Threads Chapter 410-Development 2

The air was cool, crisp, and dry out away from the lakeside, brisk with the promise of oncoming winter snows. There were many small paths now snaking out into the farmlands and pastures. Closer to the center of the settlement, they were laid with gravel, but most were simply packed earth, cut and leveled, the barest beginnings of drainage paths planned at their edge. The pastures were not a grand sight, merely a series of small outbuildings dotting the hills to hold equipment and supplies within a simple but well warded fencing that followed the rolling elevation of the landscape.

She’d sent a messenger ahead while they toured the gardens of the manor properly, and soon they were off, splitting from Zhengui as he trundled off toward the distant flumes of the geyser he had made. Hanyi was humming behind her as the spirit pushed her chair along the path, and Ling Qi could see her craning her neck and squinting up at the higher hills and low peaks in the distance with a scrunched up expression.

“Everything alright?” Ling Qi asked.

“I’m just getting a feel for this stage,” Hanyi explained. “It’s a lot like the places north of here, all disordered. There are big spirits, but they’re just kinda flopped out, doing what they do. I bet if Big Sis helped show them what a proper winter lady I am, I’ll have this place whipped into shape in no time!”

“We haven’t gotten to sing together in awhile, have we?” Ling Qi mused. She had wanted to focus on the refinement of her successor art to Master Zeqing’s song, but the summit simply hadn’t given her many opportunities to do so. The icy air up there would probably be good for her recovering meridians, too.

“Yeah, that sounds fun! Even if Big Sis is a bit crispy, she still has a voice to listen to. Now… Oh, look at that!” Hanyi’s voice rose into a piercing squeal as she pointed past Ling Qi’s head up toward the top of the hill that lay beyond the gate of the pasture.

There, staring down at them, was what looked almost like a living cloud. The sheep was about half as tall as a human and nearly twice as wide when accounting for the curling, wobbling fleece projected in every direction. The fleece was all clear and white, only barely marked by dirt and dust on the lower edge where it nearly swept the ground around the beast’s hooves. Its pupils regarded them with blank disinterest as it chewed on a tuft of hardy mountain grass, oblivious to the qi pouring off her junior sister from excitement.

“Hanyi,” Ling Qi chided gently. “Don’t scare her.”

She was pretty sure that she’d just stopped her junior sister from leaping the fence.

“Yeah, please don’t. I don’t wanna have to chase the puffball down.”

Hanyi huffed, pushing Ling Qi toward the gate, looking up at the new speaker. “I wasn’t gonna.”

Ling Nuan had appeared at the top of the hill beside the sheep, one hand sinking deep into the fluff. “’Course you weren’t. You gonna be okay out here, uh, clan head?”

“Ling Qi is fine,” she corrected, holding up a hand to Hanyi as they approached the gate. She reached into her storage ring and drew out her cane, rising heavily to her feet with only a little sway. Hanyi hurried to grab onto her arm, giving her some steadiness. “I needed exercise, so this is fine.”

Ling Nuan eyed her critically but didn’t disagree, descending from the hill to open the gate for them.

“You were right. That breed is adorable,” Ling Qi said, wobbling briefly as she picked her way through the gate under the creature’s impassive gaze.

Ling Nuan nodded. “It’s a good breed. Highly sought. Their fleece is wind-imbued and light so they can grow it out a lot more before it starts to tear their skin from the weight. And it makes really breathable cloth.”

“Definitely the proper reasons for the choice,” Ling Qi said agreeably as they ascended the hill.

She gave Hanyi a nudge and a nod, and the young spirit nearly vibrated as she dashed up the hill to get a closer look.

“They are real huggable. They don’t even mind much,” Ling Nuan replied reluctantly. “But they have their troubles, too.”

“Oh?” Ling Qi asked, watching Hanyi almost disappear into the floof, giggling to herself.

“A strong wind can pick ’em up and blow ’em around like dandelion seeds. They land soft, but they also can’t get back up if they land on their sides or backs. Gotta watch ’em close. They can pick up static something fierce, too.”

“That would be a problem.” Part of her wanted to see it happen. The thought of a dozen odd of these big puffballs drifting overhead was strangely adorable. “Does the whole herd have these properties?”

“More or less. The more mortal sheep won’t outright float and don’t get as fluffy, but they’ll still get dragged and knocked over by the wind sometimes. Even mortals can handle them though. Been training the herders in how to loop a floater and pull them back down.”

“H-hey, stop that!” She heard Hanyi yelp as she hobbled up the hill, Ling Nuan hovering nearby. The young girl had been patting the beast’s head, only for the sheep to decide she wanted to start chewing on Hanyi’s sleeve. Her junior sister could easily pull free, but she could see Hanyi was worried about “damaging Big Sis’ stuff.”

“Ah, just a sec, just a sec.” Ling Nuan trotted up beside Hanyi to grasp the animal’s muzzle and scold it, allowing Hanyi to jump back with her sleeve intact.

Cresting the top of the hill, Ling Qi looked out over the rest of the pasture where she saw men and women guiding little clouds over and through the hills, and there, yes, was one drifting along several feet off the ground, legs kicking lazily. That one was caught by the crook of a shepherd’s staff and pulled back to earth.

Hanyi grumbled, looking less enthused as she fingered the hem of her sleeve. The sheep stared unapologetically back, mind empty but for contentment and a mild, lazy hunger.

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“How have you been though, Ling Nuan? You left pretty quickly.”

Ling Qi looked down at the beast sternly, meeting those barred yellow eyes without blinking. The sheep lowered her head, Ling Qi reached down and patted it, sinking her hand deep into the heavenly-soft fleece. She’d expected a certain scratchiness, but it was smooth as silk. Her dangling sleeve, centimeters from the sheep’s muzzle, remained unmolested.

Hanyi puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

“Nothing on all of you, but I think better when I’m moving, and I have a lot of stuff to think about.” Ling Nuan shrugged. “I like this place though. Can see it being home.”

“How much longer do you have for your leave?”

“Till the end of the month. Then it’s back to sect duty, though I might see you for the big offensive, huh?”

“Maybe.” Ling Qi leaned on her cane. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this though.”

“Am I?”

“You are. You don’t usually smile like that,” Ling Qi said knowingly.

Amusingly, Hanyi was attempting to stare down the sheep now. Ling Qi wasn’t sure her attempt was having the same success.

Ling Nuan grunted. “Even someone like me enjoys some peaceful days… But thank you. I can’t say I was expecting the welcome I got. You’ve got me as long as I last.”