Sand and Snow

"Well, Angus says thats because they're a mating pair,' Brian said. "It would be nice to have a colt by Easter."

"He is," Khaat smiled. "Archangel!" she called. The bird flew down to Khaat, devotedly, excited. He perched on Khaat's slim shoulder. "Cassidy, this is my, well, my owl. for all practical purposes. This is Archangel. He's one of my best friends. Archangel, say hello. This is a new friend." The bird looked at Cassidy, cocked his head to the side and squawked at her. "Good boy," she stroked his regal head.

"Hey! Archangel! Look what I have!" Angus called. He was waving in his hand Archangel's fetching toy. The bird got excited and screeched and flapped its wings excitedly. Khaat laughed. "Ready?" Angus asked. He gave the toy a mighty throw and the toy sprouted wings magically and flew off.

Archangel took off like a shot after the toy, flying like a speeding bullet.

"He loves to fly," Khaat told Cassidy, "And he is just wicked fast. Angus has his favorite toy. Its a magical fetching toy that my father created for him when Archangel was a baby. My mother trained him and handraised him. She specializes in caring for magical creatures and in talking to animals. And she's a seer. But her real love is animals."

Steven chuckled at Brian's words and looked at Cassidy as she studied the eagle above and smiled as Khaat and her seem to be getting on better now , he rode up to Brian staying next to him as the rode he watched as the two girls spoke.

Cassidy ducked as the eagle swooped down and landed on Khaat's shoulder , she staid away from it as she was introduced and it screeched at her . "I don't think he like me much" she aid and ducked again as he took off into the air and khaat explained about him "beautiful bird but like I said I don't think he likes me much , give me a horse or a cat any day but a wolf and an eagle " she shook her head "thats just not natural" she said sighing .

"He likes you," Khaat smiled. "He doesn't speak English. That's just eagle-speak for hello. Archangel is friendly. And he trusts me. He's been told you're a friend, so, in his mind, he can trust you. Cara? Well, to me, I don't see her that different from a dog. I know Steven does, but well, its all the same animal family to me. Cara is a decent wolf, and a good mom. She's been a friend of Steven's for a long time now. And she and Archangel are good protectors. They keep the grounds safe. They like to go on patrols with the guards around the grounds. They'll learn they can go with you too, and you'll find they're a big help. I'd trust them any day."

Archangel flew back towards them with the toy in his mouth. He dropped it to Brian who caught it and threw it back again, lauging. "Go get it, Boy!" he shouted. The bird took off again to go get the toy that seemed to be doing its best to allude the giant bird of prey.

"He can play this game for hours," Khaat smiled. "I just haven't paid enough attention to him lately. So he's going to suck up all the attention he can get today."

cassidy breathed out and nodded "ow ok"she said still not quite sure of the eagle in hr own mind but if Khaat said he was friendly then it was ok with her. "for give me if i don't play like Brian with him yet" she said watching them glancing at Steven "Khaat what do you know of Steven, i mean hes told me of his past and that he had made a bad choice in a woman called Ronata but thats about it " she said looking at her "he never told me he could talk to animals, I'm wondering if there isn't something else hes forgot to tell me ".


Steven looked ahead and saw Cassidy glancing back and he wondered what she was talking about to Khaat he could see the look on her face puzzled and confused yet some what relaxed to this confused the hell out of him "Brian do you ever get confused around Khaat , I mean one minuets shes all wonderful and then shes all confused? " he asked hoping maybe he'd explain or help him under stand.

"Well," Khaat said. "It sounds like he's been pretty open and honest with you. And since he has a son, I presume you know he was married before but his wife died. Ronata, well, she was his second wife. They were only married very briefly. It just wasn't...well, a good match for him. And Steven was grieving and lonely then. I think he was rebounding from his wife. He lives next door to my parents, and he's a good friend. I think you pretty much know the rest. I don't think he would intentionally hold anything back from you. If there is something you want to know, just ask. He'll tell you. I think he's wanting to be careful enough not to make a mistake as you are."

Brian looked at Steven. "Khaat? Well, she has been very stressed lately. She's been hiding a lot of terror that she still feels. I think she's distancing from everyone because she doesn't have any idea how to cope. Steven, she nearly died that day, this second time with Barker. Something in that near death experience terrified her in a way I've never seen from her before. I think when she's all wonderful? I think thats what we have to look out for. I think thats the part that is pure performance. I don't think there is any part of that that is genuine. I think she's trying to make us think she's okay. The truth is that she's getting thinner and weaker all the time, and her broken ankles just aren't healing from her very poor health overall. I wish I knew how to help her. So does Robert. But she's not ready to let us in yet. Am I frightened for her? Yes. And feeling very helpless."

Steven looked at Brian and nodded as he spoke "so whats Cassidys excuse " he said softly seeing them talk between the two of them "shes become distant since this morning , like she worried about something yet won't talk about it " he said and shook his head "its confusing" he said and moved his horse on a bit further and closer to Cassidy.


Cassidy looked at Steven and sighed "I guess so " she said and smiled "I guess I'm just being careful too , I've not felt like this with any one before ." she said and looked at her "ow don't worry i can do my job, its kinda platonic right now and I think it will stay that way for now" she said seeing Steven come up beside her. "hi" she said and smiled to him feeling a little more confident but knowing she and he would have to talk when they got back to the house.

Khaat didn't see much of anything wrong with their relationship except that Cassidy and Steven were both being cautious about their relationship and that neither of them needed anymore heartbreak in their lives. And she knew Brian agreed with that assessment. Well, that was one thing they agreed on right now. She felt like she and Brian were coming apart. She knew she and her potions were the sole cause of that. And of a lot of other ugliness. She was silently terrified that if they all found out, they would all walk away.

She was having nightmares almost every time she closed her eyes now. Ironically, they were not about Barker. They were about Brian. She woke in tears nightly, always somehow while Brian was sound asleep. She would dream about being cast to the curb, literally. Dressed in filthy rags, broke financially, broken in spirit, huddled in some filthy corner of knockturn, and laughed at and scorned about what she used to be and what she had become. No idea of what had happened to her children.

And then she would always wake in tears. She'd calm herself and go back to sleep. Or try to. She was hiding so much now, it was becoming almost impossible to maintain. What kept her going was her terror that her nightmares would become real.

And part of her was strongly considering running. She'd already destroyed Jess with it. Her best friend hadn't been able to even cope with visions of it. What in the world would happen to everyone else around her when they knew the whole horrible truth? Would it drive them all insane? How fast would she find herself thrown away in the garbage of Knockturn Alley?

"Hey," Brian called her. "Where are you?"

"Huh?" she asked.

"Archangel dropped his toy in your lap and you didn't notice. Pay attention while you're riding, Babe," Brian cautioned. Khaat looked down and saw the toy. She threw it as ard as she could but it didnt' go nearly as far as she used to throw it. And even then, she could feel muscles in her shoulder giving way from that slight effort It was painful. Just that little effort. The potion was eating away at her faster than she thought. She swallowed her fear and apologized to Brian for being distracted.

Steven rode next to Brain and chuckled to himself as he remembered the last time he was on a horse as he was, you know i haven't been on a horse since I left Texas " he said "I get the feeling i am so going to be saddle sore , one cancellation so's Cassidy and she will be worse " he said and chuckled smiling as she glanced back at him from her horse just in front of him. He looked around the country side and smiled glad he'd bought a ranch away from the city and the noise of it all.

Cassidy glanced back at Steven and saw him smile like he was stopping himself from laughing out loud at some hidden joke , she turned back and looked around the white countryside in front of her and smiled, "I can se why you like it out here" he said and jumped as the toy fell to Khaats lap she frowned when she didn't throw it back she was about to tell her when Brian spoke up instead"

Archangel flew off to fetch the toy with genuine excitement. Khaat watched him fly off.

"Saddle sores, huh?" Brian laughed. "I'm sure Cassidy will take care of them for you, Steven." He looked over at Khaat and saw a change in her face. "What's the matter?"

"Just strained a muscle in my shoulder," she said. "One of those stupid little things. I'm fine. I guess I'm really out of shape."

"We'll get it back," Brian said confidently. "We just need to get your ankles healed first. Then we can train up. I'll check that muscle when we get back. It'll be alright, I'm sure."

"It was jsut a stupid thing. I just moved wrong," Khaat insisted. When Archangel came back, Brian whistled to the bird and Archangel dropped the toy in his lap.

"Good boy! Ok, one more time. Go get it!" Brian laughed, hurling the toy with as much force as he could, easily doubling Khaat's throw.

"Show off," she sighed.

Steven laughed "I don't think she would I think she would rub salt in them " he said chuckling as he rode "nope our relationship is platonic to the max" he said sighing a little as he moved the horse to behind Brain as he watched him thrown the toy yet again but this time further than previously and was amazed at Archangel's graceful flight threw the air as it dove for the toy grasping it in its talons. He looked at Cassidy on her horse she looked like she had been riding for years her back straight and looking professional.