Chapter Text
This was wrong
Horrifically wrong
Every single instinct told him so, the twisted feeling in his gut worsened.
He couldn’t see any one, for the first time in his short little life he was alone.
There wasn’t any grass under his hooves only cold hard metal and it was dark a blanket covered the thing he was trapped in.
It was kind of like a basket but massive and instead of fibers it was metal.
Who ever weaved this must have been very strong.
Then Tommy heard speaking but it was all but reassuring.
It was one of them.
The smell of smoke filled his nostrils as the searing memory still fresh in his mind came back to him.
He remembers the smoke the running his mama had tried to hide him but he couldn’t stay quiet enough, all the smoke made it hard to breath he felt the pressure build in his throat he pleaded with himself to stay silent.
It was hopeless.
He coughed.
He tried to get away he had kicked and screamed he even kicked one of the two men in the gut, he slipped away and began to run, the man he kicked shouted and two men on horses appeared.
He was tiring he could feel it, the area he was in was fire free but the smoke clogged his lungs.
He wasn’t fast enough.
The last thing he remembered was a rope flying from the Man’s hand as if it was alive like a snake striking it grabbed his leg and he fell and another man jumped onto him and pressed some thing into his neck that pinched him then blacking out.
Then he woke up here.
He was still in his “moo” form as his mama called it he always transformed when he got scared, he couldn’t help it.
Tommy cried out for his mama.
She had to come.
She always did.
He waited and heard no response.
Tommy tried to stand but felt very unsteady.
He could hear the footsteps of horses and the occasional huffs and whinnys that came with it.
His heart dropped.
He was in something and they were moveing.
Away from his home.
Away from his mama.
Tommy began to kick and buck and scream
He was so scared and so angry he kicked the thing holding him like he kicked at that man’s chest.
He went on like this till his throat was soar and his legs hurt.
He collapsed his lungs burning.
He sat there listening to the sounds around him.
He was going to get out of here.
He was going home.
****
Tommy awoke to the sound of metal rattling and sun light beaming into his face.
He opened his eyes and was faced with a man he did not know.
“Aaaaaw cute lil bugger isn’t he?”
“Cute? Little shit gave me a bruise the size of my fist I’ll be sore for days.”
Tommy felt pride in his chest swell.
One of the men got up and walked towards him
Tommy snorted and stomped his hoof
“Oooo feisty.”
The man poured some water through the cage into a little basin hanging from the inside of his basket.
Tommy stared, he wasn’t thirsty.
***
It has been 5 days.
Tommy laid in his basket, how could he feel exhausted when he hadn’t moved at all for so long?
Maybe he’s sick, his mama would’ve taken care of him.
He really missed his mama.
He missed the grass under his hooves, the breeze, all of it.
It’s ok he was going to go back home soon.
The after noon dragged on till finally to Tommy’s dismay darkness blanketed his world.
He should’ve Been asleep but he couldn’t seem to find it.
How could he feel so tired but unable to close his eyes?
He waited he wasn’t sure for what, sleep?
Something to happen? He was just bored.
Tommy finally got his wish when he heard screaming.
Funny how that was a reacurring thing in his life now.
Tommy stood knees shaking he pressed his body against the metal, some how trying to will it to bend, to break.
His hooves scraped the ground he kicked and head butted.
The metal didn’t even dent.
Tommy stilled for a moment dizzy, his head pounding.
He listened he was sure it was the men keeping him who were screaming but he also heard the yelling of unfamiliar voices
Finally after a moment it stopped.
Tommy stood listening to the silence.
He wasn’t sure if it was worse or better.
It finally broke when heard voices near his box.
“Go check those wagons I’ll check this one here, you three gather the horses.
Somebody entered Tommy’s box and as soon as he did he got the very distinct sense he was not human.
Before even looking at him he could feel it like you could feel a storm.
It was like a breath of fresh air for Tommy, almost like being back home.
Although it wouldn’t have taken long for Tommy to realize he wasn’t human just by looking at him.
First of all he had hooves like Tommy although he only had two legs.
“Oh fuck”
The stranger turned his gaze down to him.
Tommy shook slightly.
No he wasn’t scared.
The stranger knelt down to Tommy’s level
Tommy backed away pressing his body into the metal.
The strangers eyes were black they reminded tommy of a crow or raven looking into them made his Head spin so he avoided them and instead focused on the horns atop his head, he didn’t like eye contact that much anyways.
“Oh hey hey you don’t need to be afraid um would you feel better if you knew my name?”
Looking at this guy Tommy wasn’t sure
“Wilbur, you can call me Wilbur”
Well that sounds like a load of horse shit
...still... non of those other guys bothered to tell him a fake name.
Tommy relaxed a bit and took a step forward
“Ok good I’m gonna get you out of here.”
Wilbur grabbed the metal and pulled and it.... snapped
Tommy couldn’t believe this.
Why couldn’t HE do that.
“Ok I’m gonna uh pick you up now.”
Wilbur lifted him up over the broken metal and put him back down.
Tommy knees gave out and he began to fall.
“Ooop ok never mind!”
Wilbur grabbed him and hoisted him back up against his chest.
“Ok spose I’ll carry you.”
Wilbur carried him out of the box into the dark.
“Oh um I don’t think you should...”
Wilbur took something from the pocket of his coat and put it over Tommy’s eyes.
Tommy protested at first he snorted and shook his head kicked his legs a bit but he was to tired and eventually gave up.
Tommy sniffed the cold night air and smelled blood.
His heart began to race even faster and panic surged he wanted to run he began to wriggle again.
Wilbur held him tighter against his chest rocking him a bit.
Tommy calmed a bit even though he was still very nervous and he could almost taste the metallic smell.
Wilbur spoke.”Niki did you catch the runners?”
A woman’s voice responded
Sure did Will, even left some alive like you asked.
“Excellent, good job niki.”
“Oh... Will is that..?” Niki said quietly almost in a hushed voice
“Yeah I found them locked up in this little cage I don’t think he’s gotten enough sunlight but all considered he’s fairing pretty well.”
“Oh good, speaking of that...Wil I need to talk to you in private.”
No NO Tommy really didn’t want Wilbur to leave.
He didn’t want to be alone.
“Well I...”
“I can call jack over? he can keep an eye on him.”
“Yeah” wilbur hesitated “Jack will work”
The woman shouted making Tommy jump.
Tommy heard quick foot steps coming closer before hearing a voice.
“Yeah niki? Oh who’s this?”
“This” Wilbur began to put him down and Tommy bellowed slightly in protest.
“-Yes I know I’m sorry- is your new job.”
“Oh.”
“He’s pretty exhausted so he shouldn’t give you any trouble all you gotta do is sit with him.”
Tommy heard foot steps which he realized with dismay was probably Wilbur walking away
“Um hello”
There was a thump which Tommy assumed was this guy sitting down.
“So I don’t know if you caught my name but it’s Jack just Incase you were wondering”
That was a dumb name Tommy thought far to short.
They sat in silance for a moment and suddenly almost all at once there was a chill in the air and the wind began to pick up.
“Oh ho” Jack was almost yelling “Wilbur’s fucking pissed”
***
Tommy had lied there for a good long while with Jack before Wilbur got back.
Tommy found himself liking Jack even if he had a dumb name.
He made small talk with him even though he didn’t ever talk back, he talked about all sorts of silly things that didn’t really matter but Tommy didn’t care he was just glad someone talked to him like a person.
Wilbur did comeback but he was all different Tommy could feel it.
Still he picked him up gently then spoke.
“We’re taking the wagons with us I’ll decide what to do when he get back home.”
Tommy wasn’t sure what was happening or what needed deciding exactly but he knew he didn’t want to go back in one of those little boxes.
Luckily Wilbur didn’t make him.
He carried them over to what sounded like a horse and got on with him. It was a bit of a awkward process but he somehow managed.
Tommy laid there with his legs dangling over the side of the horse he assumed he was in front of Wilbur closer to the horses head.
It wasn’t exactly comfortable but tommy didn’t care to much, he was out.
Wilbur began to sing quietly it was a sad soft sort of melody and it made Tommy begin to feel drowsy eventually sleep claimed him.
****
Tommy awoke with grass under him and the blue sky above.
He briefly thought, hoped, he might have been dreaming but he soon realized this was not his field in fact,it wasn’t a Field at all.
He was in a forest nestled up against a tree.
The sun beamed down on him through the leaves warming his fur.
Wilbur sat next to him propped up against the tree.
Then Realized something.
He wasn’t trapped any more.
He stood and jumped he ran back and forth and kicked a tree, he felt light like a breeze.
“Oh good morning”
Tommy moo’d in delight and Wilbur laughed
“Well I’m glad you feel better.”
Tommy finally stopped and took a look around.
He saw more people some were laying on blankets sleeping while others were awake doing things.
He also saw some weird tall things that looked like ther were made from blankets
Tommy wanted to get a closer look but he was a bit nervous about it
“You wanna go check it out? I’ll go with you.”
Tommy looked at Wilbur he had a slight smile on his face.
Well he Was really curious.
Tommy took a step forward and Wilbur followed close behind.
Taking a closer look Tommy realized not every one was a human some bore pointed ears or horns some had a greenish tint to them or green freckles some had unnatural colored eyes or more animalistic traits like claws or tails
It was an interesting mix, Tommy had never seen so many different kinds of people in one herd.
A lady with pink hair and cat ears walked over to them and when she spoke tommy realized she was the woman from the night before
“Oh hello nice to see you again” she turned her gaze to Wilbur
“He seems to be doing well.”
“He is, He’s a dandelion moobloom they are pretty hardy.”
Niki looked back down at him and smiled softly.
“Well I’m glad your feeling better sunshine, hey Wil wanna come have breakfast?”
“I would love to.”
Wilbur followed after Niki and Tommy went with them
There were a few logs with people sitting on them they were eating some fruit and nuts, one had green freckles and pointed green tinted ears.
Tommy licked his lips mooblooms didn’t really eat but the occasional fruit was tasty and Tommy always found himself quite energetic after eating some.
Tommy stared at Wilbur doing his best to communicate telepathically what he wanted.
This will surely work, if it doesn’t it’s Wilbur’s fault.
Wilbur looked down at him “oh do you want some sunshine?”
Tommy snorted he wasn’t so sure about the new nick name but he wanted some Fruit.
“Ok ok” Wilbur set down his bowl and Tommy dug into it.
Woah slow down, fucking gremlin your gonna choke”
Tommy licked the bowl clean.
Wilbur Niki and the others chatted idly Tommy didn’t really listen he just sat and enjoyed the sun.
Tommy though about how he wanted to go home but he wasn’t sure how he was going to, adult mooblooms could sense where they belonged, their herd, it was called rooting but Tommy hadn’t got that yet.
He needed to be able to speak but...it didn’t feel right he was still uncomfortable he couldn’t do it.
Every thing was still so strange he didn’t really know any one, he couldn’t if he wanted to.
These people seemed nice anyways it wouldn’t be to bad.
***
Tommy found himself falling into routine over the past few days, he’d wake up with Wilbur, they would go have breakfast with Niki,Wilbur would walk around and check on every one in the herd making sure it was all running smoothly and Tommy would follow, them Wilbur would help teach the older calves archery and practice with them.
Wilbur was very good at archery, he never missed.
Then Wilbur would sit and care for his bow.
Wilbur would take the dogs and go with the hunting party but Tommy wasn’t aloud to go so he sayed with Jack and they would go forage with another party, well they would forage Tommy would play around in the sun or a stream.
Jack seemed to take extra care to stay near him and would call to Tommy telling him not to go to far.
Around dusk Wilbur would come back and Tommy would greet him, then whoever was in charge of cooking for that day would take what the hunting party and foragers brought home and make a meal of it.
After Wilbur will tell story’s to those who would stay to listen the rest will retire to bed.
The first time this had happened Wilbur had tried to start a fire and Tommy had panicked at the sight of it.
Well it wasn’t so much the sight but the smell, he had smelled fire in camp before, briefly, but he stayed far from it and he would simply wait for the breeze to carry it away.
But now it was to close and to much.
Wilbur quickly put it out and tried to reasure Tommy.
Eventually they managed to calm them self and Wilbur promised no more fires.
So Tommy sat in the dark listening to Wilbur’s voice and eventually he would fall asleep.
Tommy awoke in the middle of the night he didn’t know why, all was quiet except for the chirp of the crickets.
Tommy looked up at Wilbur, his eyes were still open and he was stairing up at the sky.
“Lovely, isn’t it?” Their was a sadness to his voice, the kind that wraps around you like a blanket.
“Tommy have I ever told you the story of how the night sky got its stars?”
Tommy didnt think he had heard that one.
“Well a long time ago death fell in love with one of her angels, and was to bare his child, but since she was death she could not create life, the child was born still and silent in the forever sleep,
Ultimately death went to creation and creation proposed a deal that if they would allow her child to wake then he would belong to the kingdom of life and they would forever be separate unable to touch, death excepted desperate and child was taken from mother and was given to the forest to be raised,
Luckily death could still speak to the boy in his dreams, she could whisper soft things to him, carefull to never get to close, the boy missed his mother even if he barely knew her, the boy wished to respond back so one night he sent a lantern up to the night sky with a note attached telling her how much he missed her, and he would do this night after night, death loved each gift dearly and held them in the sky they way she would hold him if she could.”
There was a silence.
Tommy thought he knew who the boy in the story was.
Tommy wasn’t sure it happened, or why but it felt right.
Tommy held onto Wilbur’s arm tight and put his head against it
“It’s ok Wilbur I miss my mama too.”