The nice thing about creating a horse out of random atoms is that it comes already broken for riding. Branwen appreciated that greatly, as she had no saddle and bridle, and only a little riding experience. It was a trick getting up onto the horse's broad back in the first place. Branwen had led the horse (that she had decided to name Rain) over to a fallen log and used the log to boost herself up onto his back. Spooky ran around the two of them, thinking this whole scenario was just the funniest thing he had ever seen.

"Ok, Rain," Branwen said, taking a hold on the horse's long mane, "Let's go."

Rain stood there, happily, doing nothing.

"Onward? Heyaaaah? Go? Engage?" Branwen tried.

Rain cropped some grass and nosed Spooky.

"Come on Rain, PLEASE?" Branwen said beseechingly.

Rain's head came up and he trotted forward.

"Obviously, that was the magic word," the Cube told Branwen.

"YOU are no help at all," Branwen growled.

"Liar liar," the Cube chanted. "Who made you the cool horse?"

The early evening was perfect for riding, and Branwen, Rain and Spooky made good time, heading in the vague direction that Adol had given her towards the human settlement.

It was beginning to get dark, and Branwen was considering camping for the night, when she saw the glow of lights over the next rise. She excitedly urged the horse to move a little faster, and reached the top of the hill. Below her sprawled a settlement. Torchlight lamps lit the packed-earth streets. The buildings varied in size and style with no inclination towards uniformity. Some were made of stone, some of wood, and one or two were made of what looked like fired bricks. The city was surrounded by a stone fence with a huge iron gate which was currently closed. There was a guard tower beside the gate with someone inside. He looked to be dozing. Branwen rode down to the gate.

"Hello?" Branwen called up to the guard. Somewhere from inside the walled city, a wolf started barking. Spooky barked back, excitedly. That noise was enough to rouse the guard. He stood up and looked over the side of the railing surrounding his tower. He looked tall, grizzled and bearded. He wore glasses and a t-shirt with Tigger printed on it.

"Oh, hi!" the guard called down. "New one eh? Holy crap, is that a purple horse?"

"I am, and it is," Branwen replied, grinning. "I'm Branwen. Can I come in?"

"Sure thing!" he called down. "Be right there."

Branwen heard the guard coming down the stairs inside the tower and then he appeared in the doorway of the tower. "One sec," he said. "Move back a bit, will ya? Gate swings out." The guard pulled a lever as Branwen and Rain backed up a bit. The huge gate squealed and started moving of its own accord. Spooky ran inside the gate to look for the other wolf, and Branwen slid off Rain's back and led the horse inside the walls of the city. "Welcome to Morrowind. I'm Wigliff."

"Morrowind?" Branwen asked, amused.

"Yeah," Wigliff answered sourly. "I voted for Coruscant myself."

"Uh oh," Branwen said, realization dawning. "You mean this entire city is made up of..."

Wigliff nodded. "Nerds," he confirmed.

"I have a baaaaaaaaaad feeling about this, Rain," Branwen said to her horse.

"They all do," Wigliff agreed. "Beer?"