[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200306/a4c8aff76d3a6208cd9a3f6e120d038e.png[/img][/center][hr][center][b]LOCATION[/b] – The Road to Ragadel Ranch[/center][hr]Morning is a relative term in Hillside. Some people start when the sun is already high in the sky, some start at the crack of dawn, and some even before that. Valindra Bearfall fell into the third category, rising when the faintest murmur of orange passed over the horizon to wash her face and feed her chickens before work.

More importantly, Val had also taken to watching the pompadours rustling through the wild foliage that bordered her tiny square of cleared garden space. She'd noticed the evidence of nibbled glasses and crushed flowers nine days ago, and she was glad they were doing well even though clearing the weeds had destroyed some of their habitat. Their ears were the only part of them visible, cream and white flags poking up above the brush. 

The instinct to throw her boots on and clomp out there to snatch one up, all in the name of running her fingers through the soft fleece was a siren's song, but she was nothing if not strong-willed in the face of such temptation. Though she was a certified horse-wrangler as of a few weeks ago, putting her sparkling new, untested skills to good use capturing those quick balls of sunshine and fluff seemed a few levels above what she was capable of.

Maybe Miss Shamie would let her borrow a carrot or two to chop up for them.

No sooner had she locked up her humble home behind her and started walking towards the edge of town, she heard a voice calling after her from down the way.

[color=cdcdcd]"Ms. Bearfall! Ms. Bearfall! Hold up a second. You walk so [i]fast[/i]."[/color]

A portly human man who worked at least part of the time for the town-hall jogged to catch up with her, a folded piece of paper crumpling in his hand. [color=cdcdcd]"Here,"[/color] he said, shoving it out towards her. [color=cdcdcd]"We're trying to get the word around for the Celebration of Stars happening this week. Once you read it, could you run this out to Ragadel Ranch?"[/color]

[color=d56a49]"Sure thing. I'm heading there anyway. You what they say, the early bird catches the worm and picks up another shift."[/color]

[color=cdcdcd]"Ha. They sure do."[/color] Still trying to catch his breath, he gave her a respectful nod of his head. [color=cdcdcd]"You're a life-saver. At least, you're saving me from leg cramps."[/color]
 
Once he had departed, she stood in the middle of the thoroughfare, squinting at the letter. Her lips mouthed the words, which were imagined in the mayor's rumbling accent until she realised the woman didn't quite seem like the type to use words like 'celestial' and 'celebratory preparations'. Big words. Val could relate.

[quote][i]People of Hillhaven,

	The Celebration of Stars is on the third day of Aburand. It is a day with origins of celestial–– 

	It is a day with origins of celestial worship first adopted by the humans of Astraia. To those who participate––[/i][/quote]
Yadda, yadda, yadda. Her eyes were growing tired from being all scrunched up to read the writing and darting back and forth across the lines.

[quote][i]	The scheduled meeting time is sunrise on the second of Aburand, tomorrow.

	P.S - Volunteers will be given extra cheese rations next week![/i][/quote]
[color=D56A49]"Well, why didn't you just start with that?"[/color] she asked aloud. [color=D56A49]"Sold!"[/color] Val could trade those in for a quarter wheel of Wyverspoon Tang that would last for weeks, so long as she didn't eat it late at night and get those spooky, spicy cheese dreams her mother often warned her about. Tastes of home were a luxury out here, and she was just waiting for one of the merchants to stock snapdragon candy or the ingredients for hot pepper chocolate.

Val had not ever heard of this Celebration of Stars, but she reckoned it was a taste of home for the humans out here on the frontier. The following day was her (only) day off, so she wouldn't be missed on the ranch, and a little labour for the good of the town was worth a whole bucketload of feel-good, and feel-good was more valuable than gold.

The spring in her step went unchanged as she set off down the long road to Ragadel Ranch.
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