[Open]

[lefthandedgenius]

Who: Lydia, Gale, and whoever wants to come a-callin'!
What: Lydia and Gale have to work in the stables for a week.
When: 2/9 - 2/15
Where: The Stables
Why: Because they broke curfew, that's why.

It's only a few hours of the day, but they're long enough for Lydia to generally feel tired and gross afterward. She does her best, and she does it without complaint, but after a while she does start to get weary of her hair smelling like pegasus dung from muckign out stables and her shoulder arching from holding grain bags and hauling hay and water.

She's happiest and makes the best of it when she's grooming the pegasi, spending time talking to them or humming a tune under her breath as she runs the brush and comb over their hides and gently preens and inspects wings for broken feathers.

Comments

dropped the ball on this. sorry!

[somatophylax]

When Gale comes into view and addresses him, Hephaistion nods in greeting. They hadn't actually met before, but Hephaistion is aware of his name because of the punishment declarations made by Chiron. It could have been a lot worse than pegasus duty, but Hephaistion isn't about to point that out. Such an observation made by someone who mucked out the stables on a regular basis for fun probably didn't have a very strong position to comment on such things. Instead he offers a small smile.

"I don't mean to interrupt what you're doing, but if you would like to make a few new friends-for-life (for as long as pegasus memory lasts), I brought apples here to treat them. I would appreciate a spare hand with that."

no worries!

[ensared]

"I just finished," Gale tells him simply, easily taking the bag from the other boy. "I'd be glad to help. Hephaistion, right?"

[somatophylax]

"Yes, that's right." Hephaistion nods in greeting as he hands over the bag of appleas. "And you're Gale, correct? How are the pegasi treating you? Well, I hope, or no apples for them." He narrows his eyes towards the animals in an exaggerated critical fashion.

[ensared]

"That's me," he affirms with a nod. He's still serving hard time here, so it's not exactly sunshine and rainbows every day he's been here. But Gale broke the rules knowingly, however justified the matter had been, and he does his job without complaint. "They're good. I think they actually like the company."

Odd, that they would like having him around. He's never been much of a horse person, really, or a pegasus person for that matter. More than likely, it simply comes down to their love of attention. They're just like any other pet would be, in that respect.

[somatophylax]

"I'm sure they do. I can't speak for them, but I know most people don't come out here nearly as often as they could. It's why I bring them treats sometimes when I visit. To keep them in good spirits."

Hephaistion would agree that the pegasi were overly fond of attention. But in contrast, Hephaistion really was a horse person, and he took every moment to spoil them silly just like they like. Oh, but not enough that they would become lazy or fat. Horses still had to run like the wind, pegasi still had to be able to fly through it. An overweight, grounded pegasus was a sorry sight indeed.

"The green apple in the bag goes to Moneypenny, but the rest can be given to whomever."

[ensared]

"What makes him so special?" Given Gale's usual disposition, it could come off sounding grumpy. In truth, however, he's only teasing. Being here for a weak and looking after the pegasi has sort of gotten him acquainted with them and their quirks, so he knows how Moneypenny can be. He starts handing out the apples to the appropriate pegasi, giving each of them a friendly scratch on their necks as he does.

[somatophylax]

"She just likes them better. I do try to be accommodating whenever I can." Even if Gale sounds grumpy, Hephaistion is in a pretty good mood (all things considered) and responds with a certain amount of that in his voice. "Horses are a lot easier to spoil than people. And they're more grateful in the long run."

[ensared]

Snort.

"Tell me about it. I have two younger brothers and a princess of a little sister," Gale says with a quiet chuckle. Even as he says it, he knows he's part of the reason Posy's the way the she is. But she's the only girl in the family, save their mom, and the youngest. She should be spoiled on the rare occasions that they can afford it.