// oh // I didn't see Y O U there // [Open]

The fields near fence were always a peaceful place, not many people had a reason to come out here without a herd of some sort and even then people would shun the woodland after all peacekeepers didn’t exactly think fondly of those who stepped too close. Cryus wasn’t one of those rebellious types and so he was sitting a good distance away from it. It was quiet out here, peaceful, when your stomach was full you could almost forget all about the depression of the district behind you and focus on the tranquillity of the open space. As Mockingjays sung out in chorus beyond his line of sight two tunes clashed into a single melody and started a new with the enthusiasm of a new chorus to sing. The wind rustled the overgrown grass at his feet and the grasshoppers chirped an angry cry as they temporarily lost their footing. This was one of the only parts of the district where the grass grew to be quite so long, most other places were grazed by the many herds of cattle roaming across them. It had never occurred to Cryus that his silent piece of heaven might be the an ideal choice for someone wanting to cross the fence, it never really occurred to him that anyone would want to cross the fence, what was out there except for trees and death. Closing his eyes he lay back in the long grass almost disappearing from view and simply rested, he didn’t have long but his chores were done for the day and he had a few hours before he would be missed back at the house.

It came as quite a surprise when he awoke to the clatter of hooves and the whinny of a disgruntled horse, rancher’s rarely ventured out this close to the fence. Sitting up he looked around for who’s heard was being driven through the pasture only to realise he was still alone except for a solitary white horse tied to a tree not far away. Curious as to where she may have come from Cryus crouched in order to stand up and began hauling himself out the grass when the second horse flew over the fence. The shock of it more than anything caused him to dive back down face first into the grass and peer up. The horse wasn’t saddled and yet the rider was perched on it as someone who’d ridden bareback many times before, for caution he remained squatting in the grass and began to crawl, as if stalking a rabbit, towards the tree in order to get a better look. These horses were not the strong and bulky cart horses he used to pull the wagon around the farm land, these were sleeker, faster. There was something odd about the rider too, at first he assumed that he just had a jockey stature before his mistake dawned upon him. The rider was a girl, not a woman but a girl, barely out of childhood, not that it made much difference around here any person old enough to walk was given a task to help out there family. Cryus had never been the sharpest tool in the shed and it took him more than a few moments to realise exactly what was going on, and then it hit him, the girl was smuggling in horses, wild horses. He wasn’t sure how to act, it was certainly a crime and smuggling in the horses took money away from the horse breeders of the district but did that mean he had to run and tell the peacekeepers? But then if he didn’t what if they were to find out on their own and blame him for not telling them? The most logical choice would be self-preservation but he knew better than that blowing the alarm on another citizen might earn him a little favour with the peacekeepers if he was lucky but it would certainly destroy his reputation with the other residents and that’d doom him in the market.

Coming to a conclusion Cryus made a final scan of the horizon to look for any other parties, peacekeepers or residents he didn’t care but he wasn’t going to get involved in anything if he could avoid it. He could have remained squatting and moved slowly back out of the field and towards his house but knowing people that could cross the fence could have its advantages in some respects, and the girl didn’t look like a dangerous wanderer from beyond the fence. So having thought through the option, all be it briefly, Cryus scuttled back a few feet to the edge of the field and stood up. Then feigning his arrival from a great distance started taking a slow jog across the field. He didn’t call out to the rider, he didn’t want to raise any unwanted attention but instead he waved one hand above his head and slowed his jog down to a walk. Hopefully the girl would realise that he was merely seeking to talk, although Cryus admitted to himself in her situation he’d just jump back on one of the horses and get out of there as fast as he could before he was recognised.