m a e a
here comes the sun
smiling down
smiling down
A sharp whistle broke the silence, quickly followed by the barking of a dog and a sound of many running feet. In the space of a few seconds the peaceful area was covered in milling sheep, hell-bent on seeking greener pastures, and hot on their heels was a white dog that was equally determined to prevent this. With focused precision the dog gained on the sheep, began to round the outskirts of the flock and ever so gradually started to turn them around. More whistles directed the dog, closing in on the chaotic scene, and before long Maea came into view, hurrying towards the animals with her face flushed and eyes flashing in uncharacteristic vexation.
"I'm so sorry Sam, are you alright?" she called, mortified to find her friend in the middle of her wayward charges. "Bloody kids let their dog loose on my land and made the sheep panic... broke the fence and everything. I've been chasing them for hours."
The girl came up to the bookmaker and stopped, eyes still following the dog as it worked hard to bring the woolly animals under control. She was winded, face red and sweaty from running and the hair had half escaped the braid, hanging in long silken tresses about the neck. A far cry from lovely, unless one was into dirty and ragged, and next to her fellow Loreseeker Maea felt unkempt. A far cry too from the neat scholar she was supposed to be...
