FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The next morning came the same as the first. Sunlight seeping into my bedroom from around the edges of the window's curtains accompanied by similar sounds of the farm to which I was a guest. I slowly awoke not as a result of my environment but rather the fulfillment of a completely restful sleep. The missing element to this morning was the sounds of Annabel and Mama Goat moving about the house going about their daily routine.

I inhaled deeply through my nostrils as I arched my back in a stretch and was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by the smell of the cool and misty country air. The hot and steamy shower seemed to have aided in the relief of my congested sinuses more than I could have ever anticipated. My sinus cavity was still sore and my nose runny, but the advancing sinus infection appeared to have reversed course.

I picked up my watch from the nightstand and checked the time; 07:32 it read. I couldn't believe that for a second straight day that I had slept for nearly twelve hours. This was extremely out of character for me. I laid back down in disbelief while attempting to recall the last such incidence. My mind searched through the years of stored memories until I arrived at the answer; never. There in the warmth of my comfortable bed I delayed the inevitable rising to start my day with some carefully slow stretching. As I stretched out the various muscles in my legs, it quickly became apparent that the soreness I had been experiencing had decreased substantially and I was thankful.

I got up and dressed myself before pulling the curtains aside to fully permit the light of the rising sun illuminate the room. It was another beautiful day without a cloud in the portion of the sky that was visible from this window. I got washed up and went on the prowl for some breakfast. The aroma of a recently cooked meal hung heavily in the air in the vicinity of the kitchen. A quick search of the house led me to find myself alone. Not sure where Annabel and Mama Goat had gone, presumably to complete some routine morning farm chores, I returned to the kitchen where I began the task of satisfying my hunger. I was by no means an accomplished chef at any level but my rudimentary culinary skills were most accomplished in the preparation of breakfast meals. I gathered a few eggs from the fridge, scrambled them up, and plated them with a banana and some toasted wheat bread.

I poured myself a glass of orange juice and then grabbed it and my plate and made my way to the dining room table. I took my time and enjoyed my breakfast in the relative quiet alone with my thoughts. Annabel never really mentioned a plan for today but I hoped it included a status check on Billy's progress with my jeep. After I finished my breakfast I cleaned up my mess, washing and drying everything I used; no fancy electric dishwasher in this house. After completing that chore I figured I would go outside and see if there was any way I could be of use. I put on my hiking boots, grabbed a water bottle, and went out the front door.

The air outside was still, damp, and cool. It felt great. Standing on the front porch I surveyed the surrounding land and took in the beautiful landscape. A light frost covered the plant life but the sun was shining bright and would soon save them from its icy embrace. I loved cold weather. It must have been about 30 degrees Fahrenheit and I in my short sleeved shirt was just fine as long as the wind didn't pick up. I may have loved the cold but I didn't like wind chill, not one bit.

Looking over to the barn I spotted Annabel moving about completing some task. I headed over and about half way there Annabel saw me coming. She waved with her free hand and greeted me with her usual sweet smile. "Good mornin!" she said cheerfully. Annabel was obviously a morning person like me, yet another trait of her personality that I admired.

"Morning Annabel." I responded with a bit less exuberance than her. Annabel was feeding the chickens with a bucket of feed in one hand while she tossed the feed with the other. The chickens scurried about the ground, darting around her cloven hooves as they competed with one another for the feed. We exchanged the typical pleasantries asking about how each other slept and Annabel inquiring about my health.

"So is there something I can do to be helpful?" I asked.

Annabel looked at me and smiled. "Well you can help me muck the stalls. That'll be a good way to show ya all our animals."

I looked at Annabel and tilted my head with a dumbfounded expression. "Muck? What's that?" I asked.

"Oh, that just means that we'll clean'em." she answered.

"Oh. Uhhh, will we have something to wear when we do it?" I didn't mind doing dirty work but working with animal piss and shit wasn't exactly what I considered a bare hands on job.

"Awwww, what, city boy afraid of getting a little dirty?" Annabel teased in response.

"Well it's not exactly the dirt I'm concerned about if you know what I mean."

Annabel knew what I was talking about. "Don't worry, there's stuff for us to wear." she reassured.

Annabel finished feeding the chickens and then motioned me to follow her into the barn. Before we got down to business, she led me around the structure and showed me where everything was and then introduced me to their livestock. They had several horses and cows and every one of them had a name and a story which she took joy in sharing right down to their personality traits. It was obvious she had a strong connection with them and I figured it was a mutually important relationship as they relied on each other for survival, each a beneficiary of the other.

Once the introductions were finished, Annabel got us a couple apron-like outfits, some gloves, and a couple of pitchforks. She then wheeled an empty cart over and proceeded to show me the ropes of stall cleaning or "mucking" as she called it. The process was rather simple but time consuming. Our first "customer" was Clyde, a large brown and white horse that Annabel described as "easy going". Annabel first lead him out of the stall and tethered him to a pole so as not to wander off. The next task was removing the dirty hay strewn about the stall which we tossed into the empty cart using our pitchforks. The new hay was stacked as bales in another part of the barn. When Annabel asked me to retrieve two of them I thought nothing of it; however, when I attempted to pick one up with the mindset that severely underestimated its weight, I instantly realized just how heavy hay was when a bunch of it was bound together. I returned with a bale and fetched another as Annabel began spreading the fresh hay throughout the stall. When I returned with the second, I assisted Annabel with finishing the task. Once finished she lead Clyde back into its home.

There were six stalls in all and as we knocked each of them out my skill at mucking gradually improved as I got the routine down. As we approached the final stall, inhabited by a black stallion named Ed, I couldn't help but snicker at the irony given the fact that the household didn't have a TV. I resisted the urge to shout out "Wi-l-l-l-l-lber!" for it would have likely been completely lost on Annabel and she quite possibly could think I had lost my mind. Ed was the eldest of the three horses they possessed and the only male.

After Annabel opened the stall, she asked if I would like to lead him out and secure him. I had never ridden a horse let alone cared for one before. I accepted the offer without a second thought. Annabel coached me on how to approach him and her words of caution got me to start second guessing my decision to accept her offer but Annabel reassured me that everything would be alright. I slowly stepped into the stall's entrance and there was Ed, standing there with an air of confidence typically exhibited by an alpha. He was a magnificent specimen and I'd be lying if I didn't admit he was a more than a little intimidating. I slowly offered my hand in a submissive manner as Annabel had instructed so he could sample my scent and hopefully conclude that I posed no threat. Ed leaned his head forward and upon taking in my scent, immediately jerked his head back and began stomping his front hooves on the floor before rearing back on his hind legs as though he were going to stomp me or kick me.

"Aaron, get back!" Annabel shouted and then immediately grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me backwards out of the stall before I could even react to her command. I nearly fell back on my ass but managed to regain my balance before doing so. Annabel quickly closed the stall gate as Ed continued to stomp about his stall.

"What the hell was that?!" I asked more than a bit shaken up.

"I don't know! Never seen him act like that. Must be something with how ya smell." Annabel responded a bit shaken up herself.

I took a moment to collect myself. Having a 700 pound animal direct such a threatening display towards you in such a close proximity will certainly permit one to develop a momentary feeling of being scared shitless.

"Are you OKAY?" Annabel asked consolingly.

"Yeah...just startled me is all." I responded. I mentally replayed the event in my mind in an attempt to ascertain what I might have done wrong and that's when it hit me; Annabel said my smell. I recalled my first encounter with Annabel and her odd behavior when sniffing the air, the women I met at the barn raising, and now Ed. I turned to Annabel and seriously looked her square in the eye. "Annabel, what's wrong with the way I smell?"

I could instantly tell the question caught Annabel off guard but rather than because of its oddity it seemed as if it was a subject with which she had some insight but had never been forthcoming. Her body language instantly conveyed one of guilt. 'Uhhh...I don't know, Ed must have smelled something he didn't like. The soap in your clothes maybe?" she answered referring to whatever laundry detergent I used to wash my clothes at home and Ed not liking it.

"Come on Annabel, he sniffed my hand, not my clothes." I answered incredulously. The adrenalin pumping through my veins gave me the necessary courage to be blunt without fearing the consequences of questioning without tactfulness. "What's really going on here Annabel?" I prodded.

"What? What do you mean?" she asked as though she was attempting to assess where my line of questioning was leading in order for her formulate a response.

"Well let's start with the day we met. You acted all weird when you smelled something in the air. I'm guessing that it was me. Then there was yesterday at the barn raising..."

"What happened at the barn raising?!" she interrupted with seemingly genuine concern.

"Well, the women, they were sniffing the air whenever I was around just like you did when we first met. And now Ed? There's something going on here and I just want to know what it is Annabel."

Annabel paused for a moment and thought about her response as I stood there waiting patiently. Annabel then looked at me with sincerity. "The goat part of us makes us be able to smell things much more better than you. Your scent is stronger to us women and a lot more if we're...well..." Annabel paused and suddenly became visibly embarrassed. "...in estrus."

"Oh. That's it?" I asked, surprised by the rather simple yet plausible explanation.

"Yeah, that's it." Annabel said with a smile.

"But what about Ed? What do you think set him off?" I posed.

Annabel took another moment to think up a logical explanation. "Well, I'm guessin he probably thought you were a threat bein a stranger and a man and him bein the only male and our other two horses bein his mares. That's my fault. I should've thought about that befur letting you try to take him."

"Well, no harm done. I may need to change my shorts but I'll live." I said facetiously with a smile.

Annabel gave me an odd look and glanced down at my lower torso. "Why are you wearin shorts under yur pants?" she asked seriously, the figure of speech was clearly lost on her.

Her serious inquiry threw me off. "What? No. I'm not wearing shorts. I..."

Annabel interrupted. "Then why did you say you needed to change yur shorts if...?"

I returned the interruption. "Annabel, it's just an expression, meaning that Ed scared the shit out of me is all."

"You shit yourself?" Annabel asked seriously.

"Man, you guys really aren't aware of the concept of a metaphor." I stated a bit insensitively aloud but not directed at Annabel.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what a me-ta-fur is." Annabel responded as she became visibly embarrassed.

I took notice and immediately began backpedalling. "Oh Annabel, I wasn't trying to be rude. I just forget how isolated you guys are from the world. Hmmmm, a metaphor." I thought for a moment of how I was going to explain it to her. "Well it's like a figure of speech." Annabel looked at me with a confused look; clearly my definition was of little aid to her comprehending the simple every day vocabulary from my world. It quickly got me wondering what their education system here was like but now was definitely not the appropriate time to ask less I come off looking condescending. "OKAY, how about a metaphor is an expression used to describe something in comparison to something else that is very exaggerated." I looked into her eyes and smiled. "Like if I said, "Your eyes are so green it makes emeralds jealous." That is a metaphor."

Annabel smiled achieving the desired effect of the example I provided. "OKAY, I think I get now." Annabel slowly reached down with her right hand and took my left into hers. Come on, I want to show you something." she stated as she began to pull me in tow.

"But what about Ed? We didn't finish his stall." I reminded Annabel.

"Don't worry about it. I'll finish later."

We walked side-by-side, holding hands as she took me to some unknown destination. Normally I would be a little uncomfortable with a woman's forwardness with a gesture of holding hands but not with Annabel. I felt entirely comfortable with her. I focused on the sensations of her touch as we walked. Her long sleeved shirt only permitted contact from her wrist down. There was no skin to contact as her hands were completely covered in fur. Her fur was short, soft, and smooth. Her hand was quite warm but with no evidence of sweat. I looked down and observed our intimate contact.

Annabel took notice of my gaze. "Is this OKAY?" she asked with a sensuous smile.

I looked up and locked onto her beautiful green eyes and smiled. "Yeah, it is." I responded in almost absolute comfort. It was so out of character for me to feel as such which made our developing connection such much more tantalizing.

We arrived at a very large pen enclosed by a relatively short wooden fence that was populated by quite a few goats. They ranged in all sizes with large adults and small baby goats. Our handholding came to an end as Annabel greeted the goats that rushed over eagerly anticipating our tending. "We spend much of the day working on the farm. But when I have time, I like playin with the kids." she explained as she knelt down and affectionately petted one of the smaller goats.

"Kids?" I asked.

"Yeah, the baby goats. They are called kids." Annabel answered.

"Oh yeah, right." I blushed from my lack of common farming knowledge.

"Oh silly, ya thought I meant children huh?" Annabel let out a cute little giggle. "Before we play with them, I need ta change into somethin more comfortable. Wait here and I'll be back right quick."

She removed and handed me her apron-like outfit and asked me to return it to the barn. I took mine off as well and did as asked. Annabel took longer to change than I expected, but I just attributed it to being a woman. I looked around at the surrounding countryside and took in the beauty. It was yet another gorgeous day with plenty of sunshine. Now late morning, the cool morning air had given way to warmer but comfortable temperatures.

Hearing an old spring stretch and the screen door slam shut afterwards, I turned to see Annabel steadily walking towards me at a much slower pace with a cute little smile adorning her face as she stared at me. It seemed as though her slowed pace was deliberate to show off the changes she had made in her absence. I was quickly drawn to a stare as I looked over the changes. Annabel had replaced the concealing long sleeve shirt with a tighter fitting short sleeved shirt that accentuated her well-formed breasts. The top several buttons were left undone, showing off her cleavage and a surprising patch of brown and white fur above it. It was difficult, but I finally tore my gaze away from her breasts to notice that white and brown fur completely also covered her arms. Her skirt hugged her waist, showing off her perfectly shaped hour glass figure and baby bump. To my surprise Annabel was more alluring than I had previously given credit. As she walked up to me, it was obvious that she had styled her hair a bit and even put on a little makeup.

"Are ya ready?" she asked as I tried to snap out of her trance.

"Huh..I'm sorry...what?" I muttered as I came out of it.

Annabel smiled knowing full well what was going on. "Come on silly, let's go."

We made our way back over to the pen where she pointed out one of the goats. "This goat here just gave birth a few weeks ago to these triplets. She's been nursin them and ya can see she's gettin pretty skinny. We need to fatten her up so she stays healthy. Her kids look very good and strong though."

As we approached the gate Annabel picked up a bucket that had been prepped with feed earlier. Goats quickly began to gather, driven by hunger and the desire for our attention. She shooed them away from the gate and we walked inside. The female goat and her three kids immediately surrounded us while other goats nearby intently focused on the bucket, hoping it would be their turn to eat next. All the goats were bleated enthusiastically. Some of them seemed to respond to me as though they were trying to call me over to them.

"Wow, they are really on about something!" I said.

"They are always talkative when they want food!" she giggled. "Now, yur job is to distract the kids while I make sure the mother gets her fill first before her kids eat all of the oats. Take a handful and see if ya can get them to follow ya." Annabel said, as she held the bucket up to me.

I took a handful of oats and started walking away, dropping a few on purpose as I distanced myself from the mother goat. They all ended up following me while Annabel gently held the mother back and lowered the bucket for her. I started dropping more of the oats and soon had the three kids eating up whatever they could find before approaching me for more. When I ran out, they started playfully head-butting my legs and running around me. One of them started trying to jump up and reach my hand before jumping around in circles.

"What is that one doing?! He's spazzing out or something!" I laughed.

"He's just bein silly! These kids are only two weeks old but they're full of energy!"

"I've never really been around baby goats before. They are like puppies with hooves!" I mused. "Need some more oats over here!" I called to Annabel.

Annabel obliged and held out the bucket. I grabbed some more and started spinning around in circles to get them to walk around in circles. They followed their new best friend everywhere, oblivious to how I was messing with them. I even got one to jump up when I would hold the oats in my hand above its head.

Annabel laughed. "Stop messing with those poor kids!" she joked.

"Okay, you can have the kids chase you!" I said, as I tossed the remaining oats at Annabel. This proved to be quite the mistake, since Annabel still had half a bucket of oats. She retaliated by tossing the entire contents of the bucket at me. I dodged them just in time, but this turned into a playful battle of tossing our edible ballistics at one another while the goats gladly ate our ammunition. After all the oats had been eaten, we got more from the barn and fed those that had been left without. I thought it odd that the other goats simply stood by while we fed the mother and her kids. As hungry animals I expected them to charge in and scarf up whatever could be had, especially during our oats battle with plenty strewn about the ground. Instead, they stood off to the side patiently as though they knew they would eventually get their turn.

"So how bout some lunch?" Annabel asked as we finished up our task.

"Definitely sounds good to me. I worked up quite an appetite playing with those kids."

After securing the goat pen and put everything away, we walked beside one another to the house. We entered and made our way to the kitchen. The house appeared to be empty aside from us. I figured Mama Goat was out working on the farm.

"So what would ya like?" Annabel asked.

"I like most anything. Why don't you surprise me?" I answered.

"Alright, one surprise lunch coming up."

I stood off to the side out of the way and leaned against the counter as I watched Annabel get to work prepping our meal. She hummed some unknown tune as she went from cupboard to cupboard, pulling out plates and cups for us. Knowing full well that I was watching her, Annabel would periodically glance at me and smile coyly. I admired her form as she moved about here and there. When she retrieved some bread and peanut butter before walking to the fridge and pulling out some grape jam, I figured out what she was making.

"Oh yeah, I love PBJ. Good choice." I said in approval.

Annabel looked at me with a confused expresion as she began to spread jam on a couple slices of bread. "P...B...J?" she asked.

It was obviously an acronym that had yet to find its way into this community. "Yeah, you know, peanut...butter...and jelly, P...B...J."

Annabel giggled. "Oh yeah. Clever. Ya know it's funny because P...B...J is my favorite too." I thought it was cute the way she accentuated each letter as she used the acronym for the first time.

"Well I can't take credit but that is how it's most commonly referred to by us outsiders." I responded.

Annabel looked at me and smiled as she spread peanut butter over the remaining slices of bread. Looking at the grape jam jar and taking notice of the label, it was obviously that it was store bought. That and the fact that I had yet to see any fields of grape vines nearby I grew immediately curious as to the procurement of this jam. "Annabel, where did you get that jam?"

"Someone got it fur us." She responded nonchalantly.

I knew Billy's small convenience store didn't carry it either having been there the day before. "I didn't think anyone from this community went to the outsider towns." I stated.

"We don't. Someone we trust brings us stuff we need from stores in a city that's close." Annabel responded.

"Which one, Austin?" I guessed.

"Yeah, that's the one." Annabel quickly changed the subject back to lunch preparations. "Ya know what would go good with PBJ? A fresh apple." She finished making the sandwiches, put everything away, and then fetched a couple apples from a basket on the counter and placed one on each plate. She handed me a plate and we moved to the dining room table where we sat across from one another once again.

"Well Annabel, thanks for lunch."

"It's nothing fancy, just PBJ." I could tell she thought the whole PBJ thing was cool. I think it kinda made her feel more apart of my world. "Oh, I forgot the drinks. What would ya like Aaron?"

"I'm good actually." I said as I held up my water bottle and shook it.

"Ya sure drink a lot of water."

"I love water. Drink it all the time." I responded.

Annabel smiled. "Well then, I'll be right back with mine." She returned moments later with a glass of water of her own. We exchanged smiles as she sat down.

We ate our lunch and enjoyed some idle chit chat about the fun we had playing with the kids and her life on the farm. The conversation was nice and by the time we had finished, an hour had passed. I stood up and collected the plates and a dumbfounded look came over Annabel's face.

"Uh, what are ya doing?" Annabel asked.

"Clearing the table of course."

"But that's my job."

"Nonsense, you cooked, I clean." I responded.

Annabel just smiled and then followed me into the kitchen. I washed the plates and then placed them in the drying rack. Annabel watched me as I did her earlier, though I doubt she was thinking the same thing I was at the time. Little did I know it, but she had steadily become attracted to me as well. When I finished up, I turned to Annabel and I noticed that the smile had not disappeared from her face.

"Ya know, it's such a beautiful day. How bout we go for a walk?" Annabel asked.

"Sure I said. I love to hike." I responded.

"Well, let's go then." I followed Annabel to the front door when she stopped suddenly as though she had forgotten something. "Wait, I need to get something first."

I waited as she disappeared into the back of the house and returned shortly after carrying a blanket.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"It's a surprise." She said with a smile.

"Is it far?"

"Not far."

We left the house and started out on a trail on the rear of the property that led up a hill and into the woods. We hiked around for a few hours, up over hilltops and down through valleys. We traded stories of our outdoor adventures, mine overshadowing her's by a mile with my career taking me around the world, but we found common ground when comparing our love for the outdoors. Our discussion would pause when we'd stop at scenic overlooks or places with a view of the farm and the community, which Annabel would take the liberty to tell me about. I was surprised at how good of a hiker she was, at least for someone with hooves. "Maybe she's part mountain goat." I thought to myself. She was definitely an outdoors girl and I really liked that about her. Annabel had a genuine appreciation for nature and she took the time to admire it when the occasion presented itself.

I didn't realize we were almost back at the farm until I spotted it as we passed through a small clearing. The sun was getting low in the sky and Annabel suggested that we go to a spot on a nearby hilltop to watch it set. It was a short hike and during the trip, Annabel explained how she would go there to be alone with her thoughts. We moved out of the thin forest into a short grass covered clearing that overlooked most of the farm and the higher mountains to the west. It was quite a romantic spot. I laid the blanket out, which I had offered to carry some time ago, and we sat down next to one another and took in the natural beauty of the landscape.

The minutes started to tick by and with Annabel silently sitting there I started to get a little nervous. I decided to break the silence. "Well, that was my first official oats fight." I mused. I felt like such a dork. "It was different, but I admit those kids were pretty fun. It's like having pets to play with whenever you want."

Annabel smiled. "Yeah, the chickens aren't as much fun to play with, but they are fun to chase if ya get really bored."

"I think I'll stick with the goats for now." I smiled.

We sat there in the setting sun enjoying the last of its warming light. We continued to speak in idle chatter, trading backgrounds and stories of our lives from youth to adulthood as any two people would that were beginning to realize that something more than a friendship may be developing. Annabel mostly sat and listened, looking into my eyes as I spoke. I rambled on about life in the military and the laundry list of places I've visited around the globe. She was fascinated by my stories and detailed descriptions of far away places. Annabel rarely left the confines of her small community let alone embarked on a journey around the world.

Annabel really dug my love for the outdoors. I frequently ventured into the wilderness to escape the hustle and bustle of my life. She loved the farm and frequently hiked the surrounding hills and mountains to be one with nature. This was the common ground that really seemed to really spark her interest in me.

When the conversation turned to my love for modern technology, she struggled to understand the contradiction. There was no need for any modern technology in her farming community. Most families had a truck or tractor, electricity, a fridge, and maybe a radio, but that was about it. The only phone belonged to the garage that Billy Jo managed.

We watched the sun disappear behind the mountains as dusk settled over the land around us. We sat in silence, and took in the beautiful shades of orange and red that filled the western sky. I took several subtle long looks over at Annabel, taking in her beauty. I tried to be nonchalant about it and even though she never acknowledged my staring, I think she knew I was checking her out. As darkness fell, the silence was broken when crickets began chirping and the fields came to life with the insects that called the night their day.

I continued to catch glimpses of Annabel as we sat there in the fading light when she spoke suddenly. "Aaron?" she began to inquire in a more serious but friendly tone. "Why don't ya ever just ask me?"

I instantly grew nervous with uncertainty of where this questions was going. "What? Ask you about what?" I asked, looking away sheepishly.

"I know I don't look like ya. I know what people look like outside our community, and I know I look strange to ya. And yet, ya haven't asked once why I look like this. Why is that?"

I quickly grew nervous. I knew the jig was up, so to speak. It had been silly to try and pretend I didn't notice her goat-like features. "I just didn't want to offend you. You offered to take me in when I needed help, so I knew you were a good person. It doesn't really matter to me what you look like."

"Well, unfortunately not everyone feels like that. Billy Jo usually gets the brunt of it from the delivery people or strangers that come to our community. That's why he wasn't too friendly to ya, but he's got a good heart."

"It's alright, you don't have to defend Billy Jo. I can understand that. I imagine people are probably quite mean to him. Outsiders tend to mock anyone who's different or what they don't understand." I responded.

"I run into outsiders from time to time, too. Yur the first one that's made me feel normal though and I really do appreciate that." Annabel leaned in closer to me. Her warm breath felt good on my neck as the air cooled around us. "Is there anything else ya wanted to ask me?"

"I did have one question about your appearance." I tried to ask casually, testing the waters to see how far I could go without offending her and have her pull away. My eyes glanced down to her baby bump and then quickly shot back up into her green eyes. Try as I might to find the courage to come right out with it, I could only manage a vague inference. "Or rather something that you keep hidden."

"Ya want to know what this bump under the front of my skirt is." She sat up straight and nervously started playing with her hair. "Ya probably already figured it out, but I was afraid of what ya would think of me."

I thought it was as odd way to describe her baby bump but I took a deep breath and proceeded. "If it's too personal, you don't have to tell me."

Annabel sighed and slouched shamefully. "Yes...it's true...I have an udder, just like the goats."

Her response couldn't have been further from what I had expected her to say. I wasn't sure what was more shocking the fact that she wasn't pregnant or that she had a goat's udder. Any ties between the bulge and the inescapable fact that she was part female goat had completely escaped me since our encounter. As I looked into Annabel's sad green eyes, I struggled to formulate a response. I could tell she was in agony waiting for me to say something, anything. "Well it's...uhhh...fine that you have an udder. I mean, that's just the way things...you know...are around here. Well...you know that, of course, cause...you...live...here..." The last few words of my response grew quieter until ending in regretted silence. I looked away and subtly shook my head, feeling like a moron. I was really striving to comfort her but I was clearly struggling as my own comfort level plummeted.

Annabel realized this and deeply appreciated my less than smooth effort. She placed her right hand on my left hand to provide some comfort. "Aaron...thanks." she said softly. "Are ya always this understanding?"

I looked back into Annabel's eyes. "Look, what can you do? You are who you are. I'm not gonna hold that against you." She smiled and I returned hers. "Do you wanna hear something funny?"

"What?" she asked.

"I actually thought you were pregnant and unmarried."

"Oh my, ya did!" she said with a chuckle. "No, not pregnant but ya was kinda right. I'm not married but I definitely don't have children." After divulging that bit of personal information, she felt compelled to inquire about my marital status. "So what about ya?"

"Not married and no kids, children I mean." I replied without hesitation.

We became silent again as we mentally breathed a sigh of relief with the fact that the other was "available". I rekindled the conversation, boldly, yet stupidly. "So, I'm curious. You have an udder and breasts, so how does that...uhhh...work?" I sputtered. I immediately regretted my insensitivity and found myself wondering where this was going to go. "Dammit Aaron, you're so stupid!" I thought to myself.

Annabel's eyes widened and her mouth opened with surprise following my rather invasive question. She wasn't sure exactly how to feel about my continued curiosity. "Well...when I was a teenager, my breasts came first and then my udder started growin soon after. I guess my body doesn't know whether it's woman or goat, so I have both." Although it was getting dark outside, I could sense that she was a little embarrassed. Annabel continued, "I thought that was normal until I started paying more attention to the women coming in from out of town. Sometimes I don't know if I'm a woman with goat parts or goat with woman parts."

She looked away in an attempt to hide the tears that had begun to trickle down her face. I felt sorry for her. I couldn't imagine being in her place. I moved over and innocently put my arms around her in an attempt to comfort her. "Annabel, don't worry about it. I think it's cool, you know? You...you're unique."

She perked up a bit, relieved that I wasn't disgusted. "Really? Ya don't think it's weird or disgusting?"

"Truthfully? It's a little weird for me, but only because it's not something I'm accustomed to. This is normal in your community and I accept that. It's no different than how odd I probably appear to everyone here."

A smile grew across her face with the reception of acceptance from the outsider seated next to her. "Yeah, ya definitely don't blend in here." she responded with a little giggle. She felt as though a large weight had been lifted off her. She looked at me and smiled. "Ya know Aaron, ya gotta good heart. I've never met an outsider that thought like ya."

A comfortable silence fell upon us as we looked into each other's eyes. Annabel had never known true love but the more she came to know me, the more she came to believe that she was falling in love. A full moon crept up into the sky, casting a light glow on her skin of her face, which was still wet from her earlier tears. I slowly reached up with my right hand and gently wiped them off from each side of her face with my thumb, caressing her face with my fingertips. Annabel closed her eyes softly and let out a soft sigh as she tilted her head into my caressingly warm touch.

As my fingers contacted the unique features of her face, I came to realize that I had become attracted to her. Although the animalistic features of her body were unusual, she was still a physically attractive young woman. Her sweet country girl personality complimented her body quite well. I had never met anyone like her, so innocent, so pure.

We sat there wrapped in comfortable silence under the moonlit sky. As I stared at the beautiful face of this creature, Annabel opened her eyes and looked longingly into mine. It was difficult not to become lost in those beautiful green eyes. We sat there locked in each other's gaze oblivious to the advancement of time and the world surrounding us. It felt as though we were peering into each other's soul and bearing witness to them becoming entwined in an intimate connection.

Annabel decided it was time to boldly embrace her desire and take action. After a brief hesitation, she slowly leaned in and softly kissed my lips. She gave me no warning but her boldness was pleasantly surprising. The connection only lasted a few seconds, but in that time

*****UNFINISHED*****