Page 26 of My Orc Has Big Tusks
I opened the gate and stepped inside. Laina followed.
The snugglethorn turned her head our way, her single forehead horn jutting toward us.
Before we reached her, she turned away, lowering her head to the ground.
“Is this normal for her?” Laina asked.
“She’s usually more active.”
“When did the change start?”
“A few days ago.” I crouched beside Abagail and ran my hand over her soft, dense wool. “She’s eating less. Resting more.”
“Has she been around others of her kind recently? She may have caught something from one of them.”
“I’ll check with Drogar. He handled her intake.”
I shifted closer to Abagail’s head and rested my hand on her neck, behind her horn where the wool was thickest. She leaned into my hand, releasing a soft chuff.
“She trusts you,” Laina said.
“She knows I won’t hurt her.” I kept my hand steady, my voice low. “She didn’t know that when she first arrived, but I’ve been patient with her.”
Laina knelt beside me and rested her hand on Abagail’s side.
“Hey, there,” she said quietly. “We’re going to take good care of you.”
Abagail made a low sound, somewhere between a hum and a sigh.
I pulled out my notebook and, after studying her feed bin, wrote:Abagail. Quieter today. Eating 15% less than baseline. Resting more than usual. Watching.
Laina studied Abagail’s mouth. “Good capillary refill, which means she’s not dehydrated.”
“All of our animals have access to plenty of clean water.”
She listened to Abagail’s heart and lungs and ran her hands along the snugglethorn’s body. When she’d finished, she stood. “I don’t see anything unusual, though I’ll need to read up on snugglethorns tonight to be sure. She could just be tired. Let’s monitor her closely. Let me know if there are any changes.”
“I will.”
We left the enclosure, and I glanced back once. Abagail had closed her eyes.
I paused near the gate and made another note.Laina rested her hand on Abagail’s wool. Spoke to her softly. Abagail responded.
It wasn’t clinical data. But it felt important anyway.
“It’s almost time for lunch.”
“Wow, already?”
“Are you hungry? Krem cooked.”
She tilted her head, gazing up at me. “Does Krem know how to cook?”
I shrugged. “Some of us are better at cooking than others.”
“How does Krem rank among you?”
“About the middle.”
