SheepMomther

“Hmmm…” Tencha’s soft voice rumbled in his throat as he rummaged through the cabinet in his kitchen. It was a small house, decorated with simple, olive wood furniture, and a few porcelain tea sets and pets around the kitchen and dining room. Anyone who saw them would know it was the most important part of the house. But Tencha didn’t let many people in. Or anyone, really. “Out of vanilla.” He hummed to himself. “Marigold’s also running low…” he took the small glass containers where he kept his personal tea leaves as he checked each. He put them back carefully, soft paws laying them gently in the cupboard before closing it. He sat upright, placing his paws on the floor before shifting his tail nervously. “Guess it’s time to restock…” Restocking wasn’t that big of a task; not for most, at least. Tencha lived in a small town in the Dome, but it wasn’t an unresourceful one by any means. All he needed to do was leave his little tea shop, walk through the market street, and buy more

Lavanda shut her eyes tightly together, and felt tears sting against her cheeks before they fell to the grass beneath her small feet. It had been spring. The days had been getting warmer and gentler, and with no snow in sight for the past few weeks, the orphanage had decided to host their annual berry-picking field trip. After so many years, Lavanda knew well how the place needed to restock after the winter. A pair of orioles burst into song as they parted from the safety of a tree’s branches, too drunk with joy to care about being seen or heard. Yet Lavanda’s ear all but reacted to it; she stood frozen under the rejoicing of the birds and clouds, front paws fidgeting together ever so subtly as her golden, piercing eyes stared through them, not really seeing. She had grown enough now that adults would know she ought to have been adopted already, but not enough that one would give her chores or responsibilities yet. In that almost-awkward phase where her armor spikes weren’t quite