[mtuan,]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: mtuan,
Buttermilk: Abby

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: mtuan,
Buttermilk: Abby
Word Count: 404 words
Prompt: Has Abby ever felt alone in her life? Well- quite often, if she had to shamefully admit herself! There were many times when she'd been left to her own devices, her parents far too busy to keep her company and no real friends to play with. She would d spent a lot of her childhood alone too- under the shade of the trees and enjoying the quiet, farm life all by her lonesome. Did she get lonely like this? Well of course, but what was there to do? She lacked the socialization abilities to approach another and simply introduce herself (though, retrospectively, it would have made her life so much easier, no?) and probably that was the most essential skill she was missing. She was like the lonely space well sometimes, floating through her life, progressing without very much contact. Even her family- on some days, it was better than others- but some days, when her family was far too busy with the new crops that needed to be harvested or the extra chores that were hurried about around the house, she really had no one. Sometimes, Abby would even talk to the chickens her parents had kept on the farm, feeding them good food and telling them stories that she'd make up in her head. It's not so lonely like that- you know. Having some sort of creature to listen to your ramblings, about the stories and otherwise, that would occur. Oh- even better- Often times, Abby would find herself reverting back to her old self, to her childhood days, when she had Mr. space whale, her imaginary friend. They'd go on adventures together- he'd shown her the hill that she loved to roll down from, climbing up and then rolling down, up and down, up and down without an end in sight. And although many would claim that an imaginary friend would leave someday, as you age into the real world, abby's never did. He was always around when she wanted to play and all he'd need was a beckon or a call, just a yell of his name, and he'd reappear once again to be her buddy. Sure, Abby was quite lonely on most days- but there was also an optimistic edge to her too, perhaps? She didn't have any other young girls to call her friend... but she did have her imaginary friend to give her a good time too.

[DarkestWerewolf]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: DarkestWerewolf
Buttermilk: Aria

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: DarkestWerewolf
Buttermilk: Aria
Word Count: 409 words
Prompt:

Looking back, Aria had recalled an occasion where she was alone. She had gotten lost from her herd right at sunset and wasn’t able to locate them. She was still a calf and had strayed too far from the herd. The herd was at their usual grazing spot but the calf was distracted by a bird and ran into the nearby forest.

By the time she realised she had lost her herd, it was too late. The sun was already down and it was already quite dark. She wanted to call out to her herd but she knew that if she did, she’d be giving her position away to predators that might be on the hunt. Aria looked around the forest, nothing seemed familiar. There were mysterious sounds coming from the trees which frightened her. Just then, something swooped down at her direction, causing her to panic. Aria immediately ducked down and ran towards the nearest shroud of bushes. At least for now, she was safe amongst the bushes.

She looked up into the moonless sky. How she missed the company of her herd. She never knew how safe she felt with her herd until she was alone. It was scary to be alone. She felt vulnerable. It was frightening. Aria felt extremely uneasy. There was safety and comfort in numbers, now that she’s alone with no herd in sight, it was weird. She’d usually be talking and having fun interacting with the herd before sleeping but now, there was no one. Aria never got any sleep, in fear of being attacked by predators.

By morning, she was exhausted. However, she still needed to find her herd. She started calling for them, only to be met with chirping birds. She continued to wonder around the bushes where she was, avoiding straying to far to avoid getting even more lost. Just as she was about to give up, she heard a very distant faint moo. She immediately perked up and called back, running in the direction of the moo. She could hear it. It was getting louder. It was recognisable. It was her herd. She eventually bolted out the forest into the plains, there stood her herd, running towards her to embrace her. Aria had never felt so happy to see them. Her lonesome night in the forest had long been replaced by the company of her herd. The relief Aria felt was overwhelming, to the point she started bawling.

[Queen Vivane]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: Queen Vivane
Buttermilk: Magpie

[Areater]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: Areater
Buttermilk: Pandora

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: Areater
Buttermilk: Pandora
Word Count: 200 words
Prompt: "alone, huh?" pandora asked, looking a little bit sad at the thought. "it's silly, since i live in such a large herd, but...i can't help but feel a little lonely sometimes. i just get so nervous around the lot of them, and especially some of the more aggressive buttermilks, like reese, and even cam when she's in a bad mood...i just kinda scurry off when i see them. and i wouldn't say i really have a best friend, or anything...i'm just friendly with a few of them. particularly basil, but she's really busy - she's often spending time with her mate, or her calf. and i'm just...on my own, a lot of the time." she glanced up, snapping out of her moodiness. "oh, but don't you worry about me, it's not so bad. i know i could just be all by myself, like i used to be, with nobody to ever talk to. even though i'm still really shy and don't talk to the others a whole lot, at least now i can listen to other buttermilks have conversations, and be a part of something, instead of just wandering around on my own." she smiled a little. "count your blessings, right?"

[certified]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: certified
Buttermilk: Journee


“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: certified
Buttermilk: Journee
Prompt:
There's been many a time where Journee has felt alone. She just doesn't express that side of herself often. Before she had her calves, it felt like she was the only one in the world who couldn't see.
She couldn't see her friends or her family. She couldn't see them smile or cry or frown or laugh. She couldn't see the color of the grass or flowers or even what her daughters looked like.
She just knew these certain things were certain colors, but she's never seen those colors.
Despite being blind though, she realized there was nothing she could really do about it. There was no way she could fix her eyes to see night or day. But she could hear some of these things, which made the process slightly easier. She could hear when someone was sad or happy. She could hear a smile. She could hear the blades of grass whispering in the breeze. She could hear bees humming away in the flowers as they collected pollen for their colony. She could feel things, and this made her happy.

She sits down and looks at Liz, a smile smearing across Journee's face. "I recall when Sequoia was born. I couldn't see a darn thing, but I could hear her take her first breath of fresh air. I heard her cry and it was like heaven. Of course I cried and cleaned her up and kept her close. We eventually stood up after a rest, and I could hear her knees knocking as she tried to gain her footing. It was hilarious and cute all together. She was just a baby then. Now she's all grown up and my pride and joy. My little best friend." Journee closed her eyes, grinning ear to ear as she remembered the day her 2nd daughter was born.


306 WC

[BiscuitTheDog]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: BiscuitTheDog
Buttermilk: Carmie

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: BiscuitTheDog
Buttermilk: Carmie
Word Count:
Prompt:
Carmie has felt alone quite a few times in her life. She particularly felt most alone after her parent's deaths, but even then she had a few friends that attempted to comfort her (not well, might I add! I don't think telling grieving cows about your own parent's deaths comforts them very much).
But when Carmie lost her friends (good for her, they were toxic!) she fell into a greater state of depression. She felt more alone then ever. She'd slept curled around her yellow armadillo plush every night because she felt so alone.
Despite the loneliness, she still ignored her friends. She knew that every time she approached them, they would reject her, yell at her, maybe even kick her. They hated her, but she wanted to become friends wit them again.
She'd never felt more alone. Every night she'd go out to the field, when she was sure everyone was asleep. She'd look at the great, shining moon, and she'd whisper, "Mother, am I doing everything wrong?"
She would ask every night, to no avail. Carmie's friends had rejected her because she wouldn't go along with their evil jokes, but was that so bad? They were rotten and wouldn't admit it, and not even Carmie could show them. They were just having "fun" in their eyes and that's all they cared about.
Pshh, whatever. Carmie didn't need them. Nope.
Those heifers were certainly not the only friends she'd had for years and years. Losing them didn't break her heart in half.
Oh, but it did.
Carmie just would never admit that her heart is made up of loneliness and lies she keeps telling herself.
(276 words)

[Yodel]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: Yodel
Buttermilk: Alli

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: Yodel
Buttermilk: Alli
Word Count: 544 words
Prompt:

"I will not lie, it's been kind of difficult doing this all on my own. I'm really happy you're here to help."

"Yeah, of course," Alli smiled, following the routine and jumping right into her fieldwork. Today her mind was foggy, and she wasn't thinking clearly. She took the opportunity of collecting crops to try and process everything.

As she pulled crops up from the dirt, her mind kept wandering to times when she was a calf, when she was bullied. She had felt so very alone during those times. She was seen as abnormal, even by the adults. Alli had no close friends or anyone that she could confide in, and so she had to go through this struggle alone. Oh how she wished she had someone during those times, things may have even turned out differently.

The calf had made her best attempt to deal with the situation by distancing herself from most other bovines. Because of this, she lacks some social skills and tends to be quite nervous around others. Now that she is grown, she quite enjoys being around other cows, because she couldn't be around them as much when she was younger. Alli thoroughly dislikes her lack of confidence around others that stemmed from her childhood but has no real way of improving it.

While the heifer distanced herself from other cows, she took to hanging around different animals. She would often make friends with little rodents, or the cats that would stroll by, or even the birds when they perched near her. This is how Alli came to adore animals so much, they were the only ones there for her when she really needed somebody. She would be entertained by their silly antics, and it would cheer her up after a rough day. She particularly enjoyed observing animals doing their own thing, always fascinated by each animal's different way of living, or how they overcame adversity in their own lives. She was always inspired by them.

"Oops, how am I going to carry all this?" Alli hadn't even realized it, but by the time her mind had begun to clear, she had been collecting crops for several hours. She made several trips from her pile of produce in the field and Liz. Apologizing for the wait. Once she had brought in her whole haul, she sat with Elizabeth for a little.

The older heifer asked her about some good times she had had with friends and grateful for the opportunity to think of something happy, Alli contentedly told her some fun stories about her adventures with various animals. The one time she helped a cat care for her litter of kittens upon discovering them in her barn. The time when she played in a tug of war tournament with a group of dogs who came to visit the farm one day. The time she carried Kiwi around in her head all day. Even the time when she nudged a black bear cub in the right direction back into the woods when she noticed it wandering onto the property.

Alli, thankful for a cheerful conversation with Liz, said farewell and headed back into the market with a swish of her tail, happy to now be in a better headspace.

[Cactologist]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: Cactologist
Buttermilk: Bedelia

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: Cactologist
Buttermilk: Bedelia
Word Count: 310
Prompt: Growing up, Bedelia was always kind of the odd one out. Even though she only lived around her extended family, she still got bullied fairly often. Many times this made her feel alone, but she was fine with it. In fact, it has always been her dream to visit or even live on Mars, so she is able to enjoy being alone. When she was younger, though, she was only friends with her grandmother and wild animals and acquaintances with everyone else. This, of course, didn't help her any on the "normal" scale and further distanced her from other cows. This is probably how she became fine with being alone, though, because it was her reality. She embraced her oddity, no matter the consequences.
When Liz mentions good times, though, many moments come to mind, all of which, of course, happening with her grandmother. There was her first ever memory, when her grandmother first showed her Mars and the place that would become their secret spot, and her last happy one, when they wove wild flower crowns and danced among the fireflies. There was the time that they dyed their own fabric, and the time Bedelia ruined her grandmother's favorite fabric. There were afternoons spent baking pies, and the early mornings spent hiking and looking for animals. There was the time that Bedelia was sick, longing to be outside, so her grandmother brought the outside to her. There was swimming in ponds, picking berries, and laying in meadows naming clouds. Finally there was also probably her favorite memories of all, when they sat beneath the stars, Bedelia sharing her dreams for the future and her grandmother sharing stories from her past. Although Bedelia thought of all these moments, she couldn't bring herself to share any of them with Liz without crying, but they did bring her a moment of happiness.

[Desmond]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: Desmond
Buttermilk: Takara

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: Desmond
Buttermilk: Takara
Word Count: 108
Prompt:
The real question should be whether there is a time Takara has ever not felt alone. In her struggle to gain respect and a voice in her herd, there have been very few that have stood by her side, and even fewer that she could rely on. It doesn't bother her much, to have to stand on her own four hooves, and honestly... she actually prefers it, because the only one that can truly let her down or betray her is herself... and while she expects the former from time to time, she doesn't have to worry about the latter.

Well. That's what she tells herself, at any rate.

[Joke's On You]

“I’d like to help harvest!”
Username: Joke's On You
Buttermilk: Pluto

“I’d like to help harvest some more!”
Username: Joke's On You
Buttermilk: Pluto
Word Count: 312
Prompt:

There have been several places in Pluto's life when she felt alone. It all ties back into her personality, since she is more on the awkward side. She has an easier time talking to people who are in need themselves rather than talking to people when she needs help or just to spark up a regular conversation.

It's hard for her to interact with others. When she observes other Buttermilks talking to each other, it all looks so easy and she wishes she was able to come up with conversation as quickly as they do. She finds herself alone because she can't bring herself to have a conversation with others and thus, making actual friends and hanging out with them. It happens all the time, when she'll be in an area where there are other Buttermilks conversing with one another and hanging out, meanwhile Pluto feels left out because she doesn't know how to walk up to them and ask to join in. And if she does have the confidence to insert herself into a conversation, she ends up losing topics to talk about so she'll end up being a third wheel to a group of friends. Those are the times where Pluto has felt the most alone in her life, and those are the times where it proves to have the most effect on her.

With this being said, it is not an uncommon occurance for Pluto to feel alone. Although, she tries to deal with it as best she can by thinking of things she can do on her lonesome. Pluto hopes that one day she will be able to fix how she talks to people so she won't have to feel alone so much. It's her goal to be a bit more optimistic some day instead of letting things like these have so much of an impact on her.