Lilly spotted the glawackus lurking in the shadow. She feared it would be back. It looked like it was awaiting the perfect opportunity for her to leave the cria unattended, so it could get another chance to attack.
Not knowing what else to do, Lilly reached into her pocket for the opalescent stone she had started carrying with her when she was deciding if she should try to activate it to find Astra. It was still there.
Pulling it out, she recalled the note that went along with the stone. "In dire need, speak thy plea to the stone; and it shall summon forth the captured beast." The captured beast obviously wasn’t Astra, now that the goat was home safe and sound. If she was going to try the stone, this was the time.
Lilly held the smooth stone tightly in her fist as she spoke in the most commanding voice she could muster. “COME FORTH, BEAST, AND ATTACK THE GLAWACKUS.”
Watching the stone with bated breath, Lilly waited intently for the magic to start. After a moment, she looked around her to see if something was happening near the glawackus; but all she saw was the creature still hiding in the shadows, unaware that it was spotted.
Lilly took a deep breath and tried again, deepening her voice. “BEAST, I COMMAND YOU TO COME FORTH FROM THIS ROCK!” As she began to speak, the glawackus must have heard her because it started to come right toward her, causing the last of her command to turn into a squeak. Nothing happened.
In a panic, Lilly used the only weapon she had. She threw the rock at the fearsome creature, careful to not look it in the eyes. The rock, while not large, bounced off the creature’s eye, causing it to make a cackling yowl before running off.
Lilly ran into the barn and grabbed the pitchfork before making rounds of the pasture and her farm to make sure the creature didn’t lurk about. She picked up the useless rock and placed it back in her pocket. Maybe she could use it as a pretty paperweight, since it wasn’t good for much else.
She was lucky today, but she had a feeling the glawackus would be back.
***
Later that week, Lilly arose early. Her rooster crowed from the chicken coop, and the birds were already welcoming the new day with their song. After packing the back of her car truck with crates filled with her farm-fresh produce, she set off toward Thornwood, the town bustling with people from all around the wilds of Briarhaven for the weekly farmer's market.
The market was a riot of colors and sounds. Stalls lined the cobblestone streets, filled with fresh produce, homemade goods, and an array of magical trinkets. Street performers played lively tunes; and children ran between the stalls, their laughter echoing around the square. The scent of fresh bread, earthy vegetables, fragrant flowers, and a hint of magic filled the air.
It was something Lilly was not only getting used to but also starting to look forward to attending. She started setting up her stall with her regular mundane vegetables and eggs that she carefully collected. She never made much; but she was getting by, mostly thanks to Tom’s delicious and plump tomatoes. Today, though, she had a few extra things to sell.
The corner of her stall was dedicated to her magical unicorn and alpaca offerings. Lilly had made a few simple braids out of some of the unicorn hair that came loose as she brushed Snow. There were also a few small jars filled with tufts of the alpaca’s magical blue fur. Both byproducts of her magical animals, while not particularly powerful, would imbue some magic to the person wearing them. She figured it was worth a shot seeing if anyone wanted to buy these things she would otherwise throw away.
As the day wore on, Lilly engaged in friendly chatter with the customers—regulars and newcomers alike. She described her farming practices, the love she poured into tending both her magical and non-magical animals, and the unique characteristics of her produce. Every curious question was met with an interesting anecdote from Lilly. She narrated tales of Aura's playful escapades and Snow's recovery journey. The interest was immediate and encouraging. The unicorn hair and alpaca fur drew many intrigued eyes and was quickly snapped up.
After a particularly good sale, Lilly peered up from counting her earnings to see Ignatius Timber looming over her. Dressed in his slick suit that was ill-suited for a farmer's market, he was a stark contrast to the jovial crowd. A malevolent glint played in his eyes as his slowly touched the fur of the cria.
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“This looks like the wool of my dear alpaca you stole from me, and now you’re profiting from it, no less.” His gaze swept over her stall, taking in the unicorn hair and the now-empty crates that had held the magical tomatoes.
She tried not to grate her teeth as she stiffened at his words but held her ground. "I didn’t steal anything. If you can describe the animal I found in any way or even show me its parents, I will return the animal. So far, all you have done is throw around false accusations," she defended, her voice steeling with resolve.
Ignatius simply smiled, an expression devoid of any warmth. His fingers now curled around a strand of unicorn hair, examining it under the sunlight with a critical eye. Then abruptly, his demeanor shifted. He dropped the strand of hair and casually leaned on the stall, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Lilly," he began, the smoothness of his voice incongruous to his earlier hostility, "why don't we forget the past, shall we?"
Lilly instantly became suspicious at his change in tone and body posture. She didn’t know what he was up to, but she doubted it would be good for her or her animals. She didn’t say anything, wishing there was some way that she could get him to leave.
He glanced around her stall once again before continuing, "I have a proposition for you. Sell me your farm...and everything on it."
Lilly continued to glare at him. How dare he feel like he could just take whatever he wanted by throwing around a few well-placed threats and promises? She had never hated someone before—until she met Ignatius. “There is no way you’re getting your hands on my farm.”
He picked up the unicorn braid and flicked her a golden coin worth far more than she had been paid for the last one she sold. “We shall see.”
His words hung in the air, a challenge wrapped in a veiled threat, as Lilly's heart pounded in her chest. He left, but it took a while before Lilly began to enjoy the crowds of Thornwood Farmers Market again.
By the end of the day, Lilly's stall was nearly empty, her produce warmly welcomed by the community. The coins jingling in her apron pocket felt reassuring. The market had been a success; and as she packed up her stall, Lilly couldn't help but feel a rush of satisfaction at finally having some money to spare. She had made it—not just surviving but truly thriving in this magical farming world.
Thinking about the glawackus she kept running into, Lilly packed up her car and then made a detour to Thornwood Goods while she was in town. Maybe it was time to purchase a livestock guardian.
Walking into the Thornwood Goods, Lilly tried to find the ad she had originally spotted about the flying dog. It was nowhere to be seen.
Lilly approached Mabel, who greeted her with a cheery smile. “Well, if it isn’t Lilly! Nice to see you this evening. Is there anything I can help you find today?”
Nodding her head, Lilly pointed back toward the board. “Yes, actually. Do you happen to know what happened to the sign for livestock guardians that was hanging on the community board a while back?”
“I don’t know what happened to the sign; but there is a man, Mr. McCloed, who breeds livestock guardians in the back right now. I think he was headed toward the feed if you want to talk to him.”
“Thank you, Mabel! I’ll try and catch him.” Lilly hurried to the back of the store, where she found an older gentlemen in a row that carried feed for various types of chickens, horses, and other farm animals.
Lilly approached him. “Ummm…excuse me, sir. Do you happen to be a livestock guardian breeder? Mr. McCloed?”
The man slowly nodded his head. “Yes, ma’am. I breed griffies. They are bred to herd, and their wings make them uniquely suited to protect your animals from all kinds of predators. If you’re interested, I can let you know when I have more ready to go. Right now, I’ve sold all of them. All I have is one little lady left; but she’s a bit on the small size, so I’m selling her at a discount.”
Lilly was petite, but that didn’t stop her from scaring off giant wolves and a glawackus from her farm. “I’ll take her. She sounds perfect.”
Lilly made arrangements with the man to put down a deposit now and pay the rest when he delivered the griffy to her farm later that evening.
Lilly was practically buzzing with anticipation as she drove home. Finally, she would have some help caring for the magical animals around her farm. A livestock guardian that kept predators away and kept her animals from wandering would allow her to sleep so much more peacefully.
She practically ran out the door as a horse-drawn cart came pulling up to her house a few hours later. Money in hand, Lilly frowned as she glanced behind the older gentleman into the cart and didn’t see her new griffy. Did he come to return her deposit?
Mr. McCloed slowly climbed down from his cart as Lilly walked nearer. She watched as he reached into the back of his cart and brought out a small, slatted box about the size of a large zucchini. Inside, Lilly saw what looked like a small puppy with eagle claws and two tiny wings tucked behind it. When was she going to learn to stop buying things sight unseen?
Holding the box out to Lilly, Mr. McCloed said, “She’s lucky you decided to take her. I was about to give up on her and even took down my sign. She has good genes; and the instinct to protect is bred into her, even if she will never grow as big as her littermates.”
At his words, Lilly handed over the rest of the money for the griffy and took the box. Apparently, she was a sucker for things other people wanted to give up on. Maybe this little thing would be able to protect her farm from flies, but she doubted much else.