A Ninja's Reveng(closed)

"Good." Ronin called from where he stood, watching as the black stallion crossed the stream at a gentle walk. "I'm going to teach you how I was taught. Trust the horse to not let you fall and only hold on with your thighs. Let go of the reins and trust in the horse to keep you balanced."

Claire turned her head and gave Ronin an are you crazy look before looking down at Sentinel. "Ok..." She said as she let go of the reins and held on with her legs like Ronin said.

Sentinel snorted and flicked an ear back to listen to the girl while he stepped lightly. He knew what he was doing. He'd felt her let go of his head and was doing his best to protect the girl. "Good boy, Sentinel. Good job, Claire."

After a few moments of being a little nervous, Claire began giggling as she stuck her hands out to either side of her. It felt like she was flying and she enjoyed it. "This is fun!" She said with a wide happy smile.

Sentinel nickered and went into a gentle trot, weaving around the clearing and stepping over the stream every once in a while. "He's a good horse." Ronin called as Sentinel continued to lightly trot around the clearing.

Can you go a little faster Sentinel?" She asked as she continued to hold her arms out, pretending that she was flying. She was having a great time on Sentinel back and wanted to go a little faster.

"Remember, Sentinel. This is to just help her get her balance." Sentinel snorted at Ronin's words and eased his way into a gentle canter as he continued to go around the clearing. Within a few moments, the large black horse carried her back over to his master and shook out his mane. Ronin patted the stallion's neck and ruffled his forelock for a moment before he turned to Claire. "You did good. But I think it's time to let Sentinel rest."

Clarie giggled and leaned forward to hug the stallion's neck. "We can play later." She said with a smile as she turned and swung her leg over. "Can you help me get down please?" She asked with a small smile. She was still too small to get off Sentinel herself.

Ronin reached up and gripped her gently before he helped her down to the ground. Once she was on firm ground again, Ronin fixed the stirrups to his length once more and patted the stallion's muzzle before he undid the saddle and let the stallion walk about without his tack. "Sentinel, you're to stay within sight at all times." The stallion snorted as if to question Ronin. The assassin shook his head with a small laugh and rubbed the stallion's forehead. "Of course you always do, don't you? Good boy." Immediately after the attention, the freed stallion bolted around the clearing, nickering happily and bucking like a wild horse.

Claire smiled as she watched the large horse run around the clearing, bucking and whining. "Wheres Fiona? I'm getting really hungry and she's been gone for awhile." Claire said looking up at Ronin with a little worry in her eyes. "Do you think she's ok?" She asked frowning a little.

Ronin laid a hand on the girl's head for a moment before he cast his sight into the trees. Indeed, Fiona should have been back by now. It was strange of her to be this late. Worry began to settle inside of his chest. He couldn't even see her. Let her be okay.

Fiona came back on her horse about a half an hour later with a young buck on her horse. She rode into the clearing looking rather tired. Sliding from her horse she smiled at Ronin and walked over. "Dinner was being difficult to catch.." She said as she sat on the ground with a heavy sigh. She didn't want to worry him but she was sure he would see the bite marks on her left arm sooner or later.

Ronin scanned her up and down for a moment before he caught her left arm in his hand and examined it. "What bit you?"

It was just a starving lone wolf. He was after the deer I shot which needs to be prepared to eat." She said with a smile. "It's not as bad as it seems I promise you." She said placing her hand on his. "Now come on and help me get this thing ready to eat. Claire needs to eat soon. We don't want her to starve." She smiled, giving Ronin a loving smile as she looked at him.

Ronin looked from her wound to her face for a moment before he gripped her hand with his free one. "I'll prepare it. You get that cleaned and bandaged." He said softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before he moved away from her and began to prepare the deer. "And while you're doing that, see to it that Claire learns how to do first aid. It might come in handy one day."

"Alright then." She said getting the bandages out of her horse's saddle bags she called claire over to the stream, with her and took a seat. She taught the girl how to clean the wound carefully before she allowed Claire to bandage it. Once that was done Fiona went to gather stones and sticks to make a fireplace.

Ronin had just finished cleaning out the deer and set up a place so he could properly carve and set out the meat. "Claire, do you know how to prepare a meal? If not, come here and I'll teach you what I know."

Fiona nodded for claire to go on over to Ronin while she put the fire togeather. Once she had gotten it lit she laid on the ground to rest a for a little bit. Claire walked over to Ronin and stopped beside him. "I've only watched my da, do this but he wouldn't let me help." She said as she smiled up at him.

Ronin smiled over at the child, his cheekbones the only indication that he was, in fact, smiling. "Well then. It's time we remedied that." Ronin showed Claire how he prepared a stew, using a throwing dagger as a carving knife to cut the meat up for the stew as well as cutting the rest into chunks to be taken with them and possibly traded.

Fiona laid on the ground as she watched Ronin teach Claire how to carve and prepare the deer she had brought back. It made her smile, to watch them. He was so patient and understanding of her. Sitting up she walked over too the stream and sat down beside it. Taking her boots off she put her feet in the cold water and smiled.

Ronin rose from his seat and put the pot over the fire. "Keep an eye on this, Claire. Stir it every so often so that the heat gets through it evenly." Ronin made his way over to the stream and dipped his hands in the cool water. He was washing away all the juices the meat had oozed and even dipped the dagger he'd used as a carving knife in the water, cleaning its surface of the juices. "She learns quickly."

She's a very smart girl. Fergus never gave her enough credit." She said with a smile as she sat on the edge of the stream. She kept her feet in the water as she looked up at him. "She's a good observer. I've been watching her." Fiona told him with a smile.

"Very attentive." Ronin agreed, drying his hands on his uniform before he sat on the grass and kept an eye on the girl. "Fiona. Do you think it's possible that this child has...has the Sight?" He lowered his voice so it wouldn't carry to the girl.

"Perhaps. I know her grandfather did but Fergus did not. You could always test her" She suggested with a smile. "I think she could have the sight but we won't know until she tests it." She said offering him what answer she could.

Ronin gave a nod. He, too, thought it would be best to test the girl. To see if she truly had the Sight. Ronin rose to his feet and went back to where he'd left Claire tending to the stew and he knelt beside her before he calmly took the wooden spoon and gave the stew a stir before he tasted it. He thought for a moment before he broke up a couple of herbs into the stew and gave it another stir. "Did you pay attention to the herbs I used, Claire?" He asked gently. "They're basil leaves and actually amplify the flavors in some meals."