It was on once Brandon had walked outside into the air that he realized how early in the morning it really was.He quickly guess that it was no later than 6 am by the position of the sun in the sky and the soft dewy chill that glossed the grassy fields that stretch endlessly all before him. Far, far in the distance Brandon could make out the giant canopy of the pines that encircled the Leopards Land's and the mountains to the far north that boarded the other side of the land.He took it all in for a few seconds, then he stepped off the porch, ignoring the cool droplets that drenched the soles of his feet as he moved towards a wide gap in the far left of the mansion, where dim light poured out and the shadows of multiple people could be seen moving about.Slowly Brandon marched over to the opening and put his head into the light and glanced around.The space beyond the door was filled with various items for field work. Far too the left was a shelf filled with boots, and old clothing, a
It didn't take Ezekiel long to lead Brandon down to the farm. And the scenery wasn't much more the Brandon had expected to see. Three large white fences grounded in the shapes of squares sat in front of a relatively pristine looking farm that was painted bright red and white like pepper cane.Brandon took all of that in as they grew closer, only realizing once Ezekiel had led him to the front of the barn, that the entire farm was actually quite large. Nearly more than a few acres across and a good three fields wide, with all of the fences b giant vats of mud with bits of yellowed grass packed into it. Brandon quickly guessed that the yellow grass was hay that had been trampled beneath the farm animal's feet.But if he had expected to see any of these animals in person he didn't get the chance. The entirety of the farm seemed devoid of life at the moment of Ezekiels arrival.Confused Brandon turned and questioned him about the missing animals."Why aren't there any animals here?" Ezeki
Chapter 60The hay bales were much harder going. But as the next two hours trickled by Brandon was impressed to find that he and Ezekiel managed to burst open nearly twenty five bundles and spared them around nearly eighty percent of the farm. Ezekiel worked at a considerate pace, and saved most his breath so they worked in companionable silence.Soon enough the minutes had passed into another hour and the silence turned to thinking on Brandon's part. And to his surprise Brandon soon found that he was reminiscing back on his various and volatile interactions with the different members of Ezekiels family. Particularly the green eyed brother Lander and his more amenable interactions with Nate and Walter and even Erin and his parents.Brandon found that he wanted to avoid further confrontations until he moved on from the Leopards Clan....but he knew himself. He knew....that he had a bad habit of not backing down.....And he knew that if the green eyed Shifter came at him again...he was g
Ezekiel sat, with a hand full of wet clothing, staring at the stairs that Brandon had just fled up and disappeared from onto the second floor of the barn. Ezekiel didn't know what had prompted the mortal to run off, and since he was hardly in a position to chase after him, being mostly nude himself, Ezekiel resolved to leave Brandon to his own devices.He took his time washing out the slop from his clothes and Brandon's, before ringing them out and placing them in the grass beyond the Barn to dry in the sunlight.Soon enough the clothing were dry enough for him to redress himself. Then deciding that he had given Brandon sufficient time to hibernate Ezekiel made his way back inside of the barn, over to the stairs that lead to the second floor and called him down. It took a few more calls, but eventually Brandon appeared at the top of the stair case looking like he was dragging his feet. He also looked terribly self-conscious in the single long towel that he had wrapped around his hips.
After an awkward hour of more work and hay spreading the sun was in the middle of the sky and surprisingly most if not all of the strain between them had managed to melt away.Brandon was happy to let the silence wash away the confusion and embarrassment and the nervousness that he had felt during the shower and during his and Ezekiel's talk. And since neither one of them seemed determined to dwell on it, or even analyze what had happed or had been said Brandon soon found himself panting and taking a standing break next to Ezekiel.Ezekiel, who had plopped down on a bench in the shade created by the roof of the barn also seemed content to move on and settled back into the cool manner that seemed so natural for him. Exerted from work, both of them took their time cooling off and catching their breaths before Ezekiel disappeared off inside of the barn, only to reemerge a few minutes later with two plastic flasks, each frosted over on the bottom, suggesting that he had retrieved them fro
The Drums that Ezekiel had led Brandon to were seven giant cylindrical towers that climbed at least six feet into the air, covered in clean white plastic, with pipes the color of aluminum sprouting out the back of each one that then branched off past grass and soil into the earth.Brandon quickly guessed that the pipes led either to a river or a well deep beneath the surface.Ezekiel walked over to the first and closet Drum and tapped it with the palm of his hand."These are the Drums..." He explained. "They are normally filled by those pipes in the back which are fed from a giant river situated to the north behind my house."That's nearly seven miles away from here." Brandon exclaimed after thinking about what Ezekiel had told him for a quick moment."Yup, just about." Ezekiel agreed. "My family and a few of the Clans men dug the pipe trails a couple years back. But in the winter the river behind the mountain freezes and we have to hall all the water out here manually, it's grueling
The next three days they returned to the horse farm. It seemed to Brandon that tending the Band of horses was Ezekiel main concern that week, and he guessed that it was because Crystal seemed just about ready to pop.The routine that the two of them were developing was far too easy for Brandon to feel comfortable with and he was quickly frustrated to find that he actually liked the long patrols to the Farm.The time spent out of the room gave him a chance to get out of his own head....and Ezekiel's presence wasn't wholly ignored in this. When they hung out....there seemed to be a lot unspoken, but what that was Brandon didn't exactly want to focus on....and for the most part Ezekiel seemed to feel the same. They got along well, and there was plenty of work to be done with the horses each day. So Brandon didn't have much to dwell on what was or wasn't being said.....or done.....desired or secretly dreamed about. And he liked it that way.Most of their time on the farm was a quiet few h
Half an hour later Ezekiel was shaking his head."Dammit, I knew this was going to happen!" He growled, a flash of bright light chasing its way through his eyes as he looked at Brandon then back at Crystal. The first fawn was born nearly within three minutes of Ezekiel placing Crystal in a pin full of warm clean hay...it was a small female with dark black eyes and a chocolate brown coat, but after that fawn (that Ezekiel decided to name mahogany) nothing else was forth coming.After fifteen minutes Brandon had watched Ezekiel hop into the pin and like an expert he had reached into Crystals body and tried to help the mare push out the second fawn that he said he could feel inside of her....but nearly another eight minutes had passed and all Ezekiel seemed to have to show for his efforts was a shirt covered in birthing blood."This isn't good.....it's stuck." Ezekiel hissed standing next to Brandon, turning to the coiled up rope that he had laid over the post nearly an hour ago, as thou