Sabine heard the heavy hoof beats of Rydis' Clydesdale through the trees, turning her head back over her shoulder, gazing down the long slope towards the tree line.  Her hood shaded her green orbs from the late afternoon sun- the bright rays glinting off what snow was on the ground with a blinding brightness.  Her eyes sought out the blurred figure of her hunting partner and his horse with a smile.  The man was a mystery- for he dealt with her for reasons she could not, or did not, want to figure out.<br/><br/>His voice was rough as he spoke to her through the mask covering the lower portion of his face, and she smiled at that.  Her eyes followed him as he continued on without stopping, slowly making his way down the path towards the plain that separated them from their village.  She grasped the reins in her gloved right hand and swung up onto the mare's back, fitting her feet into the stirrups.  Sabine turned the mare's head away from the hill's edge towards the downward slope that would lead home.  The mare pricked her ears forward, lifting her head and prancing slightly before Sabine got her under control again.<br/><br/>Following Rydis at a steady pace, she let him get to the bottom of the hill before she started to ride at his side.  Her horse moved at a checked pace, though her rider knew she wanted to be home to be feed and groomed.  Sabine leaned forward and patted her ebony horse's neck and whispered to the mare,<em>"We'll be home soon."</em><br/><br/>She considered the long ride home and knew it would take at least another half hour at this pace, for Rydis' load, though strapped down tightly, was precarious.  To lose it would lengthen their journey as it was.  Sabine laughed to herself, resting her gloved left hand on her thigh, guiding her horse with the simplest twitch of her legs.  She glanced at Rydis and turned her head forward, parting her lips, the voice that emerged was clear as a bell- soaring through the notes of a song...  She sang as they rode towards the village, keeping herself entertained- but probably bugging Rydis to no end.<br/><br/><em>"Heill dagr.<br/>Heilir dags synir.<br/>Heil nótt ok nift.<br/>Óreiðum augum<br/>lítið okkr þinig<br/>ok gefið sitjöndum sigr.<br/><br/>Heilir æsir.<br/>Heilar ásynjur.<br/>Heil sjá in fjölnýta fold.<br/>Mál ok mannvit<br/>gefið okkr mærum tveim<br/>ok læknishendr, meðan lifum."</em>