A New Beginning
Chapter 6: A Song of Rest
“Wowk fwuffy wowk. Wowk fwuffy wowk!” The horde of fluffies that made up Lemon’s herd sang as they went about working on the nice Dandyman’s land. They used their teeth to pull up tall grass and weeds or simply ate them. Those they pulled up were placed into the little wooden sleds provided for them. Since the arrival of new fluffies to help with the work the Dandyman had built another sled for even more food to be dragged back. It gave the fluffy herd the biggest heart happies.
Lemon watched over her herd, leading by example as she worked long and hard without complaint. The little white fluffy tore up the bad weeds as the Dandyman called them. She then placed the weed in a separate pile the nice mister said he would give them burnies when the herd was gone. Lemon did as she was told, making sure to follow the rules and ensuring the herd did too. Lemon didn’t want to anger the human and lose out of the good nummies they got for work. It might have only been grass nummies, but nummies was still nummies for the herd. With the new sled they could eat better and store more nummies for the cold cold times.
“Fluffies! Come!” The voice of the Dandyman called as he stepped down from his back patio at the herd. Lemon perked up at the voice and addressed her herd.
“Hewd gu tu Dwandymwan!” Shouted the little white fluff. The members of her herd looked up, stopping what they were doing and tentatively approached the human. They were a little more trusting since he helped save Twig from the meanie scaley munstah last bright time. The Dandyman had even stopped Twig’s worstest hurties and from going forever sleepies.
The herd gathered up, Lemon, Rex, the six toughies and six workers. Lemon stood at the front with Rex, the other fluffies stood behind. As always the toughies stood in formation reading to protect the worker fluffies should something go wrong.
The Dandyman eyed the fluffies and gave a puff on his cigar, blowing out a cloud of smoke.
“Little fluffs, you have worked hard. I must say I’m impressed. So for a job well done, a treat.” The Dandyman pulled out a metal bucket from behind his back and stepped down onto the ground. He poured the bucket and a most wonderful smell hit the fluffies.
Red sauce and freshly cooked noodles fell to the ground as the Dandyman poured out some fresh spaghetti he had cooked. It wasn’t the cheap can tins or premade type, but spaghetti he had made from hands. He had made the noodles himself, bought the fresh ingredients and spent the morning cooking it up for the herd.
“Skettis?” Lemon asked, her voice shaking as she eyed the food of the gods, well to fluffies anyway. She didn’t move and gave her herd a stern look to ensure no one went running out. Even Berry who had acted up last time flinched at the word, not wanting to get the sorry hoof again.
“Yes ‘skettis’. And don’t worry I’ll give you more to take back to your herd for the others to enjoy. So eat up little fluffs.” The Dandyman had walked up to Lemon and crouched down beside her, a hand gently rubbing the top of her little head. Lemon cooed at the soft touch before looking to her head and giving an approving nod.
“YEAH SKETTIS!” The fluffies shouted and ran up to the pile of skettis on the ground and began happily eating away, tails wagging. Rex took the time to move the fluffies around to ensure all could eat.
“Fwuffies swo downsies. Nu num tu qwuick, get wowstest tummie huwties.” The Fluffalo would gently nudge the fluffs who were gorging themselves, making sure all the fluffies took the time to enjoy the skettis. He would every now and then take a small bite himself. Unlike other fluffies Rex didn’t go crazy for sketties, he didn’t find them as appealing. He was a Fluffalo, he had a different set of tastes and preferences.
“Don’t worry little fluffalo, I have something for you.” Rex looked up as the Dandyman approached and gently patted his woolly fluff. The human then sat down in a small steel bowl with something that wasn’t skettis. Rex’s eyes lit up as he smelled and saw the familiar nummies.
“Oatmeaw nummies!” Rex shouted and waddled over to the bowl, giving it a deep sniff. The smell was intoxicating to the fluffalo. It smelled of sweet honey and raspberries. Rex looked to the Dandyman for permission to eat.
“Go ahead little fluffalo. I’ll watch over the others.” Rex gave a beaming smile to the Dandyman as the human gave a soothing smile. Without hesitation the fluffalo began to eat, he ate slowly savouring the taste of each bite, his tail wagging furiously.
Lemon from her position in the pile looked to Rex and gave a smile before returning to the skettis. She didn’t understand why Rex didn’t like the skettis like other fluffies, but she loved him like the others all the same. Rex was a good fluffy and looked after the herd like a big daddy.
The Dandyman sat down on the steps of the back patio watching the fluffies as they happily ate their tails wagging cutely. As they ate the small bark coloured fluff Twig slowly began to approach him. The Dandyman pretended not to notice as Twig nervously stepped closer and closer. Soon Twig sat down right next to the Dandyman and cuddled into his right leg. Reaching down the traveller began to gently stroke the small earthies brown fluff earning a small cooe from him. The small earthie had gotten a little closer to him since the incident, perhaps Twig saw the traveller as his saviour. Regardless he had the little fluffies trust and that of the herds since yesterday.
“Aren’t you going to keep eating little twig?” asked the Dandyman as he puffed on his cigar. It had burned down half way.
“Am nu hunwgy nu mor. Twig num pwenty ob skettis.” Twig responded as he nuzzled into the Dandyman’s hand enjoying the pats. The Dandyman was gentle with his touch and it soothed the earthie.
“Alright little fluff. Once the others have finished eating, it’ll be back to work though.”
“Yus mistah dwandymwan twig nu. Cooo.” Twig leaned further into the hand and rolled over exposing his belly. The Dandyman gave a soft chuckle and scratched the fluffies belly making Twig giggle, his little legs flailing around cutely.
“These little guys have certainly grown on me.” He heard little footsteps as the large fluffalo Rex came walking over and took a seat on his opposite side. The larger fluffy had finished his oatmeal and was humming happily to himself.
“Wecks hab oaty meawy, wawmsis and twasties.” The fluffalo sang out of tune but he was happy. As the fluffies finished eating one by one they waddled over to the patio content and lay down around the Dandyman in a big fluff pile. Lemon was the last as she looked at the Dandyman, she was nervous hoping he didn’t turn on them.
“Wemon sowwy fu hewd. Nee wowk ba fwuffies fwuww.” Lemon looked at the Dandyman with tears on the edge of her eyes.
“Dey nu bwad fwuffies. Wemon make dem wowk fur nummies.” Lemon began walking to the fluff pile with the intention of waking up the herd.
“eeep” Lemon let out a squeal as she was suddenly picked up by the Dandyman. She shut her eyes waiting for the pain but it never came, instead she was placed on the human’s lap and he gently stroked her fluff.
“I’m not mad little fluff. You have worked hard. Take a little break. I’ll wake up all up in an hour, so rest little one” The Dandyman’s voice was soothing, it calmed Lemon as she gave a happy smile and curled up in his warm label. Her eyes felt heavy after eating and at first she resisted but eventually fell into a blissful slumber.
The traveller sat with the fluffies on the back patio, enjoying the warmth of the noon sun. The little creatures snored peacefully around him with Lemon on his lap. He gently stroked and caressed their fluff and began to hum a tune.
“Now show me a man that can meet all his needs,”
“For what we need most now is unity’s seed:”
“A common old song for all creeds and all classes.”
“I’ll tend to the flame; you can worship the ashes.”
“I’ll tend to the flame…”
Unknown to the sleeping fluffies the scene around them began to change. The Dandyman and the fluffies appeared in a cozy tavern that seemed to be bustling with shadowy figures and a warm burning fire. The shadow figures seemed to be gathering, sharing memories and mourning for those long gone.
The Dandyman’s eyes began to soften as a look of sadness reflected within those void like hues. Eyes darted from figure to figure as he remembered friends long passed.
“What will we do when the world it is ending,”
“And time it is halted for friend and for foe?”
“Try to hold on to the time as it passes.”
“I’ll tend to the flame; you can worship the ashes.”
“I’ll tend to the flame; you can worship the ashes.”
“I’ll tend to the flame; you can worship the ashes.”
Latest chapter to my fluffy story A New Beginning, featuring the Dandyman an interdimensional traveler and Lemon a smarty mare and her herd.
A little brief tale with song and good times with fluffies. The dandyman is growing closer with the herd and the herd with him, he even gave them a treat of their favourite food, skettis.
I hope you enjoyed.