Welp I can't be too jealous, I got my Tepig, Spoink, and Gulpin this month. >D Should probably wrap this one up, yes?
WC: 603
It seemed she was learning a lot about new animals today, first donkeys and now quolls. The dark wolf had a warm smile, pleasant as he shared his education with her. Coli still felt ignorant and simple, just as she had when Eclipse asked why Coli could not read or write... but at least Niernan did not have an ounce of condescension in his makeup. She listened quietly as he regaled her with another glimpse into his home life, the antics of the many creatures he shared his house with. It didn't make much sense to her, but it was intriguing nonetheless. Besides, if this Grace liked a full house, perhaps there would be puppies in their future, and she would love to meet them. There would be quite a few new faces in their pack soon, even if Nier wasn't aware.
The droning of the rain was steady, filling the silence between them as Coli thought about animal ownership. "You don't have to sit on them to make them go... right? Donkeys can pull carts? I met a trader that had a horse wagon..." Amy Sunders had been a bit of an inspiration, a tough female loner who made her way in the world. Coli had tried living on her own for a good long time, and while clearly she had survived, it was not a pleasant experience. Pack life was better suited for her. It was the wagon that caught her interest now, and its concept of division of labor. A single female, no matter how determined, could only carry so much. But think of the work she could accomplish with the garden if this donkey could haul water, till more earth, maybe even move small trees to jump start an orchard...! She could actually landscape instead of simply pulling weeds and and shooing away insects. It could be fortunate after all that she had been roped into all of this, but she knew she would need to discourage the beast from simply eating everything she was trying to grow.
Aniki was officially his name. Coli eyed the long-eared donkey with trepidation, hoping she wouldn't regret this. It wouldn't be an imposition on whatever packmates took care of the stables, would it? She was starting to get the impression that Niernan did a lot of the chores around here. He was certainly spreading himself thin with all these animals and responsibilities. How did he handle it? She blinked, glancing down as she noticed Darcy growing bolder with his success. Finally she settled down on the hay, sweeping the cloak tightly around herself like a blanket before petting the colt outright. She was too tired to remain standing any longer, and it seemed she was in good company on this rainy day; no reason to head back home just yet.
"I've never met an animal as clever as you, Ciaran," she praised softly, genuinely fascinated. "Are you boys teaching Grace's cat to talk as well? And the little quail, quoll, thingies? Goodness, it must be crazy... I mean, uh, in a g-good way," she stammered, trying not to end up insulting her friend after how kind he had been. She scratched behind Darcy's nubby ears, reveling at the softness of his fur. Of all the horses out there, this one wasn't so bad. She didn't mind him so much. Just like Niernan himself, he was a big strapping male but Coli did not feel her usual anxiety when she was around him, not anymore. He was good at keeping her calm, which perhaps translated to his ease with wild animals as well.
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