Toro butted in, his voice softer. "Ignore him. He thinks every shadow’s a thief. You hungry? We’ve got some clover stashed back at the clearing."
Lin blinked, caught off guard by the offer. "Is this a trap? Or is Toro just...nice?" He hesitated, glancing between them.
Bram huffed. "Don’t coddle him, Toro. We’re not running a daycare."
Toro grinned, unbothered. "Maybe not, but a little kindness never hurt anyone. Besides, you could use the practice."
Lin almost smiled. The tension in his chest eased, just a bit. "Maybe these two aren’t so bad. Or maybe I’m just desperate for a friendly face."
Bram stepped closer, looming. "So, last chance. You see a kid or not?"
Lin shook his head. "No, really. I haven’t seen anyone."
Toro nudged Bram again. "Let’s go, Bram. If he says he hasn’t seen anyone, he hasn’t. Come on, you know you’re just itching for a snack."
Bram grumbled but turned away, shooting Lin one last suspicious look. "Fine, you may go, but if I find out you’re lying..." Bram finally said, waving a hoof dismissively.
Lin didn’t hesitate for a single second. He turned and started walking, every heartbeat stretching into an eternity. "Just keep moving. Don’t look back. If I’m lucky, they’ll forget I exist by lunchtime."
For a moment, a strange thought crossed his mind: "Maybe if I were attacked, I could see how strong my recovery skill really is. Nah, I’m way too weak for that. Let’s not get creative with my own doom."
He kept his head down, concentrating on putting one hoof in front of the other. But then, just as he thought he was safe, another voice rang out, this time softer but somehow even more dangerous. "Hey, you, wait there."
Lin stopped, heart pounding. He risked a glance back. It wasn’t Bram who’d called him, but Toro, who’d been quiet until now. Bram looked at Toro, confused. "What now?" Toro squinted at Lin, tilting his head. "He looks a little familiar, don’t you think?"
Lin felt his heart stutter. "Oh, no. Not this. Stay strong, Lin. You’ve got a system, and you’ve recovery skills. ... don’t panic. Or at least, don’t show it."
Bram rolled his eyes. "From which angle does he look familiar to you?" he asked, sounding more annoyed than convinced.
Toro just snorted and moved closer to Lin, with Bram a step behind. Lin held his ground, but every muscle begged him to run. "If they discover who I am, I’m dead. Maybe I should’ve kept running. Or maybe I should’ve taken up acting—at least then I’d be better at lying."
"Where have I seen you?" Toro asks, scanning Lin from head to toe. "I remember now, you are the outsider."
"Outsider, he is the outsider?" asked Bram with a surprised expression. He shifts his gaze from Lin to the second goat and back again. "Shouldn’t the outsiders be big, monstrous? He looks very different from what I heard."
"I have no idea, but this one is the outsider," said Toro. Hearing this, Bram began to walk toward Lin slowly. As for Lin, he kept glancing around, trying to find a way to leave this place.
The goat’s nostrils flared as he leaned in, giving Lin a long, deliberate sniff from head to tail. Lin tried not to flinch, but it was hard not to feel like a piece of fruit being inspected at a market. Bram circled, eyeing Lin from every angle, his gaze sharp and assessing.
Bram gave a short, skeptical grunt. "Doesn’t look like much, either. Are you sure this is the one ?"
Lin swallowed, trying to stand his ground even as his legs itched to bolt. "Yeah, that’s me," he said, his voice a little too small for his liking. "I’m not here to cause trouble. Just... trying to find a spot to graze."
Bram burst out laughing, his voice echoing through the clearing. "Trouble? What trouble can you cause with that tiny body, huh?" He snickered, shaking his head. "I heard you were beaten badly by Twig. That was, " Before Bram could finish, he suddenly shifted his gaze to Toro.
Toro was staring toward the pan, his upper lip curled upward, front teeth bared, nostrils flaring like a vacuum cleaner sucking in all the air. Bram sniffed the air too, and in an instant, his expression changed to match, upper lip curled, teeth showing.
What in the name of the lord is happening here? Lin thought, bewildered.
"Wait... you smell that?" Bram whispered, excitement creeping into his tone.
Toro’s tail twitched. "Oh, I smell it. That’s, " He didn’t bother finishing. With a sudden burst of energy, both bucks spun around and bolted across the meadow, hooves pounding, chasing after the invisible siren call.
Lin blinked, left in a swirl of dust and confusion. What’s got their tails in a twist? He watched the two bucks barrel across the meadow, their hooves kicking up little clouds as they chased after whatever invisible force had yanked their attention away. It was almost impressive, the way they moved, like they’d forgotten he even existed.
He glanced around, half-expecting someone else to have witnessed his minor humiliation. But the only other goats were far off, heads buried in grass, completely uninterested. Typical. Guess I’m not even interesting enough for gossip fodder. That’s a new low.
He hesitated, then shrugged. Curiosity itched at him. What’s got them running like they just heard the dinner bell? He hesitated, then lifted his nose and took a deep breath to see what all the fuss was about.
And there it was. A scent hit him, sharp and musky, almost electric. It was nothing like the usual earthy, grassy, goat-funk background noise. This was... different. Strong. Tangy. Like the air itself was humming with possibility. Whoa. That’s... pungent. Not bad, just... intense. Like someone spilled a bottle of "Goat No. 5" and then set it on fire.
He felt something stir in his chest, a weird, restless energy. So that’s what gets the herd going. Nature’s version of a neon sign: "Hot Doe This Way!"
Lin shook his head, a little embarrassed even though no one was watching. "Guess I’m really a goat now," he muttered, trailing after the others, curiosity getting the better of him. "Honestly, I was hoping for a snack, not a lesson in goat romance." Newest update provided by N()velFire.net
He sniffed again, and this time the scent was much more powerful. It was so strong he caught himself glancing around, half expecting a disco ball and some Barry White to start playing. "Of course, I could be wrong; it wouldn’t be the first time. But if that’s not a doe in heat, I’ll eat my own horns."
He snorted, trying to clear his head, but the smell lingered, insistent. Nature really doesn’t do subtle.