Cherry quietly shifted in her seat at the dining room table, casting a worried look to the twin's bedroom door. The vixen knew she should be doing more, but had no idea what that was supposed to be. Jezebel, Saffron and Peppa were still in the room with Mint, and the snow leopard boy was sitting in the living room alone. The fox was surprised he didn't just run out the front door as fast as possible, like she wanted too, and instead sat silently in the dark. No flicker of television flashing into the hallway or even turning on the light overhead. Just silence and darkness.
Cherry sighed and rubbed the side of her head. In the distant past, she would've called Rameo to see if he'd be willing to let the ewe stop seeing Daddy. The pimp never did, but it was always worth a shot. This wasn't even the first time that a female admitted to being attacked or raped in the house, yet those times were supposed to be behind all of them. Everything was supposed to be getting better, they were supposed to better. Now though, it felt like they were falling backwards.
The fox needed something to hold onto, something she could control. For a decade, she devoted herself to being a working girl. Selling her assets, as well as her ass, was the only mission in life. Now...now Cherry didn't know what she wanted. At that moment, sitting in the eerie silence of a house that used to be filled to the brim with females, the vulpine wanted everything to be simple again.
Cherry's ears stood at attention as the twin's door opened. She watched Jezebel cautiously exit the room and slowly close the door behind her. The older sheep ran a hoof over her face as she walked towards the dining room.
"It's a rotten mess doll," Jezz muttered, "just...so rutting rotten…"
"How bad?" Cherry asked, her sapphire blue eyes never leaving the sheep.
Jezebel approached the dining room table, paper plates still laid out for a dinner that would never happen and planted her hooves on it. "It's Daddy," she stated wearily, "and he's one of Min's teachers."
The fox's blood ran cold at the news. She swallowed dryly and tried to calm her increasingly frazzled nerves. "Ar-Are we sure, honey?" Cherry asked hopefully, as if this was all a bad dream, "Could she be-"
The older ewe slammed a hoof on the table, then pointed a threatening digig at the vulpine. "Don't ask if Mint's mistaken!" Jezz seethed, a wicked snarl appearing on her snout, "If anyone, anyone, would know who it is than it's that girl!"
Cherry looked away ashamed. The older sheep was right. If anyone would know that monster, it would be Mint. The fox sighed and pinched her brow. "What do we do?"
"Find the bastard and break his legs," Jezebel muttered darkly.
The vulpine shook her head and rubbed a paw against her brow, "We can't do that."
The caprid sniffed haughtily, "Why not?" She glanced over her shoulder and down the hall, before focusing back on the vixen and whispering, "We've done it before."
Cherry bolted upright and leaned to her right to look down the hall as well. There didn't seem to be any stirrings from the twin's room or, more importantly, the living room. The vulpine scowled at the ewe and raised a claw. "That was one time."
"And it worked, doll," the sheep countered bluntly, "he ain't in our lives anymore."
"Honey, we can't do that Jezz," the fox replied exasperated, "we aren't those mammals anymore!"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean we can't just take rutting pipes to mammals!" Cherry hissed, lowering her voice and leaning over the table, "It worked on Rameo because he didn't have a leg to stand on-"
"Not even knees," Jezebel interrupted flippantly.
"...and we weren't on the right side of the law back then either," continued the vixen through gritted teeth, "Now we are, and we need to do the right thing!"
"Well what do you want to do, doll?" the ewe shot back, leaning over the table and closer to the fox.
"We call Bee," Cherry stated slowly, "and get the police involved."
The sheep laughed condescendingly, "Honey, the cops don't care about us. We're just dirty street walkers."
"Were," Cherry corrected calmly, "Now we run Helping Paws. They will help us because we're law abiding."
Jezebel shook her head with a sly smirk, "Just because Bee's nice doesn't mean anything." She sighed heavily and her smirk turned to a grimace. "They're gonna want this case swept under the rug as fast as possible. Last thing anyone wants is a teacher raping his students on the front page."
"Well, honey," the vixen sighed, running her paw over eyes, "they either do their jobs, or we tell everyone we know...those are the only choices."
A tense silence settled between the two. Cherry continued to rub her eyes, wishing all of this would just go away. Each day, it felt as though the weight of her responsibility grew heavier, and each day it didn't seem like help was coming. Now, along with all the stress from Helping Paws, the vulpine needed to find the strength to guide the girls through this new obstacle. Just like she's done countless times before.
The vixen slid off the side of her chair, gaze on the ground as she walked around the table. "I'm gonna call Bee...get her to meet Saff and Mint at the hospital."
"They didn't say they were going to the hospital," Jezebel remarked.
Cherry sighed and turned to the sheep. She could see the same exhaustion in the ewe as the fox felt. "We need to do this right," the vulpine pleaded, "if we don't, everything, and I mean everything honey, could be lost."
Jezz frowned and looked away. She eventually huffed and knocked on the table twice. "I know you're right," she muttered quietly, "but that doesn't mean I can get rid of…our experiences."
Cherry nodded and reached for the ewe's hoof. "I know," she whispered, "we all do." The fox squeezed Jezz's hoof reassuringly, "It'll be alright."
Jezebel rolled his eyes, "You don't have to tell me." She gestured behind her, "But it's gonna be hard to convince Mint of that, doll." The sheep then smirked slyly, "Go give your wolf a call."
Cherry chuckled weakly and hugged the ewe. Jezebel patted the fox gently on the back. The pair stayed embraced for several moments, until eventually the vulpine sighed again and released the caprid. "I gotta go, honey...get everything going and all."
"Go do your magic Cher," Jezz encouraged. She smiled reassuringly, "You always do great!"
Cherry tried to smile, but it never came. She simply nodded and headed for her room. It was the only place she could make this private phone call, especially with the snow leopard in the living room. Once the fox reached her door, she reached into her pants pocket to retrieve her cellphone. The vixen turned the doorknob to her room as she flipped through her contacts. Without even thinking, the vulpine passed the she-wolf and landed on a surprising name.
Tod
Cherry shook her head, "What am I doing?" The fox quickly scrolled back up to the lupine and hit call. She placed it against her ear as she entered her room. The phone rang four times before a obviously sleepy Beatrice answered.
"Hello?" the wolf mumbled.
"Bee, it's Cher," started the fox once she closed the door behind her, "We've got a big problem, honey…"
Beatrice sat next to Mint's hospital bed, out of uniform but doing her job. The wolf had grabbed a pen and pad of paper when she rushed out of her apartment, barely remembering to put on clothes in the process. She did forget her coat. Tundra Town Regional Hospital provided the young sheep with a private area in the E.R., though the walls were simply curtains. It allowed enough privacy for the ewe to be examined but didn't do much to quiet the noise around them. The officer rested her left leg on the right and used her left thigh as a makeshift table, with a pale white light above illuminating the room. The lupine's gaze remained focused on the pad and the words she wrote, unable to look up at the sad sight that was the youngest twin.
"I think I got everything," Beatrice sighed, running her free paw over her ears. She bit her lip and finally looked up at the sheep in the bed. "Anything you want to add?"
The officer could tell Mint was a thousand miles away, training and experience informing the wolf of all those long stares that victims in shock could have. A constant stream of tears only added to the pitiful sight. The young ewe was sitting up in the hospital bed in a white gown. Her wool stuck out of the collar and the fabric laid loosely over her body, giving the sheep's midsection and more bloated appearance. Surprisingly, Ming shook her head slowly in response to the lupine. "No... but…" she hesitated, her snout opening and closing, "...he...still has a pair of my panties…"
The officer immediately scribbled down this fact. "Can you give a description of them?" Several silent seconds passed. Beatrice glanced up at Mint to see the ewe's eyes misty as she covered her snout with both hooves.
"I can't remember," the sheep mumbled, mouth still covered, "It...it only happened three days ago, but...I can't remember!"
The lupine stood out of her chair, instinctively slipping the pad and pen into her front pocket. Mint whimpered mournfully, curling her knees to her chest and burying her snout into her wool. Beatrice reached out for the sheep and grasped her shoulder. The younger twin jumped from the touch and immediately pulled away. The harsh gasp and frightened gaze of the ewe cut the wolf deep. The officer tried to shrug it off, but the sight of the whimpering caprid caused her ears to pin and tail to retreat between her legs.
"I'm sorry," Beatrice whispered.
Mint pinched her eyes shut. "It's ok," she mumbled weakly.
"Can I get you anything or…"
"I wanna go home," the ewe whimpered. She looked at the lupine with pleading eyes and asked, "Can I?"
Beatrice's heart threatened to break as her emotions welled. She cleared her throat and looked away ashamedly. "Once the doctor clears you," the officer answered morosely. She moved towards the curtain but stopped as her free paw grasped the edge. "Do...you want to be alone?" Mint didn't respond. The lupine grimaced and willed herself to look at the sheep. Once again, the ewe was in her own head, wide eyes staring ahead blankly. The officer quietly sighed and stepped through the curtain.
White tiled flooring stretched to a dark blue wall in front of the wolf. On the other side of the wall was the nurses' station. When Beatrice checked in with one of the nurses on duty, there only four present. It didn't sound like business had picked up, but the lupine had no interest in confirming her assumption. She turned to the right where a set of five different sized chairs were located. In the largest one was Saffron, sitting stoically with her paws folded in her lap. The officer walked over to the feline and fell back into the chair to the right of the tiger. She was so tired. They sat in silence, both staring at the empty bed and open curtains in front of them.
"They wouldn't let me in there," Saffron finally mumbled, "I had to listen to her crying from here."
Beatrice glanced up wearily at the tiger, "Why?"
"Because I'm not her guardian," the feline stated evenly, "We thought it best to put Jezz as that." Saff's eyes grew misty, her jaw quivering as she looked as though she was about to break down. She quickly wiped the tears away with the back of her paw and let out a slow breath. "I... forgot about that when we left…"
"They didn't kick you out," the lupine offered weakly.
The tiger chuckled dryly, a small smile appearing on her muzzle. "Only because I told them we called the police."
"I'm glad you did," the officer sighed, dragging a paw across her face, "Last thing I need is all of you dealing out street justice!"
Beatrice wasn't positive, but she could have sworn she saw out of the corner of her eye the feline stiffened at her final statement. The officer brushed off the observation, too tired for another mystery. She sighed and leaned closer to the feline, reaching her paw into her pocket to pull out her notepad.
"How much do you know?" the officer questioned, straightening back in her chair and studying her scribbles.
"Enough," Saffron responded curtly.
Beatrice nodded silently. Cherry explained over the phone an overview of the night's events. It only made sense for the girls to know as much as the wolf. The most pressing manner was who would take over the case? The officer had very little respect for the detectives in Precinct Six, many cruising through cases with little care of serving justice. Normally the lupine would be responsible but had the makings of a high-profile case. Hopefully, the case wouldn't catch the eye of the Deputy Chief and the female would be able to work it. That is, unless Arnie stuck his nose in.
Beatrice was pulled out of her musings by a new mammal standing in front of the pair. He was a red squirrel, with large tufts of fur on his ears shooting up and a bushy tail with a hint of white at the end. The color of his fur contrasted with his black scrubs and baby blue covers on his hind paws. Between his paws was a translucent neon orange clipboard with several papers clipped to the top. He covered his snout with a raised fist and cleared his throat.
"My name is Doctor Luden. I'm the Emergency Physician on duty," began the rodent gravely. He turned his attention to Saffron, "I was informed you brought her in?" The feline nodded. Luden frowned and looked down at his papers. "Miss... Saffron?" He glanced up at the larger mammal, "No last name." Saffron squirmed under the smallest mammal's gaze but nodded once more. Luden flicked through the papers quietly. He grimaced, "Have the police been notified?"
"Yes!" Beatrice exclaimed, jumping to attention in her seat, "Right here!"
Luden eyed the wolf suspiciously, "Seem to be out of uniform..."
"Not on the clock."
The squirrel frowned, "Your badge?"
Beatrice patted down her pants, only to find them empty. She smiled apologetically, "I seemed to have...forgot it…" The embarrassed officer shrunk into her chair, "...sorry…"
Luden stared hard at the lupine, tail twitching in agitation. "This is a serious matter. One that should be taken as such." The lupine withered further under the squirrel's intense gaze. He turned back to his papers. "I am not convinced that it would be appropriate for me to discuss personal medical matters with two mammals who cannot identify themselves properly." He moved to walk away from the pair, when Saffron slid to the floor.
"Sir, wait," the feline started, on her knees and paws clasped pleadingly, "I know our family looks odd, but I promise we only have Mint's attention at heart!"
Luden's scowled deepened, "Her name's not Mint."
"We put down Abigail because that's what her school I.D. states," the tiger tried to explain, "but we call her Mint." Saffron crawled closer to the rodent, on her paws and knees, closer to the doctor. "I know I'm not her mother, but I care for that little ewe." The feline sucked in a deep, staccato breath. "She's had a hard life, and I only want it to be better!"
The big cat's back was to Beatrice so she couldn't see her face, but if Luden's softening expression was any indication, then the feline's words had an effect on him. He grimaced again, then glanced to his left and right.
"Alright you convinced me," the squirrel grumbled. He pointed a digit at the tiger, then the wolf, "but she stays here until I have confirmation that the police have been informed and that she has made an official statement." Luden looked at Saffron, then Beatrice, with a determined expression. "Is that clear?" Both females nodded. He let out a slow breath, "Very good. Now please return to your seat."
The doctor waited as the feline stood up and dusted off her knees. Once Saffron settled back into her seat, paws clasped tightly in her lap, the squirrel cleared his throat.
"How long would you say that Abigail has been sexually active?"
"From thirteen to fifteen she was a prostitute," Saffron answered freely, "before that, I don't think so."
"And before today?"
The tiger reached a paw towards the wolf. Beatrice accepted it with both of hers and gave it an encouraging squeeze. Saffron breathed in and out deeply. "To my knowledge, no."
"History of illness? Sexually transmitted diseases?"
The feline looked away from the doctor and in the direction of Mint's room. Her paw trembled in the lupine's grasp. "We always tried to get checked," Saffron mumbled, "make sure none of us caught anything serious." She cleared her throat and turned back to the doctor. "I don't recall her having any or needing any medication either."
Luden nodded, "We collected a blood sample to confirm, but the nurse said she didn't see any immediate indications." He glanced away momentarily before looking at the pair once more, "I did not believe it appropriate to be present during the examination."
"Thank you," Saffron whispered.
The squirrel gave a shallow bow before he sighed and turned back to his notes. "The nurse found slight bruising on her wrists and mild abrasions on knees, which coincides with what she was able to get out of Abigail." He flipped over a paper. "Old and new vaginal scarring was noted, as well as bruising along the vaginal walls." The rodent flipped the paper back over and holstered the board to his right side. "Her history as a prostitute would explain the former, and the latter combined with the bruising supports her story as well."
"What do you mean?" Saffron asked.
Luden sighed heavily. He rubbed his forehead with his free paw as his grip on the clipboard tightened noticeably. "Bruising...is to be expected when it comes to intercourse. However, in my experience, tearing only occurs in abusive situations when no further lubrication is provided." The doctor grimaced, "Abigail informed us she showered before paw, so the possibility of having any usable genetic material is not plausible, but we did find evidence of seminal fluid."
"What does that mean?" the tiger pressed, her tone rising a notch.
The doctor breathed in, then slowly out, his face becoming blank and unreadable. "We believe he may not have used a condom."
Beatrice heard an almost silent squeak come from the Saffron. She turned to the feline to see her covering her muzzle with eyes pinched shut. "Saff," the wolf breathed. She squeezed the tiger's paw again, and then again when the larger mammal didn't respond.
Saffron breathed a hitched breath, then let it out as she removed her paw from her face. She grimaced as a tear appeared in the corner of her eye. Finally, she cleared her throat and opened her now red rimmed eyes. "Please continue."
Luden nodded solemnly, "With Abigail's permission, we will give her a dose of Levonorgestrel." He turned to see Beatrice's confused expression and smiled weakly. "Plan B." The squirrel turned back to the feline, smile disappearing completely, "We also recommend starting her on Pep, or Post exposure prophylaxis. It'll help reduce her risk of sexually transmitted diseases."
A heavy silence fell between the three mammals. The information provided by Doctor Luden was a lot to swallow, and the lupine was having trouble keeping everything straight. Finally, she spoke up.
"She was asking about going home. Can she?"
"I recommend against it," the doctor replied, "I would like her to be examined by our resident psychiatrist, and he won't be in till the morning. Furthermore, without her guardian present, there's no one we can legally release her too."
"Can I stay?" Saffron whispered meekly.
The rodent frowned, "Normally I'd say no, but I believe this is a special circumstance." He gestured in the direction of Mint's room, "You'll have to stay in there, and I will make sure security performs an hourly check. Understood?" Saffron nodded. Luden nodded curtly, "If you need anything please ask one of the nurses. Otherwise, have a good night."
Beatrice watched the squirrel walk away, turning the corner and disappearing. She turned her attention back to the feline. "You gonna be ok?"
Saffron stared straight ahead, her eyes misty as her muzzle hung slightly ajar. "I don't know," she mumbled, "but I'll need to be."
Beatrice nodded solemnly, and gently patted the tiger's paw. "You'll get through this...and so will Mint."
Saffron glanced down at the lupine, "You gonna get this guy Bee?"
The wolf bit down a growing snarl and nodded curtly. "I'll make sure of it," the officer growled, anger bubbling up in her chest, "no matter what."
Peppa didn't know what to say to Johann. This was supposed to be a night of revelation and teasing, instead the twin's past was thrown back into their collective faces. It didn't help that her mind kept wandering to Mint. As much as she wanted to be with her sister, and screamed her head off in opposition, the ewe eventually relented in order to talk to the snow leopard. Hopefully she could convince him to not file a report against Saffron.
Pep stood in the hallway, just outside the doorway to the living room. She rocked back and forth, biting her lip in indecision. The ewe needed to talk to the snow leopard. Johann wasn't having as rough a night as the twins, but being attacked by a tiger wouldn't simply fade away. The older twin needed to convince the male that Saff simply overreacted and didn't mean it. Easier said than done. Eventually, the sheep sighed heavily and stepped into the darkened room. The older twin could just make out the outline of the feline sitting on the couch. With only indirect light from the hallway and street lamps outside, it hid much of the male's features. Still, the ewe could see Johann leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as his paws appeared to be covering his muzzle. What did stand out were the big cat's eyes. His normally grey stare glowed a vibrant green filled with anguish.
"I'm gonna turn on the light," Pep announced loudly. Johann didn't respond, but did close his eyes. The ewe accepted this as acknowledgement. She blindly reached for the light switch on the wall left of her and flicked it up. The living room instantly lit up, causing the older twin to blink the spots in her vision away. Once her sight was clear, she steeled her resolve and made her way to the couch.
Peppa didn't miss the feline tense up as she drew closer, and Johann scooted to the other side of the L shaped couch when she sat down. The ewe wanted to roll her eyes at the snow leopard's ridiculousness, but suppressed it. He was the one who could have been seriously injured, yet Johann was acting as if he was the dangerous one.
"How's your throat?" the sheep asked, hoping to loosen up the leopard's tongue.
"Fine," Johann croaked behind a paw, the other sliding to his neck and rubbing it gingerly, "I'll live."
This time Pep did roll her eyes, "Well aware of that Spots." She leaned closer with an evil grin, "If not, we'd already be burying you!" The sheep's joke fell flat. She scowled at the male, "Come on Johann it was a joke! If you were really hurt, we'd have taken you to the hospital with Mint." The feline visibly shuddered at her words. The ewe huffed and folded her arms, "What? A strong male like you afraid of an itty bitty tiger?"
Johann's head snapped in her direction, his mouth agape in abject horror. "You think I'm afraid of the tiger?" the snow leopard questioned incredulously, "Mint just freaked out when I got close, and you think I'm worried about me!?" The feline grimaced as he ran a trembling paw over his face. He supported his head between his paws as pinched his eyes shut. "I can't stop seeing her face." The male looked at his shaking paws. "She was so scared," Johann turned his attention back to the ewe, heartache written all over his muzzle, "Why?"
Peppa didn't know what to say. How does the ewe explain to the snow leopard what they've been through? How could anyone? It just didn't seem possible, nor did it seem right. The twins were teenagers, not even old enough to drive, yet they experienced the worst mammals had to offer and then some. How could she explain the pain they shared? The cold, hungry nights, huddled in a corner in a rotting house hoping mammals would sleep with them. There were no words to descrive their hopelessness, but caprid knew she had to try.
The ewe sighed heavily and rubbed the side of her head. "It's...hard to explain..." Pep admitted, her hoof traveling to a loose curl on her head. She twirled the wool between her digits as she searched for the appropriate words. "We aren't...good mammals…" The sheep looked away from the feline and to the floor. "We've had to do...things...to survive."
"Like what?"
Peppa scoffed and yanked at the curl, "Think about it Spots, and I mean really think about it! Two young sheep, walking the streets of Tundra Town doing anything to make a quick buck!" The ewe glared at the snow leopard, "Put the rutting pieces together."
Johann's expression fell, before he shook his head and furrowed his brow. "How'd you and Mint end up here the ?"
"Luck of the draw," Peppa grumbled, "and that's all I'm gonna say on it."
"Was...was Mint really attacked by your father?"
The ewe let out a dry laugh. "I doubt it, but then again we have no idea who are rutting father is!" She sighed and looked away in shame, "Probably some nameless john that our mother did to make a quick buck too…"
"So, who is he then?" Johann pressed intently, a claw scratching the bottom of his chin.
Pep grimaced, not sure how much she wanted to tell the feline. It wasn't just her past, but Mint's as well. Knowing her sister, the younger twin wouldn't like it if Johann found out too much and she wasn't the one telling it. The older twin decided for a half truth.
"Someone from our past," the sheep finally answered. She glanced up at the ceiling and blew out a slow breath. "Not a nice ram. Used to mess with Min's head a lot."
"What's his name?"
Peppa looked back at the leopard. Johann's expression had hardened. A silent snarl graced his muzzle, agitated tail whipping behind him, as his body tensed and legs ready to pounce. The ewe couldn't remember a time when the feline was ever angry, and now she wished she had never seen it. The sheep scooted closer to the male, who appeared lost in his swirling thoughts, and placed a hoof on his knee.
Johann jumped off the couch with a low growl, "Why would anyone do this?" He stepped towards the middle of the living room, then stopped and pivoted to face the sheep. "How could anyone hurt her?" The feline rolled his neck on his shoulders, an audible crack echoing from the action, as he held his paws out with his fully exposed claws pointed up. "I just want to-"
Peppa was unimpressed with the male's bravado. He had no reason to be this upset. None of this happened to him! Mint was the one who should be this angry. Mint should be the one screaming bloody murder until Daddy was hanging off Precinct Six by his ankles. Johann had none of her sister's reasons, and the ewe decided to put an end to his little temper tantrum. "What's my name?" she asked coldly.
The feline stopped dead in his tracks, expression changing from rage to confusion. "What?"
The sheep pushed off the couch and stood to her full height. Even though snow leopards are smaller than the other big cats, the ewe was still below his shoulders. Peppa planted her hooves on her hips and stared down the male. "What's my real name?" Johann stumbled over his tongue and nothing except for confused grunts left him. The smaller mammal closed the distance between them and jabbed a sharp hoof into his gut. "Well?"
"I-It's Dolor-"
"Nope!" Peppa exclaimed, "and it ain't Pep, or Abigail, or Mint." She jabbed the feline with each name. "You don't know us, don't know what we've been through, and have no idea what you're doing!" The sheep gave the male a hard shove with both hooves, "Keep your ruttin' nose out of this. We don't need your help!"
Johann's gaze fell, holding more pain than before. The feline rubbed his stomach absentmindedly and looked away ashamed. "Will you tell me?" he asked meekly.
Peppa scowled at the snow leopard. Such a big male acting all tough, until confronted by a little sheep. The ewe had no time for the feline, and just wanted him to leave. "Go home," she said deliberately, "Go home and forget about everything that you heard and saw." The sheep glanced away from the crestfallen leopard, "It'll be better if you stay out of it."
There was silence between the two, as if the twins past manifested a wall between the teenagers. Eventually, and with obvious reluctance, Johann sighed. His head hung in shame as he nodded slowly. "Ok," the feline mumbled, "I'll go home…" For a moment, when the leopard looked into the ewe's hard gaze, his grey eyes reflected the same toughness that existed in Pep. "...but I won't forget." The resolve in his voice matched the determined look that graced his muzzle.
Quietly, and without another word, Peppa watched the feline walk towards the front door. The sheep could tell that something just changed in Johann. The first time they met, he was a soft butterball who never knew how cruel Zootopia could be. Now, with his muscles tensed and paws in tight fists, she couldn't see the gentle heart she knew resided in him. A small part of her wanted to stop the snow leopard and simply tell him everything. Tell Johann to let go of that anger and hate, because she knew that it would burn him alive! Instead, Pep watched him enter the hallway and turn right. There was the telltale sound of the front door opening, and then gently closing.
The ewe let out a staggered breath as she stumbled over to the couch. She sat down, leaning her elbows on her knees, and rested her snout between her hooves. Peppa wouldn't cry. There was still too much to do, and she knew that Mint would need her help. Maybe another time, when all of this was done and Daddy was either dead or behind bars, then the sheep would weep. For now, as she sat alone in a house she barely considered a home, all the older twin wanted was a hug.
Hello Readers,
Another chapter, another heavy toll on the girls. Let me know what you think.
-CG