Epilogue

Drovo

"I've never seen the bafilo graze so close to the mountain before," Sozu commented as the five of us sat in the clearing watching the nearly invisible beasts eat the grass.

Kayla and Hai had wanted some fresh air, so of course Lumod and myself headed outside with them. Sozu said he wanted to gather some flowers for Talia, which was how the five of us ended up downwind of a herd of bafilo that blended in so well with the tall pink grass that we nearly missed them.

"Look at that small one–It's limping." Kayla pointed to a young bafilo that looked like it was injured.

"It would make an easy kill," Sozu commented.

"No!" Kayla said a little too loudly. The herd of bafilo got spooked and started to run away, but the injured one couldn't keep up. The entire herd made it past the treeline into the forest, leaving the young one behind.

"Why not kill it? We need the meat for the winter." Sozu looked confused.

"Because… well look at it! It's helpless!" Kayla got up and slowly approached the beast.

We all followed quietly behind her, except for me who stayed by her side so she wouldn't get hurt.

"Can't you heal it or something?" she asked as she took slow steps, approaching the pink furred beast with the ability to shift its colors to match its surroundings.

"You want me to heal it so I can kill it?" Again Sozu looked very confused, but it was becoming clear to me that Kayla had an affinity for the creature. She had seemed somewhat depressed this past week and I was sure it was partially my fault for not finishing her mobility device yet. Would having this animal make her happy?

"No, she wants you to heal it so she can keep it," I supplied.

Everyone looked at me as if I'd grown a third horn. Everyone except Kayla. She looked at me with appreciation, possibly for the first time since the day I'd given her that walking stick.

"Keep it how?" Lumod asked.

"I'll build a shelter for it. I need it for Kayla's mobility device anyhow." I was wondering how I would get the device to move forward. Hooking it up to a strong bafilo might just do the trick.

"Are we really getting a baby buffalo as a pet?!" Hai squealed.

"I do not know what a baff-a-low is, but yes we will keep this baf-ee-low as a pet," I replied, sounding as resolute as I could. I did not want anyone to question my decision. Not when Kayla so clearly wanted to keep the beast.

Hai rolled her eyes at me. "Buffalo, bafilo, same thing. They both look the same minus the changing fur."

"You can really build an enclosure for it?" Kayla turned to me with pleading eyes.

"Oh yeah, no problem," I said, maybe a little too confidently given that I hadn't finished the one project I'd promised her already.

"I can build it right next to the entrance so you can visit it everyday," I added and that brought a smile to her face.

Sozu let out a dramatic sigh. "I'm not healing it until the enclosure is built. You're never going to get that thing in there if it can run away from you."

"That's fair. I'll have the enclosure finished by nightfall." I promised and immediately got to work.

Kayla

I had my doubts, but Drovo came through on his promise. He had the enclosure finished and the bafilo inside before the sun had finished setting.

I spent the afternoon with the poor animal. It seemed to perk up after I brought it some food and water, but it was still weak.

"I know how you feel, buddy." I petted its thick fur. Drovo had promised me bafilo were docile creatures that only ate grass and root vegetables. It hadn't taken long for Jelly to warm up to me. That was what I had decided to name him. He had shifted his colors to look like a dark purple that resembled a grape jelly. Sozu told me he'd observed them turn that color in the wild while they rested together.

Jelly rested his head on my shoulder now and I continued to pet his neck.

"Sozu should be here soon to mend his leg," Drovo assured me.

I was grateful that the dryad shifter had taken my side in not only keeping Jelly alive but also as a pet. Drovo had been getting on my nerves lately, but he had his moments.

He turned his attention toward the entrance and I took the opportunity to ogle him while I could. He may be taking forever to finish the device he'd promised me, and he may be lying about why it was taking him so long, but damn if he didn't look fine as hell. Why did he have to be so attractive and yet so annoying?

"Alright, let's heal this beast." Sozu approached the bafilo slowly.

"His name is Jelly," I explained and Sozu stopped.

"Jelly, let's heal Jelly," he corrected.

He placed a hand on the injured leg and closed his eyes. The young sirret's skin seemed to ripple between shades of darker and lighter blue until it started to turn slightly gray. He kept his hand there for a long moment before he lifted it and said. "All better."

Jelly seemed to agree as he got up and started to slowly walk around the circular pen Drovo had built for him. The walls were high to keep any predators out, and it had a roof to keep Jelly dry in the rain. It was a well built and thoughtful structure. Now, if he could apply half the gumption he used to make this enclosure to the project he was working on for me, he'd have been done by now.

"Thank you, Sozu."

The young Sirret got up and swayed a little before righting himself.

"No problem." He smiled and rushed back inside the mountain.

"Thank you, too," I looked to Drovo, who wore a smirk on his face.

"It was nothing," he said while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Interesting that you found building an enclosure so easy, yet it's been a month and you still haven't finished one project for me."

Drovo's grin faded and he raked a nervous hand through his hair. "You can"t rush perfection." He tried to laugh off his nervousness, but it felt too forced. He wasn't fooling me. It was clear he could have finished my project weeks ago but hadn't, and I didn't have the slightest clue as to why.

The End