Valentine had hardly changed since Arthur last visited it some months ago, then again it was a livestock town and he doubted much of it would for a long time. But it was the better than Annesburg, despite smelling just as bad, though instead of coal burning, it was sheep.

They stopped first at the stables, Arthur recognized a couple of the men but they didn’t seem to recognize him, which he was grateful for. Though their attention was largely on Todd and his feisty new horse.

They stocked up on couple things and got the medicine seller some gear for his mare, who was-as predicted-rather jittery around folk. But oats and some kind words and pats and she settled down. Getting the bit in her mouth was the hard part though and took them quite awhile to coax her-with more oats and an apple-that all was okay. The saddle was easier and soon they were leading their horses out and through town.

At the medicine seller’s comment about not being good at naming things, Arthur chuckled, “So I noticed. Horses are a bit easier to name than people I think. Can be as simple as something like-“ he paused, looking at the mare and her dapple gray coloring, “Stormy. Or somethin’ more elaborate. Before Edelweiss I had a horse named Boadicea, name of a Welsh queen who fought against the Romans. Hosea helped me pick that one out. Fit her nice I think.”