smiled, leaning as he got off the gelding she was riding, moving to help Clara down. The dove-like avian had to be helped, a gentle lowering onto the ground. Clara bounced a bit as her feet felt the ground, Yni've gently grabbing her hand. The subconscious need to grab it back was overrode, and she gently tugged it away. Yni've just snorted, grinning as he started walking towards the fenceline that marked the recent arrivals from the wild. He let his eyes gaze over all the horses, but none caught his eye. He sighed, his brow furrowing slightly, turning back towards Clara.

"Do you like any of them?" A soft, cautious question. Clara glanced at Yni've and made her way to the fence. She leaned her head to the side before sighing and looking back at her partner, shaking her head slowly. Her eyes barely caught the mare standing off to the side; she paused. Raising her head a bit. Yni've perked, noticing the sudden shift, watching how Clara stared at Zuppa Toscana. Yni've leaned himself down closer to the avian. "I think you like one." The whisper is quick and playful. Clara jolting, shocking away from Yni've.

"I don't like horses!" Clara almost yelled it, her voice tipping and tilting upwards. She looked back towards the horses, letting her eyes flicker across the mare she was interested in. She swallowed hard, pulling her wings in tight and shooting a dark glare at Yni'Ve. "I only ride that one because you made me." It was a random teddy, one chosen to bring them from Yni've's family home to see all the teddies available for claiming. Yni've tried not to laugh. He looked towards the mare, staring at Zuppa Toscana for a moment before he nodded. Taking in her look.

"She could help me. I like her. Do you think I should tie a green ribbon to her?" They'd brought green, Clara's favorite color, even though she'd never stated it. Yni've watched her eyes light up when she got green-colored items or new plants. She liked plants! But little green tomatoes were something she loved to take pictures of, never the actual finished crop. Weird little quirks: he hoped getting her a horse would encourage her to get out in nature more, since she had a mount.

"I don't think you should tie her with a ribbon." Clara snorted out, turning her head away from Yni've; Yni've tried not to laugh. He knew that she didn't want to admit that she wanted something. He reached to pat her head gently. Clara made a chirping noise, flinching hard to the pat. Clara glared more, turning to start back to the teddy they'd ridden in on, waiting a moment when she realized that Yni've wasn't following. "Hurry up, I will leave you. I don't know how to drive that thing, but I will figure it out." She'd hissed it out, glaring daggers at Yni've, who stood still, watching the mare with a wide-eyed expression. His eyes always seemed so open, so bright, she glowered, trying to see how to get onto the horse.

Yni've was over the fence before she could even get her toe into the stirrups. She stared at him, watching him hop the fence with ease, before she felt something bubble up in her chest, rushing towards the side of the fence and shoving her hands against it, definitely not attempting to go over, completely believing that she would get trampled. She knew that Yni've would too, despite the level of confidence he had walking up to the herd of mares and geldlings.

"What are you doing?! Get back here, you're going to die, come on, Yni, you know you're being so fucking stupid, right?" The curse was uncommon, making it clear that her discomfort with what he was doing was evident. Yni've just grinned, shooting a smile back at her. He waved his hand energetically before turning back towards the horses. The avian kept his wings tight, making sure that even as one or two approached to inspect the feathers curiously, they wouldn't trip or pull too hard on them, as to scare themselves.

"Hello." His voice was low and cool as he approached Zuppa Toscana. The mare raised her head at the curious creature. It wasn't threatening, just calm and collected and curious about her as she was. Yni've opened his wing some as the mare joined the curious poines, gently nudging at his wing as she tried to investigate the appendage.

The feather flared, and the collection of horses around him all jolted back, releasing loud squeals and whinnies at the sudden movement. Yni've tried not to laugh, smiling when Zuppa Toscana just raised her head, obviously a bit shocked. The mare was quick to lower her head, shoving against his wing to sniff and bite at the feathers, gently tugging as she quickly got more comfortable with them.

"Do you like my feathers? My girlfriend has nicer feathers, but you won't meet her unless you let me tie this ribbon into your hair." Yni've spoke softly to the mare, gently scratching her side, his fingers splayed as he tried to be gentle, to make sure he didn't move too fast. He smiled as the mare just took a feather, flinching slightly to the tug. Zuppa Toscana tossed her head, throwing her head back with the feather in her mouth, shaking her body slightly before snorting happily to have a brand new toy that felt weird in her mouth.

"Look! You got a feather! Good job!" Yni've encouraged, smiling more, he didn't notice the horror still splashed across Clara's face as she watched him essentially shove himself into a herd of wild horses, right up to the one that she liked. She felt her face start to heat, her cheeks puffing out slightly as she backed away from the fence line, walking back towards the gelding, hiding her face into the horse.

"I'm going to start tying the ribbon into your mane." Yni've cooed quietly, smiling as he moved to find a spot he felt was particularly long. The hair was soft, her coat fuzzy from the cool weather that had settled in. He smiled a little. He knew that Clara would adore the feeling of the fur during the winter. "I don't think she'll want to ride you, so I'll be the one who's riding you." Yni've wanted to talk to her, make sure that she was aware and comfortable.

Zuppa Toscana tossed her head excitedly, not even realizing she was getting pets, more excited to play with the feather than with the bell and ribbon. Yni've snorted quietly, smiling some as he moved to start tying the base of her mane into the ribbon. He slowly moved down, a slow, careful method to make sure it was a tight braid, something that would make rolling it out difficult. He smiled, gently tying the ribbon, bowing it tight, staring at the green coloration through the white hair. He laughed quietly, drawing back and shaking his head.

"You're absolutely amazing, I really hope that you keep that ribbon in," Yni've cooed out happily, gently scratching at her neck. Finally, Zuppa Toscana turned back to stare at Yni've. Zuppa Toscana arched her head slightly to the side, her nostrils flaring slightly as she sniffed at the horse, shoving her head against Yni've for a moment. Yni've tried not to laugh, gently going to scratch at her head, petting her neck for a moment, listening to the soft jingling noise the bell made with each nudge. He turned to look at Clara, trying not to laugh.

Clara had her face hidden in the gelding they'd ridden in on. Clara didn't look up until she realized that someone was staring at her. She looked at Yni've, her face flaring redder at seeing how he stood with Zuppa Toscana, the mare trying to tug at his longer feathers, wanting the opportunity to play with them. Yni've tried not to smile more at her expression, his eyes keyed on her face.

"Alright, you're such a pretty lady, you know? I really gotta get back to my girlfriend now, do you think that's okay?" His voice was soft as he reached to scratch at Zuppa Toscana's neck again, trying to get the mare to let him back away. He laughed some as she just nipped at his wings again, shoving her entire body into Yni've to get a better bite at the feathers. He spread it out slowly, letting the mare get hold of a feather. It hurt, he won't lie, but the look that was on Clara's face? He would let this mare do anything if it might mean she'd let him keep his bell ribbon in her mane.

Yni've flinched hard as she got a longer feather, but her expression seemed to light up as she swung her head to the side, waving it excitedly at the other horses, who seemed to scatter off at the minor assault. They weren't used to the feather or how it managed to glide through the air. Yni've tried not to laugh, stepping away from Zuppa Toscana after the mare was thoroughly distracted, walking calmly towards the fenceline. When he arrived, instead of hopping out immediately, he leaned his weight dramatically across the topline of it, glancing back towards the mare he'd excitedly approached for Clara.

Clara stared at him for a few more moments before taking a deep breath and walking over to her partner, putting her hands on the fence and leaning on it. She kept her distance from him, but leaned her weight slightly closer. She looked out at the horses, smiling slightly at the green that was stable in the flash of white of Zuppa Toscana's mane.

"Why did you go out there? That was so dangerous, you know that, right?" Clara asked, her voice breaking slightly, worry and concern dripping through. She leaned her weight down, closer to the other. "I don't understand why you ran into a herd of wild horses. What if you'd gotten trampled? I would never be able to go home, you know that, right?"

"Well, I saw how you looked at her, I'mma not just going to let you sit there and stare at a mare without trying to get her!" Yni've laughed out, smiling as he arched his head to the side, "You liked her, didn't 'ya, I'm not wrong? Am I? I'll go back and wrap another ribbon round whichever one you like the best." Yni've almost threatened, Clara swallowed hard.

"I don't like you." Clara breathed out, glaring daggers for just a few moments before her face went a bit red. She leaned forward and shoved a kiss against Yni's lips, then quickly drew away and rushed back towards the horse they'd come in on.

"Oh- I'm coming!" An almost cry as Yni've jumped the fence, laughing. If he got that mare, he was certain he'd have a wife. That claiming bell was a wedding ring in waiting.