The New Winds

He had made plans to do a little riding lesson and Ichiro spent some time finding a horse that would work for their purposes. He found one and a small bit of open area that would work for the impromptu lesson.

He had the horse tied to a stake so it wouldn't be able to run off if it got spooked or agitated. He was working on putting the saddle on the thing for now.

Having received word that Ichiro had found a horse they could use and put aside some time, Nobuko did a short stint helping organize the bokken in the dojo so she could honestly say she had done something to help clean (there were close to 30 students, the dojo would be fine!) before hurrying off to find him. She made a short detour to the dorm to collect her gifts and then found her way to him.

When she arrived, she already had her gloves on and in her hands was a small bamboo cage. She bowed politely, "Moto-san. Thank you again for this kind offer."

Ichiro nodded "No problem every samurai should know how to ride a horse, maybe if you do well enough they'll make you join us for calvary charges." He said with a grin.

He looked curiously at the bamboo cage "whats that?" And at about this time a small lizard poked its head out from under ichiros kimono on his right shoulder. Its blue tongue flicked the air a few times.

Nobuko didn't notice the lizard at first, as she was looking down at the cage and turned it so he could get a look inside as she lifted it, "It's a tree frog. Utaku-sa-aaa....nnnn...."

She noticed the lizard.

"Oh. You ah... there is a..." she lifted one hand away and tapped at her own shoulder where the lizard was peeking out at, "Right there."

Ichiro raised his eyebrows in a confused look for a moment before turning his head "Oh!" he exclaimed a little and then chuckled "This is just Zurui." he said with a small and genuine smile as he reached one hand up to the little lizard. It scampered onto his arm and looked at Ichiro before shifting and looking at Nobuko. He was just a normal lizard as far as she could tell but it did have a gleam of intelligence in its eyes.

"I bought him about a year ago from a merchant from across the burning sands. He's a good companion." Ichiro said holding his arm steady.

Her lips parted a moment and then she shut her mouth firmly and nodded, looked bashfully down at the cage in her hand, "Utaku Nesrin-san said that Unicorn believe frogs to be lucky. So both of us caught one. I thought you might..."
like it
"...know if it's the right kind to... bring me luck?"

She held it up for him to look at, keeping her eyes down. If he had something to care for already, a lizard at that, he certainly wouldn't like a frog.

"Perhaps I should release it now that I've caught it? Would that be more lucky or less?"

Ichiro knelt down and looked at it,. Zurui running back up his sleeve and tucking back into his kimono "Its a good looking frog, to catch one is lucky indeed" he said with a smile.

"They are only lucky if you keep them around to be. If you let it go you'd lose the luck. I suggest keeping it but I'll take it off your hands if you don't want it. I really like animals, they are simple in a way people aren't." he said still with a small smile before looking up at Nobuko "If you keep it make sure you take good care of it. Not that I doubt you would, you seem very kind."

She hadn't caught it for herself so she wasn't sure it would be particularly lucky to keep it. The luck wasn't intended for her. And since he had offered to take it, she could save face by gifting it to him. Now.

"If Moto-san would like it," Nobuko murmured, shifting her hands so the cage could balance on their palms and leave plenty of space for him to grab it, "Then I would be happy to give it to him. I am not certain I know enough about frogs to ensure it's happiness and longevity."

Ichiro raised an eyebrow at her "Are you sure Otomo-san? It couldn't have been easy to catch, these little guys are usually pretty nimble." his voice was gentler than usual, animals brought out a soft side in the large Moto boy. "It would be a kind gift indeed Otomo-san and one I would not forget."

"This one practically begged for me to catch it, Moto-san," she replied, lifting the cage a bit higher. "It jumped onto my leg and looked up at me with it's large eyes. It surely knew I could find it a much finer home."

He chuckled a little, the Otomo might have been expecting more refusals as per tradition but Ichiro took the frog from her and bowed low to her, likely the lowest she'd seen him bow to anyone including the sensei. "Thank you Nobuko-san?" his voice turned up at the end turning it into a question like asking if such familiarity was ok.

"as I said, it is a precious gift. Thank you." he smiled to her for a moment before clearing his throat "but uhh you came to learn about horses." there may have been a slight flush to his cheeks but surely that was just from getting everything ready for the lesson.

If there was a flush to his cheeks, there certainly was a flush to hers. But that had to be the weather. Rains often brought chills after and it had been raining the last two days. So it was definitely the weather. Definitely.

"Hai... Ichiro-san," she answered shyly, folding her hands in front of her obi as she shifted in place to examine the horse. To her, it looked rather large. But he'd been very clear that Unicorn steeds were larger still. She wasn't sure she could imagine one being even bigger.

"Is this horse of good temperament for my learning?"

She assumed it would be, but some light conversation would help ease her nervousness. Which was entirely about the horse. Entirely.

Ichiro looked about and found a decent flat surface to place the frog and then put his hand on the stone and made a clicking sound and Zurui rushed down his arm and onto the rock next to the frog. The little lizard examined the frog closely, the frog in turn rotated to look at Zurui making a small croaking sound. "Behave you, that's a new friend." The Moto said sternly before turning back to Nobuko.

"Oh uh yes I've been leading this one around for a bit and he seems pretty tame." The horse itself was only about 4 and a half feet tall as Ichiro brushed its side with his hand. "I fit him with a riding saddle and he's ready to go unless you'd like to observe first?" He asked with one raised eyebrow.

Her hands squeezed together briefly, the only indication that climbing onto a saddle made her at all uneasy, as she nodded, "A demonstration first would be very helpful. So that I may understand what I am to attempt. I am certain once I see it, that with your help, I will be able to do so myself."

Ichiro nodded and hopped into the saddle easily and started the horse at a nice walk around the area before coaxing it into a quicker trot around in a circle the whole time looking for all the world that he was born in the saddle as any proper unicorn should.

Then he saw a low wall and urged the horse forward before having it leap over the obstacle easily landing and doing a quick turn before trotting back and stopping in front of Nobuko with nary a hair out of place.

He hops off and offers the horse a bit of carrots he saved from a meal "good job boy." He spoke softly while petting it as it ate from his flat palm.

He then turned to the Otomo "Did you catch all that, ready to try it?" He said deadpan for a second before smiling "I figured we'd start you off with a simple walk." He said holding the reins in one hand and offering his other to assist Nobuko into the saddle.
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D4 monkey riding demonstration 2 rolls tn 5 and tn 10: 2#4d10o10k3 19 25

Exceptional success at both free raises to look good doing it.

D4 monkey riding demonstration 15: 4d10o10k3 22

Nobuko's heart quietly fluttered at the sight of the Unicorn on the horse as he walked it around the area. He certainly did look like he had been born to ride, so easily did he stay there even when he had it jump the low wall. Her breath caught in her throat at the jump, but she had released it by the time he returned the horse to her side.

Another breath caught when he asked if she was ready to try 'all of it' and a nervous giggle escaped her, barely covered by her hands, when he clarified he meant only to start simply.

"Hai..." she managed to get around the giggle, born of nerves and perhaps something else she certainly didn't want to distract herself with, "Yes. A walk. But first... getting into the saddle?"

He had made it look so easy, but he was also much taller.

he nodded "oh yeah, I could see it being a little harder for you. Just put your foot up here in this stirrup and grab onto the saddle here and I can help you up if that's ok." he explains pointing out the different parts he mentions as he does.

She set a hand where he'd said to grab it and put her foot into the stirrup, then attempted to use it to hop up. Once. Twice. Three times... A fourth. Each time she slipped down and struggled to really get high enough to even lay her body across, much less swing the other leg in the right direction.

"Maybe it would be easier if you did help," she groaned, breaking her on in frustration. A deep breath later, her composure was returned and she nodded her head to him, "I did not realize how much power one needed in the legs for something like this."

he nodded "It takes a bit of practice to learn the feel and motion of it here get in position and on three I'll help you out." he moved behind her and large hands wrapped around her waist "1...2...3" and she barely needed to do anything as his large hands tightened slightly around her and he practically hoisted her into the saddle by himself. Once she was situated he would let go of her and take the reins.

"Alright I'm gonna lead him around for a bit while you just hold on and get used to being up there ok?" he said with a deep breath, his cheeks had grown a slightly darker shade of pink but it was rapidly fading as he focused on the horse training. For once she would have to look down at him as she was higher up than him on horseback.

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D4 Monkey helping a lady to her horse fluff athletics/str: 7d10o10k4 31

Taller than him, but only by a little, even with the horse to help. However, it did give her a better angle to appreciate his chosen hairstyle. Which had interested her before, as unusual as it was.

It was also a good way of distracting herself from having had his hands on her waist. By the kami, he was as strong as he looked. He had lifted her almost without effort. As though she were little more than a sheet of paper...

Nobuko was jolted out of her thoughts when the horse started walking. Her hands tightened on the front of the saddle and her legs squeezed the pony's side as she paled in alarm at the sudden movement. It wasn't fast by any means, but it was very different than she had ever experienced before. Carts and palanquins were not so... bumpy. Well, not on properly paved roads. But every shift of the horse's muscles had her fighting to stay upright.

Which... she... did okay on!

She started to relax a bit and let out a soft laugh that was more nerves that joy... but still, the tension faded a bit.

"This is not so hard once you are in the saddle. At least, while the horse is led by someone who knows how to lead," she commented, "I am uncertain I could do this alone. You should remain by my side for sometime yet, I think."

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OOC: fluff roll!
D4 Monkey Horsemanship/Agility - Staying in the Saddle: 2d10 10