Baron clapped his hands to get my attention, "Little Miss, let's resume your training. I will take over from here."
He changed into his wolf form, and I had to step back because he was so big. He looked like a night wolf that came from the depths of the darkest caves.
"Come," he said, turning around and showing me his back, "Hop on."
His mouth didn't move when he spoke, the words just came from him, not from his lips. How powerful was his beast to be able to talk like that? I could only bleat like a sheep when I was in my animal form.
I held onto his fur and climbed on his back, sitting right behind his head. I could feel his muscles underneath me, his warm fur on my skin.
"During emergencies, you might have to ride on one of us," he picked up his pace, "You will have to be able to hold on and not fall. That's what we are practicing today."
"Keep the arms bent at all times," Moyu instructed, matching Baron's pace, "Use your legs as well, squeeze them around his body. Use your entire body to hold on, not just your arms."
It was hard to hold on when Baron jumped over the tree roots, my body going up and down, left and right. I flew off his back a few times, but Moyu was always there to catch me before I hit the ground.
Despite being on a ride the whole time, I was the one who was getting tired, not Baron. He moved like the wind, jumping over rocks and bushes, making sharp turns and running in circles.
My body flew to the side, almost falling off him as he made a sudden turn. This felt even more dangerous than what Moyu did to me earlier.
We passed by Madam, who again, looked like she didn't believe what she was seeing. A sheep riding on top of a wolf.
Baron slowed down, approaching Madam. She had found the spot where Michael and Moyu had brought the rams.
She also brought the sheep females with her, and they were standing beside her, holding their mouths as Madam stepped on one of the ram's head, pushing it deeper into the mud.
"You refuse what?'' Madam's voice was cold, her boot still on the ram's head. She was not just pushing it down, she was trying to drown him, the mud slowly covering his head.
"Carrying a female on my back. It's humiliating," the ram replied, coughing when she pushed down harder, "We males don't do that!"
"Don't you want to return to your herd like heroes? How could one become hero if one doesn't save those who are in need?" She lifted her foot, letting him breathe, then stepped on his head again, "I suggest honor and courage take over your pride, or else I will peel your skull and use it as a soup bowl."
"...yes...we will...carry...we will carry the..." the ram choked, "...them."
"Very well," Madam lifted her boot and the ram coughed, inhaling the air.
They changed into their beast forms, and Madam gestured for the females to climb on their backs. They seemed hesitant at first, but Madam's presence was enough to make them do what she wanted.
"Would you like a ride as well, Dearest?" Baron offered, kneeling down to let her climb on his back.
I almost slid down, but Madam's hand around my waist pulled me back up as she sat behind me, her other hand around Baron's fur.
I tried my best not to lean on her, conscious of the closeness. It was a bit overwhelming when she held me in place, her palm against my stomach.
I sensed her lean over my shoulders to glance at my round belly that had yet to fully shrink. I sucked in my stomach to hide the evidence, but it was too late.
I thought she would laugh at me like the owners did, but instead she moved her arm above it, pulling me closer to her chest. I prayed she couldn't feel how fast my heart was racing or the heat that was rising in my body.
Baron began to move and Madam's thighs tensed, her long legs firmly around his torso. I couldn't help but glance down at them and the contrast of my short legs, dangling from his sides.
"Did Vick tell you to get your hands on the rams and females?" Madam asked.
Moyu by our right side answered for him, "No, me and Mitchell were afraid of the side effects our beast aura would have on Little Miss, so we brought substitutes."
She let go of Baron's fur and reached to Moyu instead, who almost flinched at the sudden contact. She stroked his hand before sliding down to his fingers, "It's my first time seeing you two be afraid of scaring away a female."
She poked his finger pad before letting go and grabbed Baron's fur again as he jumped over a large branch.
Moyu didn't reply, just looked away shyly and kept going.
"Having this much effect on my mates," her whisper was so quiet that I wasn't sure if I heard it right, "I'm starting to feel jealous of you, Buttercup " she whispered into my ear, her voice a little cold this time, "They are all falling for your charms, aren't they?"
"To make them...like me...Madam said to...make them like me," I said, "So I'm trying to..."
It's what Madam wanted. She wouldn't suddenly kick me away because of that, right? I was just following her orders.
She hummed. I couldn't tell if she was happy with the progress or disappointed. Her hands were on my waist, and it made me feel like I was in a cage. Her legs were on either side of my hips, her chest pressed against my back.
I could tell she wasn't pleased by my answer. It was not what she wanted to hear.
"Madam," I mumbled, "Am I...doing welll? I don't want to be a failure...like...like the last one. The last chick," I clarified and her grip tightened.
Moyu slapped his forehead while Baron's tail stood on its end, bristling by the way he almost lost his balance.
"Last chick?" Madam questioned, her voice sounding a little dangerous, "Who said that she's a failure?"
I thought I had chances against a chick, since chicks were known to be very dumb, exactly like the owners described her.
"Nobody" I replied, noticing Moyu avoiding my gaze, "I didn't hear it from anyone. I was just...guessing. Yes."
"You guessed," she repeated.