Catherine Bergman || Student || M: All
Tamlin took the warmup lap quickly and as others began to pile into the arena for the lesson Catherine led the gelding to their own little spot off to the side. Brooke and Alden came first, their punctuality a dual thing it seemed. The blonde offered a wave to Brooke and a coy smile in return for Alden's own. She smoothed her hair and reached into her back pocket to retrieve the gloves which she had forgotten were shoved there. The chilling bite of the air in the arena stiffened her fingers immensely and the second the gloves were on she almost heaved a sigh of relief.
Her attention turned once more to the Camden siblings. In the brief time in which she had looked away, Brooke had mounted and Alden- well he was trying too. Catherine stifled her laughter as he fought his gelding for purchase, and cut it off completely when the raven-haired man shot his own bemused sister a glare. As Joselyn entered the laughter faded completely but a smile remained plastered on her face as she looked away from the ridiculous pair.
Her shoulders snapped to attention once more and the dappled prince shifted beneath her. Petal-shaped ears rotated forward and Catherine's own hearing focused solely on whatever it was Joselyn would say. Not wanting to make a bad first impression the girl offered a nod of her head in the woman's direction, she figured it would be rude to shout across such a distance.
Glancing around once more she noted more students arriving, some alone and some in pairs. She tried taking note of faces and voices, attempting to keep track of them in her mind. They were all so new, strangers. The shinning leather of her saddle's pommel suddenly became the most interesting thing in the room as she sat in wait. A gloved finger brushed gently over it, ridding the ebony material of any dirt she may have missed with the saddle soap a few days prior. When she found none she moved to the knob braids lining the gelding's strong neck. Tamlin tossed his head in response to her touch and relaxed it once more as she began fidgeting with her handiwork from the morning.
God, she hoped this would start soon. It was not like her to be so anti-social and nonconfrontational to challenge but the idea of her possibly failing in front of twenty-something strangers made her guts twist. What if I bust my ass - She tossed a sheet of honey hair over her shoulder and the thought dissipated. Thinking like that would land her on her ass in front of them. Her right hand dropped to her side and fell to her thigh.
'Wer rastet, der rostet'
Her boot-clad feet pressed gently into the stirrup irons, not enough to signal a movement, just enough to remember.
'Wer rastet, der rostet'
And when Tamlin turned his great head to touch his soft pink maw to her boot she eyed the dark primrose flowers lining the bridle he wore.
'Wer rastet, der rostet'
Her shoulders squared once more and she returned her gaze to those who had gathered in the arena and offered smiles to no one in particular. It was a greeting for them all she supposed, but it was also the exile of any thoughts of ruining this for herself. She was going to make this a good day, she was determined.
High Winds and Drifting Snow
