Riders and nighthorses communicate with each other, consciously or unconsciously, by sending images. In the novels Cherryh depicts such "sendings" as text enclosed in "< >". For example, <Cloud running> is an image sent out by Fisher to his nighthorse Cloud persuading him to run. A nighthorse anticipating a snow storm may send <cold, frosty breaths, feet crunching snow> to her rider, who in turn will try to calm her horse by sending an image of <melting drops on green needles, sun shining, road free and clear>.