sacrifice what you are for what you can become
Henry's pursed lips became a gleeful smile when Belril agreed that it would work, watching as the boy examined things for himself. He did notice, only then, that Belril seemed a bit winded when he talked. His breaths were short and heavy and his cheeks were pretty red. "Yes, hopefully it'll be easier on you here. Of course you can let them grow. The trees... yeah, that's probably a good call," Henry nodded along to Belril's thoughts, adding his own comments, "but we certainly won't stop you from trying to grow full-sized ones, if you ever want to."
Then, he motioned towards a pile of provisions pressed up against the side of the house. There, Belril would see large, clear tarps and short, wood posts measured just high enough to cover the plants. There was also wiring, nails, a hammer, and stakes. "Everything's there to build it, we just need to get all of your plants in the dirt before we start building around them. It'll be easier that way. Don't move, I'll be right back."
With that, Henry disappeared across the property and into the old barn. When he emerged after about ten minutes (and there were few indications that he was having some sort of struggle with something), well, he didn't emerge first. Out came a runaway goat, black with tan spotting, and she went straight toward Belril with kicking hooves. She had unimpressive horns on her head, short and stubby, but she bowed them anyway. Henry came barreling after her, "Hey! Get back here! Watch it!"
She pranced right past Belril with all the grace a goat could have, though she probably gave him a right scare with her buff charge, and proceeded to escape towards her ultimate freedom, where she could eat apples all day long and no one could stop her.
Henry came panting past Belril and said quickly, "There's a bag of oats in the barn, can you run and grab it please? And just- I don't know, make it look appetizing? I'm gonna try to herd her back around."
With that, he shifted into his eagle form and flew across the open stretch until he was past the goat, where he swooped down and squawked at her, doing his best to look scary, stretching out his wings. The goat came to a skidding halt, letting out a bleat of terror and scrambling back in the other direction, now in a complete panic.
Henry morphed back to his human form and there was clear displeasure scrawled all across his face, "Damn it! Dad's gonna kill me if I lose her," he grumbled to himself. Shoosing to stay in his human form, he went after Dot to try and help Belril - if Belril was helping him, that is.
Then, he motioned towards a pile of provisions pressed up against the side of the house. There, Belril would see large, clear tarps and short, wood posts measured just high enough to cover the plants. There was also wiring, nails, a hammer, and stakes. "Everything's there to build it, we just need to get all of your plants in the dirt before we start building around them. It'll be easier that way. Don't move, I'll be right back."
With that, Henry disappeared across the property and into the old barn. When he emerged after about ten minutes (and there were few indications that he was having some sort of struggle with something), well, he didn't emerge first. Out came a runaway goat, black with tan spotting, and she went straight toward Belril with kicking hooves. She had unimpressive horns on her head, short and stubby, but she bowed them anyway. Henry came barreling after her, "Hey! Get back here! Watch it!"
She pranced right past Belril with all the grace a goat could have, though she probably gave him a right scare with her buff charge, and proceeded to escape towards her ultimate freedom, where she could eat apples all day long and no one could stop her.
Henry came panting past Belril and said quickly, "There's a bag of oats in the barn, can you run and grab it please? And just- I don't know, make it look appetizing? I'm gonna try to herd her back around."
With that, he shifted into his eagle form and flew across the open stretch until he was past the goat, where he swooped down and squawked at her, doing his best to look scary, stretching out his wings. The goat came to a skidding halt, letting out a bleat of terror and scrambling back in the other direction, now in a complete panic.
Henry morphed back to his human form and there was clear displeasure scrawled all across his face, "Damn it! Dad's gonna kill me if I lose her," he grumbled to himself. Shoosing to stay in his human form, he went after Dot to try and help Belril - if Belril was helping him, that is.
HENRY
