Ch2: I don’t quite understand
“...And ever since then, it’s like he’s obsessed with poisonous snakes.” Sally finished her story. One that noted that “Lord” Cedric, her father, kept worrying about snakes lying in the grass...Despite the fact the’re hadn’t been a snake in the meadow for more than a long time.
The walk to the farm had been a long one for Susi. Hearing about Sally’s father felt longer than the walk. But at last the farmhouse they were heading towards was near.
She could even see Bunny’s father, “Big Bunny” Wilson, not far from the house. The somewhat unintelligible farmer was in his field watering his crops.
The strange nickname of Big Bunny came about due to his stout size, fluffiness, and his unusual teeth. Though his fluffiness had lessened, despite the stories. He apparently had been trimming himself, while still keeping an amount of wool around his head.
“Yo, Mr. Wilson?” Sally called out to him. “Is Bunny home?”
Wilson looked up, lowered his watering can, and replied. “Oh, aye! I ‘magine she’s about in ta kitchen like. Ye ‘er for cuppa tea, then?”
“Wha…?” Susi about uttered before Sally cut her off.
“Totally!” It was then Wilson gaver he an odd look. “I mean, aye….aye that.” To which the old farmer nodded.
“Lovely day for it.” He replied. “Ye girls ‘ave nice time then.” And then went back to his watering.
Sally knew what Susi was about to ask. “Him and Bunny talk weird, I can translate.”
“Great…” Susi replied. And they walked into the farm house.
Big Bunny’s home was as modest as any farm in Baaaaah’s outskirts, what farms there were at least. All the living room had was a light bookshelf, wood chairs, and a fireplace. Meanwhile, the kitchen had much more going for it. A table, chairs, two ovens, and several shelves with items. The fact that things like flour, salt, and some dried vegetables were among them made it clear no sheep here grazed for all meals in the day.
And another stout sheep was placing fresh pikelets on to a plate, the already mentioned “Little” Bunny.
“Aye ‘oop, herd ye outside, Sally.” Bunny said, flipping up pikelets on the stove. “Ye bring ta one dear ye talked ‘bout, then?”
While Susi was wide eyed and feeling she was on another planet, Sally would reply.
“Yep, this is her.” She replied as she gestured over to Susi. “Uh….” She added as she cleared her throat. “Care to introduce yourself, maybe?”
“Susi, that’s my name.” Susi said with a sigh. “You, uh, have the same teeth as your dad?”
“Oh, aye!” Bunny replied, her buck teeth showing like a rabbit incisors as she turned around. “Can’t tell ye how his line got em.” She then walked to the kettle sitting on the other stove. “I’d ‘imagine oop north ‘round where he came froms got other sheep wit it.”
“Oop...North?” Susi asked with an eyebrow raised. As Bunny put the kettle atop a thick cloth on the table, Sally answered.
“My guess is a bunch of sheep wandered north at some point.” She said. “Couldn’t tell ya how they manage out there.” She then giggled. “I heard Big Bunny was a bigger fluff ball than the prime minister once.”
“Well, gets cold oop there.” Bunny added, finishing the table and sitting down. “Pa keeps shearing himself ta keep him cool round these warmer parts.”
With the table more or less set up, the other two ewe took their seats. At that point, Susi noticed a bulldog napping in the corner. Before she could ask about it, Sally cut to the chase.
“So, you saw it too right?” She asked Susi with enthusiasm. “What was it like? I only saw that thing at a distance.”
That question, and the answer she knew she had, caused Susi to suddenly grab one of the pikelets and stuff it into her mouth. Just the thought of what she saw was bad enough she’d rather not think hard enough to explain it.
“Oi, Sally, ye can’t just ask like tha!” Bunny chided. “Ye said she’s been frazzled from it!”
“Oh, come on.” Sally replied with annoyance. “It’s been like, I don’t know, a week or two since? I was over it in a week.” She added, gesturing to herself with some pride.
“Aye, but ye are you.” Bunny continued, pouring a cup of tea, giving it to Susi. “Not eve’ones like ye.”
Through this argument, Susi only chewed away at the pikelet, hoping to avoid any further conversation. Looking at Jack, she found him sampling something from the wood dog bowl on the floor, with that bulldog in the corner eyeing him with indifference.
She hardly even noticed another sheep entering the room.
“Morning Bunny.” Susi quickly turned to see an adult ewe that wasn’t Wilson was there.
“Marnin’ mum!” Bunny replied back, then turned to Susi. “Tha’s me mum, Molly.”
“Who’s all ye friends here?” Molly. Perhaps to Susi, Bunny’s mom felt like the most normal sheep she’d met today...or at least not crazy. “I know you mentioned Susi.”
“Oh!” Bunny exclaimed with some enjoyment. “That’s Sally, Cedric’s daughter. And this be Susi, as I said.” Bunny paused. “Oh, aye, haven’t really gotten to know ye’s story, Susi. Ye got intrestin’ family in ta village?”
Susi swallowed hard. This wasn’t a conversation she wanted any part of either. She remained quiet.
“Eash.” Sally said with a groan. “I know you aren’t mute. We spoke this morning.”
“She’s been through a lot, Sally.” Molly added calmly. “Her family isn’t a good topic. Maybe start with some of those books I hear she’s been collecting. You dears have a good time. Gonna go see how Big Bunny’s doing with the field.”
As Molly departed, Sally let out a slight sigh. “Books, huh?” She took a breath. “So, read anything good lately?” She clearly hoped it wasn’t something boring.
“Uh...I guess?” Susi replied, taking a sip of her tea. “I was into this book on some reindeer fables when….well….” She then paused, and the other ewe could guess why.
“....Then, nothing?” Sally asked with a raised eyebrow, hoping to move things along. “Er, after?
“...Mostly just re-reading some old books on plants these days.” Susi added as she took another sip. “It keeps me from thinking about it...”
“Ye into farming?” Bunny asked with interest. “Pa said he ain’t seen any sheep reading on plants in ta village.”
“My great grandpa got them from somewhere.” Susi replied, at least comfortable with this topic. “He’s kinda how I got most of my books.”
“Was he a farmer, then?” Bunny continued.
“No idea.” Susi answered, shaking her head. “I never even met him.” She sighed. “Dad said he wandered off and never came back then...well...”
“Woah, did your dad go looking for him or something?” Sally asked. To her, this sounded like an adventure. When Susi didn’t answer, she began to lose that sudden intrigue. “Uh…”
After a pause she spoke up. “...I... I don’t know.” Susi answered with a sad look. “My grandpa Rowan and mom would argue about some of his books, then he stormed off” Her eyes were now on the table. “Then… mom went looking for him and never came back.”
“Oh….” Sally said, with a nervous look. “Yikes…
“Poor dear...” Bunny added.
It was quiet for a moment. Sally felt like she had made a mess of things, meanwhile Bunny wondered how they might move to something less depressing. Though the first sound that broke the silence was a whine from Jack.
“Yeah…” Susi said as she turned to him, putting her hoof on his head. “I know. I’m not the only one who’s been miserable over this.”
“Uh, was ye dog from yer dad?” Bunny asked cautiously. “Ol’ Chester came from around where pa used to live.”
“No idea.” Susi replied without turning away from Jack. “I never really asked. Jack was around when I was a foal. And he’s all I have after dad passed.”
“Least that somethn.” Bunny added. “Ye are ah good dog, Jack?” She asked, and he barked in affirmation. “Ta’s good ta know.”
“So, uh, what are sheep from up north like, Bunny?” Sally asked, changing the conversation to avoid any further eggshells. “Is it cool up there?”
“Cold mostly.” Bunny replied, giving some humor to Sally. “Also they ain’t got a prime minister or voting nither.”
“That sounds awesome!” Sally said with excitement. “Sign me up.”
“Pa had to bury a brother an’ sister back there.” Bunny added, causing Sally to wince. “Pa said tis not easy around there.”
“Yikes.” Sally said, wide eyed. “With stuff like that, I’m surprised those sheep don’t go crazy.”
“Well, there were fellers I heard would just dig out a home underground.” Bunny said with a chuckle. “I’d imagine ye’d wonder why some hill’s got a chimney on it out there.”
For the first time, Susi had a brief laugh. “That does sound like quite a sight.” She said, now joining the conversation. “How many sheep live out there?”
“Pa said not as many in Baaaaah.” Bunny answered. “Might be forty tops.”
“Woah, with the numbers Baaaaa has, we may as well be the rabbits if that’s how things are up there…” Sally added with a silly look. Bunny laughed a bit.
“Eh, pa figures ta village’s got better grazing then oop there.” She said. “Ma even had to explain to him how ta summer works round these parts.” Bunny had another giggle. “Figure tha’s around ta time she told him to start shearing. Otherwise he’d keep gett’n too sweaty.”
“Yet he still keeps that bit of wool around his head…” Sally added. “Why is that?”
“Aye, says his chin don’t feel right without a bit more fluff there.” Bunny replied. “Not like it hides ta teeth though.”
“Which is why he still has that nickname, I guess?” Susi asked, to which Bunny nodded.
They took a break then at Bunny’s insistence. The tea was going to get cold after all. Susi was at least impressed with Bunny’s pikelets. Though, having not eaten in hours, anything made from bread was going to taste good. The warm tea even had a hint of Lavandula to it.
“This home cooking is pretty good.” Sally said after swallowing. “Might not match up with some of the stuff in town, but it’s good.”
“An’ what do they got in town?” Bunny asked.
“Well, honey bread for one.” Sally replied. “With the coins dad’s been raking in with those windmills, he’s got enough for honey and the sheep to make bread for him.”
“That why they call em “Lord” Cedric then?” Bunny said.
“Yep.” Sally said with a chuckle. “He might have a big house and stuff, but he’s still stuck with the prime minister second guessing him on everything.”
“Second guessing?” Susi asked. “He put things to the commons?”
“Well, ya know…” Sally replied with a bit of a chortle. “The “court” kinda keeps voting on the same thing, then changing its mind in the vote an hour later.” She said with a shrug. “Besides, between the windmills and trade, he’s not exactly ambitious from much else. Baaaaah’s not like Huoshan where you can find some cool looking stuff made from silk, and silver, and jade….” Her eyes then lit up, recalling one other thing. “Oh, yeah, he’s got his own library of books too.”
“Oh!” Susi exclaimed with some surprise. “What does he read about other than snakes?”
“Mostly reports and letters.” Sally said with a laugh. “I think he just collects them.”
“He ain’t even read em?” Bunny asked, wide eyed. “Why’s he get them then?”
“Maybe he thought they looked nice?” Sally said with another shrug, then taking a sip of tea. “Still, he’s even ordered some from as far as the Woodlands.”
Susi sighed as he put her hoof on her nose. “So, he’s like an average, sheep but with more money after all?”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” Sally groaned, of all things, just as annoyed as Susi was. “I think he only got that monocle because he thought it looked good on him. Anyway…” She added as she put her hooves on the table. “Can we talk about that wolf now?”