80 The Gray Cattle and The Cuddly Bear
1206 Words
“Woah!” Joanna exclaimed, her eyes in awe before the city’s view. “I didn’t know that there’s an overlooking view of the city here?”
Noah held his chin, “Yeah, I also didn’t know about that. I was only able to explore the lower part of the forest, and not all the way up here.”
“Huh? Then, how did you knew about this path?”
Noah grinned, “Through Thomas. He’d been here whenever he wanted to exercise the sheep.”
The four of them began setting up their tents. Cora and Fitch were in charge of their lodging while Noah and Joanna went to the inner parts of the forest to find some wood that they can use for the campfire.
“Careful there,” Noah warned as Joanna walked in front of him, “I’m not familiar with the forest around here.”
Joanna stopped as Noah roamed his flashlight, “Kind of creepy,” she responded when an owl landed on top of a branch that almost hit Joanna’s face.
She shrieked and bumped her back on Noah.
“Are you okay?” Noah scooped her shoulders. He turned Joanna, and her face looked totally spooked.
Rustling came from their side, and the both of them were startled.
“I think we should go back,” Joanna said, her voice quivering.
Noah’s heart beat galloped faster than Bean’s speed. Fear grappled his body, and he couldn’t move.
“Better idea,” Noah responded as he looked around to assure their safety, “I shouldn’t have brought you guys out here.”
Within a few meters away, Joanna jerked her head to where Cora and Fitch sat side by side, a flash light in front of them. It illuminated their shadows, the light illuminating the relaxed face of Cora and the relieved face of Fitch.
A gentle smile spread on Joanna’s lips, “Atleast the two of them get to talk it all out.”
Noah’s heart squeezed again. This time, he didn’t know if it was because Joanna looked cute, or that Fitch was finally done with his sulking.
The rustling came again, and Noah whipped his head to the sound.
“What’s that?” Joanna exclaimed in fear, “something big moved!”
“Calm down,” Noah caressed her back, “I need to see what it is,” If he isn’t stupid enough to come near whatever creature lurked behind the woods.
When Noah’s flashlight hit the rustling bushes, his eyes widened at the animal before him.
“A cattle?” he said.
The cattle was huge—possibly two times the size of his normal cattle back in the Stream Ranch. It chewed the leaves it acquired from the grass behind the bush.
Joanna inched closer to him, “And it’s gray,” she said as he eyes roamed over the cattle’s appearance.
“I would have to tell Thomas about this once we’re done here.” Noah thought it’s good for using it as an economic beef cattle. Possibly, for breeding high quality meat for the market.
Nodding her head, Joanna agreed.
“Let’s head down?” Noah gestured to the path ahead of them.
“If there are monsters down there, I hope you get eaten first,” Joanna declared as she hopped on a rock down the steep path.
The two of them began collecting wood on the way down. When they reached East, Noah head the sound of flowing water.
“There’s a stream,” he said as he roamed his head.
Joanna was busy counting the stick she got from the path they have just gone through. “Where then?” she answered after a while.
Noah walked deeper, “Here!” he bawled as he crossed a corner.
Tailing behind, he heard Joanna’s gasp, “It is a stream!”
“What if it lead to the Stream Ranch back home?” Noah asked no one in particular. His Stream Ranch wasn’t called Stream Ranch without a stream.
The smile on Joanna’s face brightened his day, “We’ll have to find out once we followed where this leads.”
The woman was right, and Noah was considering going back to the campsite when a whimper mixed in with a growl resounded behind them.
“What, another monster?” Joanna called from behind him, “I swear this place of yours is filled with them.”
Noah almost laughed—almost if he hadn’t seen a fallen log near the stream. The log was shaking, and something was trying to climb up of it.
He moved fast and had his flashlight above the huge fallen log.
A pair of eyes peered through him, the tears falling on either side of it. Its fury and cuddly, and often times, it was regarded deadly. Yet, right this moment, Noah couldn’t think of anything else but how cute it looked like.
“It’s a baby bear…” he trailed off.
Joanna called, “What?! A bear?!”
“A baby bear!” Noah corrected her, “and I think it lost its mother.”
Taking off his jacket, Noah scooped the bear in his arms as Joanna arrived beside him.
“I’m impressed. You’re being followed by animals anywhere we go,” she commented as he finger found the bear’s nose.
The bear wiggled its nose, and cooed on Noah’s chest.
Noah made a mental note on his head: he would have to place the bear and the gray cattle inside the Magic Ball when they’re done camping.
“Just what are we going to do with that bear?” Joanna asked as she leaned on the furry cub in Noah’s arm.
Shrugging and looking disinterested, Noah opened his mouth to speak, “I could take it home.” It was lie that would veil his original plan: take these animals inside the Magic Ball and had them be raised there through the magic of the place. Up until now, he still doesn’t know the origin of how the Magic Ball had come to be. For now, he would have to take care of its land, and of course, make a profit out of it without ruining its natural resources.
Joanna secured the logs on her hands, “Shall we, then?” she began climbing back up the pathway they have been trekking earlier while the bear snuggled on Noah’s chest.
Noah had the logs strapped behind him when they started walking back up. The trip toward the camping area was wearing him out. Come to think of it, him and Joanna went up the path twice as compared to Fitch and Cora who stayed by the camping place.
All though he was out of breath most of the walk back, Joanna’s jolliness and will to reach back in no time, made Noah enjoy the way back to the camping site.
Before the two of them showed themselves to Cora and Fitch, they first hid behind the bushes to see if Cora and Fitch were getting along amidst their chasing and arguing for the past couple of days.
Noah kneeled behind the bush. He rocked the cub sleeping soundly in his arms. Joanna glanced at him for a second, her face curious.
“You look like a father just now,” she whispered as her eyes drifted to the couple in front of them.
Noah didn’t know whether to receive it as a compliment or be offended by it.
Joanna pointed at the bear, “What I meant is, when you cradled the bear, you looked like one. Are you good with children?”
The stars loomed above them, and Noah can’t help but be mesmerized by their presence.
Without sparing a glance at Joanna, he nodded, “Maybe? I just sort of was the only one who took care of my siblings.”
“And there’s your nephews now,” Joanna answered quietly.
Noah regarded her for a second. Joanna’s face lit up when Fitch had his palm reached when he stood.
“Look!” she whispered, the glint dancing in her eyes, “he’s helping her stand.”
- Writer
