Emily

The meadow behind the barn was warm and wide, full of soft breezes and the gentle hum of summer bugs. Emily lay sprawled in the grass, her little hooves crossed lazily in the air behind her while her tail gave the occasional flick. Her ears twitched now and then, picking up the faraway moo of Auntie Marla or the creak of the windmill turning slow and steady. Somewhere down near the milking barn, she could hear the clink of pails and quiet chatting from the older girls finishing their morning chores, but Emily was officially off-duty till evening, and the meadow was her favorite place to hide.

She plucked another tuft of grass with her fingers, sniffed it curiously, then nibbled at it with practiced ease. The taste was fresh and green—sweet in a plain, earthy way she liked. Not as good as clover cookies or mama’s honey oats, but something about chewing it made her feel peaceful and calm inside. She gave a happy little hum as she swallowed, rubbing her cheek against her shoulder before stretching out again. The sky was big and blue above her, and the barn looked tiny from where she lay, like a toy barn with mooing dolls inside.

“Mm... I like thith patch the betht,” she mumbled, mouth still full of soft green blades. “Thtill warm, not all munched up like the lower hill.” She rolled onto her side and squinted toward the edge of the field, where cousin Lulabelle had grazed yesterday and left a messy trail. Emily had been raised proper—mama always said don’t chew where someone elshe already chewed. It was rude. And gross.

The thought of Mama made her ears perk. Mama was probably busy at the house, sorting laundry or stirring the milk pots, or maybe helping Auntie Clara prep for tomorrow’s delivery run. Papa was likely near the gate, checking the fence line like he always did after breakfast. He was big and strong, the bull of their herd—stern sometimes, but never mean. Emily liked watching him sharpen his horns even if she wasn’t allowed to touch the grinder.

The metal door to the milking barn clanked shut behind her, echoing through the long, warm room. Emily shuffled inside with her ears low, tail hanging limp and guilty behind her. The smell of hay, sweet feed, and that faint antiseptic tang filled the air, familiar and strangely comforting, even when her belly was full of nerves. The rhythmic whir and hiss of the pumps had already started, soft and steady like the ticking of a sleepy clock.

Her mama’s voice was still echoing in her head—sharp, stern, disappointed. “Emily Grace, you know your time! Don’t make me come out to that meadow again!” She’d never seen Mama so flustered. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to come to the barn... she’d just... gotten carried away, watching clouds and chewing grass and pretending she was the princess of Clover Kingdom or something. That wasn’t a crime, was it?

She followed the long aisle between the rows of stalls, filled with older herd members in their usual places. They barely glanced at her, some reading books, others chatting softly, the hum of the machines blending with the low murmurs of routine. Everyone seemed so calm and grown-up about the milking machines hooked to their huge breasts. Emily felt like a calf in the middle of a stampede.

Willow was already there, of course—Emily’s tall, moody cousin with the black lipstick and a frilly skirt over her barn shorts. She was topless and hooked up and lounging like it was the most boring thing in the world, flipping through a glossy teen goth magazine with half-lidded eyes. “You’re late,” she said flatly, not even looking up.

Emily wrinkled her nose and climbed into her own padded spot, settling in with a soft sigh. “Mama yelled at me,” she whispered. “I wath in the meadow... I didn’t mean to forget. Time juth... thlipped.” Her bell jingled faintly as she got into position and untying her shirt, cheeks red as she glanced at the floor.

Willow finally peeked over the top of her magazine, chewing a piece of bubblegum. “Yeah, well. She yelled at me last week for painting my hooves black. You’ll live.” Then, almost kindly, she added, “Don’t cry about it, okay? You look like you’re gonna cry.” Emily gave a tiny nod as she hooked the milking nozzles to her nipples and felt the familiar feeling of suction on her nipples. The barn was warm, the rhythm was steady, and at least Willow was here. Maybe... it wouldn’t be so bad.

The golden light of the setting sun stretched long across the meadows, turning the grass tips amber and casting sleepy shadows from the trees that lined the pasture. A few of the older cows still lingered outside, lazily grazing or chatting in soft tones as they finished their evening snacks before the dinner bell would ring. The air smelled like warm clover and sweet feed, with a touch of dust from the day’s hoof-steps. Everything felt slow and settled, like the farm itself was winding down.

Up in the hayloft, tucked into her favorite corner nest of old blankets and scattered books, Emily lay on her belly, chin propped in her hands. Her ears flicked occasionally at the sound of birds settling in the rafters, and her small hooves tapped together in a lazy rhythm. Her cowbell collar rested quietly against her throat, and her pigtails had loosened from all the tumbling she’d done earlier—but she didn’t mind. She liked being a little messy when no one was looking.

From her perch, she could see the whole yard through the loft’s wooden slats. She squinted one eye, nose scrunched up, and spotted her papa down by the sorting fence. He was doing his usual rounds, checking each of the girls as they came in—counting heads, giving nods, offering a quiet word or sometimes just a hand on a shoulder. The big girls always straightened up when Papa walked by. He was strong and tall, with horns that curved just right and a serious face that only cracked when he smiled at Mama.

Emily hugged her little pillow close, her tail curling around one leg. She liked watching him like this—Papa in his quiet, important way, keeping the herd safe and together. He wasn’t loud or bossy like in the stories about kings and generals. He just watched everything, always noticing stuff. She thought maybe that’s what a real bull was supposed to do. Not stomp and snort—but be steady. Like a barn beam that held up the whole roof.

“He lookth tired...” she whispered to herself, chewing softly on a bit of hay she’d brought up for snacking. “Bet he didn’t even take a nap thith afternoon...” She thought about climbing down and helping—maybe bringing a bucket or rounding up the stragglers—but her limbs felt too cozy and warm, and the hay smelled too nice to leave just yet.

Outside, the sun dipped lower, and the lanterns around the barns began to flicker to life, one by one. Emily rested her chin back down and closed her eyes, just for a minute, listening to the soft sounds of the herd coming home.

Emily’s hooves made soft little thuds as she trotted down the slope behind the tool shed, her bell jingling faintly with each step. The afternoon sun was still warm but dipping low, and since Mama had given her the whole day off from chores, she’d gone exploring. She carried a satchel full of apple slices and wildflower petals she’d picked earlier, though the petals were getting a little crumpled now from all the bouncing around.

The sound of laughter and loud snorting drifted up from the yards near the creek—a wide, dusty hollow ringed by old fence posts and scrubby grass. Emily slowed her pace as she reached the ridge, crouching behind a tall patch of golden thistle. Down below, a group of young bulls were gathered, bare-backed and boisterous, pushing and locking horns, some tumbling into the dirt, others standing tall with their chests puffed out like prize statues.

She’d heard the grown-ups call it “proving ground.” It wasn’t for girls, and definitely not for calves, but no one had said she couldn’t watch. And she wasn’t doing anything bad. She just liked the way the dust danced around their hooves, how serious they all got when the challenge began, and how fast it turned into laughter once someone was toppled. They weren’t like the quiet grown bulls or the soft-spoken uncles at dinner. These boys were wild and loud and free.

Emily sat down in the tall grass, tugging her satchel into her lap. “Oof... big loud thtompers, all of ‘em...” she whispered to herself, gnawing on an apple slice. “Like baby boulders tryin’ to be mountains.” She giggled and covered her mouth. One of the youngest boys—a spotted one with a messy tuft of hair and one torn ear—was trying to face off with someone twice his size. She leaned forward eagerly, tail swishing in time with the hoots from the others.