Fireside, 26 May; evening

he chuckled amused thinking of how it would look "aye could be done but a sabre isnt something ya given during training but im sure i coulda gotten quite a few shoes out of tha'" smirked as he drank the last of his tea

"Prolly," Stubbins allowed. "Safer havin' us swingin' sabres at shoes, 'stead of them officers, anyway. Half 'em are cricketers. Daft lot, an' all!"

Forbes swiped the freshly-boiled kettle away from Kenley and offered it to Raven. "Best get some whilst y'can, lad. That 'un there downs tea worse'n a horse downs water."

"I ain't a horse!" Kenley exclaimed, indignantly.

he takes the offered kettle and fills the cup up again and hands it back to Forbes "ah thanks" he sipped his new cup of tea "well kenley ya be doing hard work... as do horses"

"Hard work? Kenley?" Stubbins chuckled. "Not if he can bloody help it. You watch tomorrow, lad. He'll be the last one rousin' out."

"Almost ain't worth callin' Reveille, you mark it," Forbes added. "Some day we'll leave him behind!"

he chuckled "well i suppose i could always just do it closer to where he is laying hm?" shook his head amused

Forbes reached over and hooked his arm playfully around Kenley's neck. "Aye, right in his ear. That'd show him!"

"Outside his tent'd suit better," Stubbins amended. "He's no use to anybody if he's gone deaf."

he chuckled amused "ya could be right there but as long as he gets up at some point the officers don't get that mad" he drank the rest of his tea and looked to the sky again

"Captain Gaines is already wise to him," Stubbins said. "Makes sure to come 'round to check he's movin', he does."

"Where was you at before here, Raven?" Kenley asked, seeking to change the subject.

his smile fainted as he were asked where he were before this he sighed and answered "where i were? home..." stayed silent for a moment then he continued "but felt like serving in the kings army being more important"

"Ain't that the usual feelin'," said Stubbins. "I think he meant, what regiment was you in 'fore ours?"

he stretched "the 2nd dragoon for a short while and that's about it... how about you? bin here since ya joined up?"

Second Dragoons. They'd been in the Low Countries, some years ago. A hard-bitten bunch, to all accounts.

"I been here the whole time," Stubbins replied. "That's 'bout the same as mosta us."

Forbes smirked. " 'Cept for me. Come here from the Skins, me. Couple years back."

"Oh aye," Kenley scoffed. "Get you, fella, bein' proud of comin' outta that lot. Bloody Inniskillings!"

he shrugged "i don't know i spend very little time with them before getting here, but i am happy ta be with ya bunch!" he turned from his back over to the side looking towards the fire

"Good lad," said Forbes. "Best horse regiment in the army, ours."

Stubbins rumbled a laugh. "When we're let loose to do our work anyway, we are, sure."

"You been in a scrap before, Raven?" Kenley wanted to know.

he smiled at the first part, when he were asked if he'd bin in battle his smile faints, "aye, were with ya in the last battle" he sighed

"Ah! Better, then. Not that it was so much a battle as a fox chase," Stubbins said. "Still, some action's better than nothin'. What'd you think of it?"

"what i think of it? well its battle i try not to think of it... lucky me i still havent had to do anything but blowing charge and so on" he yawned "what you think of it? now you're the veteran an' all"

Something like a smirk touched Stubbins' face. "It's a racin' madness, ain't it? You lads blow the charge, then we put our spurs back an' off we goes. Chasin' the infantry down an' layin' 'em out. It's all sweepin' sabres an' flyin' hooves. 'Less of course the poor lads we're ridin' down get smart an' pull up into squares."

he nodded "aye a racin madness... hell in difference to the infantry us musicians also charge... and ya mean that the frogs are also trained in square? thought they were ta silly for that"

Stubbins shook his head, as best he could in his supine position. "Nah, they know how to form into square. That's a universal infantry trick. Don't matter what army you're facin' off 'gainst."

" 'Cept it don't always work," Forbes offered. "The Greys broke a Frog square durin' the Low Countries campaign. Heard about that from a mate what was there."

he nodded "i see, well let it is a useful formation against cavalry" he sighed

"It is, that," Stubbins agreed. " 'Cept when you got your own infantry comin' up close behind ya. A square ain't much good 'gainst a line!"

"aye i can imagine" he nodded thinking how it would look "well considering how its going so far im sure that the french wont last long before we can go him"

The other troopers nodded and made noises of agreement. Going home was every man's hope.

"Be nice to put paid to 'em for good," Stubbins said. "They'd have to stand an' fight like men first, though."

Herrero had been rather moody that evening. All the while having to tend to his whims, he was also attempting to have him presentable - as presentable as a spotted horse could be. Tired, and annoyed with the beast, he was at last finished. If he was lucky there would be some tea left. If not, then Kenley could be blamed for it and sent to fetch some water for more.

He yawned and held his hand to his mouth, to cover it before making his way past the other horses, most mulling over their food or getting ready for their night's rest, their equivalent of 'sleep'. "'ey." He greeted the men, glancing over his shoulder to see where the French woman had got to. Ever since rescuing her, she was about somewhere most of the time. While his rations had been since split in about a half. ".Do you have any tea you would be willing to spare on a weary traveler?" He asked, elaborating his greeting with near mock amusement.