26 May, evening; by the river

"Thought the boots were mostly... for show, sir." Pye said bluntly and looked embarrassed at his boldness. "Didn't mean no offense, there." He looked more worried than anything, though perhaps the darkness comfortably concealed that. "Sir..yes sir." Though he did think the horse would bite, kick and naturally dislike him.

"Oh, there's a practical side to most things out here, Pye, though I'm not so sure about that theory when it comes to hats. Here." They'd reached the area where Vickery had left Phoenix, and he went to the animal's saddlebags where he found an apple, slightly wizened but still sweet. "You offer that to him, and you'll have a friend for life. It's a bit liking making friends with a dog, if you ever did that as a lad. Let him smell you hand, and don't make any sudden moves, or you'll make him startle."

"No sir. ...I killed 'em..'fore they bit me." He answered honestly. He looked at the apple before he took a hold of it. He weighed it in his hand. Nice fruit, probably wouldn't taste half bad. He curled his fingers around it and blinked. Let the horse offer his hand with the apple? He'd not only loose his fingers, he'd probably loose it up to the elbow!

He approached Phoenix, his eyes alert and his arm ready to jerk pack the moment it felt that the teeth were just about ready to strike. He then extended his hand to the horse and braced himself.

"Easy, he's more likely to spook than you think," Vickery said quietly. Phoenix whickered softly and sniffed at the apple before accepting it, taking it gently from Pye's hand. "See, he might be bigger than you, but he's a prey animal. Used to running from danger, not attacking it. Horses that the cavalry use have to be trained how to go into battle because they're much more likely to want to run away from all the noises."

Pye gazed at his empty hand, surprised how gently it had been emptied. The horse took the apple, but took none of his fingers with it. He smiled warmly. Hearing Vickery explain what type of animal a horse was, seemed to bring this beast closer to the lad's heart. "They're wise animals... don't want to get killed for nothing." He hesitated. "But with training...they become dutiful, ..uh. followin' their duty n' commands." He held his empty hand nervously towards Phoenix. He thought he wished to pet his side, but at the same not to invade the creature's space."...thank you, sir." His gratitude was genuine. This small action, might've well changed his opinion of horses somewhat. Though probably the next day, he'd curse saddles to the heavens.

"You can stroke his nose," Vickery said. "Or his neck, if you'd prefer. You're a good lad, Pye. Always willing to try something new and learn from your mistakes, or that's how it seems."

Pye blushed, glad that the darkness hid this and obeyed. At first he dared touch only the side of the neck, from which the mouth was furthest. He wasn't used to receiving a positive word from an officer. Usually he wouldn't even encounter one, and a sergeant would do anything to try and break one's spirit.

Slowly his hand inched from the neck and then touched the muzzle of the horse. He looked surprised, and exclaimed merrily. "His nose 's so soft as ...as real soft." He couldn't compare it to moss, because it was dry and warm.

"You don't survive... if you don't learn sir. Goes for army too." He smiled, and slid his hand from the top of the horse's head gently along it's nose to the end of the muzzle. "Why don't horse run if it's on a rope....like what we had, when we were returning?"

"It's something horses are taught, to follow a leading rein. And if there's another horse there, it'll go the same speed, to stay together with it. There's strength in numbers, you see, and horses know that. They're clever, for animals. There's more chance of being able to survive if you stay together when danger threatens. It's a principle that works in the army too; it's why we form a square against cavalry, instead of running away from them in all directions."

Phoenix whickered again, lowering his head so that Pye could stroke his muzzle. "I think he likes you, Pye," Vickery said, chuckling. "You see, they're really not so scary, are they, horses."

He nodded. They were all drilled to stand in a square and not flee when the enemy came pounding down on them. It felt safe and the most dangerous place to be all at the same time. Safe, because there were so many others left and right, and dangerous, because it was certainly a bloody obvious target, which was not fleeing for its life hoping that it wouldn't be the one picked out to be slaughtered.

"Ain't as much as I thought. " He agreed. " ..docile.." He smiled. "And affectionate.. which is.. odd. But.." He bit his lip. "I should not be the reason.. that you waste time here, when you should be sleeping sir.., it's a fair way back." As much as he enjoyed talking with the captain, and knowing that he still remained in the good books and learning about the horse, he would be selfish to want him to stay when he was tired and needed rest.

"We couldn't have you remaining scared of horses when it only takes a few minutes to get to know them, and for them to get to know you. I needed to come back to him anyway, after all." He smiled at Pye. "You know where you're sleeping tonight, I hope? As you say, I do have to be away; I have other duties to attend to."

"I suppose Phoenix won't completely dislike me then, sir." He paused and then with a bit of alarm, and with the memory of the provost's glare at him he added, for it concerned animals as well. "Sir.. would it be possible.. that my chick is somehow written in...as... as something that won't be considered loot. 'Couse it wasn't. I got it as n' egg.. n' it happened to hatch n' it was a gift from t' ... localmen. ..but.. my word won't count .. if'er...they see it. Me being just a common soldeir, even if a rifleman."

He hesitated a moment longer. Could he squeeze in another bit of information or was it better to keep that quiet for now, just add: "..n'.. i'll jus' sleep somewhere here'bouts. Don't need more than solid floor..n'way."

"I shouldn't think they'd worry you about something as small as a chick, though if they do, I know it's not stolen. I have no idea what Major Davy would say if I were to enter it on the books, though." He stroked Phoenix's nose himself. "I'd try and find a fire somewhere. You'll be much warmer, after all, and Cotton won't want you out in the cold and dark on your own. Learn something from the horses, and try to keep with a group. Life is much easier, that way."

He had his hand on the reins now, and paused to look at the young rifleman. "Do you have any other pressing questions?" he asked.

"Horses don't impose, when other horses got mates with them, do they?" The boy grinned. Perhaps he had no idea about the going ons of horses, but he couldn't have said it more true. He didn't mean it as nothing more but to say he did not want to sit where he'd have been in the way.

"Sir..." His looked serious, his expression somber. "..Jus'.. this isn't a question but, maybe you better should know.. unless you read it. " Or maybe he read it and here he was a fool in saying it. Especially as Vickery was in a hurry to go about his business. He frowned and shook his head. "Nothing, sir, nevermind. ... "

"I wouldn't know," Vickery said. "I don't think the other horses care." He was about to swing into the saddle when Pye said something else, and the lad's tone of voice made him pause and turn to face him, his urgency forgotten. "What is it, Pye?" he asked, encouragingly.

He was torn. Didn't want to have it catch Vickery by surprise at some point, though maybe it wouldn't and him drawing attention to it was more wrong. But now the captain was hesitating for him and he was taking his precious time with just this. With his own hesitance. This was it then. Be quick, about it and hope he'd not picked the worst time for saying so.

"..Sir, I've ...been flogged before, for .....for...desertion.. i've been flogged at home, in England." He didn't dare look at Vickery. "I should've said it when I was requesting to be transferred but I wanted to.. to go into the rifles, and I knew you wouldn't take me if..you knew that about me and.. I don't want to desert again. Not really, no, but somebody might suggest it one day." That was the amount of his faith in officers and superiors. ".. and you wouldn't know..so..there it is. I..Now.. I'm in the rifles." And all was different. Plus, the 33rd had whipped that intentio right out of him for good. Like a dog that would never dare go to a place, after they had been severely beaten for it.

He still felt fearful that Vickery might change his mind in that instant, feeling that he wouldn't have been surprised if someone did. But, he could neither take it back, nor did he want to. If he was a fool, then so be it, but the captain needed to know if he had gone and skipped reading whatever was written about him, or if that was not supplied to him, or if nothing was written at all, anyway.

Vickery was suddenly thankful that it was dark; it hid the look of surprise he was sure had come onto his face.

"Being flogged doesn't mean a man can't be a Rifleman," he said. "You have a word with Cotton, if that's what you're worried about. And from what I have seen of you, I wouldn't have pegged you as someone who try to desert... not from the Rifles, at any rate. And I have heard the rumours about what sort of regiment the 33rd is."

True it was, Cotton had been a rifleman, and he still was, and he had been flogged. But his crime was different, and it was that, that had worried Pye. Being with a regiment very much up in the front where, theoretically, it would have been easy to just disappear, was different than being with the line regiment as well.

He smiled, and nodded, feeling a flood of relief. "I wouldn't sir. Not the Rifles. Just couldn't. No matter." He hesitated. ".. I didn't , even the 33rd. Not after that time." At first because he physically could not, second because of his fears of the same flogging and third, he had just been moulded into a soldier and chose the easiest way. Remaining.

"All right, then. Though if you have any other revelations to make of the same sort, I will ask you to tell me another time. Right now, it's getting late and you'll be wanting your supper." Vickery himself hadn't had anything to eat this evening, either, and hoped that someone had thought to save him something, even if it was going to be cold by the time he got back to the Rifles.

"Just remember, Pye, whatever you did before joining the Rifles, it's in the past. You're a Rifleman now, and that's what you'll remain. When you joined us, and put on that green jacket, you got a clean slate. If you don't make any mistakes like that again, you'll do well as a Rifleman."

"Yes, sir. Sorry sir. There won't be anything else sir." The lad looked apologetic. At the thought of supper though, the lad looked to become even livelier and not at all eager to stand there and wait, chat or whatnot. "We'll.. be good, sir." He said with a small chuckle , and gave Vickery a salute. He had to return to the wagons and pray that there was some food left somewhere. Also he ought to hope Newbury was subdued and asleep. For the night.

"..'ave a safe ride back, sir."

The woman who'd win Pye's heart the quickest, Vickery thought, would be the one who could cook the best. "I'm sure you will be," he said, and pulled himself into the saddle before returning the lad's salute. "And I hope to see you next when you rejoin the Company, and not before. Go and find your own supper now before it gets even later, go on."

Pye nodded quickly and grinned. "Yes, sir!" It was the best order, probably his favourite, ever. He only waited so much that Phoenix was a few steps ahead, that her rider was not as obvious in the dark as when he was up close and then he turned swiftly on his heel. He ran, not really walked, in the direction of the wagons and where he could sense some food be had, or smell it at best.

It didn't take him long to hunt down a fireplace which still had a pot hanging above it, not fully empty. "'scuse me." He said, finding there to be a few camp followers seated and chatting. "..May I 'ave .. a bit?" They looked at him curiously, used to men with red coats, and not green. They leaned close together, to consider the request, some giggles and some not so endearing looks sent his way. One girl drew her hand over her nose and her cheek, and seemed to be talking about that, and the other took a glance and then as she turned back nodded and made a face.

"Here you are lad." It was a woman, with a babe in her one hand that spoke first, approaching him with a smile. "Look half starved." She said none too unkindly." Got a mug?" The baby slept peacefully. " Or a bowl?"

Pye frowned and shook his head. Still had that left with the wagon, or by it. "Come here then, sit with me, I'll let you borrow Frank's." She patted his shoulder a bit motherly like, and smiled as she received a very grateful look and words in turn.

The girls remained to themselves, glancing at him once or twice, before they closed their ring. "..saw that thing on 'is face. A man can have scars but that's just... " Bits and snippets of conversation came and went "I bet he's a brute." " Or a shifty squeak." Another supplied. "Certainly broke, fully so. Wouldn't look at the kettle like it would run from him." A third jabbed and shook her head. "Must be a bad character. Just think. He's here on punishment '.. you didn't see any of the other lads, of his. And he's not injured. I bet he'd done something wrong!"

Pye sat with his bowl, and ate from it. He didn't listen to nothing, but concentrate on the food, the kind woman moving his attentions back to her babe, which woke and needed to be fed.

"Hope he goes soon, keep yer hands on your pennies, Molly, Lizzy, you especially. You always let everyone see where it is! Some day you'll loose it."

Pye finished the bowl and smiled gratefully. "Thank you ma'am." He stood to carry the bowl, to be cleaned when the woman shook her head and held her hand. "No, I'lll have that done." She took a firm grip on the bowl and Pye let it go, realising she would argue if he'd offered.

"Did you see it. Scarface near wanted to make a run for it, with that bowl." Lizzy jabbed her finger in his direction. The other girls giggled, finding the nickname hilarious.

Pye looked at the other pot, that ought to have housed water and tea, and was now dry. "'scuse me miss.., would you like ter have water for tea." The woman, shrugged as unwilling to let him take the kettle as she was for him to take the bowl. "Ask them girls if any will come with you to fetch it..." She sounded unconvinced and distracted. As Pye approached the girls, a few straightened, few turned away and when she asked politely, all they had done was a sharp: "Scam.., beat it. Shoo, run along mutt. 'fore we find summat missin'. Don't need no help from you sort."

One of the girls, who had tried to come through the hard bit of bread, chugged the last piece of that at him. He felt the bit strike, and saw it fall on the floor. "'Have a nice evening, then." He said and knelt to pick the bread and brushed it with his hand before sticking it into his pocket.

"Thank you for the food." He said as he turned to the woman and placed a small coin beside the bowl. With an awkward good bye he left to search for the rifleman's camp fire.