There are two times of day I like best. The first is the sunrise; I always get up early to watch it. I love the way everything looks when the sky is the color of a rose. The house looks more homely than ever, and during the dawn the sun lights up the orchard so that the leaves scatter patterns on the ground and the apples seem to glow. Of course, there aren't any apples now, for it is past the season, but in early Autumn, as Taran says, "There are so many apples you're tired of them." There's a funny story about us and and an apple tree, but I think I shall save that for later.
Often I go out into the little field and lie on the grass to watch the sun come up, and it's very funny, me in my nightclothes with the sun peeking over the horizon at me. Sometimes Taran joins me, but usually he sleeps far into the morning, when Coll will let him. Coll once told me, "Growing lads need all the sleep they can get." I said, "Then Dallben must be growing more than any of us." Taran heard me and laughed and laughed, but Coll just scratched at his head and looked thoughtful.
Speaking of Dallben, I have a story about him as well. Once I was watching the sunrise just as I said before, and I felt someone behind me, in the strange way you sometimes just know something, like a calf knows its mother. I turned around, and there was Dallben, standing a little ways from me, just watching me watching the daybreak. I was about to ask him if he would care to join me when he left as quickly and quietly as he had come. Sometimes he reminds me of a cat, in that he is sly and seems to always know more than you do and naps all day. Yes, a very old cat. I shall have to tell Taran that one; he'll think it very funny.
My other favorite time of day is after supper, when it's dark, and we all gather around the fire. There are two chairs there. One is made of leather and that's where Dallben sits, if he is joining us at all, and if he is not Coll makes it his seat. I take the other chair, a simple wooden stool, and Taran leans against me, and if we feel like it we switch places. Gurgi sits (or crouches, really) with his back to the fire, and then we all have the best time you can imagine. Coll tells us stories, ones that excite us and scare us, and my favorite had three witches, and one of them was evil, and a prince and a bard and… well, I can't remember it all now. Or sometimes Coll will sing (he's not very good) or play on the pipes he made for himself. He took reeds from the little pond that lies near the orchard, and whittled them into pipes. I'm not quite sure how he did it, but they play a jolly tune, and Coll has promised to teach me someday when he's not too busy with farm work. Oh, and sometimes we dance, but Taran doesn't favor it and Gurgi isn't exactly built for dancing. It's quite irritating to be the only dancer. I can't see why Taran doesn't like it, as it's very similar to swordplay; they both involve balance and grace.
Sometimes I am so tired that I fall asleep right in the middle of Coll's story. I suppose that's extremely rude, but I don't think anyone minds very much, because the next thing I know I'm being carried put in bed.
There are so many other times of day I like, but those are just nice things that come from out of the blue, like unexpected presents. Little adventures occur every day, and I do believe adventure might be my favorite thing of all.
The next installment will probably be an actual short story instead of drabble. Please leave a review!