Rosa
*The skeleton said nothing, nor would its naked bone face betray any sign of understanding or reaction of any kind save for the natural illusion of the mocking grin that awaited all mortal denizens of Ramul Ta and beyond when the soul leaves the flesh behind. It did, however, seem to have little interest in moving closer, remaining in its shaded half-emergence from the foliage abound. Instead, it raised a boney hand, dangling what seemed to be an old and simply made commoner's tin bell. It stayed still for a moment, sockets locked on bird and canifor, and then quite suddenly began violently shaking its arm, rattling the thick tin of the cowbell.*

*It shook and shook and shook, a linen-draped arm moving unnaturally beyond what a muscled and sinewed arm of a living being would allow, the wild range of its movements made the emotionless construct look almost elated with that mocking, hanging jaw in the whole act of it. Within seconds of this, roughly a similar time Juna in her skill would have been able to rush over with her staff, the skeleton rather quickly crumpled, disintegrating into a wispy and quickly-fading ash. The clunky, flat-sided bell donking onto the grassy floor with awkward sounds, heralding the slightly slower slump of the linens the bone dancer wore.*
Michelle
*Needless to say, the bell's noise took her by surprise. Her ears would fall flat against her head, trying to block out the loud noise that rang in them. Juniper would let out chirps of distress, suddenly hopping up and running amok in the clearing. It took Juna a while to try to shake it off, soon gripping her staff as she'd dash over to the skeleton to take a swing at it without second thought. It disintegrate on impact, causing Juna to partially lose her balance in the process as she'd stagger over the area were the skeleton once was.

She'd look around almost in confusion as she'd come to expect there to be more of a fight and yet, there wasn't one. Juniper had continued chirping about, forcing Juna to have to leave the strange corpse to go retrieve the bird.*"Shh shh shhh... It's okay Juniper-"*She'd say, lightly caressing the bird's side. It was getting harder and harder to hold onto her at this rate, though after some light screeches, Juniper would eventually slow to a disturbed walk.*"It's okay... It was just..."*Juna would look back towards where the skeleton once was.*"Some... Monster..."*The Canifor would gradually walk back over to it, lightly poking at the bell with her staff in her own curiosity of it. It was a strange moment to say the least. One that came and went at the blink of an eye.*
Rosa
"Donk!" *Went the bell as it was poked by the staff. It appeared to be nothing more than a simple farmer's livestock bell. The linens, as the ash seemed to be completely dematerialized, looked rather clean and well-dyed in their colors. Embroidered along the length of them were the motif of a silver snake knotting with the stems of blue roses. There seemed to be little else left.*

*Some minutes later, whether Juna decided to stick around or not, the sounds of a horse walking without hurry neared the clearing, as Ehakli rode it to the origins of where she heard the bell ringing.*

"Yoooo~hoooo~" *The tholian called out in a melodic tone.* "Juuuuuuna~ Are you out here, darling?"
Michelle
*Juna's head would tilt to the side as she'd reach down to pick up the clothing only for a noise to catch the Canifor's attention. She'd quickly drop it back down, startled for a short while as if she expected someone else to come. However, after a few moments of listening, Juna's ears would pick up some familiarity from the tone of voice.*"Ehakli...?"*She'd say back in her own confusion as if she hadn't expected to see the Elf again so soon after their latest picnic with the Tholian soon riding off to do her own thing. In fact she hasn't really expect her to return at all, though in seeing her again the second time, maybe there was fortune in getting to see each other often enough.*
Rosa
*Hooves plodded along, and eventually they were in sight of eachother. The tholian had indeed returned, dressed in a rather smart looking soldier attire under a sloping fastenings of half-maille. The horse she rode on was different than the draft horse from last time, larger, a courser perhaps, draped in a linen caparison quite similar to what remained of the skeleton.*

"So you *Are* Here!" *She beamed with a bright smile. There was a wooden pole hooked in her right arm, and as she neared she moved the end of it to shove underneath the once-skeleton's linens, hoisting it up, or, trying to, it took a few attempts before she managed it.* "I can't believe that worked." *She said, looking to the costume, before looking to Juna.* "How are you, my dear hermited acquaintance?"
Michelle
"I-"*Juna found herself at a loss of words, partially in her suspecting the Tholian to have something to do with the random skeleton she encountered. She wasn't too sure, but finding herself being right about Ehakli being here surprised her.*"Did you... Send the skeleton...?"*She'd find herself asking her in a tone of confusion. Juna knew Ehakli was good as working illusions, yet this one seemed more real to her. At least she thought so anyways with the loud noise it generated.

Her gaze would shift towards her Airstrider, relieved that the bird hadn't run off in the woman making a new appearance. After a moment of trying to recover from the surprise visit, Juna would eventually answer the Tholian's question.*"I'm... Alright... I guess..."*She'd say, rubbing at her arm absently with the soreness it had generated from the amount of failed attempts in trying to mount Juniper.*"What are... You doing here...?"*She'd ask back looking to the woman's new steed.*"This isn't the Capitol... Or the road-"
Rosa
"Three of them, actually. I wasn't certain how else was I supposed to find you out here off the pathways." *Ehakli raised the pole, and let the linens slide down its length until she could snatch it and begin stowing it away in one of the saddlebags at her flank, running the pole in its own, more secure fastening as if it were meant to support a banner for the rider.* "As for what I'm doing here, well, I'm on my way to meet a sweet little codger in Vuni across the river south from here to see if I can convince him to spare his silver for a potentially lucrative little voyage to Runra." *She eyed Juna for a bit, privately considering how well traveled this canifor was.* "Have you heard of Runra? Such a strange land, but full of very curious exotics to trade with." 

*Finishing her folding and stowing of the linen, she retrieved a leather-bound tome.* "And, well, if I was going to travel alone and spare myself of banditry by using the old pathways between here and Lymia, I thought to myself 'why *Wouldn't* I see if I could find myself again in the delightful company of Miss Juna in her hermitage along the way? Besides, it just so happens that I had in my possession a little something." 

*She tugged at the reins a bit, urging the courser to begin stepping closer to Juna and Juniper, until Ehakli could reasonably present to the canifor the tome. The leather was etched at its borders with curious abstract designs, as well as silnarian words that read "The Artist's Lie' The Artist's Lie' -Xilfaren".* "You guess of your condition? Did your airstrider bite you? They're not venomous if that's your concern."
Michelle
"No I've... Never heard of it actually..."*Juna would say, one ear lowering in the confused look she typically gave off with it. She traveled quite a bit prior to Juniper's hatching, though never had she heard of Runra before.*"Is it close to Silnaria or... Lymia...?"*Juna would find herself asking with those being the only two other countries she could recall going to.*"...Or Mentia?"*Juna would add on the last part, recalling her brief trip through Mentia. It wasn't the most eventful, though she didn't have the best experience there. Not that she had too many good experiences often.

Juna would take the book as it was handed to her.*"Oh... Thank you..."*Though her voice didn't carry much emotion to it, the gratitude was still there as evident from the light flick of her tail followed by the smile she'd show back up to the Elf. She could recall Ehakli recommending this book to her before, though Juna never thought she'd even get to touch a book in her seclusion. Is this why she kept bringing hermit up in her finding Juna? Surely the point was that she couldn't find her out in these woods with Juna trying to hide from others. Nevertheless, she was grateful for the gift at least. It had been a while since she had read anything for fun.

She'd glance over towards Juniper when Ehakli asked about her.*"No, no nothing like that... I...Just been... Well..."*Juna thought about telling her about her attempts at riding a bird, though the thought of her fails sent a wave of embarrassment through her.*"I just thought that well... That seeing some people ride Airstriders meant that maybe I should... Possibly give it a try but..."*Juna would pause once more, cutting herself off before she'd quickly shake her head.*"I don't think Juniper is really meant for riding... I...Maybe I just imagined them riding Airstriders..."*She'd finish in her own doubt.*
Rosa
*Ehakli dipped her head in acknowledgement of the thanks, making a quick note that the purple ribbon marked place of the "Juicier" Bits of illusionary tricks if she ever got particularly lonely out here in the middle of nowhere. The tholian graciously changed the subject swiftly after the indication, looking to Juniper.* "You get there by sea, through the gateways unless you're mad enough to take on the stretch of the Northern Ocean." *She tapped her chin, considering the bird.* "I don't think I've ever read of subspecies of airstriders that *Can't* Be mounted with the right breaking and training. Perhaps it doesn't understand your intentions. It is a young adult now, it might be confused thinking you're trying to mate with it, which would certainly throw a wrench in your attempts."

*As she studied Juniper's behavior in the moment, Ehakli's horse turned its head to sniff at Juna.* "It is tricky business, I believe I myself have forgotten much of riding, especially in the arena of martial disagreements. It's been perhaps sixty years since I've even attended a joust, and find myself having to relearn the confidence. I *Have* Read that airstriders are a bit trickier than horses, but," *She looked back to Juna, giving a nice stroke on the horse's neck as it sniffed the canifor.* "You raised this creature since its hatching, you likely have a stronger advantage than anyone in forming a bond with riding it. It should be achievable, I would think Miss Juna."
Michelle
*As Ehakli mentioned the country being overseas, Juna's ear would raise back up once more.*"Oh I... Guess that's why I've never been there or... Heard of it really..."*She would say in response. Juna never favored water, at least not water as deep and foreboding as the ocean. The Canifor would visit the coast at times, but as far as actually going out into the water, the very thought filled her with anxiety.*"I'm not really... A sea traveler... Or... A traveler at all anymore..."*She'd admit before finally looking back to Juniper. Maybe being able to learn how to ride her would have made it easier for Juna to go visit places more often especially with summer nearing alongside the promise Juna had made to a friend to come out of the forest for a while. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to keep it with Juniper now being a beacon at her size, but she had to find some way to.

Ehakli's words only seemed to confirm her incompetence. Airstriders were meant to be ridden like any other mount. She supposed she just wasn't sure what she was doing. Juna would shy away from the horse's gaze, coming to rest a hand on Juniper's back while she fought back a whine of frustration that threatened to surface.*"But... I don't even know how to climb up on her..."*She'd say helplessly.*"And I feel like I'm just hurting her at this point-"
Rosa
*Ehakli gave a rather gentle, storied smile at the admission of Juna's lack of sea travel, but politely contained it away to give an earnest listen to this troubled canifor, ignoring how she could practically smell the salty air as memories played about in the back of her mind. The more she talked with this hermit, the easier it became to read her face. A white eyebrow pushed inward just a millimeter. So much shame from someone so young.* 

"Well," *She said with a thoughtful breath, looking to Juniper.* "It would help to have some proper rigging to on her to help assist with the issue of mounting, but it's a matter of approach, I think. When I used to ride my uncle's when I was a child, I remembered that it's important to be mindful to not tug on their feathers in the motion. With horses their hair is so short you don't even have to think of it, but for airstriders you should imagine if I were to climb on your shoulders using a fistful of your hair to help get up. At the same time, you should be firm with your palm. I, don't, know exactly why, but I do remember my uncle mentioning this a lot. Perhaps I would recommend sort of cupping your hands rather than grasping with your fingers and thumb."

*She then tugged reins and respositioned herself and horse to somewhere more suitable before offering a hand out to Juna, reaffirming her boot's placements in her horse's stirrups before asking* "Let us try in simple steps, I'll help compensate for the lack of stirrup."
Michelle
"Rigging?"*Juna would ask Ehakli, the word foreign to her in this context. She'd look back over to Juniper, the bird seemingly pecking at the ground in discovery of something that caught her interest. How does one even begin to ride a bird? Juna would listen to Ehakli trying to explain how she was potentially mounting wrong to which Juna's ears would droop from the partial confirmation that she was hurting the bird. Maybe it was better to give up just then. Ironically enough, she managed to find someone with much more knowledge on this endeavor. And even then Ehakli explained how it had been years since she's tried.

Try cupping her hands rather than grabbing onto the bird? While that seemed logical in not hurting Juniper, Juna can only imagine what a ridiculous sight it would be trying to cup her way up onto the bird's back after so many failed attempts at the easy way. With Ehakli's holding out a hand to Juna to help her with the basic steps, the Canifor would remain hesitant to nearing the horse. She could recall a much similar moment to a vampire she had met, one that offering her a ride to the nearest town. Now here she was trying to learn to ride on her own and it seemed much scarier up front than watching from a distance. Eventually Juna would reach out to grab Ehakli's hand as she'd let out a quiet:*"Okay... I'll... I'll... Try again..."