Melda very cautiously approached the horses. She timidly patted a small grey one on the nose. It didn't seem to do much. "Okay," she said to it, trying to sound stern but feeling silly. "Don't, like, toss me off or anything, okay?"

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Elenriel smiled at FaZ gratefully. “Many thanks.” she replied. With that she walked up to a white mare that looked both slender and powerful. She quickly tied her pack on the saddle and then gently stroked the horse on the neck before mounting it, taking the reigns in hand. “I think I’ll choose you.” she whispered to the mare, who whinnied in pleasure at her soft yet firm voice.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

"Ha!" Gwenneth raised her eyebrows and laughed. "I'm definitely no expert...especially when it comes to breeds and the like -- though that color is pretty --" she winked at this. "but I've been riding for a while, and quite enjoy it, if you haven't guessed already. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to find something stool-like so that I can mount." She wasn't quite used to horses so big.
Gwen looked around, soon finding a rock towards the edge of the path. Leading her mount up to it, she rolled the stirrups down. Then, after standing on the rock, she gathered up the reins in one hand, set her left foot in the stirrup, and hoisted her weight upward.
"Whoa," Gwen said. "this saddle is amazing..."
She urged the horse into a walk, settling herself into the movements and position as she waited for the others to mount.

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^Thanks Gily!
<By Bubble Black

Melda nervously kept patting the horse. It didn't seem to mind. She looked up and wondered how one might get on a horse. Watching Gwenneth out of the corner of her eye, she scrambled up using a tree stump. The horse waited patiently.
Melda got up and realized she didn't know how to make it go forward. She sighed. I guess this is going to be educational, she thought.

[[I really am that clueless with horses ]]

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Luthien was a little skeptical about the horses, with the terrain, it might be easier on foot. But never one to complain about conveniences, Luth chose a beautiful black mare, a single white star on her forehead. Tying her pack onto the saddle, she climbed comfortably into her back, ready to ride.

"Thanks for the horses, FaZ, that was quite smart of you!"

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Thanks Haldir and Gil!
"You said: I know that this will hurt, but if I don't break your heart then things will just get worse..."

Larael hung to the side of the group as they mounted their horses. She had always been a little nervous around horses, and so she didn't hurry to mount one. Finally she spotted a chestnut-coloured horse with a white diamond on it's forehead standing apart from the group, and swishing it's tail back and forth. It wasn't very tall, but it looked strong enough to hold the supplies.
Cautiously Larael walked over to it and stroked it's nose. The horse seemed calm enough to her so she strapped on her pack and mounted the horse, making sure her bow didn't hit the beast in the process.
Larael held the reins loose as she adjusted to the saddle and then urged her horse into a walk around the yard. The horse obeyed and didn't object when she urged it from a walk to a lope.
I think I'm getting the hang of this, Larael thought, smiling.

[Ready to go whenever Ellie shows up.]

Ellethwen quickly clambered on top of a horse that was left-a brown mare-feeling a little nervous.

[OOC: This week, I'm not going to be on the computer much. I have to help my dad with a model rocket by making him a parachute, and I have a costume to finish. Also, I'm taking a break from a computer. So just pretend I'm here, and I'll pop on occasionally.]

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<center>

i've got a jar of raeg
</center>

Melda figured out how to get the horse to go forward by watching everyone else, but she did it a little too vigorously and the horse had almost gone past Elegost at the front before she figured out how to make it stop. She smiled a little apologetically, embarassed.

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Elegost sped up ahead of the group and slowed down a ways down the road, with Gwen coming up behind him. Larael urged her horse into a canter and soon found herself behind Elegost and Gwen at the front of the group.

The day was quite sunny, and amazingly bright. So this is what paradise is like, Larael thought to herself as the group of riders rode on in silence.

Luthien watched the others with a smile, easing her horse into a lope. You could tell quite easily who had ridden before and who hadn't. Taking up the rear behind FaZ and Ellethwen, she began humming "The Road Goes Ever On and On", an excellent travelling tune.

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Thanks Haldir and Gil!
"You said: I know that this will hurt, but if I don't break your heart then things will just get worse..."

As she rode Larael caught snatches of a song someone behind her was humming. It was so familiar and yet she couldn't put her finger on it. All of a sudden the words seemed to pop into her head out of nowhere and she began to hum along too.

Gwenneth grinned as Elegost pulled up beside her.
"You're doing great," she said in a louder voice that was just heard above the clatter of hooves. "As long as your heels are down, nothing can dislodge you," then she laughed at a memory. "My teacher would always blame my heels whenever I fell off."

Gwenneth pulled up a bit so that she came up beside Larael.
"Hey," she said. "Did have a chance to talk to you much at Rivendell."

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^Thanks Gily!
<By Bubble Black

Pandora rode slowly behind the group, a hood covering her features just watching her surroundings letting everything process in her.

She soon grew bored in the back of the pack and rode up towards the group, pulling the hood off so that it rested on her back.

[ok I am just going to hop in her, sorry for the ubrupt entrance.]

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The waves that C R A S H E D upon
The R O C K S that you were trying to step along

And in my head I heard them play a S O N G

((Welcome Pan!))

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Thanks Haldir and Gil!
"You said: I know that this will hurt, but if I don't break your heart then things will just get worse..."

[OOC: Hey Pan! Glad you could join us!]

"Hello Gwen!" Larael said giving her a smile," Yeah... we really didn't get much time to talk. Everything seemed so crazy and rushed in Rivendell... I hardly got to talk to anyone really."

Melda kept riding in silence, wishing she had someone to talk to. Her horse just followed the others, so that didn't require much attention, and the scenery was lovely so she watched it go by and occsionally sneaked a look at the others when she didn't know how to make her horse do something.

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