Part 26 (1/2)
Hundreds of barbarians and friends watched the stuht's feet, for the shaht untied the leather while hundreds held their breath Yet when he finally plucked soht held up two large rings joined loosely by a ht Then he flung the object across the circle Hilel, the refugee hostler, jumped as it landed in his lap The shaler held it up ”A horse bit You put it in the nag's mouth to attach a bridle”
”It's that, and our neay of life”
Over the rising buzz, Sunbright explained, ”Barbarians don't ride horses, I know I've heard it a hundred times They walk, and follow reindeer Such is tradition But the reindeer are gone while horses run wild on the plains And who here hasn't mounted a reindeer as a child and taken a ride?”
His sht chuckles, but e, hope, doubt
”Always the Rengarth roamed the tundra Noould amend that Noe can roam the plains on horseback There are antelope to round up, and cattle, and bison, and deer By learning to ride, the Rengarth could journey all over our ancestral plains-not just a day's walk out and back, but a hundred miles in a week! We'd not be penned to this six-rasslands under our feet and hooves!”
He called in a confident tone over the babble, ”I knoill take time to learn new skills, to learn to ride and rope and drive livestock, but it's worth it! And we have good teachers, for Hilel's fa to try this new style of roaling horse bit
”Wait!” Magichunger scratched his shorn teet all those-what'd you call theht said and leaned back, tired but happy His as alave him my sword, Harvester of Blood, you see, and he cut it up, reforged it into twenty-odd horse bits”
A chorus of protests welled, barbarians stunned at the news That legendary sword, a sword of kings, chopped into scrapthe steel bit
”We needed steel for our neay of life, so I gave up ers in these new tools Harvester of Blood has become many Harvesters of Horses!
Noants one?”
A rush like wind in the trees swept the audience Above the noise, Blackblossoo Starvalley's hand ”I'll take one!” she called
”Good!” Sunbright flung the glittering ant hand and called, ”I, too, please”
”Elves join us in riding!” Sunbright crowed, and flung another horse bit
”Hang on!” bellowed Magichunger ”I want one! I can watch better froht
Then most everyone wanted one The dwarf Hachne yelled he'd learn to ride a pony Goodbell would teach her children to ride Mightylaugh needed to stay close to Magichunger Firstfortune and other hunters could track and hunt frorabbing for flying steel, until Sunbright's bag was empty and he slumped, exhausted
He hollered, ”Drigor, youhorse tackle You won't lack for customers! Oh, I'm so tired!”