Scents in The Wind
#2 of The Starry Field Herd (shorts)
Tom found himself wandering around the Valley in a Sunday afternoon, and soon was in a very familiar place.
Tom didn't have much to do on a Sunday afternoon. His friends and fellow Sanctuary inhabitants were all busy somehow, his boyfriend offline for some time, and he wasn't in the mood to play any games. He didn't even have the inspiration to write anything.
So the young, chubby red bull, with dark spots, almost black green hair and short brownish horns, adjusted his glasses on his muzzle, as he saw himself wandering the verdant prairies of the southeastern Valley that early afternoon.
The sun might be as strong as ever, but the breeze was pleasant, and he knew how to make good use of the shade of the few trees and houses there. Crossing the train tracks wasn't scary either, since he knew the times they came by.
It didn't take long for the young bovine to spot a beautiful property. A dark green manor on top of a hill, with an immense garden making it's way to the ground level, full of the most diverse plants, with and without flowers, and surrounded by a beautiful white fence.
It was Rosemary's Garden. One of two other bovine sanctuaries in the Valley, in addition to the one he lived in.
And Tom didn't even need to knock on the fancy gates to see a familiar face. A white cow with long, flowing blond hair. Slightly younger than him, and who was watering the plants with a slight smile on her face, and the swing in the body of someone who had a lot of energy.
Tom: Good afternoon, Daisy.
She turned to see him, and her excitement only increased.
Daisy: Oh, hi Tom. Why are you here?
Tom: Just taking a walk.
Daisy: Want some water?
Tom: Yeah, sure.
They then walked to the top of the hill, where the bull sat beside a small white metal garden table in front of the manor, while the cow entered it.
Alone outside, he was able to enjoy everything around him. Not only the garden he was in, but the view as well. From the road ahead, the train tracks, the green fields, the little houses and even the buildings of Barnia, the nearby booming village, which could already be considered a town with its size.
On the horizon, it was also possible to see the mountains that formed the mountain range that surrounded the Valley, and the scent of all those plants filled the garden with a pleasant aroma that was hard to forget.
Daisy soon returned with a glass of ice-cold water, which Tom didn't hesitate to drink.
Daisy: Good, huh?
Tom: Absolutely. But where are the others?
Daisy: Oh... Sunny went out with her friends from the gym... Rosemary is spending the day with her daughter in Mount Decline... Rosa went out with Curt and Tulip with Bruno Potato... And the rest I don't even know.
Tom: So you're alone?
Daisy: No. Mana is in the kitchen making the refreshments for tomorrow. But even if she wasn't, I'm never alone out here.
Tom: Oh... Bugs?
Daisy: They too. But plants are my company.
Tom: Heh. True.
With that, he watched as she continued watering the plants. Seeing the empty glass on the table, he couldn't help but feel like one of them, as Daisy greeted and called them by the names she'd given them.
And it was at that exact moment that Mana appeared at the front door. A bluish, fluffy, middle-aged cow with long hair that was slightly brighter than her fur. She was holding a small bottle of an orange liquid that the bull knew well, and a straw.
Mana: What a surprise, Tom.
Tom: Yeah. I was just passing by, and decided to say hi.
Mana: Heh. Take this passion fruit nectar. I know it's your favorite.
He received the ice-cold bottle and straw without hesitation.
Tom: Thanks.
Mana: Want a snack too? I can make something.
Tom: Thanks, but no. I'm on my way out. Found the inspiration I needed.
She looked at what Daisy was doing, and understood immediately.
Mana: Heh, okay. Go out there and put it on paper.
Tom: Absolutely.
And with that, he walked down the hill. Saying goodbye to Daisy and her friends as he started his way back home.