Pierce rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. He spun on his heel, pitchfork in hand. He offered it to the kid. Something reminiscent of a jerk smile on his face, that didn't look like a smile at all. "You did say you'd work, right?" He stared blankly.

Xae dipped his head in a nod, still grinning even as the man held the pitchfork partially like a weapon. "I did. What's my job, boss?" He asked lightly, setting his hands on his hips with the same cheery expression.

"The stalls need mucked out before I get the horses back in. The closest stall on the left is empty." Pierce explained calmly and then shifted to the side, gesturing for him to get to work. And then he walked off. Content with walking out to pasture with nothing on his person.

"Got it." Xaden nodded dutifully, taking the pitchfork and moving to the first one on the right and bringing the muck-bucket with him. As annoying as he could be, he was never one to complain about chores- especially in this situation, where the requirements could be much worse.

In less than an hour, he was back with a small herd in tow. Two mares, a gelding and a stallion in tow. Varying colors, all in excellent condition- other than a mare who was much rounder than the rest but with good reason. He was hanging out on the gelding's back. They were of mixed decent obviously but generally similar. Big hooves with feathers, tall, flowy manes and slightly shaggy hair. They all knew their where they should go. He slid off the gelding when he was in his own and walked out to grab brushes.

By the time the wizard returned, Xaden had officially gotten through three of the five stalls he needed to clean. He looked up and blinked as the man basically fucking told his horses to sit and stay. "What are you, some kind of fuckin druid?" He blinked, mouth slightly open as he continued shoveling shit.

"No." He answered simply and gave no further explanation as he led out the first horse, who was the gelding, in the extra stall because the kid was still working on his. He picked up a comb and started pulling burrs out of his flaxen mane.

As curious as the horses were about the younger man, they stayed in their respective areas save for a foot or two.

Xaden huffed and rolled his eyes, going back to sifting through the wood shavings with his pitchfork. "Good talk, Bossman." He mocked, picking up his speed when he saw there were horses to pet. He was many things, if not a child at heart. There were horsies. Damn it all if he wasn't going to pet said horsies. He glanced up at the few curious horses studying him, grinning, genuinely, at the big beasts. He finished up the stall he was in, the fourth, and set down his pitchfork for a moment to reach out his hand, palm up. A small invitation for one of them to come see him, if they liked.

Pierce was completely fine with working in silence, but it did please him that Xae grew agitated. He peered under the gelding to watch his horses as the kid tried engaging. The stallion of course was first to move, the mares stood back a bit. A handsome dark bay with stockings and a white belly. He sniffed the boy's hand, flinching as his nose touched the boy, squealing momentarily. He stepped closer, ears forward.

Pierce just continued to finish combing out the gelding's mane. "His name is Locet(lo-say)." He called from behind the horse, referring to the stallion.

Xaden had the biggest, stupidest grin on his face as the stallion nosed his hand and surprised himself. He snickered slightly at the action, shaking his head. He reached up his hand gently to smooth it up the flat plane of the front of the stallion's face, dipping slowly to press a light kiss against the horse's muzzle. "Hello, handsome Locet." He chimed, using the singsongy voice one tends to use when talking to cute things.