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=		[Prytzouth] Flashback - ShadowMist			=
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What a beauty, thought Prytzouth, as he leaned on the corral fence.
The muscles knotted and rippled beneath the shiny grey coat as the
mare galloped around the corral.  A distinct white starburst dressed her
nose, and white socks adorned her feet which were dancing across the dry
corral.  The stablemaster grumbled as he brushed the dust and dirt off
his britches and his pride.  Prytz chuckled admiringly at the mare.

"How much?" he asked.

"Are you kidding?!" retorted the stablemaster.  "She's not fully trained
yet!  This here horse is going to be a war horse fit for a king!  I can't
sell her!" he shook his head and waved his hand at Prytz as if he were
swatting away a fly.  "Besides, this horse is already paid for by some
foreign dignitary.  Incidently, he's bought her FOR a king."

"Everything has it's price," Prytz replied, still eyeing the mare.

The stablemaster rubbed his stubble beard and glanced back to the
stables.  "You sure you couldn't settle for that black war horse over
yonder?"

"No," answered Prytz; his eyes unwaveringly on the mare.  "No.  I want
the mare.  How much?"

"One hundred gold."

"Done." replied Prytz with a satisfied nod.  The stablemaster shook his
head and smiled; a sucker born each day, he thought to himself.  That
boy'll never get on her back let alone take her from the stable yard.

Prytzouth grinned, counted out the gold into the stablemasters waiting
hands, and hopped the fence to the corral.  Steadly, Prytz paced up to
the mare.  He could sense the horse's distress and apprehension.
Suddenly, he felt the horse panic; she recognized that he wasn't human
and that he "felt" like a predator.  She reared and ran to the other
side of the corral, away from the hunter, Prytzouth.  The stablemaster
chuckled, but Prytz wasn't paying attention.  Lightly, he reached out
with his feelings to the mare; she jerked at his touch.  Pressing
slightly, he sent feelings of safety and friendship to her.  She
resisted, not believing him; she returned feelings of fear from being
chased by wolves to him.  Again, he projected feelings of safety and
friendship, and now understanding to her.  Prytz reassured her that while
she was with him, no wolf or other predator would harm her, that he would
be her friend and protector.  Slowly, she began to accept him.

All the while, the stablemaster stood in awe.  Not minutes ago, he was
thrown from the saddle of grey monster, a saddle that took him hours to
get on, let alone ride, and now, the blonde haired man was stroking her
nose and rubbing her neck.  She smelled his hand and then his breath.  A
moment later, he swung up onto the saddle and patted her neck.  With a
grin, Prytz winked at the stablemaster as he trotted out the open gate to
the corral.

Light on the reins, Prytz directed the mare with feeling.  She absolutely
loved it and wondered why no one else could talk to her as he could.  She
skitted across the cobblestone streets with excitement as Prytz directed
her to Dragon's Inn to pick up his supplies.  As they traveled, she
introduced herself through a feeling of running through a morning mist,
the cool air soothing her muscles as she sprinted across the fields.
Prytz laughed and found a name to suite her, "Shadowmist, for you
could run like the shadow," he both spoke and projected in feeling to
her.  To show her approval, she leaped over a small vegetable cart.

"Whoa, Mist!" Prytzouth laughed.  "Save it for the road."  She nickered
and cantered off towards the Inn.