We are all connected to each other

[Khalid Al-Kuwari]

Unlike Serenity, Khalid had no sense for energies. He felt nothing besides his own grief and had no idea how that affected her ability to concentrate. Even the idea that people had energies was completely unknown to him. Already coming to America had been quite a shock compared to the more conservative Qatar. Bahrain was extremely liberal, but his parents told him not to go there until he was older and could resist the temptations that plagued Manawa. Drinking, homosexuality, prostitution, it was all available for anyone who wanted it. His father refused to take him to Dubai or Abu Dhabi on the grounds that young women there dressed in ways unpleasing to Allah revealing skin and turning themselves into sexual objects. He grew up sheltered and largely ignorant of the variety of cultures and beliefs in other parts of the world.

He wanted to ask what the cards meant, and their designs were unlike anything he had seen before. She was a good artist, he had to give her that even if seeing people depicted made him a little uncomfortable. He certainly wasn't allowed to draw animate things, but she wasn't Muslim. He wasn't even sure what her religious beliefs were for that matter. He followed her gaze skyward, but saw nothing unusual in the clouds. The weather here always felt cold especially next to the significantly warmer winters in Doha.

"I think so. How do you know the weather is going to change? It doesn't look any different?"

When he stood up, there was no wave of vertigo to follow which was a good sign. Praying definitely helped calm a few of his emotions, but the slightest pressure threatened to break his composure. Mounting Nasr from the ground was going to be interesting, and he wondered if it was possible to use the log as a makeshift mounting block. Even a couple inches would go a long way in getting on the large gelding. Without really thinking and needing some sort of distraction, he asked the first thing on his mind.

"What do those cards mean? The ones you were drawing."

[Serenity Oliver]

She smiled and shrugged at the question. "Just call it a sixth sense." She replied. and gestured toward the clouds. "When I arrived, they were quite solid, they low look lighter as they had dropped, which may mean that rain is on the horizon." With the blue hint to the grey clouds it could even bring sleet, but that would be silly as the temperature hadn't dropped enough to warn about snow. Either way, she didn't want to be caught out in the rain.

She grabbed Plot's bridle and Nasr's bit from where she'd left them as she slipped the back onto her back and clipped it around her waist. "I can bring your man over to the log if you need a mounting block?" She offered, not wanting Khalid to have to move around too much before she got him into the saddle. The last thing she wanted for him to pass out and her having to hoist him over the saddle to lead the other horse back, yes, that would raise a few eyebrows upon her return.

She walked up to the horses where she slipped the bit into Plot's mouth, slipped the crown piece over her ears and fastened the throat latch. She then turned her attention to fixing the gelding's bridle, taking it off and putting the bit back into place before putting it back on him and securing the nose band properly as she removed the lead rope.

Pulling down the gelding's stirrups, she tightened the girth and led him, and her mare, closer to the log so that the boy could mount with the added height. She hovered at the gelding's side, pretending to be busy with her own saddle, waiting until the boy was mounted before she knotted the lead around Plot's neck, tightened the girth, lowered the stirrups and swung into the saddle.

"They were Tarot cards." She finally replied. "They are a form of divination that I use when I need to ask the universe a question about... If I have anything that's troubling me, I use the cards to ask the universe what path I should take." She shrugged her shoulders. "I know they aren't everyone's thing, and are frowned upon by many, but they have never steered me wrong before." She just didn't mention that the three cards she had pulled for her own reading days ago were so very fitting for her companion's current concerns.

[Khalid Al-Kuwari]

Khalid had to admit that his knowledge of cloud formation and meteorology was sorely lacking. The study of weather never much interested him, and with such low chances of rain in the desert, there was no need to be bothered with the signs of an approaching storm. If it wasn't raining too hard, then it was fun to go outside and play some or just watch the water fall from the sky. He nodded to his offer, silently grateful that there was even a log to use as a mounting block of sorts. He would still have to drop the stirrup, but at least he wouldn't be wrenching his horse's back so much as if he tried to mount from the ground.

Once she led the big gelding over to him, the boy adjusted the stirrup to the fourth hole and swung up into the saddle. The size was great for jumping and powering over the larger obstacles but absolutely terrible for unexpected dismounts. He leaned against the gelding's neck for a moment before gathering the reins. He could ride well enough so long as there was no sudden movements. Khalid felt sure he would go toppling off sideways again if Nasr spooked at a deer. He wanted to say oryx, but those were desert antelope and hardly the local fauna in Kentucky.

"Divination? Tarot? I have never heard those words before."

He knew he shouldn't indulge his curiosity, but the idea of the occult was still completely alien. He always heard that such things were demonic possession practiced by people in dark rooms chanting in an dead language. They summoned ghosts and cursed people. The image he had hardly fit Serenity, but he still didn't really understand what it was she did. The rational part of his mind told him to denounce her behavior as straying from the narrow path set down by God, but even with prayer, the boy felt anger towards the God who let innocent people die. He wanted to hate his parents for their constant reminders that nothing happens unless God willed it. It was inconceivable to think that God would take the life of a man who was the breadwinner of his family. What Merciful God could do that? He wanted to spit at the Loving God who left a family in shock and uncertainty. That was not loving, it was cruel.

"When we get back to the barns, can you show me how it works?"

It didn't matter that he was directly disobeying his parents and belief. Maybe her form of spirituality would offer answers and sense when Islam left him in misery. His God was silent, but her provided answers.

[Serenity Oliver]

Serenity patted Plot's neck, silently begging the mare to behave herself on the way back, as the last thing she needed was for the mare to go mental and set the gelding off. She pressed her lips together as he repeated her words, not quite sure how to answer them to someone who not only didn't follow the craft but had such a rigid (without a better word) religion. She tugged at the end of the ponytail that had fallen over her shoulder. She knew that divination came from the Latin divinare "to foresee, to be inspired by a god", but she didn't think that answer would go over too well. "Think of it as my question being a prayer, and the cards tell me a story that hints to what the answer is." She offered before she pressed her lips together. Where was her brother when she needed him? Tommy was great at knowing what to say to put everyone at ease.

As she was about to squeeze her mare forward, his next words caught her completely off guard and she looked at him with open disbelief. "You want me to do a reading for you?" She asked and then shook her head at her own words. "I'd be honoured to Khalid." She corrected herself as she squeezed Plot forward. "Once I turn this girl out, I can go and get my cards." Of course, the cards she'd use for his reading wouldn't be the ones she'd been drawing as she used a Rider Waite set for when she did reading's for others, because no one but she was allowed to touch her fairy cards, though that was another thing that was hard to explain to other people.

"How are you feeling?" She asked when they had been riding for a bit. She didn't want to seem like she was fussing, but it was the healer in her that just wouldn't rest.

[Khalid Al-Kuwari]

Nasr seemed to sense his rider's uncertainty in the saddle. Normally, the gelding took any hesitation as an excuse to take charge, but now he remained calm and placid. The horse understood that his rider wasn't suffering from indecisiveness but was physically unable to ride as well as expected. Khalid felt slightly dazed still and wasn't riding with as much determination as usual. The boy nodded in understanding as Serenity explained divination. He could think of a few words in Arabic that fit her definition. The word for magic or charm, sahar, particularly came into mind. He wasn't even sure if Arabic had a direct translation for divination because any mention of magic was strictly forbidden in the house. Words to describe it never crossed his mind.

"A reading...if that's what you call it, yes."

It was an outlet for his anger and frustration. Sinning never even crossed his mind. Prayer brought a sense of peace, but it didn't provide answers. He didn't know what he should do to best help his friend. Even thousands of miles away, Amir still needed the support of his friends, and Khalid wanted to do everything possible for him. He would fly to Doha without a second thought if that would make things better even by a little.

"I'm doing okay."

Before he could stop himself, the boy found that he was saying more than usual and sharing information he typically kept private.

"My head still hurts, but not as much as before. Nasr is being really well behaved now, and I think he can sense that I'm not at my best. But it's still hard to stop thinking about Amir and how much he has to go through. We're the same age, and I don't think anyone should have to experience the premature loss of a parent. I know I need to forgive, but I can only feel anger towards the Saudis who were responsible and Allah who let this happen."

The trail felt longer heading home, and they hadn't even reached the waterfall. It crossed his mind to go to a doctor and be examined for a concussion, but he didn't want to wound his pride any further. Guys could handle a knock or two to the head. Replacing his helmet before classes would be interesting, and there was no doubt that his father would start asking questions.

[Serenity Oliver]

Serenity nodded, she'd get her cards, she'd do a reading for him. Inf fact she was more than curious to know how it would turn out, his energies were everywhere at the moment, flickering from one emotion to the next that it was almost making her nauseous just trying to keep up with the, though this could also work in his favour, as even if the question he thought about while shuffling the cards wasn't what he needed to know, the energy surrounding him would help put things in the right direction.

An eyebrow lifted at his answer, but she held her tongue as he continued talking and she gave a soft smile. "That's why they make sure great therapy animals." She replied as she rubbed Plot's neck, as even the mare seemed a lot calmer than she normally was. "They sense what their riders need, and take their cue from our energy rather than just what our aids are telling them."

As they followed the trail back to the campus she did the one thing she didn't normally, she sent her energy out to her brother. While they weren't telepathically linked, as a lot of people assumed being a twin was all about, they were aware of each other. She blew out a calming breath as she focused her thoughts on Tommy and the barn she wanted him to be in. She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head as she felt a headache forming and hoped that it had worked - it did more often than not.

The path finally opened out to reveal the campus and she quietly followed the path around to the barns where she swung out of the saddle. "Are you alright to dismount?" She asked softly enough not to draw attention to them as she walked around to Nasr's head, scratching his cheek to hold him still without actually looking like she was.

[Khalid Al-Kuwari]

The Arab rarely considered his horse to be anything more than a glorified car. In Doha, he could arrive at the stable for a lesson and expect his horse to be all tacked and ready for him. Learning how to groom and tack himself was more a formality than anything. For years, he never gave Sarab much thought outside of their performance in lessons. If he got bored, she could just be cast aside like any number of toys he outgrew. Here, it was slowly sinking in that his horse was his partner and deserved as much respect as any friend or colleague. Grooming was no longer a chore to be dreaded, but the boy couldn't say he enjoyed it.

He felt relieved to see the barns again and be able to sit down. Nasr was calm and complacent, but Khalid knew that wouldn't last. The horse needed a confident rider to keep him under control and focused. The gelding knew his job and was more than willing to take over for any rider who wasn't sure.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Khalid used his horse for support more than usual to dismount so as not to shock himself too much by just dropping to the ground. He loosened the girth and ran up the stirrup before flipping the gelding's reins over his head and going to run up the other stirrup.

"He lives in the White Oak barn. Where does your horse live? Is there any place in particular to meet for the reading?"

[Serenity Oliver]

Serenity lifted a skeptical eyebrow at his response, but didn't fuss at his side, as that would only draw attention to them, and the last thing she wanted to do was embarrass the other student.

She stepped back to stand at Plot's head with a smile. "She actually lives out in the pasture more often than not." She replied with a shrug. "She has a stall and her things are kept in Red Willow though." She glanced toward the barn he had mentioned. "If I'm not mistaken, my brother is in there. He'll take care of Nsar for you if you need the assistance. He's got dirty blond hair, stands a little over six feet tall." Her eyes twinkled. "Tell him that his big sister says he has to or she'll make sure he can't sit for the next week after we spar." Her smile deepened. "If you use those words, he'll know the message is from me."

She loosened the mare's girth and ran the stirrups up as she thought about the best place to meet. "The rec room is common ground." She finally said as she brought the reins over Plot's head. "I'll meet you in there? Make sure you have a drink, something warm and positively sweet. It will help with the head." She gave a soft smile and bowed her head as she led Plot toward her own barn.

OOC: You can either have him approaching Tommy or not, up to you. I'll start a new thread in the Lounge for the two of them.