[certified]

Marking omg

[honeybunchesofoats]

Username: honeybunchesofoats
Name: Nikko
Gender: heifer
Collar: premade!!
Prompt:

Nikko was unlike any other person because she had something about her that was...strange to say the least. She didn't have a shadow. When out during the day, even in the blaring sunlight, nothing trailed behind, stuck to her like glue, an extension of herself, it was like it had gotten up and wandered away. The worst part is that she literally could not remember if she had ever even had one in the first place. She really did not notice it until she was older and people had started to point it out to her. It was not something she was aware she was without and it almost made her feel lonely knowing it was not there.

However, something else Nikko failed to notice, was the misty white figure trailing behind her at night. In the pitch black of the darkness, it turns out that she actually did have a shadow, however, this one was mischievous and liked to play tricks on her. Sometimes, it even came up to curl around her, looming over her shoulders, but this was nothing that felt protective in nature. Instead, it hung, almost hungrily, like it was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

But...it never did. The shadow had been with her for years, only coming out to play in the dead of night, glowing ominously in the moonlight.

[Chaotic_Affection]

Username: Chaotic_Affection
Name: Amani. [swahili origin meaning harmony and peace]
Gender: Heifer.
Collar: Premade.
Prompt:

* gonna call the sister Maleri, anyone is welcome to snag the name I suppose.

Amani laid sleeping peacefully in the pasture, her herd mates scattered around among her– all sleeping in the dead of night. Though something seemed to stir in the night, causing the heifer to lift her head, eyes squinting trying to recognize the cow who stood in front of her. With nothing but the glowing moonlight, she was able to recognize the cow as her sister. Amani let out an astonished huff, she hadn’t seen the cow who’d been her companion since birth in forever it seemed. She scrambled to her hooves to get a closer look; it was indeed her younger sibling. The cow offered a warm, welcoming smile– the one Amani would always receive when the two shared a sisterly moment when they were mere calves.
“M–maleri?” Amani seemed to stumble over her own words, “The one and only...” the cow that stood before her blinked slowly, her voice was still as soft as Amani could remember. “I can’t believe... your back,” the young heifer said softly, tears welling in her magnificent eyes– Maleri huffed and moved to gently place her head around her neck in a hug-like fashion. “How did you get here?” She questioned curiously, sniffling softly– careful not to wake her herd mates, “There’s no need for questions Amani,” The young cow sighed, “Follow me,” Maleri said and headed out towards the gate that kept the cattle inside.
Soon, the two were walking along a river bank outside the pasture, “It’s been so long...” Maleri looked over at her sister, who let out a little sigh, “Yeah, no kidding.” There was a brief silence between the two before the siblings made eye contact– and Maleri began grinning. Amani shook her head frantically, “No!” She snorted, and before she could get away, Maleri had bumped her into the cool river water. The two shared a laugh before Amani clambered up into the bank. “I’m gonna get you get back!” She yowled and started to run after her sister.
After a moment, it felt like she was running on air– maybe even the clouds. Suddenly the ground began to fall and it seemed and her and her sister were running through the stars. Amani gaped at the beautiful sight, it was like nothing she’d ever seen before. “Maleri...” She said quietly, her tone quiet as she tried not to disturb the stars, “...are you seeing this?” The heifer asked as the pair slowed to a gallop. Though there was no response as the young cow loped through the clouds; Amani could nearly feel the sadness that radiated off of her now. Then the two slowed to a stop, “What’s wrong Mel..?” She asked, a worried expression plastered on her face, “I– I’ve gotta go again...” She stuttered, “But I promise I’ll be back! I swear,” She sighed sadly, obviously holding back tears. “Wait, I-I’m not ready for you to leave!” Amani yelped, pleading for her sister to stay, “I don’t wanna be alone...” She said softly.
Suddenly she began to fall from the sky– and her eyes opened. Amani let out a heavy sigh of both relief and sadness, it was just a dream. Amani curled up in a tight ball sadly, her ears flat against her skull. Though a soft whisper in the wild caused her to life her head. I’ll always be by your side. Amani tilted her head skyward, to gaze at the beautiful stars that she had once galloped in with her angelic sister.

[bunsniff]

Username: bunsniff
Name: Kipp
Gender: male
Collar: premade or gold collar
Prompt:
The waves were taunting him--attempting to pull him in. They reflected the night sky above him and promised that he could touch the sky through them.

He stepped forward, letting the water tickle his hooves. Despite the cool air around him, the water was warm--inviting. As he waded further into the water he watched as the reflected stars seemed to dance around his legs.

He was in his element, and everything was good.

[metanoia.]

Username: metanoia.
Name: calopsia
Gender: heifer
Collar: chants premade, premade!
Prompt:
the footsteps got louder as calopsia tried to cover her ears with a pillow.
thumpty. thump. thump. thumpty. thump. thump.
calopsia opened her eyes wide as the footsteps got closer.
oh no, oh dear. this is something that i fear.
the young heifer pushed herself up from her bed, terrified.
oh look, over there. its something bright and bare.
calopsia stumbled out of bed, her cloven hooves making tiny noises.
click. clack. clickity. clack. click. clack. clickity. clack.
calopsia dove, hitting her head on her closet door as she squeezed into the tiny room.
oh gee, owie. this really, really hurts.
the footsteps abruptly stopped, halting at her door.
i wanna scream, i wanna shout.
calopsia sighed as the footsteps started again, leaving her door.
i can hear my heart beating out of my skin.
a loud slam came, sending calopsia into hysteric screams of fear.
bum. bum. pat. tat. bum. bum. pat. tat.
her door slammed open in a sea of light and shadows.
is this it? is this all my life has been for?
calopsia took one last look at her window, the night sky filled with blankness.
no stars. i cannot wish this all away.
footsteps stopped at the closed door of calopsia's closet.
wiggle. click. click. tick.
she shut her eyes, hoping that any pain she would face was quick.
flutter. flutter. flap. flap. swoosh.
calopsia opened one eye.
could that have been it?
a delicate paper airplane sat on the floor beside her tail.
ugha. ugha. boom. bang. ugha. ugha. shhhh.
she opened the airplane, to find one word written on it.
loser.
"this is why i don't play with my brother at night." calopsia mooed.
wun. wun. wun.


note: the italics indicate a little song between the story. my apologies, it is not that good. <3

[Cactologist]

Username: Cactologist
Name: Alula
Gender: Heifer
Collar: Premade!
Prompt: (my apologies for the length)
Screams, hers and an echo. Hands holding her back, forcing her away. The pouring rain mixing with her tears. Confusion, anger, fear. A door slamming, then silence. She was alone.
Alula's eyes flew open, pulling her from the nightmare of a day she had relived so many times. Her heart pounded, her breaths came in short bursts, and she was soaked with sweat, as if she had just run a race. Soon, though, her anxiety faded as she took in the familiar stall around her, but the well-known fear still gripped her chest like a noose. A quick glance out the window high above told her it was still nighttime, and the shadows of her stall mocked her, reminding her that she was alone. Tears threatened to fall once more, and she knew there was only one thing that could make it better.
As quietly as possible, Alula crept from her stall and across the cement corridor, cringing with every click of her hooves. The barn was nearly pitch black, but her legs knew where to go. Peering into Stall 103, she saw the silent form of her older sister, Celeste, fast asleep. Alula almost felt bad for having to wake her, but right now she needed company, so Celeste should understand, right?
Creeping closer, she whispered her sister's name. but to no avail. Still afraid to make too much noise, she began to lightly shake her sister until she groaned and halfheartedly pushed Alula away.
"Go back to sleep, Lu," she mumbled, not even bothering to open her eyes.
"But I- I had the nightmare again," Alula whispered, causing Celeste to barely open a single eye to peer at her.
"The same one? Still?" Celeste asked, annoyed.
"Well, yeah..." Alula muttered, a little embaressed. Celeste just always has to make her feel like a baby, doesn't she?
The barn was silent for a moment (except for her uncle's snores the next stall over, of course), and Alula wondered if Celeste had fallen back asleep. Right when Alula was about to shake her again, Celeste climbed to her feet and walked out of the stall.
"Come on, then," she whispered over her shoulder. Alula, although a little shocked, trotted to catch up.
Once outside the barn, Alula stopped again. Celeste had turned east, walking straight towards the forest that rose steeply to meet the wall of mountains that loomed like black giants against the starry sky.
"Celeste, where are you going? We can't go into the mountains, especially at night," Alula questioned, no longer needing to whisper.
"Who says?" Celeste called back. Alula couldn't bring herself to say her name. "That's right. Hurry up, chicken. We're doing this for you, remember?"
"I don't even know what we're doing!" she whined, once again trotting to keep up.
In moments the two cows were in the dense forest, weaving between trees. Not a drop of moonlight made it through the solid canopy, and Alula wondered how Celeste knew where she was going.
"Celeste, I'm not sure this is a great idea. What if we get lost?" Alula said, jumping as a leaf fell beside her. This was definitely not helping her fear at all.
"Do you trust me?" Celeste asked, her voice flat.
"Well, yeah..." Alula admitted.
"Good. Then stop questioning me. Believe me, you'll be fine. You have me, remember?" Alula didn't answer.
What must have been hours later, Alula was ready to go back to sleep, but still they wove through the forest. Now the slope inclined sharply, and she wondered how high they had climbed. Neither of them had said a word since the previous conversation, but Alula was ready to complain again. Right as she open her mouth to do so, though, she and her sister emerged into a clearing.
"Woah..." she breathed, looking around. It seemed like they were standing in a bubble within the forest, a place where the trees could not invade. She could see the sky again, and the stars in the lightening sky looked close enough to touch. As she turned in a slow circle, Celeste had followed a small trail down a slope to their left.
"Lu, come here," she said in a voice hardly audible.
I guess she got over her anger. Alula thought as she followed. Once the path leveled out, she could see why Celeste could barely talk, because it took her breath away, too. They stood on a ledge of a great precipice carved into the side of the mountain. The lookout perched high above a valley where a tiny river flowed, and to either side mountains that Alula had only seen from a distance rose to meet the sky, creating a pathway into an unknown land.
"Where- what- how did you-" Alula babbled, unable to form coherent sentences.
"It was a place mom brought me when I had nightmares," Celeste smiled as she talked, a far away look in her eyes. "The first time she showed me I was about your age. But this isn't even the best part. Watch!" She pointed straight ahead, where the valley met the horizon.
Slowly, the navy sky faded into a luscious purple, and then lavender. A single sliver of the sun reached into the sky, perfectly framed by the mountains. As it climbed higher, it threw its rays onto every surface, recreating the bleak world into a brilliant masterpiece. The clouds became bursts of fire, the mountains glowing canvases. The river shimmered and glittered like it was overflowing with magic. Alula's mouth dropped, and she turned to look at Celeste, who stared into the sun. Even she had been painted with the sun's beauty. Her eyes shown like the sun itself, and Alula was captivated by how much she looked like their mother.
Turning back towards the sun that had now emerged halfway, Alula smiled for the first time in a long time. She hadn't even realized it, but the sun had chased the darkness from her mind, too. You see, although she was nearing adulthood, this was her first sunrise. Living on the west side of the mountains, the sun was full and yellow before they ever saw it. Of course, in the early mornings they could see the sky turn to from blue to purple and red then back to blue, but they never got to see the magic it did as it first awoke. She had never known what she was missing, either. Somehow, here, with her sister where her mom once stood, she felt complete. No longer did the darkness of her grief try to shallow her, but instead her wonder and love chased it away like the sun.
She sighed and leaned against her sister who in turn layed her head on her, "I love you, Cel. Thank you,"

[Areater]

Username: areater
Name: amelia
Gender: heifer
Collar: premade <3
Prompt: mark w/ giving up her calf and leaving her a paper airplane

[ptarmigan]

username: ptarmigan
name: notte
gender: heifer
collar: premade!
prompt: (this is so long i- i'm so sorry)

pov: buona
as most nights went, buona lay awake. her coughing was mostly quiet, though in a valley even a mouse's squeak carried far. the calf was gazing at the stars, more awake than she'd ever felt in the daytime. with no medicines at night, she had nothing to help her drift away to an empty sleep. bitterly, buona casted glances down at the metal pins stretched all down her front two legs while she lay extended, movements restricted to shifting her hind quarters only inches when she felt too stiff. she hated looking at them knowing the tough metal was always going to be a part of her.

distantly, an owl let out a low call and she turned her head towards the tallest tree in snowdrift vale. known as the great pine and decorated enthusiastically (for it nearly time for santa to arrive with presents, as the legend went), buona felt peace wash over her in the dim glow of the white christmas lights. the owl sitting on the branches blinked slowly, eyes wide as the moon above the branches over its head. her tail waved slowly, switch flopping over into a crescent curl. as the owl took flight, pine needles scattered and landed on the valley floor. the small, underweight calf watched the bird unfurl its wings to its full wingspan, inching forward and craning her neck as far as it could go in hopes that she, too, could fly. then she wouldn't need her useless legs and all the surgeries. as buona began to tuck her chin into her side sadly, her eyes caught view of something else.

pov: notte
at last! the calf cried jubilantly. well, in her mind she did. the few week old calf waved her tail with a friendly, lopsided smile and tilted chin. you do see me, don't you? she wanted to ask, but the dryness of her throat and empty space as she parted her jaw reminded her she could not. the young cow watched as the tiny calf on the other side of the fence started to inch her way toward her. this calf could only be a few days old, but at least they could be friends! she started to get excited at the thought of a friend, after all, it was very lonely over here. her herd had moved on ages ago, but she was still waiting patiently for them to return.

after it took several minutes, maybe close to half an hour, for her new friend to get even a few paces closer she watched with disappointment as the dark calf's head dropped onto the ground and she gave up. at least she's a little bit closer. she thought, her heart still stirring with hope. she waved with her tail again.
"hi." she watched the words form around the tiny cow's muzzle. "who are you?" her new friend's voice was as frail as the calf looked, like a porcelain plate in an unbalanced open face hutch.
oh. hmm. this whole friend thing was harder when she couldn't actually reply. she shook her head, gesturing to her muzzle.
"you don't know who you are?" the darker calf asked, her eyes squinting. was she concentrated on making sense of her gestures? before the cream and purple calf could shake her head no, that was not what she meant, the night calf continued. "do you have a name?"
a name? she thought, blinking several times, before sitting down and shuffling her hooves. had her herd named her? not that she remembered, that was... the calf paused and rolled over on her back, legs flailing. weeks ago. no, she didn't have a name. that was suddenly vivid, like the memory of waking up completely alone, crimson blood painting the pasture and not a single member of her family in sight. she shuddered at the thought. sitting back up, she shook her head firmly. no name, she mouthed.
"oh." was all her new friend said, a look of confusion on her face. "well, i'm buona. my tiny human says it means good in italian, which i think is another language for humans. i only know one other word in italian, because its the other half of my name. notte, which means night. how about if your name is notte?" buona finished, her eyes kind and gentle.

the newly named calf nodded eagerly, doing little spins and kicking her legs in the air. she paused partially because she felt dizzy, but more so because as her vision cleared she noticed buona's kind, wide eyes had suddenly filled with tears and spilled over onto her cheeks.
oh! how selfish of me. she mouthed, reaching through the fence lattice with her wet nose.
"that's like saying me talking is selfish, notte. it's okay." the tiny calf said, with more wisdom and acceptance than notte would expect from a calf only a few weeks ago.
how come you know so much? the uniquely colored calf muzzle formed the words, though no sound came out, her head tilting. you're so young. she hoped buona would catch most of what she was saying.
"i'm almost half a year!" buona huffed, sticking her chest out stubbornly. "i'm just little because i don't grow much just laying around. plus, i don't eat a lot between all my surgeries. but i'm sure i'm older than you!" notte's mouth falling open caused buona's eyes to sparkle in amusement. then, another look of confusion. "where did your tongue go?" clearly, she was not yet old enough to contain her curiousity. notte flinched away, feeling exposed as she snapped her muzzle shut.
"sorry," buona mumbled, ears burning. "you don't have to tell me, but i promise i'm the last cow who'd ever judge you! after all, i can't even walk." this comforted notte some and she nodded, accepting her new friend's apology.

suddenly, the owl returned with a ear splitting shriek. out of the sky and on notte's side of the pasture fell two items. the mysterious bird glided back to the christmas tree, resting on its branches. notte was far more spooked than buona, who had remained in her position and hardly blinked an eye at the sudden onset of the bird. but notte trembled from behind a tree and her tail was tucked in between her hind legs. "its okay! there are lots of owls out here. he won't hurt us. what did he drop? can you check?" buona called, speaking louder as the distance between the two had greatly increased. the purple and cream calf crept from behind the tree and toward the two items that had been dropped. notte held them up, unsure of what they were called. she had no experience with human made things. luckily, buona was being raised by humans and knew much about their things. "oh! a notebook and pencil. you use them to write. have you ever traced shapes in the dirt? you can do the same but with the pencil on the paper."

after an hour or two of practice, notte finally had it down. the words formed easily as buona explained the sounds (though there was much misspelling she was sure). but now, with the paper in hand and no way to even give it to her new friend, she hung her head miserably. whats the point? she mouthed to the tiny calf. but buona was not to be defeated, not if it meant she could talk to her friend more. glancing at notte's flank, she noticed a familiar shape. a paper airplane! of course. if the cream and purple cow folded the paper just right, it would glide right over the fencing and to buona. then, she would understand more of what the calf had to say.

they would talk through this method all night - until the sun rose over the hills and the two calves had dozed peacefully off, feeling the comfort of the other after the abandonment of their first families. the owl disappeared again, leaving nothing but a notebook's worth of paper airplanes swirling in the wind and two united calves behind to tell the story of his presence.

pov: third person
the tale of the christmas owl became legend at snowdrift vale. some wondered if he was merely something dreamt up or a ghost or just a story the two sisters had shared. but the leather bound notebook was recreated each year and given as a familiar present to every new calf that arrived at snowdrift vale as a christmas gift. as the legend goes, if the calves want to be visited by the christmas owl next year, they had to use every piece of paper in the journal for something good. it didn't matter if this was multiple acts of kindness or just one, but it could never be used for something bad.

the two tiny calves that were first visited by the owl and knew the truth of that first christmas visit grew strong and tall and survived an unforgiving first year of their lives they may not have otherwise. bond unbreakable and souls intertwined: as though they were sisters born of two separate wombs.

[mtuan,]

Username:

mtuan,
Name:

Kingsley aka King
Gender:

heifer
Collar:

premade (':
Prompt:

"It's two am and it's so dark outside- where are you taking me?" a shrill, whiny voice calls out as she hurriedly treads after a dark silhouette, reaching out for their arm as she tries to keep up. There's a stumble in her step and she nearly falls face first- if not for the strong arm that shoots out to catch her before her fall. Though the dark figure still says nothing at first, there's something distinctly comforting about the way they're holding King. Initially, her lover of three months doesn't show any sign that they want to speak. But she still hears the way their voice vibrates anyway, the softest whisper of "Be careful." and "Just trust me." before they're letting her go once again and making a beeline straight for their motorbike. King has no choice but to follow, curiosity alight in her gaze.

They ride for no more than twenty minutes, King distinctly recalls the way the gales blow against her frame, huddled up into the side of her lover as they drove the two-wheeler into some alley way in the center of their bustling city. She watches as they leans forward on the bike, as if they were one, how they never wore a helmet (she wore the helmet, of course- no matter how often she protested over their safety) but always seemed so at home riding the motorcycle. They always wore a leather jacket too, something so akin to the bad boy image that she could have-

The cut of the engine draws King out of her thoughts and she automatically flips the visor upwards to take a good look at her surroundings. It's too dark to see much, but even by the smell of it, it was another dingy alley. "Why are we-"

"Just stay quiet and follow me- helmet on the bike, baby." So many questions are halted by their single comment and Kingsley has no choice but to clamp her mouth shut and nod in understanding. She swings the helmet from her head and does as she's told, though her mind never ceases to question the figure's intentions. Where were they? What were they doing here? Where was her love taking her? If this was a date night, this was not-

The creak of the door.

There's some muffled noise coming from the very back.

Tentatively, King steps into the cold warehouse when her lover gestures for her to do so. Inside, she finds a man, limbs bound and tape against their lips. She gasps and makes a run for the man, with full intentions of untying them. But a harsh grip surges forward and brings her back, pulling her away from the hostage and simultaneously, the lights flicker back on.

The man in the center- he's dirty and bruised, but possessed doe eyes- eyes that were captivating with their slight glimmer. And his hair- although it was tousled like a birds nest now- with some clean up would surely sit handsomely upon his head. It all confuses King- the way he's bound, the way her lover says nothing to this and she- "What is going on? Why is he bound like this- let him go! We have to help him-" Confusion clouds her head and her instincts tell her to run- there's something wrong here, so wrong that it's causing an unknown anxiety to surface within her being.

"Oh darling..." they tsk, heels clicking against the cement of the icy building as they let go of King's arm and heads towards their victim "You've got it all wrong- you see... this man's a spy for our rivals in the other territory... he's been a part of out family for weeks now and has been gathering information as blackmail... we've just found him out earlier today and he knows about you, honey." King watches as they stop just a feet away from the bound man and she flinches harshly as her lover lands a hefty kick into the poor man's side. He simply groans and flops over. "He's part of the felines, code name Panthera... darling... you've heard of the canines, haven't you?"

The canines and the felines. These were all code names for the underground gangs that refused reveal their true identities for fear of legal pursuit. The pair often played the games between a dog and a cat- always vying for territory, thus, their secretive identities under the guise of each respective party.

"What- that means-"

"That I'm a part of the canines, darling? Why of course, code name Lupus, at your service... but that's besides the point," they pause with a wicked grin. "You know... all this is besides the point, however, and the only reason why I'm telling you is because..." the figure crooks a finger to beckon King forward "is because I love you... and... perhaps I thought it'd be good fun for you to learn a bit of self defense while we're at it. Don't you think?"

King's eyes widen even as she undeniably takes steps forward, treading carefully "S-So you're one of them then... What do you mean practice- what are you doing? Why am I here!" her voice grows shriller and shriller as she speaks, finally firing off the questions that she hadn't had a chance to ask in the first place. She's pinched and muscles taut when she's finally by their side, looking down at the poor, poor man. She's afraid.

Unfortunately, the only answer she receives causes her to go wide in the eyes (-as if she hadn't been owl-eyed all night already) as her lover pulls a gun from beneath their coat, a smirk pulling upon their face as they promptly point it at their victim.

"Watch."

There's only one unforgettable bang. But two fall, rather than one.

-

King jolts awake to the comforts of her bed, sweat trickling down her temple as she frantically looks around. She's gasping for air and despite her lack of memory, she feels like crying. Something in her pleads for it all to be a terrible nightmare, but the distinctive leather jacket and the little note by the end of her bed speaks volumes.

I know you don't remember much from last night and probably don't want to, but just know it was for the best. It was for you and we will work on your self defense in the future. Welcome to the family and I love you.

p.s consider last night a date, yeah? Next time I'll take you to fly some paper airplanes into the stars instead.

... Lupus.

[1,096 words]

[fawn-]

Username: fawn-
Name: Celeste
Gender: heifer
Collar: premade
Prompt:
The young calf looked up to the wide open sky. With no street lights for miles, the stars were bright and welcoming. She laid in the cool grass next to her mother with the familiar sounds of crickets chirping and the flowing water of the nearby creek.
“Mama?”
“Yes my dear?”
“What are all those tiny dots up there?”
“Those are our stars. They watch over us and guide us when we are lost.”
"I'm not lost."
"No Celeste," her mother chuckled. "You are right where you're suppose to be."
Celeste loved the sky since the moment she laid eyes one it. Every night she asked her mother to stay out after the sun went down so she could greet the twinkling gems in the sky. She would spend hours out there if she could.
“Let’s go inside Celeste, It’s getting late.”
Just five more minutes?” Celeste asked with her eyes still fixed on the midnight sky.
"We can watch them tomorrow." Her mother got up and nudged the calf onto her feet.
They walked across the pasture and Celeste reluctantly followed her mother into the barn.
"I can't see them now Mama."
I know darling, but they are still there. They were there the night you were born, and they were here tonight. They will be there tomorrow and they will be there when you have a calf of your own.
Her mother laid down in fresh bed of hay.
"Come here darling, lets get some sleep for tomorrow's star gazing."
Celeste smiled and curled up next to her mother. Her warmth and soft smell soothed the calf to sleep.
Her mother whispered in her ear. “I love you like the stars love the sky, my sweet Celeste.”