Please do not post in this thread until it is concluded. This is a small lore compilation that ties into an event running during Greenskeeper 2020.
The associated event can be found here and will run until the end of the week.
Sunday:
The babbling of the small brook nearby was an ever-present temptation to the tired dragoness. The sun beat down harshly upon her, made no gentler by her black clothing. The vest she had already taken off, more decorative than anything else, but the rest she actually needed for practical purposes. Although the wide-rimmed hat was hot, it kept the sun from her eyes, which she desperately needed in this light. The spurs protected her feet from churned up stones and prickly plants, and the hank she needed to wipe the sweat from her brow and the grime from her hands.
She grunted as she pushed on the plow, muscles screaming as she heaved with all her might. She stumbled as the wheel finally broke free of the rut it had been stuck in, the sudden lack of resistance knocking her off balance. She jostled the plow to and fro as her wings flared and tail lashed, trying to stabilize herself. The startled cry she gave out attracted attention, the bright form of her partner turning to raise his head from over by the orchard. He had clearly stood up onto his hind legs, peering across the fields at her to see if she was alright.
The dragoness sighed as she finally found her balance, leaning onto the push plow with shaking limbs. She raised a claw to wave at her partner after a moment, trembling form still leaning on the plow.
"I'm okay!"
The distant grunt she heard was acknowledgement enough, her partner going back to his work.
The blue skydancer let go of the plow for a moment, sitting down in the dirt to catch her breath. She held her claws before her, limbs still shaking from exertion. The skin was red and littered with small abrasions from working with the farm tools for so many weeks. She was starting to build up small callouses, but for now, they just prickled and stung whenever she bent her claws, inflamed and angry at her for her lack of protection.
She absent-mindedly plucked a small splinter from the soft webbing between her claws, wincing half-heartedly at the flash of pain, but the constant ache from the rest of her hands overpowered it by far. She lowered her limbs to rest them on her knees, resisting the temptation to lay back in the dirt and slumping over her legs instead. If she lay down, she knew she'd fall asleep.
She was so tired.
It was hard, transitioning to farm life after a life in the desert. After a life of machines and electricity, now she had naught to rely on but the strength in her body, and she was finding it lacking. Every muscle kept up a constant ache, unused to such exertion. Even ones she hadn't known she'd had! She slept like the dead every time she went to lay down, but for every chore she finished there were five more that suddenly needed doing.
It never ended.
A drop of sweat trickled down her face, stinging as it passed by the crease of her eye, to 'plip' off her jawline to the ground below. She watched it with disinterest, before forcing herself back to her feet. She left the plow behind as she wandered off the field, wandering over to the nearby brook to grab a drink of water.
She brushed past weeds and high-grown grasses, the smell of fresh water tantalizing to her senses. It was cooler over here, and she couldn't help the soft smile on her face. Cold water splashed around her claws as she stepped over the stones on the bank, the shallow water beginning to wash the grime off her feet. She lowered her head to a deeper section, drinking greedily to replenish that which she had lost. Ah, the cool liquid was as refreshing as ever.
It raced down her throat, assuaging the dry, scratchy feeling that had been plaguing her for the past several hours. Just the touch of it to her lips already began to soothe the heat that seemed to radiate from her skin. As her belly filled, the sun did not seem quite so bad any more, the gentle yet cold touch of the water winding its way through her veins to ease her suffering.
She indulged herself just a little, washing her claws, fore and hind, to feel just the slightest bit clean. The water felt wonderful on her aching and torn skin. She splashed some on her face, scrubbing off the sweat and grime, blinking happily at the moderately clean feeling.
She even took off her hank, rinsing it of sweat and grime, wringing out the filth, before letting it fill once more with water, tying it back around her neck to let the cold water soak into her hide, keep her temperature cool now in the heat of the day.
Although she was regretful to do so, the dragoness then forced herself back to her claws. She cast a longing look at the water, before padding back over to the field, leaving the peaceful brook behind. She would save her bath for after the day's work was done. If she gave in before then, why, she would likely get nothing else done today.
Her brow furrowed almost sorrowfully as she waded back into the churned up soil of the partially plowed field, heading over to her tools. She was loathe to lose the slight cleanliness she had gained, but there was still work to be done. With that in mind, she tilted her head up, rolled her shoulders, and stood up to her hind legs to grab onto the plow once more, heaving on it with all her might after a resolving breath.
She narrowed her eyes with determination, a smile twitching the corners of her lips as the plow pushed through the dirt.
She could do this!
And besides,
Robin thought to herself.
It will make my bath all the sweeter later on.
The associated event can be found here and will run until the end of the week.
Sunday:
The babbling of the small brook nearby was an ever-present temptation to the tired dragoness. The sun beat down harshly upon her, made no gentler by her black clothing. The vest she had already taken off, more decorative than anything else, but the rest she actually needed for practical purposes. Although the wide-rimmed hat was hot, it kept the sun from her eyes, which she desperately needed in this light. The spurs protected her feet from churned up stones and prickly plants, and the hank she needed to wipe the sweat from her brow and the grime from her hands.
She grunted as she pushed on the plow, muscles screaming as she heaved with all her might. She stumbled as the wheel finally broke free of the rut it had been stuck in, the sudden lack of resistance knocking her off balance. She jostled the plow to and fro as her wings flared and tail lashed, trying to stabilize herself. The startled cry she gave out attracted attention, the bright form of her partner turning to raise his head from over by the orchard. He had clearly stood up onto his hind legs, peering across the fields at her to see if she was alright.
The dragoness sighed as she finally found her balance, leaning onto the push plow with shaking limbs. She raised a claw to wave at her partner after a moment, trembling form still leaning on the plow.
"I'm okay!"
The distant grunt she heard was acknowledgement enough, her partner going back to his work.
The blue skydancer let go of the plow for a moment, sitting down in the dirt to catch her breath. She held her claws before her, limbs still shaking from exertion. The skin was red and littered with small abrasions from working with the farm tools for so many weeks. She was starting to build up small callouses, but for now, they just prickled and stung whenever she bent her claws, inflamed and angry at her for her lack of protection.
She absent-mindedly plucked a small splinter from the soft webbing between her claws, wincing half-heartedly at the flash of pain, but the constant ache from the rest of her hands overpowered it by far. She lowered her limbs to rest them on her knees, resisting the temptation to lay back in the dirt and slumping over her legs instead. If she lay down, she knew she'd fall asleep.
She was so tired.
It was hard, transitioning to farm life after a life in the desert. After a life of machines and electricity, now she had naught to rely on but the strength in her body, and she was finding it lacking. Every muscle kept up a constant ache, unused to such exertion. Even ones she hadn't known she'd had! She slept like the dead every time she went to lay down, but for every chore she finished there were five more that suddenly needed doing.
It never ended.
A drop of sweat trickled down her face, stinging as it passed by the crease of her eye, to 'plip' off her jawline to the ground below. She watched it with disinterest, before forcing herself back to her feet. She left the plow behind as she wandered off the field, wandering over to the nearby brook to grab a drink of water.
She brushed past weeds and high-grown grasses, the smell of fresh water tantalizing to her senses. It was cooler over here, and she couldn't help the soft smile on her face. Cold water splashed around her claws as she stepped over the stones on the bank, the shallow water beginning to wash the grime off her feet. She lowered her head to a deeper section, drinking greedily to replenish that which she had lost. Ah, the cool liquid was as refreshing as ever.
It raced down her throat, assuaging the dry, scratchy feeling that had been plaguing her for the past several hours. Just the touch of it to her lips already began to soothe the heat that seemed to radiate from her skin. As her belly filled, the sun did not seem quite so bad any more, the gentle yet cold touch of the water winding its way through her veins to ease her suffering.
She indulged herself just a little, washing her claws, fore and hind, to feel just the slightest bit clean. The water felt wonderful on her aching and torn skin. She splashed some on her face, scrubbing off the sweat and grime, blinking happily at the moderately clean feeling.
She even took off her hank, rinsing it of sweat and grime, wringing out the filth, before letting it fill once more with water, tying it back around her neck to let the cold water soak into her hide, keep her temperature cool now in the heat of the day.
Although she was regretful to do so, the dragoness then forced herself back to her claws. She cast a longing look at the water, before padding back over to the field, leaving the peaceful brook behind. She would save her bath for after the day's work was done. If she gave in before then, why, she would likely get nothing else done today.
Her brow furrowed almost sorrowfully as she waded back into the churned up soil of the partially plowed field, heading over to her tools. She was loathe to lose the slight cleanliness she had gained, but there was still work to be done. With that in mind, she tilted her head up, rolled her shoulders, and stood up to her hind legs to grab onto the plow once more, heaving on it with all her might after a resolving breath.
She narrowed her eyes with determination, a smile twitching the corners of her lips as the plow pushed through the dirt.
She could do this!
And besides,
Robin thought to herself.
It will make my bath all the sweeter later on.
