good company

"Oh! Yes, yes," Lumi said, her small tail twitching with excitement. There was a small stream that cut through the forest. She'd spotted deer and sheep stop to take sips there occasionally, and now that it was summertime, the water flowed freely. In the winter and sometimes fall they had to stop and bang, bang, bang it with their hooves until they could crack the ice and take a frigid drink. "Follow me!" she announced in a stage-whisper. Not that any animals were listening just yet. The northern gal set off towards the creek as a pleasant breeze cut through the normally still woods. Leaves rustled above and made patterns on the forest floor as the summer sun trickled through. It was a beautiful day!

As they closed in on the creek, Lumi slunk into the underbrush and ushered Pesto closer. Downstream an elderly goat drank alone. It had a hitch to its step that was obvious as it moseyed along. This was going to be a little bit easier than she had originally thought. "Ok," she whispered. "You can have the pelt but the horns are mine. You head it off from the front and I'll bring up the rear." Still in a hunter's crouch, Lumi crept up on the lone goat.