Chapter 16 Herding Catsheep

Everyone settled down for a much needed long rest until morning. Normally, Tine would have preferred to sleep in the loft, especially since a strange boy had joined them in the barn, but when she climbed up the ladder, she found that Hafoc was already roosting up there. Her back arched at the sight.

“Hey, kitty,” Hafoc said, obviously noting her surprise. “It’s alright. You can join me up here.” He patted the hay. “Go on, take yer pack off and settle down—I won’t bite.”

She paused a moment. Tine’s ears twitched. “Um..you know, I just realized I forgot my staff.” She started to back down a rung. “Better go find it…” She hastened back down to the ground floor of the barn.

At the bottom of the ladder, Tine looked around, not for her staff, but for another place to rest for the night. Hala was curled up with Viatape in a corner, who wagged his piggy tail in his sleep. Kylia, Rhalie, Lou and the boy, Ilius, were also asleep, but Autumnus was still awake. Tine noticed he was blowing into his cupped hands to keep warm. She sat next to him.

“Cold?” Tine smiled a little. “I don’t often get the chance to ask you that.”

Autumnus smiled. “I admit, I am not used to being cold; but it wouldn’t do to create any flames in a barn. Setting fire to it would surely make us poor houseguests.”

She laughed a little. “Or barn guests. Yes, it surely would.” She thought a moment. “We could sleep together for tonight.”

Seeing his face turn a darker shade of red, she blushed herself. Mut, I didn’t mean it like that! “Back-to-back, I mean,” she added quickly. “For warmth.”

Autumnus nodded and they lay down, looking away from each other, but feeling each other’s body heat. Tine’s heart raced. She was sure she would never get to sleep and Rhalie's snoring didn’t help. But, eventually, exhaustion took hold of her until morning.

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Tine awoke to find a large, cushy creature staring at her. She scampered back over Autumnus before she noticed that bleating sounds filled the barn. She wasn’t sure, but she thought it sounded like “Mew-baa."

She looked at the creature more closely. It had the body of a sheep and the face of a grumpy, black cat. Oh, right, the flock! She had been so tired last night, she had forgotten they had promised to let the animals out to pasture. Looking back at the frowning cat face, she had mixed feelings about it now. Marlynn hadn’t mentioned they were catsheep. Stretching, Tine reached over give the cushy creature a pat.

“Good morning, my miog friend,” Hala called out. Tine turned around to see the elf who was opening one of the barn doors to the pasture as Viatape trotted from the back with some other catsheep who looked eager to get out for the day.

“Um, hello.” It might have been Tine’s imagination, but she thought Hala looked at her as if she should be sent out to pasture, too.

Once all the catsheep had exited the barn, Hala addressed Viatape, who hung by her side. She put her hands on her knees and talked to the boar in a singsong voice. “Do you want to do out, too?”

Viatape snorted and ran out of the barn. Hala chased him with a laugh. Soon, they had the catsheep herd on the run. It looked like Viatape enjoyed shepherding the flock.

Ah, well, maybe she just thinks we should all be out in the sunshine…Tine thought as she rubbed her eyes. She stretched and wandered outside one of the other doors. Herding catsheep seemed, well, hypocritical, somehow.

Outside the pen where the catsheep roamed, Tine saw scores of children playing. It occurred to her that, curiously, the only adult they’ve seen so far is Marlynn. Tine frowned. I wonder what the story is with that?

She sat in the sun and watched the children play. One dark-haired boy drew in the dirt with a stick. He looked entirely engrossed with his task. Tine noticed another, serious-looking blonde girl, who brandished a stick of her own, was keeping watch over the other children like a tiny warrior.

Soon, Kylia joined Tine and they sat companionably as they watched the kids run amok around the farm. It’s nice to see something that’s not scary for once. Tine thought.

Soon a bell rang, and the kids all ran inside, with shouts of "breakfast!" A tiny, shy girl in a spotted dress tugged at Kylia's hand. Clearly, it was an invitation to join in.

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Kylia patted the girl on the head. “Thank you, peanut! We’ll get the others and come over in a minute.”

In response, the girl smiled and ran off to join the other kids in the farmhouse. Its door swung shut behind her dotted dress with a bang.

Tine stretched again and looked at the drawing in the dirt. It looked like a monster with huge eyes and even bigger teeth. The monster held something small in its claw. Tine looked closer at what it held. Is that a supposed to be a child? Mut, she hoped not! They might be out of the woods, but it seemed like danger might still not be too far…

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Lou fell to the floor awake from the hammock he had made from his performer's cloak. A shout had jolted him awake. Is that Kylia? So loud…is she after me again? He had mixed feelings about that.

“Yo, there’s food if you all want it!” Kylia called in through the door...and then she was gone. As he set to work taking it down, Lou looked to Hala, who had just returned, out of breath. "I see our numbers are dwindling in here,” he said. “Anyone else want to investigate the scent of food in the air?"

Hala hesitated. "I think Vaitape is nervous to be left alone here." She glanced at the boar, who leaned on her, grunting.

Lou laughed. "With good reason, it is a farm, after all.” He rubbed his goatee. “Don’t worry; for a lovely lady like yourself, I'm sure I can manage to pocket a tidbit or two for you to eat." He bowed and followed the smell of breakfast, noticing most of the others were slowly just getting ready. Ah, more for me, then…

Inside the farmhouse, the children were scattered about. Some seem to have eaten already and given up their spots at the long table for other children. They have saved room for their guests to sit, and offered to get Lou something to eat.

“How kind of you tiny rascals,” he said, as a shy girl in a dotted dress led him to a large pot of of…something.

Upon inspection, their breakfast was a sort of suet over biscuits - maybe? It smells a bit off, but it feels like they've given me their best, Lou noted as he smiled and filled a bowl with a flourish. As he sat at the long table, the kids gathered around to watch him eat some as they beamed. Autumnus, Tine and Kylia sat at the table, too, but the children had clearly chosen to invite him to eat first. Interesting. But then, I often am a crowd favorite. He shrugged at his friends.

Well, if a show they want, a show they’ll get. Lou smiled, and added a bit of glamour light to the mess with some slight-of-hand magic. He heard an “Oooo” and his smile grew. With an air of dramatic seriousness, he spooned a large helping into his mouth, fought a gag, and brought his fingers to his lips for a chef’s kiss.

“Wonderful, my little friends! I thank you.” He bowed his head as if on stage.

The kids laughed and cheered at this. Almost too heartily, Lou considered. Poor things. They must really lead a life devoid of entertainment. Wait. Ohhh... He put a hand to his belly. This doesn’t feel so good though. I think I'll stick to singing for my next act.

Marlynn walked into the room with her arms full. She carried a basket of dried, smoked meat. She glanced Lou’s bowl of suet, then to the bard, who held his stomach. She dropped the basket at her feet and yelled at all of the children within earshot. “Alright. All of you. Get over here. NOW.”

Marlynn searched the eyes of the now serious children who gathered around her. She seemed to find the answer she sought in the kids' gazes, and yelled, ”Tristan, Aggs, Nathe, how could you? You know that slop is for the animals! Now go bring the rest to the trough—no breakfast for you!"

Marlynn set the basket of jerky on the table and put a hand on Lou’s shoulder. ”I'm so sorry about that! Now, how about I get you some real food?" Marlynn grabbed a small bag from a cupboard and gave it to Lou. " Here. this is for you. There should be something in there to help your stomach.”

Lou smiled weakly before taking the medicine and ate some of the jerky. I can’t believe I’ve eaten pig food! Well, I guess I can get a good song out of this.” He belched. Later, though.

As the others trickled in to eat, Lou noticed Hafoc was attempting to be charm their host. Good luck with that.

Hafoc smiled greasily. “So Marlynn…I can't imagine all these little ones are yours? What's the story there?”

Marlynn looked shocked. ”What? Of course...No!" She sank onto a stool by the wood burning stove. The children ran around eating jerky. Oatmeal bubbled in a large, two-handled pot, but she left it for now and waved a hand at an empty stool for Hafoc to sit.

"A few months ago, children and livestock began disappearing from nearby farms. A couple of my kids saw others taken away by "monsters" of some sort, but we don't know what kind. The rest of the adults in the nearby farms have traveled to the South to rescue the children and kill whatever it is that's been plaguing us, but they haven't been come back. They left all the children with me because it's the safest farm, since it's closest to town."

Autumnus looked up sharply Marlynn as she talked about monsters. "We where about to head to town to get some money for boar meat, but it seems like you might need it more. Though that is for the group to decide…” he looked at the others, who were pretty engrossed in eating at the moment. He took a spoon and clanked it on his oatmeal bowl. “Why don’t we head south and see if we cant deal with these monsters? They might be what is bothering the boars as well,” he said with a broad smile, looking around at his traveling companions.

Lou shook his head. If that suet hadn’t got him first, his stomach would’ve turned at that. I swear, I’ve never had to work so hard to earn so little coin, and now we’re supposed to give it all away and chase down whatever is menacing this area by ourselves? What’s with this Aamonwelp guy?

Kyla was the first to speak up. She gestured at the enormous number of children. “I agree with Autumnus. I’ll miss the coin we would get from the meat, but clearly Marlynn and the children need the food more. And she’s been so kind…” She grinned at their host. “I think a trip to the South sounds lovely!”

Lou stood up and bowed to Marlynn. “That settles it. As far as I’m concerned, we are at your disposal.” He looked up to see Kyla smile his way. Ah, well, there are other rewards to be had besides cash, I suppose…