It's not usually like this

The meeting of gazes between herself and her sister as they dutifully followed their mother up the mountain sent a thrill of excitement through Magdalene. A test of might. A lesson to soak up and add to the chapter of her youth. Though she's not completely verbal about it, she is aware that her mother hasn't entirely warmed up to them. But the attempt to even take them out onto the mountain today spoke volumes. No matter what lesson was shared or moment to be had, it would stick with her forever. Because maybe, just maybe, Desponia loved them even just a little bit.

As they crest a small peak along the slopes of the mountain, their mother stops them. Magdalene's paws scrape into the dirt, her body lurching forward as her alert and wide eyes scan the surroundings for the sheep. Impressive was hardly enough to describe the animal displayed before them. Massive curling horns that rivaled Desponia's with equally thick hooves to match. All attached to a hulking, thick body of white wool and beady eyes. Surely this was no monster they would be tangoing with today.

Just as they're about to head home, lesson complete for the day, the rocky ground beneath them begins to tremble. Hooves clatter over stone as loud grunting snorts fill their ears - alerting them to what was about to happen. Frozen at first in a mixture of awe and fear, Mags watches as their mother collides with the sheep. When the sound of horns against horns crashing together reaches her, an urge to protect her dazed mother overcomes her. Adrenaline surges and her mind draws a blank as she propels forward. To Mags, it doesn't matter how small, how weak, how inexperienced she is. A monster has just attacked her mother and he would soon regret it!

Deaf to the warnings and sounds around her, Magdalene leaps into the air, paws forward and feline claws extended. Aiming to attach herself to the sheep's face, hoping to at least scratch his eye out, she releases a guttural scream as her body collides with the animal's sturdy mass. Feral as she can be, Magdalene feels her claws dig into skin as she falls, unable to obtain a permanent purchase upon the sheep's face. Her back hits the ground, everything swirling for a moment as the sheep pulls out of its dazed state, now infuriated by pain, turning its attention onto her.

What had her mother said about avoiding hooves?

Magdalene Antonis