What did you do, Amu?

Gonyaul seemed to have been resiliently returning to his usual self, progressing out of depression more and more each day. The young man's ability to rebound from adversity seemed unearthly at times and was definitely one of his strengths. The only thing which hadn't returned, was he was still styling his hair to try and cover the whip scar running horizontally across his upper cheek and nose-bridge on one side of his face.

He rode the beautifully braided Amu bareback, the way he was taught by the Odsier. When he wasn't lost in daydream and gazing at the beauty of the landscape they were traversing, he was usually singing or talking to Amu. Sometimes it even seemed as if the horse talked back. Gonyaul definitely acted like it was, personifying human qualities on the animal. He almost always rode in the back of the group, still the least experienced horse rider; however, he was exceedingly better than when he first started riding back at the Greyriver Homestead. He was also quick to get off the horse, all the riding was making him sore.

Thanks to the others, he now also had a few possessions. An outfit from Voah, designed to look like what a Helian woman would wear. She had even sewn in a little bit of padding underneath certain strategic locations to really sell the illusion. Gonyaul was used to wearing an arisha ikeburer, so wearing dress-like attire and having his hair braided in a feminine way was normal. He truly did pull off looking like a woman. It would take either a very astute eye, or a groping hand, to tell otherwise. In addition, he had a simple staff and a small pack of travel gear, which he usually laid across his lap while riding; tying the travel gear to the staff and the two ending runner braids from the horses mane to the long wooden object. This enabled him to be able to let go of the items and it would remain fixed atop Amu's shoulder blades. Sometimes he even used the staff like a handle bar for steering the horse, just to see if it would work.

When he first noticed the stranger on the beach, Gonyaul smiled and waved from a distance. He first thought that the woman must be enjoying nature, and perhaps practicing for her health or communion with a higher power; much like his daily exercises and ceremonial routines. When everyone came to a halt, he slid off of Amu’s back and gratefully stretched his legs. Even with the extra padding in his clothes to give him the curves of a pleasing female bottom, his rear end was still sore from their hard traveling.

As the others up ahead began conversing, he began to question his good feelings about the situation. It just started to feel tense. And then everyone looked at him because the lady was pointing her sword in his direction. Gonyaul had no reason to think anyone would have issues with him, so he naturally looked behind him when she pointed.

He thought she was pointing to something behind him. When he realized there was nothing there, he looked to Amu. “Amu, what did you do?” Thinking maybe it was his horse that she was angry at. Amu was full of mystery, he would daydream about her antics and adventures on the side.

Then things went south really fast as combative stances and ultimatums were unleashed. Gonyaul suddenly realized maybe he shouldn’t have dismounted prematurely. He grabbed hold of Amu and went to jump back up on her back. The sand though was making leaping up difficult. It took him a few attempts before he was able to get himself draped over Amu like a blanket. Gonyaul, using his flexibility, was trying to get his right leg up around the horses flank so that he could get off his stomach and into a riding position.

It was a very pathetic scene. One that made him look incompetent and silly. It would have given any pursuer confidence that he would be an easy mark.