The next few days Britta built on her skills and practiced every spare moment. A strong bond formed between her and Thunder and she spent long mornings and evenings cementing it. She saw the Fox every day after training, learning to track through the forest to find him in various areas every day, still whipping out her dagger in a salute whenever she saw him. The first day off they got was a Sunday.

When Britta woke up she was happy to fall back to sleep until the sun was up. It was still early morning but the sun was up and for her at least, it was a sleep in. She remembered to be quiet as everyone else slept in, even Diana. Britta decided to let her rest; she had spent every morning climbing the cliff with her, though she was getting faster and more confident she still froze when she looked down. Britta gathered up the halter and went to the paddock to get Thunder. He still would not let her put it on but she needed to have him accept it by the next day as they would spend the morning riding again and though she found it perfectly fine to ride him bridle-less and barebacked she knew she would most likely be accused of being lazy if she didn't saddle him up.

He and Hoshi both walked over to greet her, Fawn nickered a question about Diana and Britta was quick to tell her that her sister wanted a sleep in. All three horses had an annoying habit of using the link the twins had established to call out when they were wanted, regardless of whatever else they were doing. Britta held out the halter and squinted against the snort Thunder blew at her.

"Come on Thunder, do you want me to get told off?" She asked, sending him a glare but not getting into the paddock.

"No halter."

"I know you're scared of it-"

"No scared, just don't want halter."

Britta smiled sympathetically but kept the words to herself. Thunder wouldn't admit he was scared if the world depended on it. "I need to put it on you, we'll get in a lot of trouble otherwise."

"Can ride without it, easy to know signals, no need."

"Yes but it's part of training. What if I need to ride another horse that doesn't know the signals we developed?"

"Will always ride Thunder." He said kicking the fence. "Want run now."

Britta deliberately turned to go. "No ride until you let me put on halter. No treats either, only dry hay. Come on Hoshi, I'm glad you're sensible."

Thunder nickered as Britta led Hoshi to the tack shed, then in her mind she heard Thunder.

Fine, come, put on bridle, put on saddle, put on all gear, you ride me, not Hoshi.

Britta grinned, knowing it would work.

"You don't mind, do you Hoshi?"

"Will follow until clearing, then graze." Britta patted her on the withers, "Good girl, I wasn't lying when I said you were sensible."

Hoshi nosed at her jacket and Britta pulled out one of the small carrots before grabbing the saddle that would fit Thunder - one of the biggest ones there - and draping the riding blanket and bridle over top. She put the gear she had prepared to put on Hoshi back neatly and ran back to the paddock. She put the halter she had got out gently on Thunder's nose, she felt his breathing quicken and knew he was nervous. Britta then led him back to the tack shed and put the riding blanket over his back, then the saddle, Thunder still bent down so she could reach but she felt him stiffen when the weight was on his back. Britta was very careful when she reached under his belly to do up the girth and adjusted the stirrups to a better length, spending a long time on them to give Thunder time to get used to the straps running around his body.

"Ready for the bit?" She asked, pleased they had gotten this far.

Thunder pulled back against the rope and Britta put the bridle down before he could do anything to harm himself or more likely, the stable.

"We'll work on that later then." She muttered, having to jump to reach the stirrup before hoisting herself onto the saddle. She found it easier to balance once Thunder took off. Hoshi followed at a leisurely pace behind.

Britta relished the familiar feeling of the ride through the trees, with branches whipping past almost terrifyingly close to her face. She held tight to the front of the saddle and leaned forwards. The saddle made her feel more secure, but it was strange not feeling Thunder's fluid movement directly beneath her. Her hair sliced through the air, now long enough to touch her collarbone. A laugh flowed from her mouth and she stretched out when they reached the clearing. Thunder had slowed down, but only slightly.

Leaning forwards Britta threw herself off and rolled onto the soft ground. She smiled up at the sky before springing up again and straightening her face. She rubbed Thunders lathered mouth.

"I'll wash you at the river." She said and smiled at Hoshi when she arrived. Then, Britta turned and made her way to the cliff.

She looked up at the cliff and dug her fingers into a crack, hoisting herself up. She kept going until she reached the top, but didn't let herself collapse on the grass. Today, she decided, she would run as far as she could before turning around. Usually, she only ran until Diana started on her way down before running back.

Arms pumping she began to run. Aware of her surroundings Britta recognised the place she usually stopped at to go back and kept running. Sweat crept its way across her brow but she barely slowed to swipe it away. There was something about her body, working in harmony, the complete absence of human life that she rejoiced at. There was only her and nature. She began to slow down when the burning in her lungs begun and the crisp morning air didn't seem enough to keep her breathing. She had been running for a while, the sun high in the sky. She had not been at the camp on a day off yet and she wondered if the others would be awakening. Ed would probably try and get her to spend time with him and his group of friends. Doubled over Britta gasped for air, her cheeks tinged red from the run, though her skin tone hid it well; ever darker now she was so tanned. She sat back on a clump of moss and burrowed her fingers into it. She stretched out but then had to resist the urge to fall back to sleep.

Eventually, Britta got back up. On the way back she was slower, but instead concentrated on keeping her footsteps quiet and her movements graceful. She tried to prowl like a cat hunting, crouching so she could follow her own tracks back. When she got to the cliff Britta performed the leap to one of the nearby tree-tops and scrambled down, landing ungracefully on the ground. She groaned as she stretched her legs, knowing that she couldn't yet do a run that long every morning. She walked back to the clearing and got back on Thunder, who, after his longer than usual graze, only walked to the stream, of which Britta was glad. She was quick to check for any tracks that might indicate someone nearby. When she found nothing she washed herself and her riding clothes before laying them out to dry and continuing to wash every trace of dirt off her body. The cool water soothed her aching limbs, and she sighed in relief. Britta swam downstream. It was never so deep so as she couldn't touch the stream bed. Giving up paddling Britta let herself float noticing soap-root on the bank. Paddling over she pulled up a few.

Hey, Di? Diana! Wake up sleepy head, I'm down at the stream and I found some soap-root. Come down and use it, you don't have to climb today, it's our day off, remember?

Why didn't you wake me?

Because you were sleeping, duh.

I'm coming.

And bring us each our armour and those spare clothes we can wear today, I've just washed my riding clothes and I want to wash my armour as well.

Coming.

Brita smiled and pulled up more soap root before getting out of the river and walking back up so she could carry it. In a small depression in a rock she began to pound it up, planning also to rub it into the clothes. She washed her riding clothes first and rubbed off the boots. The top she wore around her waist, which doubled as a pyjama top got a pounding as the squeezed it clean. The work made her think of the Abbey, and she felt a tinge of sadness.

It wasn't long before Diana arrived with the rest of the clothes. While she was washing Britta cleaned the rest of her clothes and then her hair before she climbed back out and attempted to shake the water off her. They hadn't yet worn the spare clothes and Britta decided that when she dried off, those would be the clothes she wore for the day. While she dried in the sun she rinsed off Thunder and used a teasel to brush out his mane and tail for lack of an actual brush. She then did Hoshi and by the time she was done she was dry and pulled on the spare clothes. The looser shirt hid her body shape better than both the armour and riding clothes. Shaking out the other light shirt, which she had stretched over a bush to get rid of the wrinkles which formed from wearing it around her waist, she tied it back in place just in case.

Pulling at her hair, fresh after the wash Britta realised that it was swiftly getting longer. Nearby she pulled at a fibrous flax plant and twined some up to tie her hair back. The scar on her face was now plainly visible but Britta ignored her sisters raised eyebrow.

"You should tie yours back as well, low down like that, I've seen a lot of men wear it that way."

Diana nodded and pulled it back as well. Both dressed in the clean new clothes, they headed back to camp, Thunder and Hoshi following at their own pace. Britta led them back to the pen and let them in before going back to the cabin and spreading her still damp armour out to dry. She practiced a pattern dance before going back to the cabin for lunch.

She left with plate full of food the where she knew Ed and his friends would be. She sat down with them and balanced the plate on her knees.

"Where've you been?" She was asked.

"Oh, I went on a ride and then did some washing." She said casually.

Ed shook his head, "you need schooling." He said.

"What?" Britta asked blankly.

"Here you take every chance to not do work." 

Britta rolled her eyes. "That was basic hygiene, you should try it sometime..."

Altogether they made a group of six, Britta and Diana with Ed and his three friends, Neal, Thom, and Clyde. They got along reasonably well.

"So, what are you going to do after we've eaten? Any free-time to come with us?"

"Where are you going?" Asked Diana curiously.

"Probably into town, we're able to if we get permission."

"How about we just do something around here. I'll come to town next week when we have the whole day, it's a good three hours to get there"

"How about a swim?" Ed asked, "care to practice some basic hygiene with us?"

Britta and Diana shared a look. "Done that already." Britta said gruffly.

Diana nodded, "I'll read."

Ed sighed, "I swear you're going out of your way to avoid any type of fun."

"If you don't splash us we'll walk down," Diana suggested. 

Diana came armed with a book which she had borrowed from her teacher, The Sparrow. The fact that she'd been allowed it spoke well of her teacher's opinion of her. She kept her eyes firmly on it while the men pulled off their clothing to swim. Britta tried to glare a hole in the book while her face burned.

Now you know why I learned to read. Diana joked.

I can't believe you, I'm reading over your shoulder.

Fine, but it's not my fault you couldn't be bothered to learn.

Britta snorted, I'm not sure if you noticed but most people don't expect to find themselves in this situation.

Yeah, but they still have the brains to learn to read.

Brains maybe, but what about time?

You had enough time to learn to read.

I did, to some extent, I just wasn't obsessed with it. And anyway, I'm surprised you had enough time, your eyes were all for Clem.

Shut up, that was years ago.

One year ago, we turn sixteen in midsummer so almost two if I'm being nice.

That's still a while ago... Diana looked up to glare at Britta, I wasn't obsessed! She protested again.

Clem this Clem that, Oh he's so amazing..... Imitated Britta, holding back a smile.

My point is we both had time to learn to read.

And the truth is neither of us used it very well.

Ugh, you are so annoying.

Come on Di, you know it's true.

Shut up.

Guilty.

I'm trying to read.

Ok, I win that one.

You always do, anyone would think you rehearsed it while you sleep.

Sleep is the only place you'll win these things.

I'm trying to read. Diana repeated and Britta leaned over her shoulder and tried to make out the words. Anything to keep her eyes off the swimmers because that was one thing she didn't want to see.

After that dull afternoon, Britta was among the first to get to bed, wanting to be able to keep getting up early, though on Mondays everything started an hour late. Britta could easily guess this was because most people choose to stay up later, arriving back from down or gorging on the whiskey which the camp provided to 'keep morale up'. 

She found it difficult to sleep, the main thing playing on her mind was how hard it would be to keep her identity hidden. The colder season had been fine but as the weather got hotter, shirts came off... Hugging herself Britta curled up, it would be obvious who she was if that were to happen but she was already thought of strange.

***

Shouts filtered through from outside and Britta sat up. It was still night but she had dozed off. Evidently not many others were sleeping. Pulling back the shutters she could see men crowding around something, shouting and stumbling about. She rolled her eyes, feeling stupid to have bothered getting up. They were most likely drunk. Shutting the window again Britta hoped they would all have headaches and feel tired in the morning. She shut her eyes, but could still see the light of the fire outside filtering through the cracks in the shutter. Stubbornly, she ignored it, and eventually, sleep won over.

She was right in thinking the majority would have headaches but after being well-rested she didn't disdain them as much. Despite this, the drink reminded her of long nights at the Abbey and flaring tempers the next day. After her morning exercise she and Diana came back and still found less people up. After sitting around for a few minutes while Diana read Britta got back up and headed into the forest, deciding to get the collection of herbs she used to have to make for Mistress Core and the guests – a morning after tea. She made sure to gather enough for her own breathing. She was quick in gathering and preparing them, but as an afterthought, she decided to go and get some of the mint growing around the edge of the training area to flavour it as well as to help settle stomachs. With the pot clasped in her hand, she made her way back down the path to the training area, only to find Micah standing in the clearing, sword at his side, leaning on one of the posts.

Resolutely she walked past him, ignored the glare he was no doubt sending her way and knelt down, grabbing the cleaner leaves nearer the top.

"What are you doing?" He asked gruffly behind her.

"Making tea."

"Why?"

"Because everyone here was too stupid to consider the results of the drink before drinking it." It only took her a few seconds to realised she was referring to him. Oops.

"Thoughtful." He said. Britta turned around to see his eyes not hostile, despite the scathing tone.

She shrugged, mind working quickly. "My parents used to come home drunk all the time, we didn't get along but that was one thing I did for them." Britta's mouth turned sour referring to Mistress Core as her parent.

"And did it work?"

Britta shrugged again, suddenly realising that he wanted some. Sighing she shredded the mint leaves. It might be seen like she was buttering him up so she could get a good position, or just being creepy. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye she got the impression he was watching her closely. Making a decision, she straightened up.

***

Update for you all (Or you specifcally, Thank you so much for reading :) 

So I've got everything written but it needs editing because I cannot grammar so... I should probably even go back and fix it more because I didn't realise how many mistakes there were until I read it carefully... I guess when I write I don't really think about spelling I just want to actually produce something