Page 9

Velvet awoke to a wet sensation spreading across her rough, barklike face. Her eyes whipped open to see an out-of-focus snoot. The large, wet nose breathed heavy as the creature picked its head up again to look at her with big, dopey eyes.

The upside-down view of a calf's noggin was a sight to behold, the extra skin under its chin bunching up at it peering down. She chuckled and reached a hand up to both defend herself and scritch under its chin.

Delight crossed its eyes as it grew excited and tried attacking her face with more kisses. Her other arm braced itself to try to defend her.

This lasted a few more moments until it got distracted by its mother coming over to see what it found. She breathed a sigh of relief at the hold fire, only to see the looming chest of the mother as the much larger creature sniffed her.

The wind almost bent the stalks in the area, a sudden flurry of air flipping her nurse's apron, now empty of her tools, over and onto her stomach. An equally powerful snort flipped it back to its original position, but also sprayed her entire body with a thin misting of wet breath.

Her hands that were protecting her from the calf attack now attempted to wipe herself off. She wasn't drenched, but the motion spread out the droplets into her furred fronds where they warmed up to her body temperature quickly.

"Ahhh, hello to you two," She gave her own greeting, though the nuance of her words fell on simple ears. She attempted to sit up, but the large cranium of the doting mother was in her way. A heavy movement pushed her back to the ground gently, Velvet straining her core to feebly fight back all the way down.

The next set of huffs were quicker, but sent more dewy mist, now onto her chest and shoulders.

"Thank youuuu..." She drawled sarcastically, over-zealously yet warmly, "It's nice to meet you too."

Their curiosity wore off and they left the napping beauty in the field, turning to continue peacefully grazing. The baby calf sent her one more look before bounding off, a handful of energy in contrast to the mother's slow, methodical munching.

Velvet lay there for a little longer, a chuckle forming in her now sodden chest. After a few moments, she sat up. A minor headache, her mind not used to the absence of the network during her sleep. Aea won't be happy that she tried to nap without her.

Onto her hooves, she thrust herself into a graceful gallop. The mother and calf put a kick in her step, and by the time she made it home, she nearly dried off.

She undressed, tossing her lightly soiled apron into a basket of many others like it. Her haunches pressed into the green mossy bed of Aea. As she expected, the connection came with a light scolding.

"There haven't been predators in that field for quite some time. We're in a beta wave," She attempted to keep her head above water from the sisterly chiding.

"Besides, I was afraid of drifting somewhere I shouldn't go right now." She told Aea all of her woes about Darmon.

"Give it time, darling," The mossy surface told her through the close network they shared, from sod to fronds.

She lay all the way down, the connection growing stronger and her body growing drowsier.

"You'll always be here for me. I didn't go into the field to get away from you," She reassured her Beta.

"Of course not," Her smooth voice tumbled like stones in a bubbling brook.

"Just, please guide me while I sleep. I should give them space. I need space..." Her words slowed down as Beta enveloped her flurry of emotions.

She drifted off into a much more restful sleep, the dreamworld now vivid again.