Welcome, stranger, to the Silver Rose Inn. Behind the inn, there is a well-kept vegetable garden, with a door leading into the kitchen. To your left (if you are facing the front door) are the stables, where you can leave your horse. There are two rosebushes, one on each side of the doorway, but they are kept from growing across it, or even too close, so there is no fear of catching your garments on a thorn. Off to the right, and back a ways, there is Pine Lake, which is usually fairly temperate.

However, for the weary or the hungry, through the door is the welcoming main room, where one can find soft chairs, a fireside, hot tea or other drinks, and fresh food.

---

Ander rides up, his green-brown eyes flitting about cheerfully. A friendly and informative bear a little ways back had told him that just beyond the small village he was approaching would be a very nice inn. The bear had proved to be right, and indeed, the inn looked very welcoming to a weary traveller. He dismounted and stabled his horse, carefully brushing out his mount's beautiful fur, mane, and tail, and polishing his leather bridle and saddle. He put everything away, then found some oats and hay, fed and watered his horse, then said, "Brisk, I'm goin' inside. You'll be okay out here?" After recieving apparent agreement from the sturdy brown steed, he went into the inn via the front door.

Another visitor makes her way up to the in before too long, catching her breath after the steep, continuous slope. She looks up to the face of the inn and smiles a little, relieved at the idea of a soft sleeping mat. Bed. And a hot meal. She overcomes the insecurity of habitually entreating entrance and heads inside.

Ander returns just after sunset and pats his horse, "'Ello, Brisk." The horse neighs, his ears flicking with joy, "Good oats? Well, I'll let her know ya 'preciate 'em." A snort and a stamp, followed by more ear-flicking and a bit of nibbling affectionately at Ander's hand, "Aye, she seems t' be friendly, but there's 'nother one, Yue, 'at's just like Leslie sometimes." He smiles at the horse's response, and pats his hide. "Wanna go 'splore a bit tomorrah? Alright. G'night, Brisk!" He refills the water bucket and adds a bit more hay, then heads back into the main room.

Rain has already begun to fall when another cloaked person - a woman, obviously, as the cloak is pretty fitted to her figure - dashes into the door without even knocking.

Ander leads the way back outside and into the stables, He murmurs to Brisk, "Gots a visitor. Qiao Mun." The horse flicks his ears, looking past his friend and rider.

Mun is so happy that the rain has abated that she doesn't even notice the horse at first... before she nearly walks into him. "Gyah! Uh, hi! I'm her. Mun, um, I'm her. Brisk, right?"

The horse neighs his assent, not even needing Ander to translate for him. It appears that the horse may be as un-talkative as his rider.

She bites her lip. Has she messed up already?

"Um... it's nice to meet you. I..." Feel like such an idiot. Standing here talking to a horse. "Ander here said he could understand you and I always wondered what a horse thought about things."

Snorting, almost as though he's laughing, the horse flicks his ears and stamps one hoof, almost impatiently.

Translating, Ander says, "'E asked what ya wanna know."

"Um..." Mun puts her finger to her chin, tongue sticking out of her lips as she thinks. "Mm... oh! How come you let a human ride around on you?"

Ander laughs, while Brisk whickers indignantly, moving about in his stall. "'E dunnit. Not 'cept me, an' I'm 'is friend. We go faster if I ride." It's not clear whether he's translating of telling her what he already knows, but either way, the horse seems to agree.

"Oh... so convenience. Well... okay, this a very good question, Brisk. What's it like to have that enormous thing?" She points towards his hindquarters, generally... actually, she's pointing at the riding tack behind him, but it's quite impossible to tell that.

The horse snorts in indignation and refuses to look at her again.

"Err....I think y' offended 'im, miss..."

She blinks. "Um... how? I don't understand... well, fine!" Mun stamps her feet. "Fuck you, horse! I just wanted to know about that saddle and stuff back there, but you can just have a snort of my butt! Hmph!" And she turns, stomping into the inn - or trying to, as she slips rather predictably in the mud and falls flat on her face.

The horse looks back at her and whickers softly, as though in apology. Ander jumps as she falls and rushes to help her up. "'Ey, 'e thought y' were talkin' 'bout 'is bum." He touches her shoulder, "Y' fall a lot, dontcha?"

"Don't touch me!" Mun pulls away, still indignant and quite muddy. "Just... talk to your horse. Something. God... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...!" She sighs, looking down at her clothes. "God!"

Ander withdraws, looking hurt. It isn't the first time someone's refused his help, and others have been in worse situations than just falling in the mud, but it still stings. "'M sorry." He murmurs, backing away a bit to give her room. His green-brown eyes watch her carefully. The slightest sign that she's not perfectly fine, and he'll ignore her warning not to touch him. This girl falls down so often, it seems. Clumsyness, or something else, he wonders?

Mun regrets instantly her outburst. "Sorry... I didn't mean to snap. I'm just... ugh. I need a change of clothes. I didn't bring any with me... shoot! Oh, leather!"

Ander shakes his head, "'S alright. Y' can borrow some o' m' clothes, if 'ey fit?"

"I couldn't..." she shakes her head, sorely unhappy with herself. "I really couldn't. Ohh... that lady will never let me come in covered in mud...!"

"Awww, she seems understandin'. 'Sides, bear tol' me there's a lake just that-a-way." He gestures behind the inn. "Coul' wash off there, if y' want."

Mun looks that way, squinting. "Uh... I can't see it." She pats her face, perplexed. "Where are my glasses? Oh no, did I drop them in the mud...?" And she starts slogging through the muck, frantic.

Ander reaches out as though to touch her shoulder, but then withdraws his hand, "On th' bar. Y' broke 'em. But I can lead y' there, if ye like?"

"I what? Oh no!" She lets her head fall a little. "Would you, please? I'm sorry. I'm a nuisance."

Ander smiles kindly and nods, "Don' mind. Swimmin' sounds pleasent, anyhow. C'mon." And he leads the way towards Pine Lake

Mun nods and follows, quite the whipped cur.

---

"... stay back, I swear I'll..." the shouting voice of a soaking wet, pale blue-skinned man echoes over the forest. He runs with all of his strength, so tired after all these miles, so tired after all these months... he has so little left. A sphere falls from his hand, bursting in black smoke and phosphorous fire, concealing him long enough to disappear into the inn.

Near the border of the inn's land, the heavy footsteps cease. A low rumble, sounding like a diesel engine, turns away in frustration. Later.

---

Much later, a short creature approaches, whistling loudly and cheerfully. She looks rather like a mix between a darf and an elf, whith big, curious eyes. She calls herself Ayita.