Dual Age-up: Stellamaris and Rosewater - Crossing Paths

Crossing Paths

Stellamaris -  889 and Rosewater - 706

1,638 words

It had been a while since Stella had ventured inland from her home by the sea. She liked her home. It was usually cooler than it was inland, and it seemed to her that there were less carnivores about. Of course, there was less food, too, but she had learned to make do. Her whole herd had. The last time she had been inland was during a huge storm. The coast hadn't been safe then, but as soon as it was, they had moved back. She had been barely more than a hatchling then and she rarely had reason to leave. She hadn't left again since.

That had been mostly because it wasn't safe to separate from the herd, but she wanted to visit one of the other herds. She'd seen them at a distance during the storm, but her mama had said that the herds didn't mix. That seemed silly to her. Why shouldn't they? They were all the same, right? Bulls left their herds. Why couldn't she?

Ignoring her mother's warnings, she had slipped away while the others slept and was now on her way. She loped through the grasslands that bordered her seaside home, giggling as the grass tickled her nose. One day, it wouldn't do that anymore. One day, she would be as big as her mama. For now though, she was still not-quite an adult. That didn't matter to her, she was big enough to scare off silly predators! She hoped.

She craned her neck up over the grass, hoping one of the other herds would be in the area. The closest she'd seen them come to the sea was the treeline. She still had a little ways to go before she got there. Maybe midday. 

As she trotted along, the scent of the sea faded to the smell of dirt and juicy green grass. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten breakfast before setting off. She eyed the bountiful waves of juicy green grass around her. There was so much and she was so hungry. A quick bite wouldn't hurt. She could stop for breakfast.

She hunkered down low, hoping that her still growing horns would be hidden in the waving grasses. Plus, by staying low, she'd have better access to the soft new growth at the bottom. As she plucked at the grass, she considered it. It was nice to have a meal that wasn't salty and chewy. Her herd ate a lot of seaweed, only venturing to the edge of the grasslands to eat grass when there wasn't enough seaweed washed up to feed everyone. Mallow and other beach plants were rare treats. The grass up here tasted almost sweet by comparison. Even the grass they usually ate was a little salty.

She hadn't been grazing long when she heard voices. Many of them. A low buzz of activity, accompanied by the occasional snort or cough. She raised her head, peeking up over the grass. The treeline herd! She must have been closer than she thought! She squinted at the forms but couldn't quite make them out.

She crept closer, the murmur resolving into idle chatter. Here, a pair of mothers talked and gossiped while their calves played around their feet. There, an old matriarch was scolding a young bull. Her eyes widened at the sight. There were so many of them! Her herd wasn't nearly as big! 

“Whatcha doin’?" A rich feminine voice asked from behind.

Rosewater watched as the strange Styracosaurus squeaked and spun, horn down defensively. The stranger reminded her of the ocean, which she'd only seen from far away. She snickered, and butted her head playfully into the other female's. “Relax, silly!”

Stella blinked and backed away from the headbutt. “Why did you sneak up on me?!" She tried to make her voice sound firm.

"Me?” Rosie laughed as the stranger glared at her. She talked so fast, she was almost unintelligible. "You're the one creeping around in the grass like some kind of carnivore. Who are you? Where are you from? I've never seen you before, and I know everyone in the herd.”

Stella didn't know how to answer the barrage of questions from the strangely mottled female at first. She spoke so differently compared to the rest of the beach herd. Slow and drawling, but somehow smooth and rich. Not to mention how she looked! Everyone in the beach herd was like Stella. Colors that matched the sea, no fluff and blue or green eyes. “I-I’m Stellamaris, but everyone calls me Stella. I’m from the beach herd." 

Rosie perked up. Stella's words had slowed with her uncertainty, making her much easier to understand. “The beach? Really?! Is your herd nearby?" Her eyes widened, as she suddenly realized that the beach herd never came inland. “What are you doing here?! Is there a storm coming?!” She stared at the sky, but it was a perfectly sunny day. There were barely even any clouds. Surely, there couldn't be a storm.

Stella shook her head. "No, no, there's no storm.” She looked back the way she'd come, "I came alone. I wanted to meet others that weren't in my herd.” Her herd was mostly her own family. Brothers, sisters, cousins, she got tired of it.

"Oh.” The mottled female paused for a moment, still staring at the sky. Then, she looked back down with a smile. "Well, I'm Rosie. You really came alone? Don't you know that's dangerous?" 

“Yes," Stella frowned, puffing up to seem larger. “Of course I do. But I'd never be able to convince anyone to come. Mama says herds don't mix. " 

“Really? That's so weird. Is that why your herd never talks to us?" Rosie tilted her head.

“Yes! And I don't want to only talk to my family. My herd never comes up here unless there's a storm and even then we never talk to the other herds. I wanted to meet someone new who isn't related to me." Stella frowned harder. She was so sick of babysitting. “and your herd is huge!" 

“It's not that big." Rosie laughed. 

“Bigger than mine." Stella protested.

“Okay, fine." Rosie laughed, “I guess that's fair." She looked back towards her herd, eyes still twinkling with laughter, “Come on, I'll introduce you to my friend Anura.”

Friend. Not sister or brother, friend. This herd really was bigger! Stella forgot about her previous annoyance at being snuck up on and made fun of as she happily trotted after Rosie. She wondered what Anura was like. 

“Anura!" Rosie called, breaking into a gallop. “Anura, come here!" 

Stella squeaked as Rosie took off in a burst of speed, nearly leaving her behind. The other female couldn't have been much older than her, but wow was she fast.

As it turned out, Anura was another female, dark green in color with a cream throat. If not for the fluff that covered her--and a lot of the treeline herd, Stella was noticing now--she might have fit in with Stella's herd. Now that she was looking around, it seemed Rosie was strange here too. The rest of the herd were greens and browns like the trees. Rosie was pink.

"What? What is it?" Anura asked as Stella and Rosie reached her. She hadn't moved an inch. Rosie must have a habit of asking others to come to her while running towards them. “Who is this?" 

Stella thought that Anura sounded a bit like a frog, with her deep, rough voice. She kinda looked like one too with her spots and coloration.

“This is Stella, she's from the beach herd." Rosie chirped, trotting a circle around Anura.

“What's she doing here? Is there a storm?" Anura didn't seem too worried about it. She asked about the storm as if commenting on the flavor of grass.

"No.” Rosie chirped, "She's just exploring.”

"Alone?” That seemed to bother Anura a little.

"It's not that far.” Stella protested. “I started out this morning.”

Anura and Rosie both looked at the sky, then looked back down. “Really?” They said in unison. 

“Really!” Stella nodded.

“Neat! Maybe we can convince our herd to come visit yours some time.” Rosie chirped.

“Really?!” Stella perked up, “That would be great! Maybe then mama would change her mind about talking to other herds!” Her mama was getting older. It would probably be good for them to move inland.

They continued talking as they wandered around the herd, Rosie introducing her to the others. After a while, Anura wandered off, leaving Rosie and Stella alone.

“This has been really fun,” Stella beamed as they headed back to where they had first met. 

“Are you going home?” Rosie said, looking a little crestfallen. 

“I gotta. I didn't tell Mama where I was going and she's probably looking for me.”

“You didn't-- What are you standing here for?! Go!” Rosie headbutted her for emphasis, sending Stella stumbling. Rosie couldn't have been much older than her, but she was considerably bigger. 

“Okay, okay, I'm going!” Stella said as she turned to gallop off.

It was late afternoon by the time she got back, following the sounds of her herd.

“I found her!” One of her brothers called as she crept into the back of the herd. “You're in soooo much trouble, Stella. Mama's been looking for you all day.”

Stella ducked her head as Pisces began to make her way to the back.

“Where have you been?” Her mama demanded as she drew up short in front of Stella, who had the good sense to look ashamed.

“Exploring…”

“Stella, I've told you not to wander off…” Pisces said tiredly. “Remember what happened last time?”

“Yes…” 

“Where were you today?”

“The treeline herd.”

“Wh--” Pisces looked taken aback, then sighed. “Well, I guess it could be worse. Just…don't do it again, Stella.”

“Yes ma’am.”