The Northfell Curse

16. Herding Catsheep

Chapter 16 Herding Catsheep

Everyone settled down for a much needed long rest until morning. Normally, Tine would have preferred to sleep in the loft, especially since a strange boy had joined them in the barn, but when she climbed up the ladder, she found that Hafoc was already roosting up there. Her back arched at the sight.

"Hey, kitty," Hafoc said, obviously noting her surprise. "It's alright. You can join me up here." He patted the hay. "Go on, take yer pack off and settle down—I won't bite."

She paused a moment. Tine's ears twitched. "Um..you know, I just realized I forgot my staff." She started to back down a rung. "Better go find it..." She hastened back down to the ground floor of the barn.

At the bottom of the ladder, Tine looked around, not for her staff, but for another place to rest for the night. Hala was curled up with Viatape in a corner, who wagged his piggy tail in his sleep. Kylia, Rhalie, Lou and the boy, Ilius, were also asleep, but Autumnus was still awake. Tine noticed he was blowing into his cupped hands to keep warm. She sat next to him.

"Cold?" Tine smiled a little. "I don't often get the chance to ask you that."

Autumnus smiled. "I admit, I am not used to being cold; but it wouldn't do to create any flames in a barn. Setting fire to it would surely make us poor houseguests."

She laughed a little. "Or barn guests. Yes, it surely would." She thought a moment. "We could sleep together for tonight."

Seeing his face turn a darker shade of red, she blushed herself. Mut, I didn't mean it like that! "Back-to-back, I mean," she added quickly. "For warmth."

Autumnus nodded and they lay down, looking away from each other, but feeling each other's body heat. Tine's heart raced. She was sure she would never get to sleep and Rhalie's snoring didn't help. But, eventually, exhaustion took hold of her until morning.

*

Tine awoke to find a large, cushy creature staring at her. She scampered back over Autumnus before she noticed that bleating sounds filled the barn. She wasn't sure, but she thought it sounded like "Mew-baa."

She looked at the creature more closely. It had the body of a sheep and the face of a grumpy, black cat. Oh, right, the flock! She had been so tired last night, she had forgotten they had promised to let the animals out to pasture. Looking back at the frowning cat face, she had mixed feelings about it now. Marlynn hadn't mentioned they were catsheep. Stretching, Tine reached over give the cushy creature a pat.

"Good morning, my miog friend," Hala called out. Tine turned around to see the elf who was opening one of the barn doors to the pasture as Viatape trotted from the back with some other catsheep who looked eager to get out for the day.

"Um, hello." It might have been Tine's imagination, but she thought Hala looked at her as if she should be sent out to pasture, too.

Once all the catsheep had exited the barn, Hala addressed Viatape, who hung by her side. She put her hands on her knees and talked to the boar in a singsong voice. "Do you want to do out, too?"

Viatape snorted and ran out of the barn. Hala chased him with a laugh. Soon, they had the catsheep herd on the run. It looked like Viatape enjoyed shepherding the flock.

Ah, well, maybe she just thinks we should all be out in the sunshine...Tine thought as she rubbed her eyes. She stretched and wandered outside one of the other doors. Herding catsheep seemed, well, hypocritical, somehow.

Outside the pen where the catsheep roamed, Tine saw scores of children playing. It occurred to her that, curiously, the only adult they've seen so far is Marlynn. Tine frowned. I wonder what the story is with that?