The Lands of Ralosia & Ranuulo- Short Story Collection

~Charred Chest Chapter 5- Cattle & Dairy~

Chapter 5- Cattle and Dairy

~The next morning~

The sun began to rise as Razan and Hopper followed the scent northwest to a land with rolling hills often used for farmland. A sign on the road said, 'Ech Ech Ranch', leading to fenced in pastures with several barns and a manor near it.

Cattle was grazing on the land. The animals were white with many black spots across their bodies, horns and utters, standing around the height of Razan's hip. The cows were commonly held on farmland.

The herd of cows flocked towards the fence as they passed. Hopper's ears pointed up, and he let out at high-pitched barked. The cows all fled immediately, heading towards the nearby barn in the fenced in area.

Razan let out a small yawn as he passed by the fenced in area. He noticed a few men, clearly farmhands, all perched atop it watching the cattle. One of them caught sight of Hopper and looked to his buddies with an astonished look before flipping around on the fence to face Razan.

"That's quite the strange dog you have there... haven't seen many that big. What breed is it!?" The farmhand asked.

Razan answered, "A Chihuahua."

As they approached, Razan could feel Hopper tensing up. There were very few people whom the dog felt comfortable with. He could feel a growl coming on, but Razan scratched the dog behind his hear to try and ease him.

"What brings you into the area sir?" Another of the farmhands asked.

"I have some business to attend to."

"Oh, with Mister Nolan?" The farmhand replied, gesturing to the manor at the end of this stretch of farmland.

"Good guess." Razan lied. "I Better get to it."

Razan and Hopper continued, and the dog managed the tiniest of growls at the farmhands as they passed by them. It nearly caused one of the men to fall off his perch along the fence.

The Manor was a few stories tall with a few hedge statues of cows leading up to the entrance. There was a tacky sign out front with 'Ech Ech Manor' etched onto it, with a short cobblestone walkway leading to the door.

As far as Razan knew, this place was known for milk and dairy products. Hopper's steps slowed as they approached. This was definitely the place.

Razan stepped off Hopper near the front and said, "Stay here bud." Hopper's ears went back, and he sat in place.

Razan walked up the walkway, determined to leave with that chest. He rapped on the door a few times and waited for a response.

A balding blonde man in overalls opened the door, and a little girl stood at his side. Presumably the ranch owner and his daughter.

"Hello." The blonde man said opening the door wide, standing with his hands on his suspenders. If Razan didn't know he was the owner of this ranch, he'd have assumed he was a commoner. The man asked, "What can I do ya for?"

Before Razan could speak, his daughter excitedly blurted out, "Daddy! There's a big doggy!"

She pointed frantically at Hopper, who was waiting patiently at the end of the walkway of their home.

"Wow... That's a big dog."

"I know." Razan replied flatly, "You're Nolan?"

"That I am." Nolan replied cooly.

Razan folded his arms, and found himself sinking comfortably into an old persona of his... "You have something I want."

Nolan cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, "Really? What is that?"