Martha & *Cattle*

Hearing the ATV, the cattle began to migrate across the field as they headed for the gate. By the time Martha reached it, a sizeable collection of bovine had congregated around, shuffling past eachother as they jogged towards the source of food.

"Easy now! Woah, easy does it." Martha was saying as the massive creatures shoved and pushed past one another in a growing cluster of horns and deadly feet. Grabbing a small bundle of hay, she lofted it through the air and watched as a section of nearby cattle went after the food. "Now, usually I've got Suzy out here to help me, but I haven't seen that dog all day."

Tahmores*Elder Brother

For a moment, Tahmores watched Martha toss the hay expertly into the corral, and it didn't take him long to start lofting one as well, careful to aim it a little away from the first bale so that there would be plenty of room between them for the cows to gather around. It didn't land exactly where he wanted it, but it would serve the purpose.

And Brother had nearly reached the pasture, taking advantage of the moment that Timber had been too startled to run, though occasionally he gave into an impulse and gave a twisting jump into the air.

Martha, Timber, & *Cattle*

A streak of black was rocketing across the snow-blanketed ground as Timber barrelled after Brother. He hadn't played a game since he was a pup, and he had to admit that it felt good to give into the impulse to run without any good reason to do so.

The sight was so unusual that Martha stopped what she was doing and furrowed her brows at the sight. Brother was leaping playfully in the air, while the collie was tearing up the ground with a tounge lolling merrily from his sleek jaws, "Too bad I don't have a camera with me. I've never seen such a sight in years!"

Contus, a big, fat-bellied brown bull came sauntering towards the cart of hay. He had become something of a pet since his rescue by Timber, Shimmer, and Nass several years ago, and had the disposition of a giant puppy. While Martha had her back turned to watch the canines, the large bovine gave her a rough nuzzle to the shoulder, sending her flailing to the ground below.

Tahmores*Elder Brother

Timber was slowly gaining on Elder Brother, eating up the small headstart he'd had, and soon catching up with him. As the collie drew even with the wolf, he attempted to put on a little burst of speed, but Brother was large and muscley, designed for direct, melee-fashion fighting, where Timber was much sleeker and faster, a mercenary on four legs, and Brother could not begin to match him for speed. Slowly, he fell a step behind, then two, until Timber had pulled a body's-length ahead of him.

And Tahmores let a shout of laughter leave him, watching them, with he repressed into a stifled chuckle as he bent to help Martha up. "Playful thing, isn't he?"

Martha, Timber, & *Cattle*

Lips writhed back in a grin as the collie kept up his speed, ears plastered back and tail streaming behind. Snow shot up from his paws with every bound he made, until he finally came within reach of the fence. With one last spring, the collie's nimble form cleared the fence and landed him inside the pasture in a shower of white crystals. Sides heaving, he turned back to Brother, "I forgot... how much... fun... running is."

Allowing herself to be helped up, the woman brushed snow off of her pants and coat, shaking her head, "Brownie seems to think he's a dog." She was laughing a bit as well, "And apparently doesn't realize how big he is." A pointed look was given to the bull, who blinked blankly back at her, and then dipped his head down to feed on the hay. And when she climbed back up on the wagon, he obligingly lifted his head and nudged her again. This time, she was prepared, and shoved his bulky muzzle away, "Oh, go on you big oaf! Go, shoo!" She tried in vain to pursuade the beast to back away from the vehicle, but a 2000+ pound bovine wasn't an easy thing to move if it didn't feel like moving.

Tahmores*Elder Brother

Now Brother was really having trouble keeping up with Timber, because aside from his greater bulk, he was laughing with sheer exuberance and for the sake of doing so. With a final giant heave, he lifted himself over the railing and landed in an explosion of snow, tongue lolling out in laughter. "Aye... he panted, tail still waving madly, "... me... me too."

And, still panting, he moved over and plopped his weight against Tahmores' leg, earning another warbling-yip of laughter from the teen. "Out of shape, eh Brother?" He swatted playfully at the wolf's back, causing him to reflexively dodge, but all the while with a merry twitch and a tremble from the ears, which came forward in anticipation as his tail brushed the snowy ground. On a sudden impulse, he reached up and grabbed the offending hand between his teeth, beginning to rough it around a bit, but not enough to actually hurt it. The hand was sustaining a few scratches, for sure, as Tahmores wriggled it, growling playfully, but they were completely superficial, not even breaking the skin, nothing more than love nips between them.

Brother leaned back against his boy's weight, his hindquarters jutting out awkwardly behind him as he attempted to topple Tah. It wasn't long before the teen took his own tumble in the snow. Barking merrily in victory, Brother jumped atop the boy's chest and began licking his face as the boy whine-growled and jostled the furry face between his two hands affectionately. "Okay, Brother... you win round three."

Martha, Timber, & *Cattle*

This scene for sure brought another bit of laughter from the woman, sustaining it for a good length of time as she watched them wrestle about, "I don't think he liked that comment!" Martha interpretted jestingly when it was Tah's turn to take a spill into the snow, on Brother's account.

Timber watched this with a light smile, tounge still lolling as he panted for breath beside the ATV. These were the kinds of scenes he missed seeing around the Ranch, and the sight of it now got his tail to wagging once more. But he didn't dare intrude on their play, but remained politetly stationed by the vehicle and his master.

Some of the cattle were not quite as amused as their canine and human counterparts. At the sight of the rough-housing wolf, several snorted and stomped their hooves, unsure about the situation.

Tahmores*Elder Brother

Laughter spilled out of Tahmores as he gently pushed Brother off of him, getting to his feet and brushing off the snow, turning his smile to Brother. "Never grew up, did you? Still think you're a pup."

Brother, after having climbed down from Tah's shoulders, had plopped himself down in the banked snow, now thoroughly tired, but tongue still hanging out in amusement. Tah's comment was met with a smile and a nuzzle to the teen's hand, seeking affection, which Tahmores gladly gave, scratching in his ruff as he looked to Martha, a smile on his face. "Well, I think perhaps we ought to finish feeding the cows... before we frighten them into retreat!"

Martha, Timber, & *Cattle*

With the last of her good-natured laughter dying away, Martha gave a single nod to Tahmore's suggestion, "A good idea." And, brushing off a bit more snow from her legs, the woman got back to the ATV and hopped on.

"Hey, watch yourselves." Timber had gotten to his paws again, sprinting around the other side of the little vehicle and leveling the nearby cattle with the ominious glare of a herding dog. For the most part, the cattle reguarded him warily, and he heard a few muttered comments under their steaming breaths, but none acted out. Only Contus gave a direct reply, turning his giant head and covering the collie with a slopping lick across the muzzle and face. "No worries, Timber; no one's going to missbehave when you're around. We like our noses intact."

The collie growled darkly and sprang away from the bovine, shaking his head briefly in an attempt to dislodge bits of half-chewed hay and strands of saliva, "Contus, you know I hate that!" He accused, and only got a cheeky, smiling expression from the bull, before the creature resumed his feeding.