11 June, Getting Acquainted

"Hm, do yer think we've still got time to have this washed ?" This Pye would gladly do on his own and not burden anyone, he only needed someone with him so that others might not feel suspicious of where he was going. "don't think it should start bein' changed 'fore it's got t' blood out best it can." He glanced at Burke's shoulder.

"Glad you're mendin' well on that!" He indicated the area of his injury. "Seein' t' coat it really wos' a bad'un!"

"'M sure there's time t' wash it," Burke said. "We're not far from th' river. Could go see what we can do with it now, if ye'd like."

His mouth twisted wryly at the reminder of his injury. "Coulda been worse," he said.

"Aye. Can always be a worse." And worse in Burke's pace could well have meant loosing an important part of his body. "There.. .i'n you would not mind 'gain.. can we go now, so's we don't go late when everybody'll be on t+ look out." He smiled , with the new coat still on his shoulders. He debated whether it was quite smart to take it off now and not wear it untill it had the red markings.

"Makes sense t' me," Burke replied, shrugging. "Might want t' take it off t' do th' washin', though. Unless ye think ye need th' bath!"

"Bath? Not thinkin' of one just' now." Pye smiled adjusting the coat. At long last he slipped it off again, folding it over one arm. "How're you adjustin' ter being in our camp?" He asked as he stepped in the direction of the stream, where his new coat could be scrubbed free of the blood or at the very least made to look less stiff in that area.

"Alright so far," Burke said, falling easily into step next to Pye. "Still a bit strange, expectin' t' wake up wit' th' 95th an' bein' elsewhere, but..." He shrugged. "Soldierin' is soldierin', aye?"

"It is. Do yer miss them?" He wondered if Burke would rather have returned to his men. He probably had a partner there and..it damped the mood a bit, this thinking. He looked on.

"It'll not take us long." He murmured again, glancing at Burke. "Just a quick stop. Washin'...then going back and yer free again."

Burke shrugged again.

"'S alright," he said. He did miss the other lads, but that was the way of things. And, Pye certainly seemed nice. Offering a smile, Burke added: "After washin' up, mayhaps we can see about fixin' th' collar an' cuffs fer ye, aye?"

"Aye! Gettin' them ready 's soon as possible." So that captain Vickery would no longer need to be ashamed at the turnout of one of his men, and that the lad himself could walk about proudly rather than feel he was in rags and the poorest show.

He peered at Burke, as he walked towards the stream, his attention on the other man's face and expression. "..We're glad ter have you, yer know. I am too."

Pye's words caught Burke slightly by surprise, and he ducked his head, grinning bashfully.

"Well, that's fair kind o' ye t' say," he said. "I'm rather pleased t' be 'ere, meself."

"Ain't nothing but the truth." Pye smiled. "Um..I'll need ter be back soon..'couse that's wot' me orders are...untill it's all back to a'right." He looked at Burke.

He stopped. They've arrived and the coat could get a good washing now. He nodded towards the left, with an easier access to the water. "'Glad..yer not...that yer like it enough to be here with us."

There was a rustle heard not too far from them. Something had moved from that point, further to the left. A few stones were heard skidding into the water.And then a relative silence returned, but for the humming of the very stream that the pair of boys approached.

Burke slowed to a stop near the water, cocking his head to one side and listening hard.

"Did ye hear sommat?" he asked, brow furrowed.

Pye glanced up. Having stood closer to the river, the sound nearly escaped him, though as Burke pointed it out, he was more certain he had heard something - albeit he knew not what.

"...Maybe.." He murmured and skimmed their surroundings with a quick glance. "What did you hear?" He whispered. The sound itself returned, quiet, persistent, as if someone shifting through the bush, and then again turning into a fairly pleasant, quiet little place.

"Sounded just like that!" Burke whispered. Pulling his rifle free from his shoulder, he sent Pye a slight grin. "Should we go see what it was?"

"Can't stray too far 'ways." Pye whispered, but nodded, his coat forgotten for the moment. Just so that it would not hinder him and that somebody might not steal it, while they were going after an unseen enemy, he tugged it over his shoulders. It would have to do for now.

".. bu' less'see what it is." He whispered.

"Now there's th' proper sense o' adventure."

Burke crept into the brush along the side of the stream, peering towards the source of the sound. He could not see too much, save a few trembling branches.

"Gonna 'ave t' get a wee bit closer," he whispered to Pye. "'S dark unner there."

Pye nodded and approached from the side, thinking that a Frenchman might jump out of the bush at any moment. Though, the more he had looked in its direction, the more it appeared like a much larger being.

A rounder and darker of skin. Just as he was about to comment about this strange creature, a fuzzy snout poked through the foilage, quickly followed by a pair of beady eyes, and ears, pointed one in the direction of Burke and one of Pye. The animal tugged at the leafs and the grass and chewed on it peacefully.

It was a horse. A French one no less, but a horse still, having wandered terribly far from its owners and herd. It was close to the stream perhaps because this offered water when it was hot, and greener grass would grow close.

A horse!

Burke let out a slight laugh at their unexpected guest. Here they were, creeping through the brush expecting an enemy, and instead they were faced with a wayward mount. Bit of a beauty, and looked well cared for.

"Would ye lookit that," he said. He shouldered his rifle again, and moved slowly towards the horse. "Mayhaps we can get 'im back t' camp."

Pye was torn. He'd have liked to assist in this bringing of the horse back, but he really did believe horses to be dangerous, large beings. Not as bad as dogs, and he had ridden one before but they could be vicious.

Only, this one did not look as bad, and allowed Burke to come closer possibly yearning for human attention and company, as it might have not had any since last parting with his kin.

It twitched its ears and stomped down a hoof then leaned forward, studying Burke curiously. "Ain't got no saddle." Pye murmured wondering if this was one of the runaway horses. He grinned. It just might be.

"Can tie 'im up to a tree and bring him back once we're done." The horse did look tame enough to wait.

"Ye've got rope?" Burke asked, not taking his eyes from the horse. It had not moved away yet and seemed content to munch on the grass. He shifted closer. The horse stayed where it was.

Feeling bold, Burke took the last few steps that brought him right next to the large animal, and laid a hand on its warm flank. It had been a while since he had interacted with horses. His uncle had an old, cantankerous cob that he used to plough his farm, so he'd learned early to respect the beasts. This one merely snorted out its nose at him and went right on eating.

"Seems a right calm thing, so he does," he told Pye happily. "Come an' say 'ello."

Pye searched through his breadbag. He studied his rifle briefly then the horse. He could have used the leather sling, it was not as long, but it was rope like.

"Hmm." When he looked up he saw Burke standing close to the animal which appeared quite at ease and had after a while tilted its head towards the greencoat and tried to nibble at one of the shiny buttons. It flicked its tail, but not in an offensive, get lost, sort of way.A fly moved from it and whizzed past Burke's ear before leaving altogether.

It was mesmerising to see this man, who knew nothing of the horse, keep it so tame. Keep him so tame, because by the sound of it, it had to be a male horse.

Pye slowly moved closer. "This is all I got." He held the article of rope like qualities up for inspection. Somehow he did feel safe with Burke there, as if the other man might prevent any hurt to come to him. Silly, but on the other hand, he WAS his partner. "I ..am'bit'fraid'o'horses." He admitted as his cheeks coloured in shame.

"That should do," Burke said approvingly, taking the rope. It would be a bit short, sure, but the horse seemed well behaved enough that they could make it work.

He moved cautiously around towards the horse's nose, careful not to startle it. The horse snorted and shook his mane, completely unfazed by the two riflemen's antics.

"'S understandable t' be afraid o' horses," Burke said, pausing to give Pye a small smile. "They're big animals, an' plenny o' them can be dangerous."

He looped the rope, slipping it over the creature's head. The horse snorted again, and moved a few steps away, but went back to eating fairly quickly.

"This one don't seem too worrisome, though," Burke said with a laugh.

"It is?" Pye smiled. Burke was nothing if not nice. Hemade his discomfort about horses into something that was not special or not just his. Yes, of course horses were big animals and they were dangerous. Vickery tried to make him full at ease about them. It did not exactly work, and he had been made once to ride one but, could he warm up to them more? They were not like dogs after all. They bit, but not as frequently and with such want as the dogs. They did not bark either.

He approached the animal carefully, slowly reaching Burke's side. He peered at the calm animal and then at his partner. "How do you know which horse won't suddenly turn out inter a monster an which.... would?" He asked, thinking Burke probably knew everything there was to know about these animals. He sure managed to catch one without any trouble whatsoever!

Burke shrugged.

"Don't know," he said wryly. "I guess th' ones what spook and startle are th' ones t' look out for. This one seems fair tame, though."

He was certainly no expert, but he thought they'd at least be able to secure the horse long enough to wash up Pye's jacket and then get back to camp. At it was, the animal didn't seem overly inclined to do anything save munch on the grass.