Gilder's Folly

The horse that the mystery horse had chosen appeared to be about the same colour and build as him, without the half circle mark. This horse was almost certainly slower, but Astra hoped that it would be docile. Astra led the horse out of his stall, and the mystery horse, unexpectedly, slipped in. This would be very useful, if he would stay there, as it would grant her just a bit more time before the missing horse would be found. It appeared that Mercury was playing a practical joke on his nominal masters.

The other horse looked back at Mercury, and softly whinnied. Mercury shook his head, and grunted back. Astra did not know whether the crisis was causing her imagination to become overactive, but if she did not know any better, it was as if this mystery horse was giving the horse that she was leading out of the stall a brief instruction.

"What is your name, horse?" Astra asked softly. As if to answer her question, she saw that the names of the horses were burned into a wooden board into the back of the wall. The horses in the adjacent stalls were "Pride of Nom Galba" and the "Thundercatcher." She could not quite read the name of this horse. She led it to a stack of hay, jumped up on the hay, and mounted it. It did not fight her; instead, it meekly head out the barn. She opened the door to the stable. A weak light flooded it. As she looked back, she saw the mystery horse placidly eating the apple that he had dropped earlier, before he took the bridle in his mouth. In the stall he now occupied, was the name of her new mount: Gilder's Folly.

"Oh, great. What have I gotten myself into?" thought Astra. Still, she at least had a mount and a bridle, although she did not know where she were going. A saddle and stirrups would be good to have, as well as more comfortable clothes. It might also be wise to shut the doors to the shed and the barn. On the other hand, did she have time? The night was passing rapidly, and she wanted to put as much distance between herself and the city as possible.

"Folly, are you ready?" she asked softly. The horse pricked up its ears.

1. Astra tried to find a saddle.
2. Astra prods the horse to leave immediately. She makes a guess as to where a road might be.
3. The horse takes off on its own, as if he knows where he wants to go.

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