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The creature was standing in the field just watching and eating. The young boy sat on the tree branch watching it in return though he wasn’t eating. Pah sat with his wings wrapped around him like a cloak a bit nervous about his new job. He was now responsible for milking this goat. It had apparently been one of the herd that had managed to escape when this farm was abandoned and there were a few of them hanging out still since there was food shelter and they were mostly left alone.
Apparently this one was perfect for getting milk from. Pah watched wondering how one did that. The boy spread his wing and jumped from the tree branch allowing his wings to slow down his descent. Once on the ground he began to approach the creature and began to speak to it in a hesitant voice. “Come here good girl.” Pah said his voice announcing his hesitation. He slowly approached with his hands out for the creature to see he wasn’t carrying a weapon.
After a few moments the goat stopped chewing and looked intently at him. Pahoran paused and after a moment took another step closer and then the goat bleated at him, and Pahorna jumped back a step. The young boy wanted to run, so instead he reminded himself that he was a Squire and stood up straight and marched forward. He only made it three and half steps before he found himself running in the other direction. The young boy wasn’t aware of it but he was calling for his mother as he ran. His brain kept telling him to take flight but the sound of the thudding hoofs behind him kept his brain and wings from working in unison.
He managed to stay ahead of the goat but only barely, and he would never know if it was because he was really that fast, though by the end there he had gotten his wings working well enough to help given him jumps forward while he ran, or if it was because the goat was enjoying itself to much to end the chase.
The rest of the clan came charging out at the sound of the boys shoots, but with the exception of a very concerned mother, their panic and preparations for the worse ended in a moment of stunned silence as they watched the boy stream past wings spread wide his arms spread out trying to grab who knew what, and his boyish soprano reaching into panicked octaves. The moment of stunned silences lasts as Pahoran crashed into his mother wrapping his frame around her, arms and wings a tangle that kept his mother from actually doing anything but act as a hiding post.
It was Velaline, the wild girl who had found her way into there group who finally acted. She grabbed a rope and swung one end around the goat’s head. The goat suddenly found itself brough up short rather abruptly. The young woman was firm with the animal, but there was a kindness that came because the animals were often the only living things she had seen for so long. As the danger passed so did the stunned surprise, and then began the laughing. Pah didn’t hear it as all he could hear was this mother trying with one breath to sooth him, and with the next to get feathers out of her mouth.
Eventually everything calmed down and Pah looked around his mother and saw the goat once again eating, and watch, though he was sure it was watching for a chance to eat a little boy. His mother looked down at him and asked. “What happened.”
“You told me to milk the goats.” Pah said wondering why parents couldn’t remember their own instructions. His mother nodded her head indicating she remembered. “So I went to try and Milk the goat.”
Velaline was nearby and she tilted her head and asked. “You do know that only girl goats give milk.” There was a very long pause as Pah thought about what she asked and the older members of his family paused to contemplate their own assumptions.
“I do now.” He looked around at the goat and then blushed, and buried his head in his mother’s legs.
Velaline walked up and patted his head. “How about I show you some things about goats, and how the world works in general.” She said and Pahoran could feel a soul that was with out judgement. He pointedly didn’t look around, but allowed himself to be lead away.
Soon the two had come to another area were there was another goat. Velaline point to this goat and said. “Here is where we keep the female goat, and the kids.” She pointed to where some smaller goats were frolicking in a different area. “In the wilds usually you have one male and a couple female’s that will live together. When you domesticate them though you tend to separate the males from the females.”
“Why?” Pah asked.
Velaline didn’t even blink and eye. “Because if we didn’t every time we wanted to milk the goat then we would have to deal with the male. They tend to be protective of the females the mate with.” The wild woman’s explanation didn’t end there. She continued explaining some other reasons which made Pah blush a bit, but not as much as he would have with anyone else. Velaline didn’t blush or beat around the bush in the subject, but she also only said what needed to be said on the subject.
“The difference between the male and female goats is part of why you failed to be able to approach. The male as you saw is far more aggressive, territorial and confrontational.” She paused and held up a finger as if to draw his attention even more. “Females goats and other similar animals can also be nasty, but usually when you threaten their offspring. Other wise they are easier to approach, though anytime you approach and animal either domesticated or note, always be wary and respectful.”
Together they entered the pen and as they approached Velaline explained some of the physical differences between the two genders. “Keep in mind that while the specific difference might not the same with different animals these are some good bases to work by.” She paused, “Unless you are dealing with like reptiles or birds they have different rules.”
She had him pause at a distant and together they waited as the goat looked them over for a minutes. “As she comes to know you better you won’t have to pause every time, but these first few times you will needed to.” Eventually the goat stopped watching them and they were able to approach together. Velaline walked over to the goats head and carefully attached a rope to the docile animal. “You can try to milk either a goat or a cow in the field but it really wouldn’t work well. The best way is to tie them to something solid so they can’t just wander away and leave a nice pile of food for them to munch on while you work. That way they stay in place and are happy.”
Pahoran could already in his mind eye see himself having chased this goat around the field if he hadn’t had his new friends help. She handed him the rope and he looked at her with wide eyes, and she smiled and said. “Best way to learn is to do.”
Pah took the rope and then began to walk the goat towards the area indicated by Velaline. The goat resisted at first but then Pah gentle tugged harder and she began to follow him towards the fence. He trudged along and kept looking back worried this one might decided to chase him as well but it just munched on some grass pausing once and a while to grab another mouthful. Pah began to feel a bit more confident and soon they were at the fence. The boy tied the goat to the dense and then remembering what he had been told went and got some food for the goat to eat.
Velaline set down the stool and bucket. Pah sighed and sat down. He turned to Velaline and asked. “ so how do I milk this thing.” She looked at him and said.
“They seriously just expected you to figure that out on you own.” Pah shrugged. “I am not sure they know how.”
The wild girl sighed and came over. “Okay.” She said and together they milked the goat. Velaline was all that skilled at it but she at least knew the basics and passed them on to Pah. It was a while later that he brought a disappointing amount of milk into the camp. But no one could say anything as he had the proudest smile on his face.
