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Sabre stared at the hillside, one hand on a tree branch he'd found, the other gripping the scarf around his neck. Animals grazed the grass, seemingly uncaring of coming winter chill that had settled over the region. Clemens, with his shorts and thin top, did not seem too bothered either.
"What's wrong, Sabre?" Clemens asked, noticing the giant's frown. Sabre's head slowly turned to him, then back to the animals.
"What is those?" He asked in reply, pointing. Clemens' head turned back as the child worked out the question in his head. A squawk of laughter left him the second he got it.
"They're sheep!" Exclaimed Clemens, grabbing Sabre's hand. "We should go say hi to them!"
His attempts at pulling Sabre along were pitiful at best, but Sabre let himself move along to make Clemens feel like he'd achieved something.
Still, Sabre weakly protested, "Should we not be getting home to your caretaker, Clemens?"
"Saint won't mind if we're a little late. Now come on, move those feet!" The hill was steep, the angle making it hard to climb straight up. At some point, Sabre's tree branch had been discarded in favour of picking up Clemens, who was struggling more than Sabre was. At last, however, they reached the small flat of the hill where the sheep were grazing. A few made sounds like "baah" that had a texture, like skipped stones over water. One or two even lazy glanced at the two Steves. Clemens climbed off Sabre and made for the closest sheep. This one was a little smaller than the rest, but not an outright baby. With every step Clemens took, it made a half step away.
The child paused, tilting his head, and the sheep trotted forward shyly allowing Clemens to reach out and pet it. Another sheep began to shuffle forward.
"Come on, Sabre," he said in a soft tone. It sounded and awful lot like he was restraining his giddiness.
The Sabre attempted to follow Clemens' movements, even lowering himself to the ground for good measure. He had a bad track record with the animals he had met. They weren't very fond of him for whatever reason. Saint, Clemens' caretaker, theorised that it had something to do with his unique nature. Clemens figured it was because he looked so cool. Sabre himself had quickly come to the conclusion that animals could sense character, and whatever he had done before this; because he couldn't remember much more than bits and pieces of feelings; had tainted him forever. Or, not forever, just until he repaid the universe, he supposed.
Just as expected, the sheep reared away in a panic, leading the group further from the two. Sabre's body slumped with disappointment.
"How rude of them," Clemens remarked.
"Ah, it's alright, Clemens."
"I wish they hadn't run. They were so soft!" Sabre chuckled, ignoring the sting of disappointment.
"One day an animal will tolerate me," he reassured, "Now come along, Saint is going to feel annoyed at me." Clemens grumbled one last time in the sheep's direction, before following along.
One day. Hopefully soon.
-~+~-.
"And that's all I saw," the shepherd concluded. At Lucian's continued silence, they raised their arms in a defensive gesture, "honest! Some wolves happened to be near my flock and the little slip of Darkness got away. I think it went about west somewhere though, if that helps."
"That does." Lucian sighed snapping his notebook shut. He turned to his (unfortunate choice of a) investigation partner and said, "let's go, Faux."
Sabre didn't move. His body was angled away from where Lucian and Shepherd Steve were standing, but with his head angled down and the soft bleats coming from near him, Lucian could tell the Steve had gotten distracted by a sheep. He sighed again, and stepped forward. He tapped Sabre, and then, when he still got no recognition, Lucian shook him. Sabre visibly startled. Lucian saw him raised his hands and heard a sniff. Then Faux turned ad Lucian understood what was happening.
"Genesis, Sabre, this is the worst time to be having a moment!"
Sabre flushed as he scowled. "I'm not having a moment!"
Lucian stared at him. Sabre squirmed under the weight of his lie. His looked teary, with a burgeoning redness under his his glossy eyes. Lucian shook his head and gave the shepherd a curt apology.
"I'll just leave y'all alone, then," they said, quickly escaping the developing situation.
Sabre crossed his arms. "I'm not having a moment," he reiterated. Lucian just ignored his blatant lie and stepped round him. The sheep Sabre had been having a moment over hurried to Lucian's outstretched arms, the feeling of "goodness" radiating from him making him a magnet. For a minute of quiet he pet the lovely thing, letting Sabre maneuver himself into a comfortable position. When that minute was over, he joined Sabre on the grass.
"Explain," Lucian demanded.
"Just... a memory."
The sheep moved over to Sabre, who gently caressed it's wool. Lucian watched as tears threatened to fall again. He let another sigh fall, just so that Sabre knew he wasn't happy with this, then shifted so he was next to him, a hand over Sabre's.
"We leave in ten minutes," said Lucian.
"Thanks."